A long-awaited addition to the more reasonably priced end of the virtual reality headset lineup, Meta has unveiled the Quest 3S.
While the 128GB and 512GB versions of the Quest 3 cost $429.99 and $499.99, respectively, the Quest 3S costs $299.99.
The main goal is to level the playing field in terms of power and mixed reality capabilities between the more expensive and ordinary Quest headset alternatives. Developers will find it easier in the long run because all users of headsets from the current generation will have access to a fundamental set of functionality.
Each contains the color passthrough cameras and Snapdragon XR 2 Gen 2 chipset needed to produce quality mixed reality images.
But what do you lose out on?
Pancake v/s fresnel lenses
Similar to the Quest 2, the Meta Quest 3S also employs fresnel lenses. In the Quest 3, Meta switched to pancake lenses, and I thought this was the biggest visual update of the generation.
Not only is the peak sharpness improved, but the images’ sides are noticeably crisper as well. It greatly increases the viability of using your eyes to look around rather than your head. It results in a headset with a broader lens sweet spot, making it less fussy about fit.
Lower resolution
There are 4.5 million display pixels available to the Quest 3. There are 3.5 million in the Quest 3S.
1832 x 1920 (Quest 3S) and 2064 x 2208 (Quest 3) are their combined resolutions. Again, the lower-cost headset is of equal quality to the Quest 2 rather than the more recent model.
When discussing a phone, you may use these figures. But PPD, or pixels per degree, is the most important factor in a headset. This indicates how sharp an image looks in a virtual reality headset since you’re stretching out the panel pixels more when the headset’s field of view is bigger. Here, the Quest 3 performs better once more, with 25ppd compared to the Quest 3S’s 20ppd.
The narrower field of view
It turns out that the Quest 3 has a larger and better field of view than the Quest 3S. The Quest 3’s rate at 96 degrees vertical and 110 degrees horizontal. There are 90 vertical and 96 horizontal Quest 3Ss.
What’s the practical meaning of this? You experience a diminished porthole effect, wherein the virtual environment appears more like something you’re looking through a narrow window than what your eyes would perceive.
However, in neither case do you quite get the impression that the image is filling up all of your visual field.
A cheaper headset has better battery life
There is some good news regarding the Quest 3S. Compared to the Quest 3, it is rated for a slightly longer runtime—2.5 to 2.2 hours—off a full charge.
This is true even though the Quest 3’s battery capacity—5060 mAh—is greater than the Quest 3S’s—4324 mAh.
Why is that? The Quest 3 probably has to work harder to get its higher-resolution screens because its pancake lenses are usually far less effective than the fresnel kind found in the Quest 3S and Quest 2.
Verdict – should you pay more?
Featuring color passthrough cameras, Quest 3 controllers, and an improved processor, the Meta Quest 3S is essentially an enhanced Quest 2.
Many apps and games will have better graphics thanks to it, but the optical quality won’t be noticeably enhanced.
Many Quest 2 owners who still like virtual reality but are dissatisfied with all the Quest 3 enhancements they are missing out on should find this interesting. Does the Quest 3 offer a genuinely superior image, though? Indeed, it does.