If you've been eager to dive into VR gaming but the price has always been a hurdle, then the first major Meta Quest deal of 2025 is something you won't want to miss. Best Buy is currently offering a fantastic deal where you can save $50 on the Meta Quest 3S 256GB VR headset, bringing the price down to just $349.99. But wait, there's more! With this purchase, you'll also receive a $50 Best Buy gift card and a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at no additional cost. This effectively reduces the cost to match the price of the base 128GB model.
To make this deal even sweeter, it includes a copy of the Batman: Arkham Shadow VR game and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+. In IGN's 8/10 review, Dan Stapleton praised the game, stating, "Batman: Arkham Shadow makes most of the Arkham series' defining gameplay work respectably well in VR, and its mystery story pays off."
Meta Quest 3S VR Headset with Batman: Arkham Shadow
Meta Quest 3S 256GB VR Headset + Bonus $50 Best Buy Gift Card
$399.99 save 13%
$349.99 at Best Buy
The Quest 3S surpasses the original Quest 2 in every aspect, and astonishingly, without increasing the price. It also incorporates many features from the more expensive Quest 3, including the upgraded Touch controllers, the enhanced SnapDragon APU, and support for full-color AR passthrough. In IGN's 9/10 review of the Quest 3S, Gabriel Moss noted, "raw processing power, full-color passthrough, and snappy Touch Plus controllers make the Quest 3S a fantastic standalone VR headset that also brings entry-level mixed-reality gaming to the masses for – arguably – the very first time."
What truly distinguishes this deal from other VR offers is that the Meta Quest 3S can be enjoyed completely untethered. This means you can immerse yourself in games like Beat Saber or Pistol Whip without needing a high-end gaming PC or a PlayStation 5 console. You won't find another standalone VR headset at this price point.
How Is the Quest 3S Different from the Quest 3?
Even at its full retail price, the Quest 3S is $200, or 40% cheaper than the $500 Quest 3. To reach this competitive price, some compromises were made. Here’s how they compare:
Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 Similarities
- Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor
- Touch Plus controllers
- 120Hz refresh rate
- Mixed reality passthrough (same cameras, different layout)
Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 Differences
- Lower per-eye resolution (1832x1920 vs 2064×2208)
- Fresnel lens vs. pancake lens
- Lower FOV (96°/90° vs 104°/96°)
- Smaller storage capacity (128GB vs 512GB)
- Longer battery life (2.5hrs vs 2.2hrs)
Essentially, the Quest 3S is nearly identical to the Quest 3 but with downgraded optics. However, since both use the same processor, the lower resolution eases the load on the APU, potentially improving game performance and contributing to the extended battery life.
For the price, the Quest 3S offers undeniable value over the Quest 3, making it a better choice for most gamers, especially if the Quest 3 was out of your budget. Compared to the previous generation Quest 2, the decision is even more straightforward.
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