Meta Connect 2024 is coming up (starting September 25) and it seems almost certain that it will be the launch event for the new Meta Quest 3S. We already knew almost everything about the headset and now a leaked announcement might have confirmed the last detail: how much it will cost.
To catch you up, the Quest 3S will be a more affordable Meta Quest 3. It will feature the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, but will have lower-quality displays and a bulkier design, basically combining elements of the Quest 3 with the Quest 2.
This was expected to mean the Quest 3S would cost around the same as the Meta Quest 2, which launched at $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$479.99. However, neither leak had any concrete information on this detail, and they suggested it could be anywhere between that lower figure and $399.99 / £399.99 / AU$599.99, which would still be cheaper than the Quest 3, but not as dramatic a price drop.
Amazon confirms Quest 3S 128GB launch for $299 on r/OculusQuest's Peacock
Now, a Reddit user has apparently shared an Amazon ad they were shown for Peacock that appears to confirm a $299.99 price tag.
If correct, it would be a huge win for anyone hoping for VR to become more accessible again following the launch of the $499 / £479 / AU$799 Quest 3. I love the headset, but it’s more expensive than what came before (though it justifies the price increase), and that means it’s a little harder to play the best new VR experiences, like Quest 3-exclusive Batman: Arkham Shadow.
Now, we have to take this leak with a grain of salt. As much as I want it to be real, it's hard to confirm the validity of the shaky, partial recording of an ad using a phone (especially since it's the only time the ad has been seen so far) and the user has no history of sharing leaks. His public account page only lists this post and two comments as his activity history on the social media site.
Even if correct, the listing doesn't reveal whether the $299.99 Quest 3S includes controllers, which was one of the theories proposed for how Meta could hit the Quest 2's price point with the new model.
That said, this announcement has me really excited for Meta Connect 2024 and rekindled my hopes that we might see the Quest 3S come at a super low price after I had started to convince myself that might not be possible.
