The Meta Quest 3s, also known as the Quest 3 Lite, has been leaked multiple times over the past few months. This includes some marketing material and photos. A new leak on Monday revealed more details about its specs, comparing it to the Quest 3 and Quest 2.
Leaker Lunayian shared an infographic on Twitter/X. He claims to have seen several devkits and talked to people familiar with the device.
According to the leak, the Meta Quest 3s will use the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip as the Meta Quest 3. It might also have dual 4MP RGB cameras with 18 PPD passthrough, matching the Quest 3’s specs despite a different sensor setup.
Exclusive: Meta Quest 3s (preliminary naming)
Project Codenames: Ventura, Panther
I have seen multiple devkits and spoken to several people familiar with the device. Here are all the things I have learned and feel comfortable sharing in a single infographic: pic.twitter.com/OFFURqVODS
— Luna (@Lunayian) May 20, 2024
Lunayian also claims that the 3s will have a resolution of 1,832 x 1,920 pixels per eye, the same as the Quest 2.
This is much lower than the Quest 3’s 2064 x 2208 resolution. The 445 ppi resolution boost, which is a major upgrade in the Quest 3 compared to the Quest 2, is missing in this budget headset.
Meta might also reintroduce Fresnel lenses with only three IPD adjustment points and no in/out depth adjustment for glasses.
This will reduce costs but make the Quest 3s more front-heavy. It will also be less adjustable for different eye widths compared to the Quest 3’s 1mm gaps.
Despite these physical downgrades, the Quest 3s will still benefit from its current-gen chip. It will support all the latest software, including Automated Space Setup and improved passthrough.
Surprisingly, the Meta Quest 3s might match its more expensive sibling in camera quality. It could have four IR sensors, two RGB cameras, and depth sensing. It’s unclear if the different camera setup affects quality or if Meta wanted the Quest 3s to be distinct.
Meta has seen strong Quest 2 sales even after the Quest 3’s launch, as many prefer affordability over top features. This Quest 3s leak suggests how Meta might lower the price while ensuring the new headset can handle upcoming Quest 3 exclusives.
This leak provides a clearer view of how Meta plans to cut costs, but the exact price is still unknown. Early leaks suggested a very low $199, but more recent and reliable rumors suggest a target of $299.
Even at $299, it’s unclear how Meta will achieve this with the Quest 3s’ costly upgrades. The answer might depend on whether the Quest 3s comes with controllers.
Lunayian’s leak says the Quest 3s works with the Quest 3’s Touch Plus controllers. However, sources like Bloomberg have reported that Meta considered “not bundling [the 3s] with hand controllers” to lower the price and attract Vision Pro fans. While Quest 2 and 3 have good hand-tracking games, many popular games still need controllers.
This report on Quest 3 manufacturing shows the headset costs about $430 to make, with $300 of that for the XR2 Gen 2, camera sensors, battery, plastic housing, and packaging, which the Quest 3s supposedly shares. The remaining $130 comes from the high-res display and pancake lenses, where the 3s will cut costs.
We’ll have to wait and see if Meta can balance quality and cost-cutting with the Quest 3s when it launches later this year.
What we think?
I think the Meta Quest 3s will be a good, cheaper option for many people. It has some of the same tech as the Quest 3 but cuts costs by lowering the screen resolution and making other small changes.
It may not come with controllers, which could be a problem. Overall, it should still run new software well and offer a solid VR experience at a lower price.
