Meta Quest 3S VR Headset: Save $50 and Get $50 Best Buy Gift Card

If you've been eager to dive into VR gaming but the cost has been a barrier, the first major Meta Quest deal of 2025 might be just what you need. Best Buy is currently offering a $50 discount on the Meta Quest 3S 256GB VR headset, bringing the price down to $349.99. But the savings don't stop there. You'll also receive a $50 Best Buy gift card and a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at no extra cost, effectively matching the price of the 128GB model.

To make this deal even more enticing, it includes a copy of the acclaimed 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 is a significant upgrade from the Quest 2, offering enhanced features without a price hike. It incorporates many of the same advancements found in the pricier Quest 3, such as the new Touch controllers, an upgraded 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 sets this deal apart from other VR offers is the Quest 3S's ability to be played completely untethered. This means you can enjoy games like Beat Saber or Pistol Whip without needing a powerful gaming PC or a PlayStation 5. 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 achieve this competitive pricing, some compromises were made. Here's a comparison of the two models:

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 can ease the load on the APU, potentially enhancing game performance and contributing to the longer battery life.

For the price, the Quest 3S offers better value than the Quest 3 and is a more suitable choice for most gamers, especially if the Quest 3 was out of your budget. Compared to the Quest 2, the decision is even clearer.

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