Technology
Keen-eyed Redditors have spotted an image of an unreleased Meta VR headset in the official Meta Quest Link PC software. Rumored to be called the Quest 3S, the new headset will likely act as an entry-level alternative to the Meta Quest 3, leaving out some of the bells and whistles from the flagship headset to achieve a lower starting price.
The Quest 3S has front-facing cameras and sensors arranged in two triangular clusters, giving it a distinct “spider-eyes” appearance. Judging from the leaked image, it seems to be bulkier than the Quest 3, with dimensions closer to those of the Meta Quest 2. The larger size lines up with rumors that the new headset will serve as a replacement for the Quest 2, which debuted way back in 2020. The Quest 2 is currently available for $199, though supplies are limited, suggesting it’s about to be discontinued.
The Quest 3S is expected to cost less than the $499 starting price of the Quest 3. While the upcoming budget headset could be powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset, it could also reuse the cheaper fresnel lenses of the Quest 2. The Quest 3S may also ship without the Touch Plus Controllers that come with the Quest 3, relying on built-in eye- and hand-tracking for interaction (though the controllers can be purchased separately).
The Quest 3S leak comes ahead of Meta Connect 2024, the company’s annual conference that will take place Sept. 25-26. Meta is expected to announce the Quest 3S, as well as new Meta Ray-Bans.
Representatives for Meta didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
