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

If you've been eager to dive into the world of VR gaming but have been put off by the costs, then the first significant Meta Quest deal of 2025 might just be your golden ticket. For a limited time, Best Buy is offering a fantastic discount of $50 off the Meta Quest 3S 256GB VR headset, now priced at only $349.99. But that's not all! Alongside the headset, you'll receive a $50 Best Buy gift card and a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, effectively lowering the cost to match that of the base 128GB model.

To make this deal even more enticing, the package includes a copy of the highly 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

1$399.99 save 13%$349.99 at Best Buy

The Meta Quest 3S stands out as a significant upgrade from the original Quest 2, delivering improvements across the board without any increase in price. It also incorporates several features found in the pricier Quest 3, such as the enhanced Touch controllers, the upgraded SnapDragon APU, and support for full-color AR passthrough. In IGN's 9/10 review of the Quest 3S, Gabriel Moss lauded it, saying, "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 makes this deal stand out among 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 powerful gaming PC or a PlayStation 5 console. At this price point, you won't find another standalone VR headset that offers such freedom.

How Is the Quest 3S Different from the Quest 3?

Even at its retail price, the Quest 3S is $200, or 40% cheaper than the $500 Quest 3. To achieve this competitive price, certain compromises were made. Below is a comparison of the specifications:

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 almost identical to the Quest 3 but with downgraded optics. However, because both headsets use the same processor, operating at a lower resolution can reduce the load on the APU, potentially enhancing game performance and contributing to the increased battery life.

At this price, the Quest 3S offers exceptional value compared to the Quest 3, making it a more appealing option for most gamers, especially if the Quest 3 was beyond your budget. When compared to the previous generation Quest 2, the choice becomes even clearer.

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