It’s been quite some time since I last put on a virtual—or should I say, mixed reality—headset. My Quest 2 has been gathering a bit of dust at home now that most of my tech time involves a foldable Android device. However, after getting hands-on with the Meta Quest 3S at Meta Connect, I’m starting to wonder if there’s a renewed place for this kind of tech in my daily life. If only it didn’t leave me feeling a bit queasy.
Meta recently revealed the Quest 3S, with a starting price of $300. It’s a bit easier on the wallet compared to the standard Quest 3, running on the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform. However, opting for the lower price means sacrificing some resolution, as its field of view isn’t quite as expansive. Still, it’s an improvement over the Quest and Quest 2. It seems Meta aims this model at folks like myself—those who have drifted away from using their gear but might be tempted by an upgrade. It features full-color mixed reality passthrough, and during my demo, I could smoothly flip to that mode and move around with ease.
At first, using the Meta Quest 3S reminded me of what I loved about these experiences. But as my session wrapped up, I remembered why I often leave these devices on the shelf—I start feeling nauseous. Whether it was from skipping lunch or the heat of the room, about 30 minutes in, I had to politely excuse myself to get a breath of fresh air.
The experience that really got to me was Horizon World’s Music Valley, featuring Sabrina Carpenter—a familiar face for those who’ve followed her Disney Channel days. As I ventured closer to her “virtual stage,” it felt a bit too much like invading someone’s personal space. It was an up-close encounter I wasn’t quite prepared for.
Then, a friendly avatar joined in and danced along with me, showing me the ropes of the virtual playground. We ended up exploring a floating alien spaceship dispensing music notes, and as I clumsily attempted to collect them with the joystick, the queasiness set in again.
Fortunately, not all moments with the Quest 3S were like that. I caught part of a Celine Dion special on Amazon Prime and her voice was enchanting. I also found peace sitting in a virtual field of daisies in an 8K, 3D YouTube video. It was a relaxing moment. I tried rearranging some open windows just for amusement and unsuccessfully fiddled with an Xbox game due to a controller glitch. I even managed a quick session of Just Dance, though by then, my tolerance was nearly spent.
The nausea hit hardest in Horizon Worlds, as it didn’t provide a stable horizon—something helpful like staring at the horizon to steady yourself on a rocking boat. It’s not what I expected while stationary in a chair. Sitting down might be my strategy next time I try a headset. Meta has made strides in making the Quest more affordable, but they still need a solution for those of us with delicate stomachs in virtual and mixed-reality experiences.
The new Meta Quest 3S starts at $300 for the 128GB version, with a 256GB model available for $400. You can preorder it now, with the official release slated for October 15.
