The Meta Quest 3S vs the Vision Pro: Which mixed reality headset should you invest in this year? The Quest 3S, announced at the Meta Connect event in 2024, is already generating a lot of hype. Promising an even more affordable alternative to Meta’s world-leading Quest 3 headset, this device packs a serious punch despite its small price tag.
In fact, it even features the same Snapdragon processor, and full-color passthrough as its more expensive alternative. The Apple Vision Pro, Apple’s first high-end spatial computing device, is even more feature-rich, with exceptional visual fidelity, built-in eye tracking capabilities, and a set of proprietary chips offering incredible performance.
But, with a price tag almost ten times higher than the new Meta Quest 3S, it’s worth asking whether the Apple Vision Pro is really worth the extra cost.
We created this comprehensive comparison guide based on our review of the Apple Vision Pro and what we know about the Quest 3S so far to help you make the right choice.
Meta Quest 3S vs Vision Pro: The Quick Verdict
The Apple Vision Pro is a truly impressive piece of mixed reality hardware, and one of the best headsets we’ve had the opportunity to use in the last few years. It’s phenomenal for business users searching for incredible power, unique spatial computing features, and amazing visual fidelity.
The Meta Quest 3S, as a slightly pared-down version of the Quest 3, isn’t quite as game-changing, but we think it has the potential to outperform the Vision Pro in terms of sales next year. Not only is it far more affordable, but the Quest 3S is incredibly feature-rich. If you’re looking for a great mixed reality experience that won’t break the bank, the 3S is the obvious choice.
Meta Quest 3S vs Vision Pro: Overview and Specs
The success of the Meta Quest 3 over the last year, compared to the somewhat disappointing sales of the Vision Pro shows that affordability is still a major consideration for anyone investing in mixed reality. In fact, a report published earlier this year showed that around 73% of users would pick the Quest 3 over the Vision Pro – despite the Vision Pro being arguably the more powerful headset.
Since the Quest 3S delivers almost exactly the same specs as the Quest 3, at an even smaller price point, we expect it will be equally, if not more successful than the original headset.
In our view, the Vision Pro is the more powerful choice all around, and delivers a more advanced mixed reality experience. Its resolution and display are better than those offered by both the Quest 3 and Vision Pro. Plus, the spatial computing features are more advanced – there’s even integrated eye tracking, which you don’t get with the Quest 3, or the Quest 3S.
However, the Quest 3S and the Vision Pro still have some similarities – they’re both great for mixed reality, and both have incredible processing power.
Technical Specifications: Side by Side Comparison
| Meta Quest 3S | Apple Vision Pro | |
| Pricing | Starting at $299 | Starting at $3,499 |
| Lenses | Fresnel | Pancake |
| Display | LCD with 1832 x 1920 per eye resolution | OLED with 2160 x 3840 per eye resolution |
| FOV | 96 degrees horizontal and 90 degrees vertical | 100-120 degrees |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 | Apple R1 and M2 chips |
| Tracking | Hand and head tracking | Head, hand, and eye tracking |
| RAM | 8GB | 16GB |
| Storage | 125GB or 256GB | 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB |
| Weight | 5145g | 600-650g |
| Battery life | Up to 2.5 hours | 2-3 hours (average) |
Quest 3S vs Vision Pro: Pricing
Let’s start this comparison with the most obvious and significant difference between the Apple Vision Pro and the Quest 3S: the price. The Meta Quest 3 was already one of the more affordable mixed reality headsets on the market, and the Quest 3S is even cheaper, starting at $299. That makes it similar in price to the early Quest 2 (despite being a lot more powerful).
The Apple Vision Pro starts at $3,499, making it one of the more expensive “premium” headsets available today. The high price tag is one of the main reasons the Apple Vision Pro has not achieved incredible sales numbers this year.
Although many enterprise users have embraced this high-end headset, the cost makes it pretty inaccessible to everyday users. It’s worth noting that it’s not just the Meta headset itself that’s cheaper either. The accessories for this headset are a lot more affordable than the optional add-ons for the Vision Pro too.
If Apple wants to ensure it can continue to compete with Meta as it introduces the Quest 3S to the market, the company might need to accelerate its plans to build a more affordable device.
Design and Ergonomics
Ultimately, the Apple Vision Pro definitely looks like a more premium headset than the Quest 3S. It’s a lot sleeker and more “futuristic” than both the Quest 3, and the cheaper Meta Quest 3S. Although some of the design features are a little unnecessary in our opinion.
For instance, the laminated glass display with ability to show your eyes to the people around you doesn’t really add much to the experience you get with this device. Like the Quest 3, the Quest 3S has a simple, plasticky design. It’s a little chunkier than the Quest 3, too, thanks to the use of Fresnel lenses instead of pancake optics.
However, the Quest 3S is still a lot more lightweight than the Apple Vision Pro (514g compared to around 600-650g). This could make it a more comfortable choice, particularly for extended use.
Both options are designed to help evenly distribute the weight of your headset over your head, to enhance comfort. However, I think the Apple Vision Pro does a better job at ensuring the device fits your face perfectly. After all, the Apple team actually tailors each device to the face of its user.
Additionally, the Apple has a couple of different strap options to choose from, such as the “Pro Dual Loop band”, which helps to reduce the risk of your headset shifting around while you’re wearing it. At this point, Meta hasn’t announced any official premium straps for the Quest 3S, although you can still customize your device with a set of prescription lenses.
Vision Pro vs Quest 3S: Displays and Audio
When we compared the Vision Pro and the Quest 3 earlier this year, we were actually quite impressed by similarity of the visuals offered by both headsets. Although the Vision Pro offered slightly crisper images, even in passthrough mode, it did have a slightly lower refresh rate than the Quest 3.
