If you've been eager to dive into the world of VR gaming but have been deterred by the high cost, the first major Meta Quest deal of 2025 might be exactly what you need. Best Buy is currently offering a significant $50 discount on the Meta Quest 3S 256GB VR headset, bringing the price down to just $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 additional cost. This effectively matches the price of the 128GB model, making it an even more attractive deal.

To make the offer even sweeter, the package includes a copy of the acclaimed Batman: Arkham Shadow VR game and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+. IGN's reviewer, Dan Stapleton, gave Batman: Arkham Shadow an impressive 8/10, praising how it "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 Meta Quest 3S is a significant upgrade from the Quest 2, offering improvements across the board without a price hike. It also incorporates many features from the pricier Quest 3, including enhanced Touch controllers, an upgraded Snapdragon APU, and support for full-color AR passthrough. In IGN's 9/10 review, Gabriel Moss highlighted that "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 truly makes this deal stand out is the Quest 3S's ability to be played completely untethered. You can enjoy games like Beat Saber or Pistol Whip without needing a high-end gaming PC or a PlayStation 5. It's a rare find to get a standalone VR headset at this price point.

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

Even at full retail price, the Quest 3S is $200, or 40% cheaper than the $500 Quest 3. To achieve this price, certain compromises were made. Here's a comparison of the two:

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)

In essence, the Quest 3S offers nearly the same experience as the Quest 3 but with slightly downgraded optics. The shared processor means that running at a lower resolution can ease the load on the APU, potentially improving in-game performance and contributing to the extended battery life.

For the price, the Quest 3S provides a much better value than the Quest 3, making it a more appealing choice for most gamers, especially if the Quest 3 was previously out of your budget. When compared to the Quest 2, the choice becomes even clearer.

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