It’s been some time since I’ve put on a virtual—or more accurately, mixed reality—headset. My Quest 2 has been gathering dust at home, largely because my foldable Android device has taken over most of my computing needs. However, my demo with the Meta Quest 3S at Meta Connect got me thinking about whether there’s still room for experiences like this in my life. I just wish it didn’t make me feel queasy.
If you’re interested, you can find it at Best Buy or Amazon.
Meta recently unveiled the Quest 3S headset, starting at a budget-friendly $300. It’s a bit easier on the wallet compared to the standard Quest 3, thanks to operating on the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform. However, this does come at the cost of resolution, as the Quest 3S doesn’t quite match the field of view offered by its costlier sibling. Nevertheless, it does outperform the Quest and Quest 2 in this aspect. Meta seems to be targeting folks like me who’ve let their headsets gather dust and might be contemplating an upgrade. The full-color mixed reality passthrough made it easy to navigate during my demo, simply by toggling it on.
At first, I was convinced that I had missed this kind of immersive experience with the Meta Quest 3S. But as the demo progressed, I was reminded of why these devices rarely see the light of day. Motion sickness can be a real hurdle. Whether it was due to an empty stomach or the sweltering heat, about 32 minutes in, I had to politely ask to take a break and remove the headset so I could get some fresh air.
The tipping point for me was the Horizon World’s Music Valley Experience. It features Sabrina Carpenter, an artist I’ve seen grow up on the Disney Channel, singing from afar. As you get closer to her virtual stage, the experience becomes increasingly immersive, almost to the point of feeling like you’re infringing on her personal space. A bit too close for comfort for me.
Then, another avatar sauntered over and began dancing with me. They were quite kind, showing me around the virtual landscape. We ended up beneath a hovering alien spaceship that dispensed music notes. Manipulating the joysticks to grab these notes was tricky, and this activity is where I started feeling that familiar churn in my stomach.
Despite this, there were aspects of the Quest 3S that I enjoyed. Watching the start of a Celine Dion special on Amazon Prime was a treat for the ears. I also spent some time lounging in a field of daisies, thanks to an 8K, 3D YouTube video. It was quite relaxing. I even fiddled with some windows, stacking them haphazardly just for kicks, and attempted to play an Xbox game, although the demo controller refused to cooperate. I managed a session of Just Dance, but by then, my tolerance was wearing thin.
The nausea peaked in Horizon Worlds, likely because the experience lacks a stable horizon to focus on, something that’s typically helpful in maintaining balance, like when you’re on a boat. I didn’t anticipate such a reaction while just sitting in a chair. From now on, whenever I use a headset, I think I’ll stick to seated experiences. While Meta has managed to lower the price point with the Quest 3S, they still need to tackle the issue of making virtual and mixed reality more agreeable for sensitive stomachs like mine.
The new Meta Quest 3S is available for preorder now, starting at $300 for the 128GB model, and climbing to $400 for the 256GB version. It officially hits the shelves on October 15. You can check it out at Best Buy or Amazon if you’re interested.
