Though It’s Less Expensive, It Still Made Me Uneasy

It’s been a while since I dusted off my virtual—or should I say, mixed reality—headset. I’ve had the Quest 2 sitting at home for some time now, but with most of my tech-life revolving around a foldable Android device, it’s been neglected. However, my recent test-drive of the Meta Quest 3S at Meta Connect has got me rethinking its potential place in my world. I just wish it didn’t trigger a wave of queasiness in me.

Meta has launched the Quest 3S headset, starting at an attractive $300. It’s a bit more budget-friendly than the standard Quest 3, running on the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform. But in saving a few bucks, you sacrifice a bit of resolution, as the Quest 3S doesn’t offer as wide a field of view. Still, it’s better than its predecessors, making it an enticing option for folks who haven’t embraced virtual reality in a while and are pondering an upgrade. The full-color mixed reality passthrough was pretty slick, allowing me to navigate my space seamlessly just by switching modes.

At the start, my time with the Meta Quest 3S rekindled my appreciation for the experience. However, by the end, I was reminded of why I often leave these gadgets gathering dust—motion sickness. Whether it was the lack of food or the heat got to me, but after about 32 minutes into the demo, I had to politely call it quits and remove the headset to ground myself back in the real world.

The tipping point for me came during the Horizon World’s Music Valley Experience. It features Sabrina Carpenter—who I can’t help but see as that kid from Disney Channel—singing away. As you approach her “stage,” the experience becomes almost uncomfortably immersive, making it feel as if you’re intruding into someone’s actual space. It was a bit too personal for my taste.

Then, another avatar entered and started dancing alongside me. This virtual companion kindly guided me through the virtual playground, leading us to a floating alien spaceship dispensing music notes. Using the joysticks to grab them felt awkward, and that’s when my stomach began to protest.

Despite that, there were successful highlights during my Quest 3S experience. I watched the start of a Celine Dion special on Amazon Prime, and her voice was as divine as ever. I found peace sitting among daisies in an 8K, 3D YouTube video—the perfect chill session. I shuffled around some virtual windows just for fun, though my attempt to play an Xbox game was thwarted by a non-cooperative demonstration controller. I did manage to join in on Just Dance, but by that stage, my stamina was running low.

The vertigo hit hardest in Horizon Worlds due to its lack of a steady horizon to focus on—something you’d rely on while standing on a wobbling boat. Sitting in a chair, however, I didn’t expect such a dizzying effect, suggesting that’s about all I’ll do next time I wear a headset: stay seated. Meta might have nailed how to cut costs on the Quest, but soothing sensitive stomachs like mine in the realm of virtual and mixed reality is something they still need to master.

You can snag the new Meta Quest 3S for $300 for the 128GB version or go all out with the 256GB model at $400. Preorders are open, with official sales starting on October 15.