Although More Affordable, It Still Left Me Feeling Uneasy

It’s been a bit since I’ve strapped on a virtual—sorry, mixed reality—headset. I have the Quest 2 at home, but with most of my tech activities now shifting to a foldable Android device, it’s been gathering dust. However, a recent demonstration with the Meta Quest 3S at Meta Connect has got me thinking about whether this type of tech could still have a spot in my life. I just wish it didn’t make me feel queasy.

You can check it out at Best Buy and Amazon if you’re interested.

So, Meta recently unveiled the Quest 3S headset, with prices starting at $300. It’s slightly more budget-friendly than the regular Quest 3 and is powered by the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform. However, this comes with a trade-off—slightly reduced resolution and field of view compared to its counterpart. Still, it’s an improvement over the Quest and Quest 2. Meta seems to be targeting folks like me who haven’t used their headsets in a while but might be tempted by an upgrade. The mixed reality passthrough in full color was quite handy during my demo as I easily switched modes to move around.

At first, my time with the Meta Quest 3S was a nostalgic reminder of what I’d been missing. But as the session went on, I remembered why I don’t use these devices as often—I tend to get nauseous. It might have been the combination of an empty stomach and the heat, but around 32 minutes in, I graciously asked to pause and remove the headset to catch my breath in the real world.

The tipping point for me was the Horizon World’s Music Valley Experience. Sabrina Carpenter features in it, which makes me think back to watching her on Disney Channel. As you get closer to her “stage,” the immersion grows so intense it almost feels like you’re intruding on her personal space. It was a bit too up close and personal for comfort.

Then, there was this moment when another avatar joined in and started dancing with me. Whoever was controlling it was nice enough to guide me around this virtual playground. We found ourselves by an alien spaceship, floating and playing tunes, but I struggled to grab the music notes with joysticks acting like claws. It was during this alien-themed activity that my stomach really began to protest.

I did find some parts of the Quest 3S experience enjoyable. I caught the beginning of a Celine Dion special on Amazon Prime, which sounded fantastic. I relaxed in a field of daisies in a stunning 8K, 3D YouTube video—very soothing. A bit of window arranging followed, just for the heck of it. I attempted a session with an Xbox game, but the demo controller wasn’t cooperating. I managed to jump into Just Dance eventually, but my stamina was waning by then.

I felt the worst in Horizon Worlds due to its lack of a stable horizon. Normally, having a fixed point helps with balance, much like on a rocking boat. However, I didn’t anticipate needing such a focus while seated. Now, sitting down might be all I do the next time I use a headset. Meta might have managed to lower the Quest’s price, but they still need to address how to cater to people with sensitive stomachs in virtual and mixed reality environments.

The new Meta Quest 3S models range from $300 for 128GB of storage up to $400 for a 256GB version. You can preorder now, with the official sale date being October 15.

You can find it at Best Buy and Amazon.