This year has been such a bummer for tech fans. From gaming handhelds to PS5, the prices of just about everything with RAM or an SSD has been skyrocketing. That’s because of the one-two punch of tariffs and AI data center demands. The latest tech products to get a price increase are the Meta Quest 3 and 3S. Meta announced that, starting Sunday, April 19, every model of the popular VR headset is going up between $50 and $100.
If you’ve been on the fence about picking one up for yourself or someone else, now is the time to buy before the price goes up. Here’s where you can get a new Meta Quest 3 or 3S at the current, lower prices.
Meta Quest 3 and 3S Price Increase
Meta Quest 3S (128GB): $300 > $350Meta Quest 3S (256GB): $400 > $450Meta Quest 3 (512GB): $500 > $600
These higher new prices will go live effective Sunday, April 19.
Where to Buy Meta Quest 3 and 3S Before Price Change
Meta Quest 3S (128GB)
Get it at Amazon – $299.95Get it at Best Buy – $299Get it at GameStop – $299.99Get it at Target – $299.99Get it at Walmart – $299
Meta Quest 3S (256GB)
Get it at Amazon – $380Get it at Best Buy – $376.79Get it at GameStop – $399.99Get it at Target – $399.99Get it at Walmart – $399
Meta Quest 3 (512GB)
Get it at Amazon – $499Get it at Best Buy – $499Get it at GameStop – $499.99Get it at Target – $499.99Get it at Walmart – $499
If you were planning on buying a Meta Quest 3 or 3S anytime soon, now’s the time to pull the trigger, before the price increase goes live. Above, you’ll find links to all three Quest configurations at all the major retailers.
What’s the Difference Between the Meta Quest 3 and 3S?
Both the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S are standalone VR headsets, meaning you don’t need to attach them to any other device to play their whole range of games. That said, you can connect them to a PC and use them as a PCVR device, assuming your PC can run VR games.
The biggest difference between the two devices is the picture quality. The Quest 3 offers a resolution of 2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye, while the 3S has a resolution of 1,832 x 1,920 per eye. The Quest 3S gives you the option of buying one with a 128GB SSD or a 256GB SSD. The Quest 3 doesn’t give you an option and includes 512GB of onboard storage. Aside from those things, both have all the same sensors and motion tracking capability and refresh rate. They’re really quite similar outside of picture quality.
You can check out our Meta Quest 3S review and our Meta Quest 3 review for more info, but note that they both scored 9/10, so I don’t know if that will give you much clarity.
While the Meta Quest 3 is undoubtedly a higher quality product, the Meta Quest 3S doesn’t fall far behind. And with its entry-level price coming in at $200 less than the 3, it might be hard to make yourself pay more. I think you’ll be happy with whichever headset you buy. If you have the spare cash, you’ll appreciate the benefits of the 3. If not, you probably won’t notice the difference anyway, since you won’t have the 3 to compare it with. It’s kind of a win-win.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN’s board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.
