Rumors are swirling about the Meta Quest 3 Lite, a budget model intended to replace the Quest 2, the world’s most popular VR set. Meta will inevitably remove Quest 2 from their lineup soon since it was released four years ago.

Meta released the Quest 3, a VR headset with mixed reality features, in October 2023, and if rumors are to be believed, it could be planning to add a new low-cost model to the lineup soon.

The first rumors about the Quest 3 Lite have surfaced WeChat in October 2023, citing unnamed sources who claimed Meta may price the base model as high as $199.

If true, Meta may offer an entry-level Quest 3 Lite sold without controllers. The Meta has excellent hand-tracking technology that works well even on the Quest 2. A Quest 3 Lite with the performance boost of a newer processor could become Meta’s first hands-only VR headset.

While a growing number of VR games support hand tracking, the vast majority of the hundreds of titles in the Meta app store require controllers. While Apple’s Vision Pro is a hands-only VR headset, I think it’s unlikely that Meta will try to sell a Quest 3 Lite that doesn’t have controls.

Could Meta Quest 3 Lite actually be “Meta Quest 3S”?

u/LuffySanKira on Reddit claims they were shown these graphics at a Meta User Research Zoom meeting.

I can’t verify them, but I CAN verify that Meta does comment sessions like these. pic.twitter.com/DjkZnVMP6b

— Luna (@Lunayian) March 16, 2024

Most recently, leaked ads suggested that Meta’s next VR headset could be called the Quest 3s. Redditor LuffySanKira posted the images but soon deleted them. Moon shared graphics on X.

On the left, you see the alleged Quest 3, which sports a triangular array of cameras and pass-through sensors. On the right, the Quest 3’s mixed reality sensors are shown in three vertical lines. Based on the render, the Quest 3s looks more like the Quest 2 with a thicker body and more angular design. The Quest 3 has a slimmer body and a rounded capsule-like shape.

Some doubts have been raised about the authenticity of the images, but these could be early mock-ups based on originals. If a Quest 3s arrives this year, Meta could make the announcement as early as June, like the Quest 3, or hold the news until the Meta Connect event in October.

If you believe in its authenticity, the only available image of the alleged Quest 3s reveals a few details. There is mention, in French, of two configurations: the base model could have 128GB of storage with the option of a 256GB model.

The screen resolution will be the same as the Quest 2, 1832×1920, while the Quest 3 has a sharper 2064×2208 pixels per eye. The graphic doesn’t show controllers, but there is one Beat Saber logo, a game that requires fast movement and so far does not support hand tracking.

Mixed reality in colors seems possible. A processor that’s faster than the Quest 2 is for sure. Lenses may be the purest pancake variety, but lower cost Fresnel is possible.

I expect the Quest 3s or Quest 3 Lite to start at $299, just like the original Quest. It’s a nice, affordable price, as gaming consoles go.

While these rumors and leaks have been interesting, there is reason to take them with a grain of salt. What caught my attention, however, is that Meta recently dropped the price of Quest 2 for the second time in the last three months. The $299 VR headset dropped to $249 in January. Now, the Quest 2 has plummeted to its lowest price ever, selling for $199.

The 256GB version of the Quest 2 is sold out on Meta, so this might be a bargain sale for the 128GB Quest 2 to make way for a new budget model.

The Quest 2 is still a great VR set, and the $199 price tag is unbeatable if the $500 Quest 3 seems too expensive. Meta CTO Andrew “Boz” Bosworth has promised that Quest 2 will continue to receive support for three years after Meta stops selling the device.

Hundreds of games and apps support the Quest 2, and Meta support will last until at least 2027. It will remain on our list of the best VR headsets until it sells out. If you’ve been eyeing a VR headset, now is the time to get a classic Quest 2 at its lowest price ever.

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