Save $50 on Meta Quest 3S VR, Get $50 Best Buy Gift Card

If you're eager to dive into VR gaming but have been put off by the high costs, then the first major Meta Quest deal of 2025 might be exactly what you need. For a limited time, Best Buy is offering a $50 discount on the Meta Quest 3S 256GB VR headset, bringing the price down to just $349.99. But the deal gets even better: you'll also receive a $50 Best Buy gift card and a free one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, effectively making the price comparable to the 128GB model.

To make this offer even more enticing, the package includes a copy of the highly-rated Batman: Arkham Shadow VR game and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+. In an IGN review scoring 8/10, Dan Stapleton praised the game, stating, "Batman: Arkham Shadow makes most of the Arkham series' defining gameplay work respectably well in VR, and its mystery story pays off."

Meta Quest 3S VR Headset with Batman: Arkham Shadow

Meta Quest 3S 256GB VR Headset + Bonus $50 Best Buy Gift Card

1$399.99 save 13%$349.99 at Best Buy

The Meta Quest 3S is a significant upgrade over the Quest 2 in every aspect, and surprisingly, without a price increase. It incorporates many features from the pricier Quest 3, including the advanced Touch controllers, an upgraded SnapDragon APU, and support for full-color AR passthrough. In IGN's 9/10 review of the Quest 3S, Gabriel Moss highlighted its strengths, saying, "Raw processing power, full-color passthrough, and snappy Touch Plus controllers make the Quest 3S a fantastic standalone VR headset that also brings entry-level mixed-reality gaming to the masses for – arguably – the very first time."

What makes this deal stand out is that the Meta Quest 3S can be enjoyed completely untethered. You can play popular games like Beat Saber or Pistol Whip without needing a powerful gaming PC or a PlayStation 5. At this price point, you won't find another standalone VR headset that offers such freedom.

How Is the Quest 3S Different from the Quest 3?

Even at its regular price, the Quest 3S is $200, or 40% cheaper than the $500 Quest 3. To achieve this competitive pricing, some compromises were made. Here's how the two models compare:

Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 Similarities

• Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor
• Touch Plus controllers
• 120Hz refresh rate
• Mixed reality passthrough (same cameras, different layout)

Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 Differences

• Lower per-eye resolution (1832x1920 vs 2064×2208)
• Fresnel lens vs. pancake lens
• Lower FOV (96°/90° vs 104°/96°)
• Smaller storage capacity (128GB vs 512GB)
• Longer battery life (2.5hrs vs 2.2hrs)

Essentially, the Quest 3S is nearly identical to the Quest 3 but with downgraded optics. However, since both use the same processor, the lower resolution can ease the load on the APU, potentially enhancing game performance and contributing to the longer battery life.

Given its price, the Quest 3S offers better value than the Quest 3 and is a more suitable choice for most gamers, especially if the Quest 3 was beyond your budget. When compared to the Quest 2, the decision becomes even clearer.

Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?

IGN's deals team boasts over 30 years of collective experience in uncovering the best discounts in gaming, technology, and various other categories. We prioritize transparency and value, ensuring our readers are not misled into purchasing unnecessary items at inflated prices. Our mission is to highlight the most compelling deals from reputable brands that our editorial team has firsthand experience with. For more insight into our methodology, you can review our deals standards here, or follow the latest deals we uncover on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.