Though Affordable, It Still Left Me Feeling Uneasy

I recently had the chance to try out a mixed reality headset after a long break, and let me tell you, it was quite an experience. I own a Quest 2 at home, but it’s been gathering dust since I’ve been sticking to my foldable Android device for most of my tech activities. However, after trying out the Meta Quest 3S at the Meta Connect event, I found myself contemplating if there’s room in my daily routine for such a gadget. The only downside? It made me feel a bit queasy.

Meta has introduced the Quest 3S headset, starting at an appealing price of $300. It’s a more budget-friendly option compared to the regular Quest 3, running on the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform. The catch? A slightly lower resolution and a narrower field of view. But on the flip side, it’s still an upgrade from past models like the Quest/Quest 2. Meta seems keen to attract folks like me who haven’t used their headsets in a while and might be open to trying something fresh. One of its notable features is the full-color mixed reality passthrough, which made it easy for me to navigate during my demo session by simply switching to that mode.

Initially, during my hands-on with the Meta Quest 3S, I felt a wave of nostalgia for the whole virtual experience. But as time passed, I quickly remembered why I don’t reach for these headsets too often: they make me nauseous. It could have been due to skipping lunch or the warmth in the room, but around 32 minutes into the session, I had to bow out, longing for some fresh air.

The turning point for me was the Horizon World’s Music Valley Experience. It features Sabrina Carpenter, who I feel I’ve seen grow up from her Disney Channel days. As you get closer to her virtual stage, it becomes quite immersive, almost like you’re stepping into someone else’s personal space. It felt a bit too close for comfort.

Adding to the mix, another avatar joined in and started dancing alongside me, kindly guiding me around this digital landscape. We ended up at a floating alien spaceship tossing out music notes. Trying to catch them with the joystick controls proved challenging, and it was during this playful activity that I felt my stomach begin to churn.

But not everything left me feeling off-balance. I enjoyed other parts of the Quest 3S experience. I caught the start of a Celine Dion special on Amazon Prime, and she sounded phenomenal. I also found myself in a field of daisies, fully immersed in an 8K, 3D YouTube video, which was incredibly relaxing. I spent some time rearranging windows, just for fun. An attempt to play an Xbox game was thwarted by a faulty demonstration controller, though I did manage a quick spin with Just Dance before concluding my session.

The nausea hit hardest in Horizon Worlds, likely due to the absence of a steadying visual anchor—something that usually helps maintain equilibrium, like fixing your gaze on the horizon during a bumpy boat ride. Amazingly, this happened while I was sitting! Safe to say, next time I try virtual reality, I’ll stick to a seated position. While Meta has succeeded in bringing down the cost of the Quest, they still need to tackle the challenge of accommodating sensitive stomachs like mine in both virtual and mixed reality landscapes.

If you’re tempted to give it a go, the new Meta Quest 3S is available for preorder now. Prices begin at $300 for the 128GB model and go up to $400 for the 256GB version, with official sales starting on October 15.