Leaks say Meta is set to announce a $300 Quest VR headset later today

Meta Quest 3s

The Meta Quest lineup of virtual reality headsets that Meta develops is reportedly about to expand with some brand-new hardware. Rumors and leaks have been circulating about a fresh variant of the Quest 3 for some time, aiming to lower the cost significantly but still offer a premium experience.

Leaked marketing material has revealed that the new headset is called the Meta Quest 3s. The standalone device is said to replace the aging Quest 2 headset that Meta sells alongside the Quest 3. While the Quest 3s' internals are reportedly powered by the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset as the Quest 3, the price has been brought down thanks to an older-generation lens design. Its battery may be a little smaller than that of the latest-generation hardware.

Of course, other than its standalone feature set, the headset should also be usable for PC VR software and games using Meta's Link cable or the wireless Air Link option.

Now, even the notable data miner and leakster billbil-kun has jumped in with some details on this upcoming headset.

The Quest 3s will reportedly ship with two variants. Billbil-kun says that A 128GB version will have a $299.99/€329.99/£289.99 price tag at launch. For comparison, the Meta Quest 3 starts at $499 for the 128GB model.

Next, a 256 GB version of the Quest 3s is also said to be incoming. This variant will reportedly cost $399.99/€439.99/£379.99. While more expensive, it is still much cheaper than the Quest 3's 512GB option, which comes in at $649.99.

It's still unclear if the Touch Plus controllers will be included with the package, though, as there are some rumors of Meta opting to go with Hand Tracking as the main control mechanism of this device.

Per the leaker, and as expected by many, the Quest 3s will be announced at the Meta Connect 2024 keynote that's slated to go live later today, September 25. The showcase can be seen on the Meta for Developers page on Facebook starting at 10 am PT/1 pm ET. It can also be caught in virtual reality via the Meta Horizon app on Quest headsets.