Microsoft wants everything to be an Xbox, but the problem with its ongoing ambition to rebrand every gaming-capable device as a pseudo gaming console is so few devices look like an Xbox. The next step on Microsoft’s wacky, winding road to regaining hardware supremacy is a $400 bundle that includes a Meta Quest headset with a unique colorway, an Xbox controller, and a few months of access to Game Pass Ultimate for game streaming. If you were looking to dip your toe into VR, the $300 Quest 3S is still your best option, and the bundle adds enough to make it worth the extra Benjamin. Just know that the Quest 3S’ displays don’t offer everything you truly want for a big picture VR gaming experience.
Meta first hinted at a Meta Quest 3 Xbox Edition in 2023, around the time it offered users a native Xbox app for Meta Quest to enable easier game streaming. The $400 Xbox Edition Quest 3S doesn’t let you play any of your Xbox games natively. All it truly provides is access to Microsoft’s streaming service, an extra Xbox controller, and the ergonomic Elite Strap that may help you game for longer without suffering a potential bout of neck strain.
Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition The Xbox edition bundle is a great deal, plus the headset looks better in black. You just won't have the best displays for game streaming. Pros Black with green trim is better than white
Black with green trim is better than white Save $95 compared to buying everything individually
Save $95 compared to buying everything individually Getting into Game Pass is quick and seamless
Getting into Game Pass is quick and seamless Elite Strap is a more comfortable option Cons Screen quality isn't everything you want for streaming
Screen quality isn't everything you want for streaming Game Pass still dependent on internet speeds
Microsoft and Meta opting for the Quest 3S rather than the Quest 3 makes the bundle cheaper, but it’s less effective for game streaming. I’ve become very intimate with the Quest 3S since it hit the scene last year, and it’s what I usually suggest to anybody who wants to try VR without breaking the bank. However, the $500 Quest 3 has a wider, 110-degree horizontal FOV (field of view) compared to the 3S at 96 degrees. The more expensive headset also uses better-looking pancake lenses compared to the older and lesser-quality Fresnel lenses on what’s normally a $300 headset. While they both have the same internal specs and performance, there’s a clear visual quality difference between both VR headsets. If you were planning to buy a VR device mainly to do game streaming on a giant, virtual display, I would normally suggest you go for the one that will help your games look their best.
The Quest 3S lenses are equivalent to what was on the Quest 2, and the resulting image quality is slightly more grainy than what you get on a Quest 3. The Fresnel lenses combined with limited FOV can result in blurred images around the periphery of the display. This can make some text on notes in a game like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle nearly indecipherable unless you’re directly looking at that memento directly in front of you and from close up. It’s not unplayable, but it could make some games potentially annoying.
While Game Pass is easily one of the best game streaming services available, the Quest 3S makes streaming pitfalls a little harder to navigate. Chief among them is lag. Games on Quest stream at 1,920×1,080 resolution, and Xbox Cloud Gaming suggests you have at least 20 Mbps internet speeds and a 5GHz Wi-Fi connection. Anything less, and you’ll experience input lag and blurred visuals. On the Quest 3S screens, any loss of visual clarity is so glaring that normally beautiful titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 appear like a pixelated mosaic. Speaking of Clair Obscur, you need very stable gameplay to hit those tight dodge or parry timings. I’m already terrible at hitting a parry, so suffering a team wipe because of lag is worse than agonizing.
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