Orage_tech
UX/UI Designer at - Adobe
An exciting day for gamers! Meta launch has lifted the veil of the much-awaited Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition. And finally, it’s here! It took them over a year to launch after the first announcement. So, now you can enjoy games like South of Midnight and Avowed on limited edition gaming devices. Lay your hands on the new sleek controller and the black Quest headset with a new design strap. Play for hours without discomfort. The limited edition bundle by Meta Quest aims to expand the Xbox Cloud Gaming ecosystem. But is that really the case? Let’s check out.
What’s in the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Bundle?
Meta Quest 3S Xbox is a generation VR console developed by Meta Quest in partnership with Microsoft. Its sleek design is highly desirable. They have made smart use of the unique Velocity Green colorway to reassert the Xbox brand presence. Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition bundle is available at USD 399 and you can expect the following in it:
- Meta Quest 3S in exciting Xbox green and black livery
- Touch Plus controllers in similar colors
- Xbox wireless controllers – limited edition series
- Improved Meta Quest Elite strap
- 3 months trial subscription of Meta Horizon+ VR
- 3 months trial subscription of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
What Meta Quest 3S Bundle Offers?
The Quest 3S Xbox edition headset’s revamped design and vibrant color have all the Xbox characteristics. Above all, it’s a great gaming experience. You can never go wrong with this limited-edition headset, right? Furthermore, the headset is highly compatible so you can pair it with any of the earlier wireless controllers seamlessly. You just need simple Bluetooth connectivity. Be it Xbox’s wireless controller, elite wireless controller, or the adaptive controller. Pairing is no problem at all. Just plug and play.
You can play hundreds of Xbox and third-party games including some new releases right off the box. Stream the games directly on your VR headset. Now, you have the option of four display sizes. The option also includes a massive 26-foot movie hall experience. That’s really something to look forward to. Just select the right screen size and get ready for immersive gaming. In addition, the limited edition wireless controller will enhance your overall user experience for certain-and it also comes pre-paired.
What’s the Selling Point?
The main USP of the Meta Quest 3S Xbox bundle is its price point and aesthetics. Imagine the carbon black device with the familiar velocity green accents on the buttons and the analog stick. It’s just fantastic, isn’t it? You can also play longer hours thanks to the comfortable Elite Strap. This new strap is a winner. So, at $399, the limited edition deal is not that bad at all. It’s an excellent option, especially if you want that iconic Xbox branding and colorway. Just the controllers and the strap would cost you upwards of $100 if you wanted to buy them separately.
Furthermore, you also get a 3 months subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Giving this bundle a miss would be a really bad idea, that is, if you are largely into aesthetics. But when it comes to functionality, 3S Xbox offers quite little that improves your gaming experience. Surprising right?
Issues with Meta Quest 3S Xbox
Like everything has pros and cons, Meta Quest 3S Xbox also has some issues. Some of the major concerns around this gaming genius are listed below:
3S Fails to Deliver Pure Gaming Value
Let’s discuss some problem areas now. Quest 3S Xbox is a step down from Quest 3 on various levels. Firstly, the value proposition. While the Quest 3S Xbox offers good value at $399, as an Xbox branded product, Quest 3 is still the best value product. Just to remind you, Quest 3 at $500 offers a much better value proposition. If you are new to VR just buy Quest 3S. It’s that simple.
Non-Native Gaming is Not What You Desire
Secondly, the non-native gaming experience on Quest 3S Xbox. When it comes to streaming games, it’s not always a smooth ride. As a gamer, you want seamless, lag-free gaming at maximum specs. With non-native gaming, you may experience lag and other issues that impact the gaming experience. It can really frustrate you. Native game streaming solves many of these issues and more. Quest 3 with the Xbox app offered you a native gaming experience. The games run smoother and are less resource-intensive.
Screen Quality Leads to Questionable Gaming Experience
The third limitation of the limited edition bundle is the screen quality. While you are offered four screen sizes on 3S, the overall resolution fails to impress. In comparison, Quest 3 provides gamers with an excellent horizontal field of view (FOV). A wider, 110-degree 3S against the 96-degree offered by 3S.
Quest has also compromised on the lenses. 3S offers lenses comparable to the ones on Quest 2. The result? Poor quality visuals. Sometimes the visuals are so bad that you can’t even read the game notes in games like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. That’s really bad. For a newly launched device, this downgrade is a bit surprising, if not shocking. But again, you’ll have to take into consideration the price point. Perhaps, 3S is genuinely offered for people skinny dipping the gaming AR-VR universe.
Poor Visualization Dampens the Spirit
Game Pass is arguably a top-notch service. But with 3S, you are missing out on it. Quest streams games at a fairly manageable resolution of 1,920×1,080 through Xbox Cloud Gaming. Other technical requirements are also fairly standard. Like, 20Mbps internet and 5GHz Wifi. Even with these requirements, many visually stunning games like Clair Obscur on 3S look very basic. If you are unlucky enough, you may end up seeing a mosaic.
Is Meta Quest 3S Xbox Worth Buying?
Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is worth buying if you are new to gaming or like to collect limited edition products. The Xbox branding means a lot to many gamers. So yeah, you can buy it for its unique aesthetic appeal. But you can’t pretend the 3S to be a better gaming device just because it’s newly launched. It is what it is. A beautiful Quest 3S Xbox Edition bundle that offers something for many but not everything that most of you desire.
Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is available online through the official Meta website. You can also buy it at Best Buy (US).
