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If you don’t mind getting a refurbished headset, the 128GB Meta Quest 3 (Refurbished Premium) for $379.99 (down from $449.99) at the Amazon Renewed Store might be worth checking out. It has an adjustable headband that offers decent comfort and a four-camera system that reportedly tracks your surroundings well for AR content and defines your play area nicely. Plus, the controllers are comfortable and functional, despite lacking rubberized grips.
Additionally, its color pass-through cameras are a notable upgrade from the Quest 2’s black-and-white view; it’s got a display resolution (2,064 by 2,208 pixels) that’s said to be bright and immersive, with solid contrast and deep blacks, making the overall visual experience pretty great for a headset in this price range. That said, the absence of eye-tracking tech in the Quest 3 is a bit of a drawback, especially since it helps with performance and control in higher-end headsets like the Quest Pro.
One downside is the battery life—a common gripe with standalone VR headsets. Meta claims that the Quest 3 lasts about 2.9 hours for media, but in reality, that goes down to 2.4 hours for gaming and 1.5 hours for productivity apps, according to this PCMag review. And the 2.3-hour charge time can feel long if you’re looking for quick gaming sessions.
If you’re considering alternatives, the PlayStation VR2 has eye-tracking tech and costs around $549, which might make more sense to PS5 owners. On the higher end, the HTC Vive Pro 2 is a beast at $1,199, but that price tag isn’t for everyone.
