Meta Quest 3 Lite: everything we know about the rumored cheap VR headset

Here's everything we know about the rumored release date, price, and specs of the Meta Quest 3 Lite.

Mar 24, 2024 - 19:50

0 5

Meta Quest 3 Lite: everything we know about the rumored cheap VR headset

Based on the leaks and rumors it seems increasingly likely that Meta is working on a cheaper version of the Meta Quest 3 – expected to be called the Meta Quest 3 Lite or Meta Quest 3s.

It’s not yet been confirmed, but the gadget is expected to be a more affordable version of the Quest 3 – at a price closer to the Quest 2 – that would see the Meta fully phase out its last-gen VR hardware. The trade-off would be the device wouldn’t have all the capabilities of the Quest 3 – likely sporting lower-resolution displays, less RAM, a worse chipset, or dropping mixed reality support (though that last point seems unlikely).

While we’re not convinced the gadget will look exactly like what’s been rumored so far, as the saying goes: where there's smoke there’s fire. The fact that several independent leaks have come out suggests Meta is definitely working on something.

We’ve collected the latest news and rumors here so this page can serve as your one-stop shop for all things Meta Quest 3 Lite. As we learn more about the device we’ll be sure to update the page and keep you in the loop with all the latest information.

Meta Quest 3 Lite: Latest news

We’ve seen not one, but two distinct Meta Quest 3 Lite leaks – one render called the Meta Quest 3 Lite and one with more details that the leaker called the Quest 3s.

The Oculus Quest 2 was also at a record low price ($200 / £200) as part of this year's Amazon Spring Sale, following a permanent price cut to $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$439.99 earlier this year. This could be a sign Meta and retailers are trying to shift stock ahead of the last-gen device being phased out before a Quest 3 Lite release.

Oculus Quest 2 on a white background — Is the Quest 3 Lite the true Quest 2 replacement? (Image credit: Shutterstock / Boumen Japet)

Meta Quest 3 Lite: Price

As the Meta Quest 3 Lite isn’t yet official – meaning Meta itself hasn’t confirmed (or denied) its existence – we can’t say for certain how much it’ll cost or when it will be released.

But based on rumors and previous Meta hardware releases, we can make some reasoned predictions on what the gadget might cost and when we could see it in action.

Price-wise, we can reasonably expect it’ll cost around the same as Meta’s last-gen headset, given the Lite is billed as a super-affordable model meant to fully replace the Oculus Quest 2. It’ll certainly cost less than the Meta Quest 3.

This would likely see it released at around $299 / £299 / AU$479, which is where the Quest 2 started life. Honestly, we’d be more than a little disappointed if it was more expensive.

A man using his Zenni customized Meta Quest 3 headset — The Meta Quest 3 could soon have a sibling (Image credit: Zenni)

Meta Quest 3 Lite: Release date

As for the Quest 3 Lite’s release date, Meta usually likes to release new hardware in October. However, it might decide to mix things up with this budget-friendly gadget to avoid confusing it with its main line Quest and Quest Pro lines.

We predict the Quest 3 Lite will be announced and released as part of this year’s Meta Quest Gaming Showcase, which should be around June based on previous years.

If Meta sticks to its usual hardware release schedule, though, then a launch after this year’s Meta Connect – which we expect will land in September or October – could be on the cards.

Of course, this assumes the Meta Quest 3 Lite even launches at all.