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If you want to play VR games, you have plenty of options. For example, the Meta Quest 3 is one of the best VR headsets on the market… if you can afford it. But you could also consider a cheaper last-gen model like the Meta Quest 2. However, Meta no longer sells this version, so is it worth buying? If you can find one, yes.
At the time of writing, Meta still supports Meta Quest 2 with many games and updates. The majority of the Meta VR game library still runs on Meta Quest 2, including essential Meta Quest apps like “Steam Link” and “Mindway”, so you don’t exactly need the latest Meta platform to enjoy your favorite titles. Hell, plenty of apps still work on OG Meta Quest if you still own one. Most importantly, Meta will continue to roll out security updates for the Quest 2 until December 2027, so you won’t have to worry about hackers stealing information from this headset for a while. However, once 2028 rolls around, you should probably consider upgrading to a new model, if only for safety reasons.
Since Meta no longer sells Meta Quest 2 headsets, purchasing one might prove a bit of a challenge. Your best bet is thrift stores, used electronics retailers, and websites such as eBay and OfferUp. You’ll buy a used Meta Quest 2 and often only have to spend around $100. Compared to the $600 price of the Meta Quest 3, it’s a steal. Just keep in mind that you may have to spend money on replacement parts.
What you’re missing (spoiler: it’s not much)
Let’s be frank: When shopping for VR headsets, the Meta Quest 3 seems like a compelling reason to pass up a Meta Quest 2. Well, that and a general lack of availability. The Quest 3 is more advanced after all. Why wouldn’t you want to have the best VR experience? Because in reality, Meta Quest 2 is not that far behind.
The main argument in favor of the Quest 3 is its improved performance. The headset features a Snapdragon XR2 Gen2 chipset, which is more powerful than the Quest 2’s XR2 Gen 1 chip. This means faster loading times for games and better graphics. And then there’s the hard drive. The Quest 3 includes 512 GB of storage. You can’t download as many games as you can on a PlayStation 5, but it’s still significantly more than the Quest 2’s 128GB and 256GB options. And unlike installing an SSD to easily upgrade your PS5, you can’t expand the Quest 2’s storage space. However, those may be the only tangible differences between the headsets.
While the Meta Quest 3 is thinner than the Quest 2 thanks to its pancake lenses (which also improve visual clarity), the headsets weigh almost the same and the Quest 3 is only slightly better balanced. Unless you play for long periods of time, you may not feel the difference. Again, the Quest 2 and Quest 3 only last between two and three hours when unplugged. And finally, although the Quest 3 has a higher resolution (2064 x 2208 versus 1920 x 1800), few games can really take advantage of the increased pixel population, and those that do are still perfectly playable on older hardware.
There’s always the Meta Quest 3S
For the sake of argument, let’s say you can’t find a working Meta Quest 2 or you just don’t want a used one—used electronics are always a draw—but you also don’t want to spend $600 on a Meta Quest 3. For those people, there’s the Meta Quest 3S.
The Meta Quest 3S is, in many ways, a Meta Quest 2 with many of the Meta improvements built into the Meta Quest 3. The Quest 3S has the same Fresnel lenses, resolution, and hard drive size (128GB or 256GB) as the Quest 2, but it sports the color passthrough and Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor of the Quest 3. In some ways, you could call the Quest 3S the Quest 2 Pro.
Arguably the main arguments in favor of the Meta Quest 3S over the Quest 3 (and perhaps the Quest 2) are its availability and affordability. You can easily purchase a 3S on the Meta Quest store page. The 128GB model costs just $349.99, while the 256GB model costs $449.99. But if the price doesn’t convince you, the support might. As previously mentioned, Meta will be rolling out security updates for Meta Quest 2 until December 2027, but if you purchase the Meta Quest 3, you will only receive security updates until October 10, 2028. Meanwhile, Meta promises to release security updates for Meta Quest 3S until October 15, 2029, so if you want a VR headset that will stay secure for longer, the Meta Quest 3S is arguably a better deal than the Quest 2 and Quest 2. Quest 3.
