After being stung by the cost of the Meta Quest 3 last year, I'm glad to say the Meta Quest 3S remedies a key issue.

This awesome bundle includes the max-capacity 512GB version of the Meta Quest 3 headset and its associated controllers, which normally sells for $650, but is now available under $500 at Amazon. The added Batman: Arkham Shadow and 3-month trial of Meta Quest+ is an additional $70 value dropped in for free.

It's been just over two years now since soon-to-depart CTO John Carmack told a Meta Connect audience about his vision for a super low-end VR headset that came in at $250 and 250 grams. "We're not building that headset today, but I keep trying," Carmack said at the time with some exasperation.

Last year, Meta launched the Meta Quest 3 – the company’s first full-colour passthrough headset. Already significantly cheaper than the Apple Vision Pro, Meta’s now launched the Meta Quest 3S, its most affordable and accessible mixed reality device yet.

Everyone loves a good deal, but not everyone is willing to compromise for one. So when rumors percolated that Meta's Quest 3S would cost just $299 — $200 below the price of the previously released Quest 3 — my alarm bells rang.