Jump into other worlds with this deal on the premium Meta Quest 3 VR headset

(Image credit: Meta)

If you've been itching to explore mixed reality experiences, you may have eyed the Meta Quest 3 before but didn't take the plunge. Now is a great time to stop sitting on the sidelines and delve into the world of VR and mixed reality, thanks to the big savings currently available on the Meta Quest 3.

You can now get a Meta Quest 3 for $499 at Best Buy, a 23% reduction on its regular $649 price. This sale is specifically on the capacious premium version of the Quest 3, with 512GB of local storage.

The larger storage capacity means you can store more games on your headset, and you won't likely run into the issue of running out of space any time soon. Game sizes vary dramatically, with some games requiring just a few gigabytes, others hovering around 10GB, and premium games with long campaigns and complex gameplay needing more still. For example, Asgard's Wrath 2, a previous freebie with the purchase of a Quest 3, and that game requires over 31GB.

The price includes a headset, two controllers, and the forthcoming Batman: Arkham Shadow game, and a 3-month trial of Meta Quest+ (the latter two are a combined $70 value according to Meta).

In our Quest 3 review, we gave the headset 4 stars out of 5. Our reviewer praised the headset's sleek and lightweight design, excellent audio, and full-color passthrough for mixed reality engagement.

You can also buy the Meta Quest 3 headset with 512GB for $499 at Amazon. Or spend $49 more and grab the bundle that includes the Elite Strap for added comfort (Meta Quest 3 512GB + Elite Strap bundle, now $528 from Amazon, originally $710).

While on the topic of Amazon, if these Quest 3 deals seem too spendy, then scope out Amazon's pre-order deal on the Quest 3S Comfort Edition: Meta's imminent headset refresh includes the 128GB Quest 3S and the Elite Strap bundle for $350 (a sale that knocks 5% off of the usual $369 bundle price).

Top deal on the Meta Quest 3 (512GB) VR headset

Meta Quest 3 (512GB): $649 $499 @ Best Buy

Overview: Save $150 on the Meta Quest 3 with a massive 512GB of storage. That's plenty of space to store all of the latest VR and mixed reality games, many of which deliver rich experiences that require tens of gigabytes.

Price history: This is the second lowest price we've seen for this capacity of the Meta Quest 3 (it dropped lower only during Amazon's October Prime Day).

Features: Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, Dual RGB cameras at 10x the resolution of the Quest 2 for incredible passthrough visuals, adjustable pancake lenses offering 4K+ Infinite Display visuals with a 110 x 96 degrees field of view, up to 120Hz refresh rate, 3D spatial audio from built-in speakers, 8GB of RAM, and TruTouch haptics through the new Touch Plus controllers.

Release date: October 2023

Price check: Amazon $499 | Meta $499

Reviews: In our Meta Quest 3 review, we gave it 4 out of 5 stars. We lauded the lightweight design, its audio quality, and its full-color passthrough mode. This model brings smooth transitions between virtual and mixed reality environments to a comfortable headset at a far more accessible price than the competition. Plus, Meta has a large and established game library. All of these points are why we gave it our Editor's Choice award.

Laptop Mag: ★★★★

Buy if: You want a virtual reality headset with mixed-reality passthrough and copious storage.

Don't buy if: You prefer the idea of using lighter, smart glasses for AR/XR like the Viture Pro XR.

Melissa Perenson has deep expertise in phones, tablets, e-readers, laptops, monitors, storage, and cameras. She buys way too many of the things she writes about it and has worked as an editor at Forbes Vetted, PCWorld, PCMag, and ZDNet, and as a writer at countless publications, including Laptop Mag, Tom’s Guide, and TechRadar.