Oct 20, 2024 20:00:00

Meta Quest 3S Fresnel lens turns out to be 100% compatible with Quest 2

The '

Meta Quest 3S ', which was released on Friday, October 15, 2024, is a cheaper model of the Quest 3, and the optical part is said to be equivalent to that of the Quest 2. iFixit, which repairs and disassembles smartphones, has released a movie disassembling the Meta Quest 3S.

Meta Quest 3S Teardown: We Found a Quest 2 Hiding Inside Our Quest 3S - YouTube


Meta's Quest 3S Is Just a Revamped Quest 2, and It's the Better for It - iFixit
https://www.ifixit.com/News/101990/metas-quest-3s-is-just-a-revamped-quest-2-and-its-the-better-for-it

iFixit's Meta Quest 3S teardown reveals a Quest 2 'hiding inside' - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/19/24274330/meta-quest-3s-teardown-quest-2-lenses-lcd-panel

According to iFixit, the Fresnel lens used in the Quest 3S is '100% compatible' with the one used in the Quest 2. The interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment mechanism is adjusted by moving the lens unit directly by hand in three steps, and this part is also the same as the Quest 2.

Additionally, whereas the Quest 3 used two display panels, one for each eye, the Quest 3S shares a single LCD display panel between both eyes.

Comparing the pixels of the display panels used in Quest 2 (left) and Quest 3S (right), it looks like this.

The main board of the Quest 3S is almost the same as that of the Quest 3. The SoC installed is the same as that of the Quest 3, Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2.

In addition, the Quest 3S omits the depth sensor found on the Quest 3, but it turns out that it uses two IR (infrared) sensors for depth mapping. This makes the depth mapping more accurate in dark places than the Quest 3.

Additionally, the IR proximity sensor used in the Quest 2 could short out when exposed to moisture from sweat, forcing Meta to offer a free replacement, which is why the Quest 3S does away with the IR proximity sensor.

By replacing the optical device with that of the Quest 2 and replacing the expensive depth sensor with an IR sensor, the Quest 3S has succeeded in keeping the price at about 60% of the Quest 3. iFixit says, 'The Quest 3S is an undeniable fact that it's an updated version of the hugely popular Quest 2. And from this perspective, everything from the hardware to the price range makes sense.'

iFixit commented, 'The Quest 3S has a place in the VR ecosystem, but I don't think the Quest 2 will become obsolete yet. Looking at the optical performance, it may not have the latest and greatest pancake lens design like Apple Vision Pro or Quest 3, but the Fresnel lens is just as compatible with today's VR technology as it was in 2020, so you can enjoy the VR experience with the Quest 3S.' iFixit also highly praised the fact that 'since Quest 2 parts can be used, old Quest 2 parts can be reused and used with the Quest 3S.'