Summary
- Meta Quest 3S beats Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch as top-selling console on Amazon in 2024.
- Meta Quest 3S offers affordable entry into VR, moves freely without tether, runs without powerful PC or console.
- Meta Quest 3S success on Amazon indicates rising interest in VR.
While Xbox, PlayStation, and the Nintendo Switch are still doing well, they were all beat on Amazon in 2024, with the Meta Quest 3S taking the crown for the best-selling console for the year on the website. It’s an impressive achievement for the virtual reality headset, especially since the Meta Quest 3S only launched in October.
The Meta Quest 3S is the more affordable variant of the Meta Quest 3, which shaves a considerable sum off the price in exchange for a reduction in specs. While virtual reality is still far from mainstream among gamers, it seems the affordable price point and the line-up of available games was enough to turn the Meta Quest 3S into a major seller on Amazon in 2024.
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Amazon’s best seller list for 2024 reveals that the Meta Quest 3S was the best-selling console in the video game category. The device came in at #11 on the overall list of video games for the year, which was mostly dominated by gift cards and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. The PlayStation 5 slim console came in at #17, and the Nintendo Switch at #53. Xbox consoles notably didn’t make the top 80 listings, though its peripherals did. The PlayStation 5 Pro was also absent from the list. The only devices that surpassed Meta Quest 3S on the list are a Nintendo-branded microSDXC card and the PlayStation DualSense wireless controller, in positions #8 and #9, respectively.
Unfortunately for Sony, its own VR device, PlayStation VR 2, didn’t make the list on Amazon. While PSVR also has its own slew of good games, the Meta Quest 3S can be used without any external device, which may make it more appealing to some. Not only does this allow users to move freely while using the Meta Quest 3S, whereas the PlayStation VR is tethered, but buyers also don’t to make an additional investment in a powerful console or PC to run the device.
Interestingly, the top list also included the Meta Quest 2, which came in at #27 on the list, but the original Meta Quest 3 didn’t make the top 80. This may indicate that VR users are more interested in the devices when they’re sold at a lower price point. WIth the Meta Quest 2 now discontinued and the Nintendo Switch 2 releasing in 2025, it will be interesting to see how this list looks for 2025. If Nintendo manages to repeat its success with the original Switch, it’s highly likely to dominate in Amazon video game sales for the year. Time will tell what ends up on top for 2025, but 2024’s results are a good indication that interest in virtual reality is slowly but steadily increasing.
Meta Quest 3S
$349 $400 Save
$51
Meta Quest 3S is the budget alternative to the Meta Quest 3, one that still offers high-end performance. Supporting virtual and mixed reality, the headset comes with a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, 8GB RAM, HD resolution (1832×1920 pixels per eye), and roughly 2.5 hours of battery life.