Entertainment
Meta Quest 3S vs. Meta Quest 3: What are the differences?
It’s time for a Meta Quest 3S vs. Meta Quest 3 face-off to help you understand the differences between the two.
Meta Quest 3S was revealed Meta Connect 2024 alongside some updates to the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses — and the new revelation of Project Orion, the company’s new AR glasses prototype.
The Quest 3S has a starting price of $299.99 while the Quest 3 requires you to shell out a little more. So the question is, how do they differ? We’ll get into this right now.
Meta Quest 3S vs. 3: Price and specs
As mentioned, the Quest 3S is cheaper with a starting price of $299.99. It comes with the following specs:
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Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip
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128GB of storage
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8GB of RAM
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1,832 x 1,920-pixel display resolution
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90Hz and 120Hz refresh rates
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Fresnel lens
If you upgrade to 256GB of storage, you’ll have to shell out $399.99. In my experience with the Meta Quest 2 and Quest 3, 128GB was sufficient, netting me about 60 games and apps with some storage left over.
The Meta Quest 3, on the other hand, has a price of $499.99. It comes with the following:
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Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip
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512GB of storage
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8GB of RAM
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2,064 x 2,208-pixel resolution
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72Hz, 80Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz refresh rates
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Pancake lens
It has the same chipset and RAM as the Quest 3S, but you’ll get better displays, greater storage, and more refresh rate options. (More on that later.)
Meta Quest 3S vs. 3: Design
The Meta Quest 3S appears to be bulkier than the Meta Quest 3 — similar to the Quest 2. The pricier Quest 3, on the other hand, has a sleeker, more comfortable appearance.
The front part of the Quest 3S is different from the Quest 3, too. While both have a mostly-white body, the Quest 3S has its sensors arranged in a triangular pattern. However, the Quest 3, on the other hand, has its sensors arranged into larger, oval-shaped openings.
Both headsets have the same controllers.
It’s also worth noting that the Meta Quest 3 has a 3.5mm headset jack, but the Quest 3S does not. This, however, doesn’t mean that you can’t connect headphones to the latter. You can still use USB-C headphones or Bluetooth-supported wireless earbuds.
Meta Quest 3S vs. 3: Display
The Meta Quest 3’s displays have a higher screen resolution compared to the Quest 3S.
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Quest 3S – 1,832 x 1,920-pixel resolution
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Quest 3 – 2,064 x 2,208-pixel resolution
In my experience comparing the Quest 3S and Quest 3 side-by-side, the Quest 3’s visuals are definitely sharper and more vivid.
Plus, the Quest 3 has a greater range of refresh rate options:
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Quest 3S – 90Hz and 120Hz
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Quest 3 – 72Hz, 80Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz
You may be wondering, “Why would anyone run their Quest 3 at 72Hz as opposed to 120Hz?” Well, for those who use PCVR, reducing the refresh rate may allow them to prioritize a higher resolution without taking too much of a performance hit.
It’s also worth noting that the Quest 3S has fresnel lenses as opposed to the Quest 3’s pancake lenses. Both lenses have their pros and cons, but pancake lenses are generally better, allowing for a lighter and thinner design, less distortion, and better image quality.
As someone who owns a Meta Quest 3, I’d say that its resolution quite middling. They’re simply OK. As such, with the Quest 3 already having mid-tier visuals, you might be disillusioned by the Quest 3S’ displays.
Meta Quest 3S vs. 3: Features
Both have the same feature set, including augmented reality (AR) with passthrough mode. Passthrough, which lets you see the world around you, relies on a 4MP camera and lets you enjoy AR experiences. For example, with Passthrough mode on, you’ll have the opportunity to see the room you’re standing in — even with your headset on.
For the uninitiated, AR is a blend of digital artifacts with your real-world environment. For example, in an AR game, you can dodge virtual aliens while diving behind the sofa in your living room.
Announced at Meta Connect 2024, you’ll also have an easier time with spatial computing with Quest 3S and Quest 3.
Spatial computing was always available on the Quest series (at least as far back as the second-generation Quest 2 because I’ve demoed the ability to use it with a laptop in 2021.) However, it appears that, with a new update, the experience should be a lot more seamless with the two Quest 3 models, particularly if you have a Windows 11 PC. You’ll have the opportunity to work with numerous virtual displays for a more immersive workflow.
“Quest is going to be a natural extension of your PC,” Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.
To sum it up, on both the Quest 3S and Quest 3, you’ll have access to AR and VR apps and games via the Quest Store, as well as support for PCVR with the Quest Link app. You can also play Xbox Game Pass games on both headsets.
Meta Quest 3S vs. 3: Battery
The Quest 3 has a bigger battery: 5,060 mAh to be exact. The Quest 3S, on the other hand, sports a 4,324 battery.
According to our review, the Meta Quest 3 lasted one hour and 19 minutes with nonstop gameplay.
We also reviewed the Quest 3S, and as it turns out, according to our in-house testing, it lasted 2 hours and 30 minutes on a single charge.
Meta Quest 3S vs. 3: Which is the winner?
The Quest 3S is cheaper and delivers longer battery life, but has a clunkier, more unwieldy design.
The Quest 3 is pricier and less power efficient, but has better weight distribution for increased comfort. Plus, it offers better visuals, too.
The winner depends on what you value more: battery life and cost effectiveness or better picture and comfort?
Entertainment
Xiaomis new hyper car concept has the strangest cockpit weve ever seen
Xiaomi likes to bring cars to Barcelona; the company gave us the first glimpse of its SU7 Ultra supercar during last year’s MWC in March.
This year, however, Xiaomi has unveiled something that’s pretty far out there, even by its own standards. Called the Xiaomi Vision Gran Turismo, it’s a hypercar that was designed to go really fast while slicing through the air in a way not many cars (or race cars, for that matter) can (Xiaomi says it’s been “sculpted by the wind”).

It feels kinda empty in there.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
The company will bring the concept car to its MWC show floor in Barcelona on March 2, presumably when we’ll learn more about its powertrain, acceleration, battery, and other trivialities. Today, however, Xiaomi was mostly focused on how the air flows through the car, using a variety of wind tunnels and channels (and even a moving part on the car’s bottom) to make it more efficient.

The wheels and wheel covers are special, too.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Even the car’s wheels have special covers that are (somehow) magnetically set in place so they don’t rotate while the car moves, as that would also increase drag.
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I bet your car doesn’t have a cocoon-shaped sofa.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Inside, it gets even nuttier. The seats are out; instead, you sit in a “cocoon-shaped sofa” with an x-wing steering wheel with five tiny displays, some of which apparently double as (contextual?) buttons. Most of the things you associate with a traditional car are gone; instead, it’s you in that sofa-shaped cockpit, that steering wheel, and the road. The car’s a two-seater, so don’t expect to bring your family on a trip in this one.

Fortunately, you might be able to get a cocoon-shaped sofa/cockpit for your home.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
In fact, most people probably won’t be able to afford a car like this, but Xiaomi’s got you covered, as it plans to release a gaming console/cockpit shaped just like the car’s cockpit, so you can race around in your own little cocoon in the relative safety of your home.
We don’t know how fast it goes. We don’t know where the batteries are, given that the car appears to be mostly wind tunnels under that cockpit. We don’t know if it’s ever going to make it to market. But boy, does it all look cool.
We’ll hopefully find out more on March 2 when that show floor opens, so stay tuned for pics and videos.
Topics
Mobile World Congress
Xiaomi
Entertainment
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 1, 2026
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you’re a frequent flyer.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that’s captured the public’s attention. The game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections?
The NYT‘s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications’ Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
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Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Here are today’s Connections categories
Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:
Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today’s Connections #994 is…
What is the answer to Connections today
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Little bite: CANAPÉ, FINGER FOOD, HORS D’OEUVRE, TAPA
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Construction equipment: HARD HAT, LADDER, NAIL GUN, TOOL BELT
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Vacation emoji: AIRPLANE, LUGGAGE, PALM TREE, SMILING FACE WITH SUNGLASSES
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Things you don’t eat that end in foods: COPYPASTA, JOHANNESBURGER, KNUCKLE SANDWICH, LICORICE PIZZA
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today’s puzzle.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Connections.
Entertainment
NYT Strands hints, answers for March 1, 2026
Today’s NYT Strands hints are easy if you’re not on. your best behavior.
Strands, the New York Times‘ elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There’s always a theme linking every solution, along with the “spangram,” a special, word or phrase that sums up that day’s theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you’re feeling stuck or just don’t have 10 or more minutes to figure out today’s puzzle, we’ve got all the NYT Strands hints for today’s puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Dressing down
The words are related to discipline.
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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained
These words describe ways to chastise.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?
Today’s NYT Strands spangram is vertical.
NYT Strands spangram answer today
Today’s spangram is The Riot Act.
NYT Strands word list for March 1
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Braidup
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The Riot Act
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Scold
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Castigate
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Reprimand
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Admonish
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable’s Games page has more hints, and if you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Strands.
