Mark Zuckerberg reveals cheap new VR goggles and I’ve already tried them – two freebies makes it a Christmas must-have

META has revealed a cheaper pair of virtual reality goggles – and I’m one of the first people in the world to try them out.

The new Meta Quest 3S is the latest in Mark Zuckerberg’s line-up of “mixed reality” headsets.

Its big sell is that it’s the cheapest model in Meta’s new Quest line-up at just £289 / $299.

And it’s not wildly different from last year’s Quest 3, which comes in at £479 / $499.

Like the Quest 3, you’ll be able to step right into imaginary worlds.

The Quest 3S can fully immerse you in Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg’s Horizon metaverse worlds, computer games, stunning recreations of faraway places, and so much more.

One of my favourite VR games is always Beat Saber, which is like Guitar Hero but with lightsabers.

The main difference between the two headsets is that the Quest 3 has a lower resolution.

For the initiated, resolution is the number of pixels on the display.

More pixels means greater capacity to show detail – and fewer pixels means, well, the opposite.

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Having used both in short succession, the difference is noticeable.

But the Quest 3S serves up fantastic visuals when you consider its low price.

Meta is fast-approaching a point where stunning VR experiences don’t need to cost the earth.

It’s a stark contrast to Apple’s £3,499 / $3,499 Vision Pro headset, which obvious looks and feels significantly better but is unattainable for most people in the world.

Right, so freebies. I mentioned them in the headline and I haven’t forgotten about them.

First is that you’l get three months of Meta Quest+, a subscription that gives you a revolving catalogue of games to play.

And the second is that you get a free copy of the upcoming Batman: Arkham Shadow game.

I set aside my reporter’s notebook briefly to take up the mantle of Batman (the Bat-mantle?), and had a great old time crawling through sewers and smashing my virtual fist into the faces of computer-generated baddies.

Imagine my disappointment when I took the headset off and remembered that I am not, in fact, an athletic crime-fighting billionaire. It might never go away.

But I was cheered up by the fact that you can bag such a cool gaming experience for so cheap.

After all, the new and upcoming PS5 Pro is going to cost £699 / $699. The Meta Quest 3S is half the price.

They’re not strictly the same type of gadget, but if people are only putting one big buy on their Christmas lists, the Quest 3S feels like an easy fit.

I won’t be able to give a full judgement until I’ve reviewed the new headset.

But for now, I’m impressed that Meta has managed to cram so much tech (and joy) into such a small and relatively cheap product.