Don't splash out – this is the affordable VR headset to buy in 2026
The Meta Quest 3S is my pick
The world of VR started as one with a really high barrier to entry, in the form of £1,000+ headsets that most people couldn't afford, even before you considered the high-end gaming rigs they needed to be connected to. That's long since changed, though, and even with RAMageddon pushing tech prices into uncharted waters, it's still impressively affordable to get into VR.
That does bring one big asterisk with it, though – you have to be comfortable picking up a Meta headset, since Mark Zuckerberg's giant company is the only one maintaining mainstream headsets at approachable prices right now.
In fact, for this October's Amazon Prime Big Deal Days, you can currently get the Quest 3S, a five-star banger of an affordable headset, at a super-impressive price.
The 3S came out a while after the standard Quest 3, which remains the main offering in the Quest lineup right now, and as a result, the newer headset is positioned deliberately as a more affordable choice.
It can't quite match the internal power or resolution of the Quest 3, but if you're relatively new to VR, then I really don't think that you'll feel the difference. The 3S remains extremely capable and sharp when you're wearing it, and it's also got impressive pass-through video to keep you connected to the real world.
Buying it now will get you a free multiplayer game to enjoy when you set the headset up, but you also have a world of other titles to pick up and play when you want them. There are various social experiences to discover, too, and you might well find yourself with a new favourite time-waster.
This price will probably only last for a couple of days, though. Amazon's event ends on 7 October, so it's a real flash in the pan.
