If you needed a reason to buy a Meta Quest 3S, how about a free $75 Amazon gift card?

The Meta Quest 3S next to a "Don't Miss" sign
(Image credit: Future / Meta)

The Meta Quest 3S was already the best VR headset for people wanting a budget-friendly option, but as part of this year’s Black Friday deals it just got a lot better.

I’m shocked honestly, Amazon and Target are not only offering you the Meta Quest 3S (128GB) and a free copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow for $299.99, they’re throwing in a free $75 gift card to spend on the best Amazon Black Friday deals or Target Black Friday deals respectively. Target will even give Target Circle Card holders 5%-off on top which feels frankly absurd for a VR headset that launched barely a month ago.

In the UK your best option is still the £14.99 discount we've highlighted before that gets you the Meta Quest 3S (128GB) for £275 at Argos. It’s not nothing but I expected it’d be the best we’d get this year, though with Amazon UK not showing the Quest 3S right now and given the deals on offer in the US I have a suspicion the retail giant might soon offer a similar gift card bundle – to that end you might want to hold off a few days from buying the Quest 3S in the UK to see if a better Black Friday Meta Quest 3 deal.

Not in the US or UK? Scroll down for the best deals in your region.

Today's best Meta Quest 3S deals

Meta  Quest 3S (128GB) & $75 gift card
Meta Quest 3S (128GB) & $75 gift card: was $374.99 now $299.99 at Amazon

This Black Friday Amazon is giving you a Meta Quest 3S, a free copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow and a free $75 gift card (if you use code QUEST75) to spend on other Amazon products.
Target is offering the same gift card deal, and giving Target Circle Card holders 5%-off on top if you'd prefer to shop there.

Meta  Quest 3S (128GB)
Meta Quest 3S (128GB): was £289.99 now £275 at Argos

The Meta Quest 3S is the perfect VR headset for people on a budget. It misses out on the Quest 3’s better displays and sleeker shape, but you will still at least get a free copy of Batman Arkham Shadow – and save an extra £14.99 at Argos right now.

A Meta Quest 3 or a Quest 3S?

The Meta Quest 3S is an excellent budget choice for a VR headset because it packs the same chipset and performance power as the full-on Meta Quest 3. So if there was a Meta Quest 3-exclusive experience you wanted to try like Arkham Shadow (which is one of the best VR games ever made by the way) then you’ll be able to enjoy it on the Quest 3S as well.

If you can afford it the full-on Meta Quest 3 is still the better pick because it offers higher resolution displays – which boast 2064 x 2208 pixels per eye rather than 1832 x 1920 pixels – as it uses pancake lenses. This lens system not only leads to a slimmer overall shape which I’ve found is more comfortable (even though the Quest 3 is 1g heavier) but also means you won’t see as noticeable distortion at the fringes of the lenses while wearing it compared to the Quest 3S fresnel lenses.

Though the Meta Quest 3 does cost more at $499.99 / £469.99 / AU$1,049.99, and this Black Friday we’ve yet to see anything like the same kinds of discount we’ve seen for the Quest 3S. Note that some sites and retailers are highlighting Quest 3 discounts, however they’re basing those savings on the Quest 3’s price before it was cut in September – so yes it is cheaper than if you bought the Quest 3 back in April but it’s not a Black Friday deal.

More of today's Black Friday sales in the US

More of today's Black Friday sales in the UK

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Hamish Hector
Senior Staff Writer, News

Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.