The Meta Quest 3S is an affordable alternative to the Quest 3 and the spiritual successor to the Quest 2. With the Quest 3S on sale for Prime Day, along with a ton of accessories, you may be wondering which accessories you should buy, or which old accessories from your last headset will carry over to your next-generation Quest.
Some Quest 3 and Quest 3S accessories are interchangeable, but not all of them. And a couple of Quest 2 accessories are forward-compatible, but not many. We'll break down the best Meta Quest 3S accessories that carry cover from the Quest 2 or Quest 3.
Can your Quest 2 accessories transfer to the Quest 3S?
Best answer: The only Quest 2 accessories that'll transfer to the Quest 3S are prescription lens inserts, Link cables, and Quest 2 cases. Both headsets use the same USB-C port, so any compatible Link cable should work.
Meta used the same Fresnel lenses, so your Quest 2 Zenni Optical lenses (or 3D-printed glasses inserts) will slot perfectly on the Quest 3S.
The Quest 3S is narrower and its Touch Plus controllers are smaller than the Quest 2 and its controllers; they'll fit in your current case, but you may want to add a lens blocker or inner padding in case the controllers bounce around.
Quest 2 replacement Elite Straps or the best alternatives, facial interfaces, silicone covers, controller grips, and headphones with 3.5mm jacks won't transfer over the Quest 3S.
The Quest 3S and Quest 3 share many accessories
When it comes to Meta Quest 3S accessories, Quest 2 owners will have to find replacements for popular favorites like Elite Straps and facial interfaces; even though the Quest 2 and 3S look similar, the newer headset is actually closer to the Quest 3 in some ways.
Quest 3 Elite Straps, Elite Straps with Battery, Active Straps for Touch Plus controllers, and Carrying Cases will work with the Quest 3S, too.
Quest 3 owners don't have much reason to downgrade to a Quest 3S, but a benefit to this interchangeability is that most of the best 3rd-party Quest 3 accessories will work for the Quest 3S, too. So if you find a cool-looking Quest 3 accessory, it will probably work with the Quest 3S, too.
Not every Quest 3 accessory works for the Quest 3S, so be careful. Specifically, Quest 3 facial interfaces, prescription lenses, and full-sized charging docks won't work.
Quest 2 owners will need to stock up on new Quest 3S accessories
Many Meta Quest 3S buyers will be Quest 2 owners who skipped the Quest 3, waiting for something more affordable. If you're still deciding whether to upgrade, we have a guide on the Meta Quest 3S vs. Quest 2 that runs through each key difference, but the 3S improves on power and mixed reality while bringing back some of the same problems.
Your old Quest 2 Link cable and prescription lens inserts will work, but every other accessory like controller grips, facial interfaces or covers, or Elite Strap replacements will not carry over to the new headset.
If you didn't like the Quest 2 cloth strap, you won't feel much different about the 3S strap; you'll also need a battery pack, as the Quest 3S reportedly hits that same 2.5-hour max as the Quest 2 did.
The Quest 3S thankfully uses silicone instead of foam, but you'll want the Quest 3S Breathable Facial Interface (or a 3rd-party equivalent) for better comfort and venting. And while the new Touch Plus controllers lose the tracking ring, they're still about the same weight and many active gamers will need new knuckle grips.
Another difference is that the Quest 3S doesn't have a 3.5mm headphone jack, and some wireless USB-C earbuds that worked with the Quest 2 like the Soundcore VR P10s don't work fully with the Quest 3 because of charging differences. Check out our detailed Meta Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 comparison to learn about all the differences.
If you want our advice on where to start your Quest 3S upgrades, we recommend an Elite Strap with Battery, though not the official (expensive) Meta strap. The Yoges Y13, BoboVR M3 Pro, or Kiwi Design H4 Boost are all great options that improve your headset's battery life and comfort simultaneously.
Then look into a new facial interface, like the Kiwi Design V4, which has plush, washable padding and better ventillation than the default Quest 3 interface to prevent lens fog.
Meta's official Link Cable is a bit pricey if you need a spare, but these best Link Cable alternatives for the Meta Quest won't break the bank.
We also love these AMVR controller grips, which work perfectly since the Quest 3S and 3 controllers are identical, and cost less than half of Meta's official grips. These comfortable knuckle grips repel sweat and cushion your hands while letting you relax your grip.
Lastly, since you'll need to replace your Quest 2 headphones with the traditional 3.5mm connector, we'll point you to these PrismXR Vega T1 earbuds, with a USB-C dongle that plugs into the Quest 3S port but allow charging passthrough for your battery pack. The earbuds themselves have minimal latency and give you the best sound you'd expect without proper over-ear headphones.
Modular and ready to accessorize
The Meta Quest 3S, like the Quest 2, needs accessories for the best experience, but it's still an upgrade over its predecessor. Its Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip enables exclusive games and enhancements, the full color cameras allow for some incredible mixed-reality experiences, its controllers have better haptics, and it's a bit less front-heavy.
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