Meta Quest 3 is the latest gaming hardware to get a steep price hike
The more affordable Meta Quest 3S is also affected
📈 Meta has announced a price increase for the Meta Quest 3, raising the price from $499 to $599
😞 The more affordable Meta Quest 3S is also affected, with prices increasing by $50 for both the 128GB and 256GB models
📆 The price changes take effect on April 19
🤖 Meta attributes the price hike to the global surge in the cost of critical components, particularly memory chips, due to demand from AI data centers
Meta has announced price increases for its range of VR headsets, with the Meta Quest 3 rising from $499 to $599.
The Meta Quest 3S is also increasing in price by $50. It means the 128GB Edition will cost $349 and the 256GB version will soon cost $449.
The Meta Quest 3 price hike comes into effect on April 19, so you’ll want to grab the headset before that date or be prepared to pay more.
In a post on its blog, Meta explained the recent price increase, and its explanation is all too familiar.
“The global surge in the price of critical components — specifically memory chips — is impacting almost every category of consumer electronics, including VR,” says Meta.
“To keep delivering the quality of hardware, software, and support you expect from the Quest platform, we need to adjust our pricing.”
Meta joins a growing lineup of companies that have recently increased the price of their products. Sony just increased the PS5 prices, with the PS5 Pro now costing $899.99, up from its launch price of $699.99.
We’ve also seen Valve delay its Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and Steam Controller because of the ongoing RAM crisis, which has been spearheaded by the demand for more AI data centers.
Expect more companies to follow suit if the situation continues.
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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.