Meta's latest virtual reality headset, the Meta Quest 3 (512 GB), will cost $100 more starting Sunday. You can blame the ongoing RAM shortage.Â
Meta released the pricing update on Wednesday in a blog post calling out price increases for the Meta Quest 3 and 3S models. "The cost of building high-performance VR hardware has risen significantly," Meta said in the post explaining the increase.Â
High demand from AI data centers is straining memory chip supplies, causing supply constraints and price increases in consumer tech. Many experts aren't expecting the RAM shortage to end until 2028.Â
Counterpoint Research released findings in February showing that RAM costs increased by 80% to 90% in the first quarter of this year. Tech companies continue to hike prices, with Microsoft being the latest to increase the cost of the Microsoft Surface and Samsung doing the same for some Galaxy devices.Â
Here's the original pricing as of Thursday, along with what you can expect to pay starting April 19.Â
Price changes for Meta Quest 3 models
| Meta Quest model and storage | Original price | New price |
|---|---|---|
| Meta Quest 3S (128 GB) | $300 | $350 |
| Meta Quest 3S (256 GB) | $400 | $450 |
| Meta Quest 3 (512 GB) | $500 | $600 |
Expect price bumps for refurbished Meta Quest headsets. Prices for Quest accessories will remain the same for now, though we're unsure whether this applies to games in the Meta store, or whether there'll be a change in the future.Â
Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Â
The Meta Quest 3 and 3S are Meta's latest virtual reality headsets. The Quest 3S is the budget-friendly version, while the Quest 3 is the "pro" model. CNET's Scott Stein rated both models high for their mixed reality, with better color cameras and improvements from the Quest 2.
