Valve just updated the Steam Hardware Survey to list Quest 3S – but only from Steam Link users.
What Is The Steam Hardware Survey?
The Steam Hardware & Software Survey is offered to a random sample of Steam’s user base each month. If you accept, it uploads a list of your PC specs and peripherals to Valve, as well as any headset used on SteamVR in the past month.
Yesterday we reported on the release of the November Steam Hardware Survey data. Most notably, the absence of Quest 3S and the anomalous increase in the ‘Other’ category. As we explained though, this often happens when a new headset launches, and within a few days Valve usually adds a new category.
Today that has happened for Quest 3S, showing it as representing 1.05% of SteamVR usage in November.
However, there is a significant caveat to note. UploadVR found that SteamVR sees Quest 3S as ‘Quest 3’ when using Meta’s official Quest Link feature, and Virtual Desktop’s developer Guy Godin confirmed to UploadVR that Quest 3S headsets using his tool report to SteamVR as ‘Quest 3’ too. That means the 1.05% figure above only represents Quest 3S owners using Valve’s official Steam Link app for Quest. The rest are buried within the ‘Quest 3’ growth.
Even given this, it appears that Quest 3S is being adopted by PC VR users at a slightly lower rate than Quest 3 was. By this time last year Quest 3 had already reached 5.2% of SteamVR usage. In comparison, even if we assume that 100% of the ‘Quest 3’ growth in the latest data was from Quest 3S, it would only be at 3.37%. And given Meta has been offering the 128GB model of Quest 3 for $430 as a clearance sale (it was discontinued and the 512GB model cut to its $500 price), some of that ‘Quest 3’ growth really will include Quest 3.
It makes sense for Quest 3S to be used less on PC than Quest 3, though. The clear and sharp precisely adjustable pancake lenses of Quest 3 attracts tech enthusiast buyers, far more likely to own a gaming PC and willing to pay the higher price. Meanwhile, the accessible entry price of Quest 3S attracts a more casual audience, more likely to only use the headset standalone.
Together, Meta & Oculus headsets now make up exactly two thirds of SteamVR usage, with Valve in distant second at 14.5%. Its Index headset is now almost six years old, and in the past year its usage has steadily declined as new headsets like Quest 3 and Bigscreen Beyond entice owners to upgrade. Valve has been working on a new headset for years now, though, and its controllers recently leaked, suggesting 2025 might just be the year it finally launches.
