For years now the BOBOVR S3 Pro has been the only head strap with a fan and has been one of the most used. When you read any post about head straps, the S3 Pro is bound to be on it multiple times. However, the KKCOBVR Q3U is now the second new head strap this year that has incorporated fans and now rivals the S3 Pro. Let’s take a deep dive into each of these to decide which one is actually better.
Watch my full hands on comparison below or read further down for the key points.
KKCOBVR Q3U
BOBOVR S3 Pro
Where to Buy
KKCOBVR Q3U
BOBOVR S3 Pro: BOBOVR Shop
Quick Spec Comparison
| KKCOBVR Q3U | BOBOVR S3 Pro | |
| Compatibility | Meta Quest 3/3S | Meta Quest 3/3S |
| Style | Halo & Elite | Halo |
| Weight (With Battery) | Halo = ~680g Elite = ~510g | ~560g |
| Battery | 10,000 mAh Hot-swappable | 10,000 mAh Hot-swappable |
| Features | -3 Fans -Audio Port -Halo/Elite Adapters | -1 Forehead Fan |
| Price | $89.99 | $89.99 |
Design Comparison
KKCOBVR Q3U
The Q3U attaches to the Quest with pieces that clip on over the arms. There are dials on these clips that allow adjustment of head strap to face distance. The forehead pad and rear pad are connected via a top strap. The top strap is adjustable velcro. The rear pad is quite large and all leather material. The rear portion is able to hold itself upright and doesn’t collapse under its own weight.
The back mechanism not only houses the dial for adjustment but has two other very important features. It has two fans and a headphone jack. It also has the button to control the fans. The forehead fan is also magnetic so you can easily remove to put it on as your prefer.
BOBOVR S3 Pro
The S3 Pro attaches to the Quest with friction grips on the arms. There are pivot points on these friction grips to tilt the headset. The forehead pad has the fan built into it. It is one large piece that goes across the head strap. There are goat horn top pads. The back pad has the battery spot on the top. The rear mechanism has the tightness adjustable dial.
On the left arm there is a little screen that shows the percentage of battery and fan power when the little dial is scrolled.
Comfort/Adjustability Comparison
KKCOBVR Q3U
The Q3U has large leather padding all around. These pads are honestly some of the largest/thickest I’ve experience from any company. Connecting the forehead pad and the rear padding is a top strap with padding similar to what you would see on an elite style strap. This actually really helps with distributing the weight of this strap.
The adjustability offered by the Q3U is great as well. There are side knobs built into the arms that allow for easy and secure adjustment of the distance between the headset and your face. The top strap is easy to adjust for comfort as well.
BOBOVR S3 Pro
The S3 Pro is similar it type of leather padding but it isn’t quite as thick. It also comes with a little hex padding that can be used on the bottom of the back padding if desired.
The forehead pad is a large leather pad that goes all of the way across. Then on top there are what I call two goat horn pads. They are slightly adjustable and removable if desired. The back pad is large and quite comfortable in my opinion. It cradles the head very nicely and I like the fit.
Since it used friction grips to attach to the Quest arms, you can adjust the distance to your face a bit. The pivot points holding those friction grips are super sturdy and adjust up and down.
I don’t like the goat horn pads on top. I just used it again tonight and they dig into my head (yes, I know how to adjust it properly). They just create unwanted pressure points that can be avoided by simply using a top strap or something else.
Cooling System Comparison
KKCOBVR Q3U
The Q3U features a forehead fan and two fans built into the rear mechanism of the strap. These rear fans push air down the back of your neck. That might seem silly but it actually helped keep the experience cooler overall. These two back fans are quite powerful and move a lot of air.
The forehead fan is also removable and held on by a magnet. This means that you can remove it and save a little weight if you don’t plan to use it. The forehead fan isn’t as powerful as other head straps with fans. Maybe powerful isn’t the right word but it doesn’t disperse the air as nicely as the S3 Pro.
Another notable feature is that the fans can run off the Quest battery. This means that you don’t need to have the external battery attached for the fans to work. This will drain your Quest battery quicker, but if you want the cooling systems with 200 grams of less weight, it’s possible!
BOBOVR S3 Pro
The S3 Pro only features a forehead fan. It is controlled by a dial on the side and only runs when the hot-swappable battery is attached and has power.
Out of all of the head straps with forehead fans, the BOBOVR S3 Pro is the most powerful and disperses the air to the face and around the top of the head the best.
It does lack the other fans that the Q3U has which does make a difference in terms of overall coolness. The S3 Pro keeps the face cooler but not the whole head/neck.
Battery Comparison
The batteries for each of these head straps are very similar. They are each hot-swappable, allowing you to have multiple charged and just swap them out as needed. Each battery has the same capacity of 10,000 mAh which will give you roughly 3 hours of extra game time.
Other Notes
BOBOVR has a more complete accessory environment that really goes well together. Their D3 Charging Dock has a specific spot for charging the B100 Hot-Swappable Battery that the S3 uses. You can then charge the headset and the controllers. My favourite part, the controllers can charge through their grips as well.
KKCOBVR has a great facial interface with fan that can definitely improve the cooling on the face. But they don’t have charging docks or anything like that as BOBOVR does.
There is a company called Nexus Orbit that has made Ice Silk and Ice Gel forehead padding replacements for the S3 Pro. Honestly, I love them so much. I don’t like the leather padding as much as it makes me sweat more. So with this addition, the S3 Pro is almost better. Check out my review of those here.
Verdict
This can get a little muddy. So I’m going to break it down a little here.
If I had to grab one to use by itself for comfort, I would reach for the KKCOBVR Q3U.
However, if I wanted a more powerful forehead fan, lighter head strap, and a better setup with other accessories, I would choose the BOBOVR S3 Pro.
If you have a Quest 3S, the Q3U gives you a headphone jack that the S3 Pro doesn’t offer. A big factor for many I’ve heard.
Each of them have pros and cons depending on your circumstances and personal feel. The BOBOVR S3 Pro has been around for years now and is known for durability. But the features of the KKCOBVR Q3U are not to be overlooked. And personally, I’ve never liked the goat horn pads on the S3 Pro so that in itself is a huge selling point for the Q3U.
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