4 headset replacements in 4 months

Four replacements is the most I've ever heard of!

I saw your post yesterday about this too and I remember you saying you only use it for one game, too!? Are you using any other apps at all (like that one optimizer tool, for example)?

Yes, hard reboot through boot menu has been done on all the 4 headsets that had to be replaced,  Also factory resets through boot menu.  
I did notice though on other forum posts that others had to return their headsets after using the same app. 

One person on here had apparently gone through around 14 replacements. But they were destroying the headsets with profuse sweating (they aren't water proof).

Since Supernatural is a pretty vigorous game, is there a chance you are getting sweat into the headset?

Hi teesnjees 🙂

It's probably not only Supernatural, but because of apps that make you sweat the most.

Maybe it'll help if you use another facial interface plus fans
Anonymous mentioned one in this thread

Meta Quest 3 products/solutions to make the headse... - Meta Community Forums - 1199972  

teesnjees  OMOTO  Choleni  While the Quest 3 is a great headset, and marketed as compatible for exercise use, it's just not built for use in a humid (sweaty/salty) environment. The electronics package is not sealed/separated from the facial interface area. Any form of exercise or exertion will produce moisture that evaporates from the skin which can move forward into the electronics area. When the headset is switched off, the saline water vapour condenses on the electronics and just corrodes and shorts the electronic components and connections.

There are many facial interface fans that can keep the users face cooler by blowing cool air into the facial interface area, but this just makes things worse, by blowing the evaporated sweat from the interface area and over the electronics. The fan/interface combo previously mentioned in the other thread has a reverse switch, which allows cool dry air to be drawn from the small gap round the front of the headset and over the electronics keeping them cool and dry, the air is then sucked rearward into the facial interface area, cooling the face and the sweat vapour is exhausted out through the fan. This is the only fan/interface setup I would recommend.

Thanks for the input, folks!
Anonymous, Choleni, kojack 

I wonder if the new Breathable and Open facial interfaces would also significantly help to prevent such issues, too. Only time will tell I suppose 🤷

You are not the only one. I am on my 4th Q3 presently. Seems to me that there are a lot of design deficiencies still. The Q3 probable should still be in alpha.  

This definitely is the issue.  It is not built for any type of moisture.  Although it is marketed for some workout applications - the product itself is not prepared for the sweat that is produced through these workout applications.  If you use for exercising - I'd recommend using a breathable interface and be very careful not to allow any sweat to touch any part of the electronics.  Even takes breaks to wipe your sweat so NO moisture gets into the headset. I'd recommend Meta fix this issue by making their headsets sealed so moisture does not impact it.
Many use it for exercising, not just for gaming.

I am on my fourth Q3 since May of this year.  

Like you, I use my Q3 for fitness daily (Supernatural) and I work up a pretty good sweat.  It appears the sweat is drawn in between the two pieces of the "facial interface" by capillary action where it collects, concentrates into a corrosive, viscus "goo", and eventually infiltrates the headset proper through the snap holes devouring circuitry and causing failures in hand tracking, charging circuits, etc.    WARNING: This happens very quickly if you store your Q3 hanging by the head strap (face down)!    Meta is aware of the issue but, so far, has had pretty lame advice: wear a headband, play in cooler room, wipe down your headset.  Here is my advice:

1. Get the silicone facial interface, find a comfortable setting, and glue the two pieces together sealing any gap where sweat can hide.
2. Consider using plastic wrap between the facial interface and the headset for fitness applications.  If you can get the "saran" stretched over the lenses smoothly, I have found the visual aberrations produced are no more egregious than those caused by sweat getting my eyes.
3. Always detach the facial interface and clean it and where it connects to the headset after every workout. 
4. Never store your Q3 hanging from the head strap.  This is just begging gravity to hurt your Quest 3.
5. 

I am sure Meta is planning to do something about this - replacing these units (even with refurbs) has got to be very bad for their bottom line.  

That is a good idea, Anonymous .  And with the facial interface removed I could plug the snap-holes with a little silly putty - the headset would be impervious to any sweat flying around.  I'll have to give that a try - whose halo strap are you using there?