In a world where the Samsung Galaxy XR exists, Apple suddenly has some stiff competition in the XR headset space. Is the newly upgraded Vision Pro headset enough of an improvement to justify its still-enormous $3,500 price?
Mashable has not gotten proper hands-on time with the new Vision Pro with the M5 chip and some added comfort features yet (though we have been impressed with the M5 chip so far). But early reviews are rolling in. Without wasting any more time, let's find out if these seemingly modest upgrades are enough to make the Vision Pro less of a niche product two years after its launch.
What do critics have to say about Apple's expensive new headset?
It's got better performance and battery life
First things first, the biggest update to the new Vision Pro is the addition of an M5 chip powering it. This is Apple's latest in-house silicon, and every review I read noted that performance is improved on this new device. There are also a couple of related upgrades, including new 120Hz displays with higher pixel counts (they were 100Hz before) and longer battery life.
That said, the improved performance may not necessarily wow you. CNET's Scott Stein called the improvements "subtle," but the specific ones he mentioned do sound nice, at least.
"Hand tracking in games does feel faster, by a bit. Synth Riders, the closest Vision has to musical fitness, keeps the glowing balls glued to my hands more smoothly," Stein wrote. "Maybe it's that refresh rate. Apps and games load a lot faster, and the headset starts up far quicker. It should, since the M5 is several generations past the previous M2."
As for battery, the previous model was rated for only about two hours of general use. Apple has upped that by half an hour this time, and is also promising three hours of video playback. Mark Spoonauer of Tom's Guide noted that the upgrade is real, but it's still not the most convenient thing to use because of its relatively short battery life.
"After using the Vision Pro for an hour and a half I was down to 55%, which is pretty decent," Spoonauer wrote. "If you’re sitting down and near an outlet, you can keep the battery charged as you work and play, but it’s not fun feeling like you’re tethered."
The new strap provides added comfort
Weirdly, the new Vision Pro is actually slightly heavier than its predecessor. That sounds problematic, especially considering weight was a common complaint about the first Vision Pro. Some added context is needed here, though: The new weight comes entirely from a new Dual Knit Band that sits both on the top and around the back of your head for provided comfort and stability during long sessions.
Chance Miller of 9to5Mac talked in their review about how much more comfortable it is to wear than the previous Vision Pro, which had multiple inadequate solutions for this problem. The new band is apparently simple as can be to adjust, as well.
"In practice, the Dual Knit Band is a huge upgrade over the Solo Knit Band and Dual Loop Band. It’s what Apple should’ve shipped from the start," Miller wrote. "It’s more comfortable and plush, it’s more adjustable, it’s easier to put on and take off, and it looks better than the Dual Loop Band. I’ve noticed that the counterweight in particular does a good job of taking pressure off my face when wearing Vision Pro for extended periods of time."
Still, it doesn't seem like Apple has quite perfected the comfort side of Vision Pro just yet. Kyle Barr of Gizmodo wrote that the new band is an upgrade over what came before, but it's still a heavy headset that will require frequent breaks from users.
"There’s no perfect way to alleviate the pressure of such a thick and heavy headset made to rest over your eyes. Even if you can stomach the discomfort, you’ll inevitably need to take the headset off to cure any lingering eyestrain," Barr wrote. "You know what? That’s fine. It’s good to have a reason to take yourself away from the computer and touch grass, or else just get away from every screen constantly demanding your attention. Just remember to take the external battery out of your pocket when you get up, or else your $3,500 headset will go skittering across the ground."
Not much else has changed
Despite the noticeable improvements to performance, battery life, and comfort, basically every review of the Vision Pro M5 comes to the same conclusion: This product is still in its infancy, and for $3,500, it's probably not a necessity for anyone yet.
There are some reasons for this. While Apple has made a couple of other changes with the new device, such as adding support for PlayStation VR2 controllers, there's still a glaring lack of custom, spatialized apps for Vision Pro. At CNET, Stein also wrote that it doesn't always play super nice with other Apple devices. In summary, there's still a lot of work to be done, per Stein.
"The Vision Pro still feels like a first-generation product. Apple needs to figure out how to make future headsets feel lighter, more like glasses," Stein wrote. "It needs to lean on processing and battery from connected Apple products like phones and Macs and iPads. The headset should have all the tools anyone needs to create, share and connect with whatever Apple device they want to use. And its unique app offerings need to be even better, its inputs even more fluid and flexible."
At Tom's Guide, Spoonauer also summed it up nicely. Apple's XR revolution doesn't seem to have a great deal of momentum right now.
"When I reviewed the original Vision Pro, I called it a “revolution in progress.” Well, now I feel like that revolution has stalled," Spoonauer wrote. "Yes, the Vision Pro M5 offers a faster chip and a comfier strap, but I expected much more hardware and software innovation from Apple for what’s supposed to be a category-defining product."
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