APPLE VISION PRO COMPLETE REVIEW: A PERSONAL CINEMA

Apple has released something called the Vision Pro, which costs $3,499. It\’s like a computer you wear on your face, and it\’s all about showing information and apps in the real world—like having a virtual screen around you.

The Apple Vision Pro is the best consumer headset.

They are hyping it up in their ads, showing people using it everywhere—at work, doing chores, and even while playing with their kids. The big idea here is to make your real world more interesting by adding digital stuff to it.

Now, there have been similar gadgets before, like the Oculus Rift and Quest from Meta. These are good for playing games in virtual reality and also have some augmented reality features. The Quest 3, for instance, costs $500 and has a lot of cool games.

What makes Apple\’s Vision Pro special? Well, Apple is known for making things that work well together, and they\’re known for being creative. So, even though there is competition, Apple could bring something fresh and exciting to the table.

As someone who has been working in the tech world for a while, I think Apple\’s new gadget could change the way we use computers and interact with the world. It is worth keeping an eye on!

In my eyes, vision is perfect.

Unlike many VR headsets, Apple\’s Vision Pro can\’t be worn with regular glasses. Instead, you need special prescription lenses made by Zeiss, which cost between $99 and $149. I even got a pair to correct my severe nearsightedness (one eye had -8.50), but some folks might not find the right fit.

Other VR headset makers, like Meta, also offer prescription lenses. I use a pair from Zenni with my Quest 3. But most other VR headsets let you wear glasses too, thanks to spacers. For example, the Meta Quest Pro is glasses-friendly.

The Zeiss lenses come in a cardboard case with a set QR code card. You scan this code with the headset\’s cameras, and it adjusts the displays for your lenses. These lenses snap on magnetically and are easy to take off and put back on.

VisionOS: Where it is and isn\’t iOS

Apple\’s mixed reality operating system is a special software advantage compared to other VR and AR headsets. It\’s evident right away. When I added my iCloud account, all my stuff was there: emails, photos, notes, documents, and even Safari bookmarks.

To open apps, I press a digital crown, like on an Apple Watch. But when I do, it is like using an iPad with multiple windows that I can resize and move around. Even 3D apps work this way. I had games like What the Golf, Cut the Rope 3, and Puzzling Places all running side by side while watching sports. They overlap and sort of appear and disappear when I look at them and tap my fingers. It can be a bit confusing, but the possibilities are exciting.

The controls took some getting used to. When I look at any icon or button, it gets bigger or glows, and I can tap my fingers to select it. It felt weird at first, but it was easy to figure out
There are a few settings that I am used to having in regular iOS that are missing in VisionOS. For example, there are no screen time settings, and there is no separate FaceTime app. Instead, there is a toggle in the main app grid called \”People\” where I can access contacts and start FaceTime calls. I can also use the Messages app to respond to people, including those with green bubbles.

The good news is that AirDrop and the Files app are available in VisionOS, and they work just as smoothly as they do in regular iOS. This means I can easily transfer files between my phone, iPad, or Mac and access them here, or vice versa. It is a seamless experience when switching between different devices.

Controls

Apple takes pride in its advanced eye and hand tracking control system, which surpasses any other consumer systems available. You simply look at what you want to control and tap your fingers to interact with it. It is like your eyes act as the mouse, and your fingers are the clicker; you tap them together to make selections.

When you first use this hand and eye tracking on the Vision Pro, it is truly amazing—it feels like having a superpower. The external cameras on the Vision Pro can detect your hands within a large area around you, whether they are resting on the couch, in your lap, or up in the air with your elbows on a table. It is quite amusing to see people instinctively raise their hands the first time they try it.

However, after a few uses, the novelty wears off, and in some cases, it can even make using the Vision Pro more challenging. Having to constantly look at what you want to control can be distracting.

Apps: Not a lot, but plenty of iOS ones

One big question about Vision Pro is how many different apps will be available for it. Right now, before its official release, the App Store has a few apps optimized for the Vision Pro, but the selection is quite limited. Apple offers some Vision Pro games in their subscription-based Apple Arcade, including one called Synth Riders, which is a game where you use your hands to hit rhythm targets to music, similar to Meta\’s Beat Saber. There is also Game Room by VR developer Resolution Games, which brings 3D chess tables and card games into your room for you to play with by tapping and dragging pieces.

You can also find mobile games like Cut the Rope 3 and Bloons TD 6 on the Vision Pro, but they feel a bit like regular mobile games with a slight immersive touch. Puzzling Places, a VR game with 3D puzzles, is available too.

If more games show up in the App Store, you could potentially play them on the Vision Pro using iOS compatibility. You might even use a game controller and play on a virtual big screen, which sounds like a fun idea.

However, when it comes to immersive mixed reality or VR games, it is uncertain how many will be available for the Vision Pro, especially since it lacks dedicated VR game controllers and is aimed at early adopters. For now, if you are looking for immersive gaming, it might be better to go for Quest 3. What is interesting about the Vision Pro is that it can run all the other regular iOS apps. I have already loaded apps like Slack, Microsoft\’s apps, Paramount Plus, Luma Fusion, and Darkroom. Using them in a VR headset feels unique and extends my workspace in a new way.

As for the more immersive apps, they are still somewhat limited, but they do show potential.

MY EVERYWHERE COMPUTER:

I have been using Vision Pro as my personal computer, and it is like having screens all around me. On my left, there is a 3D golf game, and on my right, a collection of floating photos. I have connected a Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad, and I can even create a floating TV screen. I can ask Siri to play music for me too.

What is interesting is that I can see both my physical keyboard and trackpad, along with a smart toolbar that hovers right above them. This virtual toolbar moves with my physical keyboard like a virtual halo. Sometimes, I accidentally trigger dictation or other actions with my eyes, which can be a bit tricky. Some of the options for apps like Pages, which are designed for an iPad-like experience, can be challenging to select and feel less intuitive on a big screen. There is still a bit of a struggle between the virtual and real worlds.

But it is impressive how much functionality it offers. I am writing this about a product that has not even officially launched yet, and it already feels quite powerful.

Additionally, I can connect the Vision Pro to a Mac using a feature called Mac Virtual Display, similar to what VR headsets like the Quest can do. Apple allows for one big 4K monitor view of your Mac, and you can have multiple Vision/iOS apps floating around it. I filled my entire area with apps, layering them on top of each other in semi-transparent layers. The Mac\’s keyboard and trackpad cursor can move across the Mac view and into other apps, similar to how Apple has allowed Mac and iPad keyboards to control nearby Macs and iPads simultaneously.

Imagine having your entire workspace as floating monitors—that is the feeling the Vision Pro gets close to when all the apps are open and things are flowing. I am doing that right now, writing on my virtual floating computer. While there are some glitches and the controls can feel a bit floaty at times, I am genuinely surprised at how good they are.

What\’s in the box?

The Vision Pro comes in a big box, but the headset itself is quite small, similar in size to the Meta Quest 3. However, it is on the heavier side, weighing about 1.3 pounds, not including the battery pack, which is a bit heavier than the Quest 3 at approximately 1.1 pounds.

Inside the box, you will find several accessories:

Two head straps for different fitting options.
An extra face cushion, with one being slightly thicker for those who wear prescription lenses.
A special battery along with a cable.
padded cover to protect the headset\’s glass front.
A USB-C 30-watt charging adapter.
A USB-C cable.
An Apple polishing cloth (although other microfiber cloths should work too).
Surprisingly, an instruction manual.
It is worth noting that Apple does not typically include instruction manuals, but this booklet is a guide to help you set up the battery, adjust the fit, and operate the headset. It shows that using this spatial computer is a new experience and might not always be straightforward

pros	cons
The display is truly impressive, offering the finest video passthrough experience available	It comes with a hefty price tag.
The advancements in hand and eye tracking are remarkable.	The video passthrough feature can still suffer from blurriness.
It seamlessly integrates with Apple\’s ecosystem.	Hand and eye tracking may have moments of inconsistency and frustration.
It\’s enjoyable to scatter windows throughout your surroundings.	The experience can sometimes feel isolating

My cinema

The first thing that caught my attention during my initial experience with the Vision Pro was the incredible display quality. Apple has used micro-OLED display technology with 4K resolution per eye, and it\’s like a game-changer for VR and AR. The visuals are vivid, bursting with rich colors, supporting HDR, and simply breathtaking. Not only is it great for watching movies, which Apple emphasizes, but it surpasses the quality of any TV I have at home.

However, there are some limitations. Apple has not officially confirmed the field of view, but it feels a bit narrower compared to the Meta Quest 3, like looking through an amazing monitor while wearing a scuba mask. The headset\’s refresh rate is generally around 90 Hz but can go up to 100 Hz. Some other VR headsets can reach 120 Hz, but the Vision Pro still delivers excellent visuals for films and videos and seems perfectly suitable for games.

The impressive display works its magic through a technique called foveated rendering. It uses eye tracking to enhance the details where you are looking while reducing the resolution in your peripheral vision. This adjustment is not noticeable during use but may show up in screen captures recorded in Vision Pro\’s screen recording mode, as you can see in the video. However, these variations are not apparent when you are inside the headset, where the experience remains incredibly sharp and clear.

As of now, the Vision Pro\’s standout feature is its cinema-level video playback. It is a tough sell for a $3,499 headset, but if you experience it in a demo, you will likely be as amazed as I have been. Movies can appear to float in your room like hovering TVs or be viewed in a virtual cinema mode.

READ MORE
Samsung Galaxy s10 is rumored to launch soon
Apple iPad mini 7-8″ Foldable Phones launching soon in 2026 and 2027
The GALAXY BUDS FE: REVIEW – Best Galaxy Buds 2024

The Vision Pro supports 3D films, and several of my Apple TV purchases have been automatically converted for free. Movies like Dune, Ready Player One, Mad Max Fury Road, and recent Star Wars films look stunning. Disney Plus also offers a selection of 3D films. I was particularly curious about watching Avatar: The Way of Water in a high-end 3D headset since I initially saw it in IMAX in 2022, and it is a breathtaking experience that occasionally gives me chills.

How much did it cost?

The Apple Vision Pro starts at $3,499, but that is with 256GB of storage. Apple also sells storage tiers in 512GB ($3,699) and 1TB ($3,899). (Prices and release dates for countries beyond the US are still yet to be announced.) I tested a 1TB Vision Pro and have already filled about 130GB easily. I am not concerned about filling the 256GB version fast, considering apps are around a few gigabytes apiece so far; syncing my photo library took up 13GB alone, and downloading a 3D version of Avatar: The Way of Water on Disney Plus occupied about 24GB.

Then there are the extras. I need prescription lenses, which cost $149. A carrying case seems like a must for such a potentially delicate product with a curved glass front, but Apple\’s nice padded case costs $199. AppleCare Plus also seems like a better idea here than with any other Apple product considering we don\’t know yet how durable Vision Pro even is, and that\’s another $499. It\’s a lot. Like, a lot a lot.