Apple’s Vision Pro – A Must-Buy? Here’s Why

The Vision Pro is Apple’s take on a VR headset like Meta’s Quest, HTC’s Vive, or the Valve Index. However, it’s a very different sort of device from those mentioned above, and it has a very different price, too. Accordingly, it can be a confusing product to judge.

In this article, we’ll explain what a Vision Pro is, who should buy it, who shouldn’t, and talk about the top four reasons why you might want to pick up Apple’s headset yourself.

What Is an Apple Vision Pro?

The Vision Pro is anaugmented/virtual reality headset made by Apple. Pricing begins at $3,499, which is significantly more than other VR headsets like the $500 Meta Quest 3. Why’s it so much more?

Well, for one, it has a variety of incredibly high-end tech inside of it, like a Micro-OLED display with 23 million pixels (for reference, a 4K display has about 8.3 million pixels); Apple’s M2 chip, which has an eight-core CPU and a 10-core GPU; and an all-new, custom-designed R1 chip with low latency (12 ms).

It also has features that the world hasn’t seen before (or at least haven’t been executed as well before), like seamless hand and eye tracking, an external display that shows your eyes, realistic avatars, a 3D camera, and tons of integration with Mac and iPhone.

Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Who Should Get a Vision Pro?

Of course, folks interested in a next-gen AR/VR headset might look into picking up this one. Beyond that, here are some reasons you might want to get a Vision Pro if:

• You want to see the most current tech
• You use (or want) a multi-monitor setup at work.
• You’re deeply ingrained in the Apple ecosystem.
• An AR interface is more accessible for you.

5 Things to Consider Before Buying a VR Headset

Who Shouldn’t Get a Vision Pro?

Nobody really “needs” a Vision Pro like they might need a laptop or a VR headset to play VR games, but you might not care:

• If you’re looking for a new VR headset to play games on
• If you need a ton of bang for your buck
• If replacing a laptop or iPad is a bigger priority

Why You Should Buy a Vision Pro

Yes, it’s definitely cool, make no mistake. But beyond the basic appeal of Apple releasing a totally new, next-gen product, here’s why you should consider a Vision Pro.

Apple

You Want to See the Future of Headsets

Much of what you see in the Vision Pro, like ultra high-resolution displays and advanced hand/eye tracking, is likely to be cornerstone tech of VR headsets of the future.

If you want to be on the ground-floor for what’s to come and be an early adopter of some tech, the Vision Pro is a great device for you. Some of the tech powering the Vision Pro is nothing short of incredible, like its Micro-OLED displays that have more pixels-per-eye than iPhone 15 while being smaller at the same time.

For some, experiencing a major technological leap before years go by, the tech is refined, and everybody’s already used to it is a worthwhile experience in of itself. If you count yourself among those, the Vision Pro is worth your consideration.

Your Work Benefits From Multiple Monitors

One big draw of the Vision Pro is its higher immersion and intuitive controls. You can watch videos and interact with apps on a huge “screen” that it projects in front of your eyes.

If you regularlyuse at least two monitors for work or projects – or you think that setup would be more convenient and efficient – the Vision Pro can do that, too. The “infinite canvas” lets you arrange multiple apps and windows and size them without the limits of a screen, and you can essentially work in 360 degrees.

You’re Deeply Ingrained in Apple’s Ecosystem

If you use a MacBook for work, an iPad for web browsing in bed, and an iPhone as your smartphone alongside your Apple Watch, there are a lot of cool integrations the Vision Pro has with other products in the Apple ecosystem.

Whether it’s transferring contacts between devices, FaceTiming other Apple users, mirroring the display of your Mac laptop, staying in contact over iMessage, or a bunch of other fine touches on the interconnectivity of Apple hardware, it’s impressive how well the Vision Pro can fit right into a larger network of devices.

For those who already rely on that kind of interconnectivity, the Vision Pro is a VR headset that’ll fit neatly into your Apple collection.

Apple Vision Pro Headset.

Apple

You Care More About AR Features

Folks who buy a Valve Index, for example, primarily do so because of VR games, not because they want a really cool way to watch movies, a new way to browse the web, or something similar.

On the other hand, if you aren’t much of a gamer but absolutely love the idea of a huge, extremely high-resolution movie screen in front of your face at a moment’s notice, life-sized internet browser windows, or a novel way to take pictures and record videos, among other features, that’s a different story.

If these sorts of AR features are what attract you more than anything else, the Vision Pro with its futuristic design, slew of interesting features, and high-resolution displays perfect for text is very much an ideal candidate.

Apple

The Interface Is More Accessible

Some people may find the Apple Vision Pro’s interface, which uses your eyes, voice, and hands to navigate thevisionOS system, faster and easier to use than a mouse or trackpad. This ease of use is especially appealing from an accessibility standpoint.

You can already run your iPhone, iPad, and Mac with your voice viafeatures like Siri and VoiceOver. Apple Vision Pro has both of those, along with eye-tracking, which means you can do a variety of commands just by looking around, especially if you turn onDwell control . Vision Pro also supports bi-directional hearing aids, switch controllers, and pointer control.

Eye-tracking and gestural controls are the default function of the headset, which may sound good to people with different mobility levels.

Why You Shouldn’t Buy a Vision Pro

One reason not to buy a Vision Pro is the price. A $500 VR headset like the Meta Quest 3 may be justifiable as a cool new gadget to play with, but a $3,499 headset is a lot harder to justify.

Another reason you might want to wait is that it doesn’t meet your needs at the moment. For example, if you’re interested in playing the latest VR games, the Vision Pro might not be the best option (it does play games, but VR-centric titles like_Beat Saber_ don’t currently have support).

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If you aren’t big on watching movies, and you don’t see much use for the multitasking and accessibility features of the Vision Pro, you might also give it a pass.

Lastly, if you aren’t a fan of the Apple ecosystem, own other Apple devices, or rely all that much on Apple features like iMessage or FaceTime, you may not get enough out of the Vision Pro to feel like you have all that much use for it.

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