TechRadar Verdict
There has never been a mixed-reality headset quite like the Vision Pro.
The fact that, even after all that work, there are still limitations is frustrating.
The state of the art, even Apples bleeding-edge form of it, isnt there yet.
Encounter dinosaurs remains one of the most eye-popping Vision Pro experiences…(Image credit: Future)
None of that, however, makes me think less of the Vision Pro.
As a new computing platform, the Vision Pro is rich with features and possibilities.
Ive rarely tested a technology that has moved me in the way the Vision Pro does.
Encounter dinosaurs remains one of the most eye-popping Vision Pro experiences…(Image credit: Future)
Spatial videos are so achingly real that they instantly trigger an emotion that a flat image might not.
There are frustrations and missteps, too.
Thank goodness the battery can be plugged in for continued use.
…especially when this virtual butterfly lands on your finger(Image credit: Future)
Then there’s the price, which is overwhelming, and will be an instant turnoff for many.
It’s available now in the US, and costs $3,499 for the 256GB model.
Preorders opened on January 19, and the headset began shipping on February 2.
Apple Vision Pro with the Solo Knit Band
It all arrives in a large white box that has all the hallmarks of containing a high-end Apple product.
Perhaps the most important spec of all, though, is the weight.
Thank goodness Apple opted to not integrate the battery in its first mixed-reality headset.
You won’t go anywhere without that battery pack
As always, its whats inside that really counts.
The Vision Pros dual 4K micro-OLEDdisplays with 23 million pixels are also industry-leading.
If you place an app on your virtual left, the audio will come from that space.
Theres also a six-microphone array that does a good job of picking up Siri commands.
There are numerous cameras arrayed on the outside and inside of the Vision Pro.
The Vision Pro also displays a virtual keyboard that you’re able to poke at in space.
Here’s what you’ll find when you unbox your Vision Pro
To be fair, Im a terrible typist and do often look at the keyboard when touch-typing.
Apple provided me with a 1TB Vision Pro test unit, which retails for $3,899.
The base model, which costs $3,499, starts with just 256GB of storage.
The optional case costs $199 but I thick its worth it(Image credit: Future)
Maybe so, but Id argue theres not one false note in this design.
Apple, as it often does, chose the best material, with a particular focus on weight.
So, its a mix of an aluminum body, magnesium, carbon fiber, and woven fabric.
(Image credit: Future)
The AudioPod speakers that deliver near-perfect spatial audio are hidden behind stiff, white rubber.
Along one side of the top edge is a familiar piece of technology: the Digital Crown.
But Apple considers the Vision Pro to be a wearable, so theres some logical continuity here.
(Image credit: Future)
Plus, the Digital Crown turns out to be one incredibly useful and important piece of Vision Pro technology.
The Vision Pro does get warm, but never so much so that its uncomfortable.
Attaching this spatial computer to your head requires a band, or a pair of bands.
The Vision Pro’s audio comes through a pair of audio pods which are hidden under that white rubber
Its never offered enough support for me, though.
Its worth pausing here to remind you that the Vision Pro weighs 1.3lbs.
This experience is far more enjoyable, but it needs support.
The Vision Pro’s bottom-edge cameras
There are several steps to go through, but mostly these are to customize the experience.
The cable is long enough for you to drop the somewhat hefty battery into your pocket.
Theyre also labeled, so you wont get confused about which lens goes on which side.
The Vision Pro is best for a quick message or short sentences; typing anything of length on it is virtually impossible
The box comes with a QR code that youll use to register the lenses with the headset.
Theres also a QR code moment when you want to sync your Vision Pro with your phone andiCloudaccount.
None of this takes long, or is even remotely confusing.
The rest of the setup occurs mostly with the headset on.
Its just a hint of whats to come.
The screens mechanically shift position to match your pupils.
You do this three times in three different environmental light configs.
The system also needs to calibrate for your hands.
This process consists of holding them up in front of the Vision Pro.
The only step I need to follow now to get started is logging in with a PIN.
I’ve asked Apple about this issue and will update this review with its reply.
you could use the pinch-and-wave gesture to move through multiple screens of apps.
(Image credit: Future)
It’s not hard, though, to find ones, like most Google apps, that don’t.
Compatibility is a mixed bag.
Apps that have not been custom-built for visionOS were the ones most likely to crash.
(Image credit: Future)
Instead, the cameras on the front deliver a clear video feed of your surroundings to your eyes.
Its the best way to marry virtual information with reality, and it’s very effective.
This isnt hard to do; you just look at it, pinch to grab, and move it.
(Image credit: Future)
you could also use this gesture to pull the app window closer or move it further away.
On her side, she sees a video feed of my eyes on the front of the headset.
Apple called this EyeSight, and its a hit-or-miss affair.
(Image credit: Future)
EyeSight shows a video recreation of your eyes based on what the camera sees inside the headset.
The color is blue and purplish, and it can look, well, weird.
Even when I wasnt wearing the headset, I found myself thinking about wearing and using it.
(Image credit: Future)
Ive spent many hours now working in the Vision Pro.
Vision Pro understands your space, even different rooms in your home.
I wanted ample space to work, so I walked over to my den.
(Image credit: Future)
Then I went back to work.
Hours later I was writing about JigSpace, but wanted to double-check something in the interface.
The Disney Plus app provides some of my favorites: theres an Avengers space, a Monsters Inc.
(Image credit: Future)
Factory, and the Disney Theater, which is probably my top pick overall.
One thing I did notice, though, is that 3D movies can chew through battery life.
Theyll provide all the pass-through power you need.
(Image credit: Future)
Id love to binge the nextSquid Gameinside the Vision Pro.
The effect was okay, though not remotely immersive.
It even extended the concept by building spatial video capture into theiPhone 15 ProandiPhone 15 Pro Max.
(Image credit: Future)
The edges fade away, so the spatial video looks like its floating in a cloud.
The Vision Pro can capture both still and video spatial imagery.
To capture, you use the dedicated button on the top-left side of the visor.
(Image credit: Future)
I did this with photos of my hand, and then a photoshoot with my son.
I must hand it to Apple, it doesnt just invent new terms, it reinvents the experience.
All of this information enabled the spatial cameras to create a 3D map of my face.
(Image credit: Future)
Later, I conducted a call with a colleague who was also testing the Vision Pro.
Im still convinced that Apple can do better here, but then thats why Personas are still in beta.
Someone asked me if I would buy it.
Once I settled on the Dual Loop Band, I found my Vision Pro comfort zone.
I now know that if I could afford it, the answer would be an enthusiastic yes.
There has never been a wearable quite like the Vision Pro, let alone a mixed-reality headset like it.
Its a true ‘think-do’ platform.
(Image credit: Future)
Its powerful, but also inviting.
Its fun to use, but also completely ready for work.
It might make you look like a bug, but theres also beauty in its design.
(Image credit: Future)
The Apple Vision Pro instantly goes to the top of our list of thebest virtual reality headsets.
There has never been anything quite like the Vision Pro.
Spatial computing is a thing.
Looking at and selecting these dots is an important step in the setup process
Better get used to it.
Should you buy the Apple Vision Pro?
It’s not, and it may well be the future of computing.
The Home View(Image credit: Future)
For now, the Vision Pro is the only way to experience it.
If you’re able to afford it, buy it.
It’s a control experience unmatched in the mixed-reality space.
Environments(Image credit: Future)
Dont buy it if…
Still, if you want a clean, wire-free setup, you might look at the Meta Quest 3.
If you have a PS5 already and want a VR headset, this is one to check out.
Home View on 50 percent immersed envrionment(Image credit: Future)
It also has a well-baked ecosystem and a rich collection of apps.
It’s pretty neat, and potentially a great pick for commuters.
Read more about how we test
App Store(Image credit: Future)
Arcade(Image credit: Future)
Immersion and audio controls. both accessed by spinning the Digital Crown.(Image credit: Future)
My work, entertainment, information, and creativity space is all around me
You can see my EyeSight here. That’s not a pass-through; you’re looking at screens displaying a video feed of my eyes from inside the headset
That little arrow at the top is to access the Control Center(Image credit: Future)
The Control Center has many of the typical Apple controls you’d expect (Airplane Mode, Bluetooth, etc). It also adds Mac Virtual Display and Screen Mirroring.(Image credit: Future)
Choose your system(Image credit: Future)
One click and the big screen will appear(Image credit: Future)
JigSpace let me put a jet engine in my den…(Image credit: Future)
…and take it apart by looking and parts and grabbing them with my hands(Image credit: Future)
Inside the virtual Disney Theater
Apple Vision Pro playing Synthrider
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Flat 2D screens cannot do spatial imagery justice.(Image credit: Future)
Chatting with my colleague Ray Wong’s Persona via FaceTime
I know, it’s looks weird on the outside, but it’s incredible on the inside
Apple Vision Pro
