15 ms·

Apple Vision Pro upgraded with M5 chip

263 points by mihau 1y ago

Pesthuf 1y ago
I think most of us will wait for these chips to get into more useful computers.
iambateman 1y ago
Oh boy. This is bad for Vision Pro... Apple would never make such a small deal about upgrading the chip in one of their products unless they thought that product was toast. I wonder if they're just in full pivot mode to glasses.
- lordleft 1y ago
  Couldn't they also be planning a revamp of the design for next year? If that's the case, maybe a smaller announcement now would be apt.
  - stetrain 1y ago
    Supposedly that's been shelved. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-01/apple-shelves-vision-headset-revamp-to-prioritize-meta-like-ai-smart-glasses https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-01/apple-she...
    - Geee 1y ago
      If that's true, it's the stupidest thing they've ever done. To start competing in a product category invented by Eric Schmidt and Mark Zuckerberg. This might be the final point on the story of how Tim Cook destroyed Apple. Eyeglasses with a HUD is the stupidest product category ever invented, and that's why no one wants them, which has been proven again and again in the marketplace.
      - stetrain 1y ago
        I think it's pretty clear that the whole point of the Vision Pro is that Apple wants to build AR glasses but the technology was not ready yet. I do think it makes some sense to attack the problem from both directions, but hopefully they aren't fully ditching the full immersive headset development to do it.
        Geee 1y ago
        It's fundamentally a different product. Vision Pro is about pushing boundaries in productivity and entertainment. It's the step above desktop computers or game consoles with large displays. You wear this device like headphones, when you want to jump into work or game. Eyeglasses with HUD is like Apple Watch but on your face, i.e. it's focus is on mobility, not productivity or immersion. You're supposed to wear this device all the time. Even if we had the technology the run these devices in the same form factor (maybe in 100 years), I bet that most people prefer to keep their face and eyes tech free in mobile or social situations. For the same reasons as why it's polite to put your phone away when interacting with people. Wearing this kind of device means that they're not fully present at any time. It also signals that they're a person who wants notifications constantly blasted on their face - i.e. an idiot. I don't actually believe that they have ditched the plans for the next version.
- ErneX 1y ago
  They just did the same for the iPad Pro and the 14 inch MBP…
- stetrain 1y ago
  It's the same deal they made about upgrading the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro to M5: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-introduces-the-powerful-new-ipad-pro-with-the-m5-chip/ https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-introduces-the-... https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-unveils-new-14-inch-macbook-pro-powered-by-the-m5-chip/ https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-unveils-new-14-... The real issue is that various rumors point to them cancelling or pushing back the plan for a new version of the headset that is cheaper and lighter in favor of working on the smart glasses. Without a cheaper, lighter headset I don't think it's going to become a significant product for Apple.
- jccalhoun 1y ago
  If they thought the product was toast why would they bother updating the processor? It isn't like they update the processor in the mac pro regularly or anything.
  - iambateman 1y ago
    For less mature products, they frequently make a big deal about it being 23% faster and 10% lighter.
nomilk 1y ago
Anyone using one? If so, what for? (please give details) I got an oculus quest 2, was blown away by it for 1-2 hours, but never really picked it up again. The games were fun but very shallow, and never tried any practical uses. Would love to use VR for working on a plane. Currently use a laptop, but my neck sometimes gets sore from looking down. VR has the potential to 10x the screen real estate and prevent having to look at down at an acute angle.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- mapontosevenths 1y ago
  I have one. I use it primarily for keeping my drawer full. That said, it's AMAZING as a home theater replacement, other than an issue with internal reflections in the optics. So in dark scenes it gets a bit annoying. If I lived in an apartment, I would absolutely use it in place of a large TV that eats up a lot of my space. Especially coupled with the airpods MAX and spatial audio. Watching a 4k 3d movie in it is mind-blowing. Most 3d you've ever seen was really 50% of 1080p, so it's a whole new world. Some of the Apple original content is also great. The thing with the submarine is amazing. Personally I already have a full sized home theater, so I just use that. However, I'm willing to bet that in 5 years when it's time to upgrade the home theater I'll probably just be turning it into a library with some seats I can use a VR headset from. Who knows, maybe it will be a descendant of the AVP.
  - wlesieutre 1y ago
    Amazing home theater replacement if you watch all your movies alone, or have a lot of money. Does Vision Pro have any apps for a virtual theater where you can watch video online in a VR space with other people? I've used Bigscreen for that once or twice with a Quest, and it struck me as something that would be a cool feature if I knew more people with VR headsets.
    - nullishdomain 1y ago
      Shared viewing is built into quite a few apps, including the default TV app, based on SharePlay.
scrlk 1y ago
> Apple Vision Pro with the M5 chip and Dual Knit Band starts at $3,499 (U.S.), and is available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities. Apple being stingy with storage (and RAM) isn’t new, but the base $3.5k spec with only 256 GB is extreme. EDIT: clarity
- ceejayoz 1y ago
  You're not paying $3.5k for the SSD.
  - hu3 1y ago
    They didn't said that.
    - ceejayoz 1y ago
      "$3.5k for 256 GB is extreme" 256GB is $3499; 512GB is $3699; 1TB is $3899. You're paying ~$200 for that storage.
      - someguyiguess 1y ago
        That’s not how it works.
      - zamadatix 1y ago
        I think the meaning was meant more as a `Nobody would intend to buy a new sports car with 14" wheels, but they sure love to advertise the price lower prices for sports cars by making a trim that way` type statement than "gee, $3,500 for an SSD!". Edit: the clarity edit of the original seems to agree. Apple's SSDs are actually priced a bit silly though, but I think that's a different discussion. It was significantly cheaper/GB to upgrade my M4 Mac Mini's internal SSD via 3rd party despite the performance being the same (if not better) than 1st party.
        scrlk 1y ago
        Yes, that what I was trying to aim for. Some further thoughts: two of the use cases AVP was pitched for are content consumption (streaming + offline) and spatial video/photo production. IMO the base storage should reflect that. Given that AVP sales are struggling, I’m not sure why Apple isn’t trying to throw people a bone and offer a more reasonable amount of storage in the base config.
lalo2302 1y ago
Wasn't the Apple Vision pro discontinued?
- jjallen 1y ago
  Clearly not.
- RRRA 1y ago
  Soon (TM)
- jsiepkes 1y ago
  No, they "announced" the production had stopped because there was enough supply (ie. they had enough stock to fulfill the projected sales and replacement needs). Now obviously it wasn't the success they had hoped for. But they didn't discontinue it.
noveltyaccount 1y ago
It's still crazy to me that they put an M5 chip in this thing, but to run Mac apps you need a Mac. Just let the face computer be a computer!
- mr_toad 1y ago
  Mac apps will expect a full set of Mac hardware (not just the CPU), so you’d probably need to run a full virtual Mac for compatibility. Not impossible, but I expect it’s not a priority either.
  - pipodeclown 1y ago
    Like what? A macbook is just a screen, connected keyboard and trackpad. This thing has the equivalent of all of that.
  - postexitus 1y ago
    What is that full set of Mac hardware that we are not aware of?
    - philistine 1y ago
      There's no such thing. Apple sells the Mac Mini, which is nothing but a box and it runs everything fine.
  - q3k 1y ago
    What? No, that's not how any of this works.
  - walkabout 1y ago
    I can’t figure out what this means. For an iOS device, sure, but a Mac? What hardware does a Mac Mini, say, have that the Vision can’t provide?
  - array_key_first 1y ago
    It's an SOC. It's in the name.
cubefox 1y ago
This part suggests Apple warming up a little to Oculus-style VR controllers: > With support for the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller, players get a new class of immersive games with high-performance motion tracking in six degrees of freedom, finger touch detection, and vibration support. Previously they seemed to be committed to finger controls only.
qwertytyyuu 1y ago
I expected them to give up on it. Props for not pulling a google, but I guess that isn't a high bar?
- ulfw 1y ago
  They have given up on it. This is simply a chip replacement. It's likely cheaper than keep producing M2s just for this thing.
  - CaptainOfCoit 1y ago
    > They have given up on it > keep producing Maybe it's just me, but if they keep producing it (regardless of what chip), doesn't that mean they haven't given up on it?
    - simultsop 1y ago
      [flagged]
    - jayd16 1y ago
      They have inventory (and maybe contract minimums) for the other parts.
    - layer8 1y ago
      They stopped the development of a successor model. It’s the M5 they continue producing (and the new dual strap), the other parts they mostly have existing inventory of.
    - quitit 1y ago
      The evidence for "giving up" is pretty thin. Ignoring the new model: which has upgraded screens, a faster refresh rate and a new headband design amongst other upgrades - which each indicate more R&D activity on the Vision Pro than say AirPods Max or the HomePod line. One would still need to content with: - Embracing 3rd party wide field-of-view, 180°, and 360° camera makers for direct compatibility for content creation. - Working with Black Magic Design on a spatial production workflow and a specialised camera for simplified spatial video creation. - The development of not just more content, but more types of content, especially around live events and sports. - A steady stream of software updates that add useful and forward-planning functionality. The people that are saying that it's dead are simply choosing not to pay attention or confusing apple's push into widening their AR offerings as abandoning the vision pro. It's also hard to reason with these people because they suggest (without evidence) that the sales numbers are unexpectedly low, while also stating that the factory that makes the screens is limiting production (again without evidence). This is more the type of speak of PR astroturfing than genuine discussion.
DennisP 1y ago
I was super interested in the Vision Pro when it was first released. Then I found out they went with an app model and the device could only display a single MacOS window. There went my dream of surrounding myself with a bunch of vim windows and terminals. If they'd focused on maximizing the device's usefulness instead of its revenue stream, maybe things would have worked out better.
- kibwen 1y ago
  Apple is not in the business of selling productivity software. Even their desktops/MacOS segment is an insignificant historical afterthought by now. To a first approximation, Apple is a manufacturer of locked-down handheld entertainment appliances whose primary function is to psychologically condition children into siphoning off money from their inattentive parents. There's no reason to suspect their vision for the AVP to diverge significantly from this user story.
  - basisword 1y ago
    Every company I've worked at in the last 15-20 years has run fully on Mac. First it was the designers, then the devs, and now everyone. I used Windows for years and have some experience with various Linux distros, but if I joined a company that made me use either of those full-time I'd immediately start looking for another job.
    - Lio 1y ago
      Yep I've just joined, via aquisition, a company that runs remote Windows desktops you have to access using whatever Remote Desktop is now called. I've not seen a professional desktop operating system show you adverts and click bait during worktime before and I am not impressed. I'm taking it as an alarm bell that I should get out as soon as I can. For me and what I do, macOS or Linux are my platforms of choice.
      - supportengineer 1y ago
        Fortunately you can use Remote Desktop using the Microsoft Windows app for Mac.
geerlingguy 1y ago
I have yet to see one of these things in person. Granted, I only see a VR headset like four times a year, but nobody I know bought a Vision Pro either, whereas I know a few dozen people with other headsets.
- CaptainOfCoit 1y ago
  Similar to when the iPhone first appeared, remember it was really uncommon where I live and the first time I held one was while visiting France. But it was a rare item at first as well, not sure that tells us anything about how useful it is/can be.
  - epolanski 1y ago
    Just because many products didn't impress at first and did well later, doesn't matter you can ignore that the opposite is even more frequent. But yours, is especially an apples and oranges comparison. The original iPhone was a flawed internet-less take on a thriving exploding market (mobile). VR's market just questionable.
    - boogieknite 1y ago
      i think its fair to say vr market is less than questionable. in theory ar/vr already has enough features to be worth using. in reality people dont want to put things on their face i have an avp and use it daily. but it turns out im weird and most people simply dont want to put screens on their face
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
dangus 1y ago
Interesting to see apps like Steam Link and the PlayStation VR controller support advertised. Seems like an admission that Apple underestimated how many VR users need that gaming functionality to be there.
outside2344 1y ago
$3499??? Is anyone actually buying this?
- riffraff 1y ago
  they wound down production of the previous iteration[0] due to poor demand. But seems like they do have a niche audience that likes it (and maybe can pass it as a business expense or something?) so they've sold a few. [0] https://www.macrumors.com/2024/10/23/apple-may-stop-producing-vision-pro-by-end-of-2024/ https://www.macrumors.com/2024/10/23/apple-may-stop-producin...
- bombcar 1y ago
  The reaction from the ATP guys is a solid "meh"; apparently it's pretty well done and nice, but not really "worth it." And one of them bought a fully-loaded Mac Pro, so they're not immune to the Apple Distortion Field.
  - wlesieutre 1y ago
    FWIW wasn't that Mac Pro in the era where the Mac Pro was useful and had bigger CPU/RAM options than other models? Or did he do it again when the Mac Studio exists?
    - bombcar 1y ago
      Yeah, it was the last of the real big Xeon-based ones, which had its reasons to exist. Still a very pricey machine.
  - astrange 1y ago
    The one who buys the Mac Pros is not the big spender; that would be the one who won't stop talking about his vacation homes and mechanical watch collection.
drtiberius 1y ago
Is this chip imprinted with engrams from Daystrom? It seems like this might be the ultimate computer.
RRRA 1y ago
How are they at version 26 of VisionOS?
- madwolf 1y ago
  The same way they're at version 26 of iOS and MacOS
- swiftcoder 1y ago
  They aligned their OS numbering across all platforms to "year + 1" a little while back
weinzierl 1y ago
I'd preferred they'd downgraded the price instead, but snark aside is it still really the only headset with twin 4K resolution or are there others?
- mkozlows 1y ago
  Shiftall Meganex 8K is out, and Pimax Dream Air is upcoming. But those are PCVR headsets, not... whatever the AVP is.
- makeitdouble 1y ago
  On paper headsets like MeganeX are on the same ballpark [0], while Bigscreen beyond for instance offer a completely different proposition (ultra light) for only slightly lower resolution [1] [0] https://en.shiftall.net/products/meganex8k https://en.shiftall.net/products/meganex8k https://store.bigscreenvr.com/products/bigscreen-beyond-2 https://store.bigscreenvr.com/products/bigscreen-beyond-2
- fennecfoxy 1y ago
  >is it still really the only headset with twin 4K resolution There are quite a few others, even some with near or at 4k res per eye released before the Apple product. Even just the Pimax 8k being the world's first dual native 4k headset early 2019. The problem with alternative sets is, as always, a software/ecosystem one which for gaming Valve helped massively by getting everyone onto one platform (SteamVR). It's tough to do similar with Apple as they lock everything down for "security" with the added benefit of preventing competitors from creating competing products. They're happy to interoperate with Wifi and Bluetooth standards etc, though (before someone claims that doing what they want with their platform is Apple's choice - the same people who grin when MS got hammered for anti-competition with IE Windows bundling, something Apple regularly escapes).
thelastgallon 1y ago
Apple Vision Pro upgraded with the powerful M5 chip and comfortable Dual Knit Band: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-vision-pro-upgraded-with-the-m5-chip-and-dual-knit-band/ https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-vision-pro-upgr... The latest version improves performance, display rendering, battery life, and comfort, while offering innovative features with visionOS 26 and all-new spatial apps and Apple Immersive content
tantalor 1y ago
They are still making this? Why?
- dude250711 1y ago
  Investors told Cook that he has to have a vision, and he misunderstood?
  - speed_spread 1y ago
    Or maliciously complied...
- bombcar 1y ago
  Apparently they weren't making it, but selling down stock (at least according to the rumors). I guess they are still making them, now with M5?
basisword 1y ago
I wish they could get the price down. I had it for a few weeks before returning it. It's really an incredible device but for the value it currently provides it's not worth the cost. They also need to sort out the fact that mirroring a Mac is tied up with your Apple ID. My main use case was going to be mirroring my work MacBook, but I'm not signing into my work device with my personal Apple account. It's an astonishing oversight. If they can halve the price (and maybe the weight) over the next decade it'll be huge.
- intrasight 1y ago
  I expect the Apple ID thing will be fixed as it should be easy. Halving the price should be easy too - but probably won't happen until the new "half the weight" version is released. They definitely don't have a decade. The market gave them 14 years with iPhone (Newton was 1993?). But things move a bit faster now.
  - basisword 1y ago
    >> I expect the Apple ID thing will be fixed as it should be easy. That's what I initially thought but there have been two OS cycles now with no fix. I think Apple often back themselves into a corner when they base stuff around iCloud and I wouldn't be surprised if this was similar. Maybe user accounts on visionOS will be the eventual solution?
muglug 1y ago
The Vision Pro is a premium VR experience, but the weight is something I could never get used to. I hope that they revisit the hardware at some point when novel tech enables a lot of weight reduction.
- wlesieutre 1y ago
  Rumor was they were working on a cheaper model (Vision Air?) but have shelved it prioritize chasing Meta's smart glasses https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-01/apple-shelves-vision-headset-revamp-to-prioritize-meta-like-ai-smart-glasses https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-01/apple-she...
jsiepkes 1y ago
Since they only list France and Germany as EU countries I guess the rest of us in the EU are never going to get the Vision Pro? While I could get one from Germany, when I did that with the Google Pixel I ran into a whole bunch of trouble when it needed to get repaired. Since Google required an address in Germany.
- AndroTux 1y ago
  I’m living in one of those irrelevant EU countries and am considering getting one from Germany. Do you know if this is going to cause issues when downloading apps from a non-German Apple account, etc.?
  - jsiepkes 1y ago
    As far as I read online that is not going to be a problem. However if you need a repair, you might run in to problems (like needing a German address).
tetrisgm 1y ago
I love my first gen Apple Vision Pro. I find that most of the criticism isn’t addressed at the product and technology, but at the price and Apple’s strategy. Price will go down in five years, once the tech mature la. For now this is a bit like how the Oculus DK1 was. An early device to explore what the overall vision is about, and figure out the apps.
- abtinf 1y ago
  What do you use it for? How often do you use it?
  - karmakaze 1y ago
    Use was never claimed, only love for.
  - coderatlarge 1y ago
    i want to capture 3d video of loved ones before they’re gone
    - astrange 1y ago
      If Apple sold an Ouija board you could capture it after they're gone too.
      - coderatlarge 1y ago
        if the avp is too expensive imagine apple ouija! the connection fees alone would be like making an international phone call in the eighties :)
    - jazzyjackson 1y ago
      You want to wear goggles on your face during those moments?
      - coderatlarge 1y ago
MichaelZuo 1y ago
120 Hz support seems like the biggest upgrade.
- laweijfmvo 1y ago
  motion blur was the biggest technical flaw i saw when i tried one, i wonder if this will help?
akamaka 1y ago
> With M5, Apple Vision Pro renders 10 percent more pixels with the micro-OLED displays I found this little piece of information interesting. Apparently the display on the Vision Pro has such high resolution that they reduce the detail of the rendering. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that reported before. It means that an even higher quality display is still far in the future, since the silicon to push that many pixels isn’t quite ready.
- ErneX 1y ago
  I think it also does foveated rendering, it detects where you are gazing and renders that area at a higher res than the periphery.
- layer8 1y ago
  At the same time, the resolution still isn’t quite enough for virtual Mac screen to not look worse than the real one. The Vision Pro has around 34 PPD. “Retina” resolution for VR is generally considered to require at least 60 PPD. That would mean four times the amount of pixels at the Vision Pro’s panel size. Add to that that the Vision Pro’s FOV is relatively small, you’d want even more pixels than that.
  - nullishdomain 1y ago
    It won't look as sharp as a real display at the same size, but it is significantly larger. I've spent probably 3,000+ hours in the headset, with the vast majority of that using the Virtual Display. I've always preferred larger fonts and sitting close to the display, so using the wide virtual display mode has been a fantastic experience for me. My eye-strain-induced migraines have basically disappeared since I started using this as my main display, moving from my previous setup of 30% Studio Display and 70% 16" MBP.
mallowdram 1y ago
Spatial computing is not spatial intelligence. Apple fundamentally has missed the boat on topological integrations.
FumblingBear 1y ago
I won't be upgrading from the M2 model, but I still get a lot of value out of mine simply using the Mac Virtual Display with my Macbook Pro. Of course there are other benefits (gaming w/ ALVR and a PC, watching movies, reading comics) but it makes video editing workflows much nicer for me because I can set the resolution to ultrawide and have much more real estate for Davinci Resolve. It never really leaves the house, and I get why a lot of people don't like it, but personally, it's one of the coolest pieces of tech I own and I get a ton of value out of it. The value is just tied to being integrated into the apple ecosystem more than it being a standalone device, which is a very Apple thing to do. I have lots of criticisms too, but overall I really like it. Also converting photos to spatial photos and looking through old memories in 3D is truly incredible. Can't overstate how much I love that feature. The thing I'm most excited about from this release is the backwards compatible Dual Knit Band, which I'm definitely buying.
- eddieroger 1y ago
  I am in a similar boat. I wish they'd gone in to more detail about why this version is different than the existing one - other than "new chip" - because I like mine so much that I want to know how it's improved. I love having a portable, infinite desktop that pairs to my laptop. I have watched movies with it while away, and it's a great media consumption device. It's just cool, and should only get better and cheaper as the tech evolves.
- cjoelrun 1y ago
  Similar. I use this as a traveling external monitor. I have a face that works well without the face seal and with the old dual band: Counter weighted with the back of my head in a way that floats the headset over my nose/face. Going back to squeezing this onto my face like the old knit band seems like it would go backwards in comfort. How can anyone have this pressed against their face for 8+ hours?
  - wahnfrieden 1y ago
    The best is to have a pulley system above your head that removes the weight of it from above. I’d like to see someone implement this via a backpack / should strap for mobile use.
taeric 1y ago
I remain convinced that the main use case for VR is games. And to see them flirt around it so badly is just flat out amusing to me.
- intrasight 1y ago
  s/games/porn/
- fennecfoxy 1y ago
  Yeah AR will be where it's at for most consumers I'd say. VR is still useful but in far fewer scenarios.
thetwentyone 1y ago
Anyone have experience with AVP+ALVR vs Valve Index? I have only used the latter but interested if I can use ALVR effectively enough to replace the Index.
- Coeur 1y ago
  If anybody else is wondering what parents means by ALVR: "Air Light VR", a software to stream games from your PC to a VR headset: https://github.com/alvr-org/ALVR https://github.com/alvr-org/ALVR
ChrisArchitect 1y ago
Related: Apple M5 Chip https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45591799 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45591799
fpgaminer 1y ago
I had to return my Vision Pro after trying it for a week. I'm one of those rare customers that genuinely wanted to keep it, because it's the only VR headset I could _actually_ get work done in thanks to its stellar resolution and overall screen quality. In spite of its many, many flaws. But I had to ditch the thing because: 1) it's stupidly heavy, and 2) it's the only headset that caused me eyestrain. I was praying for a new revision, but ... this wasn't it. No mention of making the thing lighter. Seems like instead they _added_ weight to the band to compensate. Guess I'll keep waiting and hoping someone else fills the space. Maybe, just maybe, there will be a real Quest Pro with the same screen quality as the AVP. The Quest 3 is almost perfect in every regard except for that, so I'd happily drop "stupid" money to grab one with an AVP level display in it. (With the usual caveats of it being an evil Meta product, etc, etc).
- crooked-v 1y ago
  The problem isn't really total weight, it's unbalanced weight. For comparison, see the BoboVR head straps for the Quest (https://www.bobovr.com/products/s3-pro https://www.bobovr.com/products/s3-pro), which look ridiculous and add a lot of total weight (especially with a battery), but are actually more comfortable than not having it, because they spread out and counterbalance the weight of the headset. The Dual Knit Band may help AVP comfort, but I'm skeptical. To have a significant benefit it would need to have much stiffer side support so that the entire thing can lever the weight of the headset upwards and pull the center of gravity way back from the face.
bluescrn 1y ago
Still an external battery? If it's going to be tethered to a battery, why not just tether it to a Mac (or iPhone) instead, and make the device a lot cheaper+simpler in the process?
- crazygringo 1y ago
  Because those batteries are busy powering their respective devices?
boogieknite 1y ago
biggest question on whether i should upgrade mine is trade in value for the m2 version. i havent seen anything on that yet edit: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/discontinued-m2-vision-pro-not-available-for-trade-in.2469178/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/discontinued-m2-vision-... lmao. dicks
JeremyHerrman 1y ago
I've had the Vision Pro since launch, and the only thing that keeps me coming back to it nearly daily is the Mac Virtual Display for my MacBook Pro. It's just so useful to have a huge display wherever you want it - no hunching over looking down a small laptop screen. This is especially useful on a plane where I'm not even able to open the laptop completely due to the tight space. My main gripe is: Why do I need a separate Mac at all? Even the original M2 Vision Pro has more than enough horsepower to run the virtual Mac inside of the headset, so it seems like a fake limitation. I'm looking forward to it being lighter weight and smaller, and for them to make the Mac Virtual Display native to the Vision Pro experience without the need for a separate computer.
- pfannkuchen 1y ago
  Battery life, probably? I suspect they didn’t want to have functionality that could only realistically be used when plugged in.
  - wpm 1y ago
    Functionally the battery life is already shit. I barely ever use mine untethered to at least an external USB-PD battery. They might as well have made the plunge.
- xenospn 1y ago
  The only use case I’m interested in is long-haul flights. How comfortable is it to wear for an extended period? Do people interrupt you to ask you about it? Are you able to use all the features sitting in economy while gesturing?
  - mobiledev2014 1y ago
    Expectations vary but I find that regardless of perfect comfort and battery life I don’t want to go more than a few hours without a break. I’ll watch a jumbo movie or a few hours of tv on a flight no problem Comfort: For me, the answer was “no” out of the box. I had to exchange my light seal twice before I got the right one. This was no charge but obviously it would be great to get it right the first time and it seems like a large number of users never did this and those are the ones who complain most about comfort. Not blaming the users btw, Apple needs to fix this if they care about the product Onlookers: I always wonder if somebody will bug me and they never have. If you are self-conscious, it might not not be the product for you Gestures: You learn that they can be done very subtly and you don’t need to bother the person next to you
merelysounds 1y ago
> Dual Knit Band is available to purchase separately for $99 (U.S.). This price looks surprisingly reasonable. Given the band’s purpose, the price and the fact that it’s backwards compatible, perhaps they’re interested in increasing adoption.
thr0waway001 1y ago
Cool… I guess. shrugs
jazzyjackson 1y ago
Regarding "Apple Vision Pro and the Environment", I'd be much more impressed with a way to upgrade my current goggles with a chip swap than recycled textiles
apparent 1y ago
Can't believe this is heavier than the original. > The lower strap features flexible fabric ribs embedded with tungsten inserts that provide a counterweight for additional comfort, balance, and stability. This is like how the iPad keyboard case is surprisingly heavy because it's bottom-weighted for stability. While the iPad is lighter than a laptop, the iPad + keyboard case is pretty much the same weight.
paul7986 1y ago
Maybe Apple’s working on smart glasses — one with a display, one without — to rival Meta. Honestly, Meta’s glasses are cool… until they break. And they do break! Meta’s biggest weakness? No in-person support. Unlike Apple, they don’t have stores where you can walk in and get help. My two pairs of Meta Ray Bans are broke - one was hosed after a software update.
yalogin 1y ago
Looks like everyone has the same complaint here about the device. Apple is not listening to its consumers and trying to push the device in directions that the users don't care about. I hope they make it a full fledged MacBook and just grabs that market. They can continue to push the "spatial computing" crap in parallel. I don't know what use cases or market fit the spatial computing has, but really having unlimited screens/space to work on is the main and best use case.
paultopia 1y ago
... so does this mean that the rest of us will one day be able to buy the previous model for some price less than your firstborn??
tatrajim 1y ago
The AVP has greatly enhanced my productivity through access to a large virtual mac window inside a variety of environments, facilitating deep focus while reclining, sitting outdoors, or traveling. And the 3D image conversion of treasured photos is remarkable. On the whole, I've used it near daily for over a year and a half, and marvel at how many naysayers there are.
- scyzoryk_xyz 1y ago
  Now there is a comment I'm interested in here - because all the whining and yet actual users are far and few between. I would ask for more observations.
- electric_muse 1y ago
  My use is more episodic than daily. But I love mine for many of the same reasons others have cited. On a plane this is so useful. Flights go by much faster. When traveling it’s so much less of a productivity drag to be able to pop this on and work with more real estate and focus. The spatial videos and photos, whether taken with a real spatial device or upgraded later, are… so immersive. Seeing very old memories in 3d is emotional. But I would pay so much to have a great gaming experience. Like a racing sim or something else realistic. The hardware is so impressive. Frankly, I think this shines most as a consumption device for 3d content. There’s just not nearly enough yet.
- jswny 1y ago
  Can you elaborate on how you use it with your Mac for productivity ? What’s the experience like vs using a large 5k monitor etc? What about for long hours?
WheatMillington 1y ago
Aah yes this highly relevant product

263 points by mihau 1y ago

I think most of us will wait for these chips to get into more useful computers.

Oh boy. This is bad for Vision Pro... Apple would never make such a small deal about upgrading the chip in one of their products unless they thought that product was toast. I wonder if they're just in full pivot mode to glasses.

lordleft 1y ago
Couldn't they also be planning a revamp of the design for next year? If that's the case, maybe a smaller announcement now would be apt.
- stetrain 1y ago
  Supposedly that's been shelved. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-01/apple-shelves-vision-headset-revamp-to-prioritize-meta-like-ai-smart-glasses https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-01/apple-she...
  - Geee 1y ago
    If that's true, it's the stupidest thing they've ever done. To start competing in a product category invented by Eric Schmidt and Mark Zuckerberg. This might be the final point on the story of how Tim Cook destroyed Apple. Eyeglasses with a HUD is the stupidest product category ever invented, and that's why no one wants them, which has been proven again and again in the marketplace.
    - stetrain 1y ago
      I think it's pretty clear that the whole point of the Vision Pro is that Apple wants to build AR glasses but the technology was not ready yet. I do think it makes some sense to attack the problem from both directions, but hopefully they aren't fully ditching the full immersive headset development to do it.
      - Geee 1y ago
        It's fundamentally a different product. Vision Pro is about pushing boundaries in productivity and entertainment. It's the step above desktop computers or game consoles with large displays. You wear this device like headphones, when you want to jump into work or game. Eyeglasses with HUD is like Apple Watch but on your face, i.e. it's focus is on mobility, not productivity or immersion. You're supposed to wear this device all the time. Even if we had the technology the run these devices in the same form factor (maybe in 100 years), I bet that most people prefer to keep their face and eyes tech free in mobile or social situations. For the same reasons as why it's polite to put your phone away when interacting with people. Wearing this kind of device means that they're not fully present at any time. It also signals that they're a person who wants notifications constantly blasted on their face - i.e. an idiot. I don't actually believe that they have ditched the plans for the next version.
ErneX 1y ago
They just did the same for the iPad Pro and the 14 inch MBP…
stetrain 1y ago
It's the same deal they made about upgrading the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro to M5: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-introduces-the-powerful-new-ipad-pro-with-the-m5-chip/ https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-introduces-the-... https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-unveils-new-14-inch-macbook-pro-powered-by-the-m5-chip/ https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-unveils-new-14-... The real issue is that various rumors point to them cancelling or pushing back the plan for a new version of the headset that is cheaper and lighter in favor of working on the smart glasses. Without a cheaper, lighter headset I don't think it's going to become a significant product for Apple.
jccalhoun 1y ago
If they thought the product was toast why would they bother updating the processor? It isn't like they update the processor in the mac pro regularly or anything.
- iambateman 1y ago
  For less mature products, they frequently make a big deal about it being 23% faster and 10% lighter.

nomilk 1y ago

Anyone using one? If so, what for? (please give details) I got an oculus quest 2, was blown away by it for 1-2 hours, but never really picked it up again. The games were fun but very shallow, and never tried any practical uses. Would love to use VR for working on a plane. Currently use a laptop, but my neck sometimes gets sore from looking down. VR has the potential to 10x the screen real estate and prevent having to look at down at an acute angle.

deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
mapontosevenths 1y ago
I have one. I use it primarily for keeping my drawer full. That said, it's AMAZING as a home theater replacement, other than an issue with internal reflections in the optics. So in dark scenes it gets a bit annoying. If I lived in an apartment, I would absolutely use it in place of a large TV that eats up a lot of my space. Especially coupled with the airpods MAX and spatial audio. Watching a 4k 3d movie in it is mind-blowing. Most 3d you've ever seen was really 50% of 1080p, so it's a whole new world. Some of the Apple original content is also great. The thing with the submarine is amazing. Personally I already have a full sized home theater, so I just use that. However, I'm willing to bet that in 5 years when it's time to upgrade the home theater I'll probably just be turning it into a library with some seats I can use a VR headset from. Who knows, maybe it will be a descendant of the AVP.
- wlesieutre 1y ago
  Amazing home theater replacement if you watch all your movies alone, or have a lot of money. Does Vision Pro have any apps for a virtual theater where you can watch video online in a VR space with other people? I've used Bigscreen for that once or twice with a Quest, and it struck me as something that would be a cool feature if I knew more people with VR headsets.
  - nullishdomain 1y ago
    Shared viewing is built into quite a few apps, including the default TV app, based on SharePlay.

scrlk 1y ago

> Apple Vision Pro with the M5 chip and Dual Knit Band starts at $3,499 (U.S.), and is available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities. Apple being stingy with storage (and RAM) isn’t new, but the base $3.5k spec with only 256 GB is extreme. EDIT: clarity

ceejayoz 1y ago
You're not paying $3.5k for the SSD.
- hu3 1y ago
  They didn't said that.
  - ceejayoz 1y ago
    "$3.5k for 256 GB is extreme" 256GB is $3499; 512GB is $3699; 1TB is $3899. You're paying ~$200 for that storage.
    - someguyiguess 1y ago
      That’s not how it works.
    - zamadatix 1y ago
      I think the meaning was meant more as a `Nobody would intend to buy a new sports car with 14" wheels, but they sure love to advertise the price lower prices for sports cars by making a trim that way` type statement than "gee, $3,500 for an SSD!". Edit: the clarity edit of the original seems to agree. Apple's SSDs are actually priced a bit silly though, but I think that's a different discussion. It was significantly cheaper/GB to upgrade my M4 Mac Mini's internal SSD via 3rd party despite the performance being the same (if not better) than 1st party.
      - scrlk 1y ago
        Yes, that what I was trying to aim for. Some further thoughts: two of the use cases AVP was pitched for are content consumption (streaming + offline) and spatial video/photo production. IMO the base storage should reflect that. Given that AVP sales are struggling, I’m not sure why Apple isn’t trying to throw people a bone and offer a more reasonable amount of storage in the base config.

lalo2302 1y ago

Wasn't the Apple Vision pro discontinued?

jjallen 1y ago
Clearly not.
RRRA 1y ago
Soon (TM)
jsiepkes 1y ago
No, they "announced" the production had stopped because there was enough supply (ie. they had enough stock to fulfill the projected sales and replacement needs). Now obviously it wasn't the success they had hoped for. But they didn't discontinue it.

noveltyaccount 1y ago

It's still crazy to me that they put an M5 chip in this thing, but to run Mac apps you need a Mac. Just let the face computer be a computer!

mr_toad 1y ago
Mac apps will expect a full set of Mac hardware (not just the CPU), so you’d probably need to run a full virtual Mac for compatibility. Not impossible, but I expect it’s not a priority either.
- pipodeclown 1y ago
  Like what? A macbook is just a screen, connected keyboard and trackpad. This thing has the equivalent of all of that.
- postexitus 1y ago
  What is that full set of Mac hardware that we are not aware of?
  - philistine 1y ago
    There's no such thing. Apple sells the Mac Mini, which is nothing but a box and it runs everything fine.
- q3k 1y ago
  What? No, that's not how any of this works.
- walkabout 1y ago
  I can’t figure out what this means. For an iOS device, sure, but a Mac? What hardware does a Mac Mini, say, have that the Vision can’t provide?
- array_key_first 1y ago
  It's an SOC. It's in the name.

cubefox 1y ago

This part suggests Apple warming up a little to Oculus-style VR controllers: > With support for the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller, players get a new class of immersive games with high-performance motion tracking in six degrees of freedom, finger touch detection, and vibration support. Previously they seemed to be committed to finger controls only.

qwertytyyuu 1y ago

I expected them to give up on it. Props for not pulling a google, but I guess that isn't a high bar?

ulfw 1y ago
They have given up on it. This is simply a chip replacement. It's likely cheaper than keep producing M2s just for this thing.
- CaptainOfCoit 1y ago
  > They have given up on it > keep producing Maybe it's just me, but if they keep producing it (regardless of what chip), doesn't that mean they haven't given up on it?
  - simultsop 1y ago
    [flagged]
  - jayd16 1y ago
    They have inventory (and maybe contract minimums) for the other parts.
  - layer8 1y ago
    They stopped the development of a successor model. It’s the M5 they continue producing (and the new dual strap), the other parts they mostly have existing inventory of.
  - quitit 1y ago
    The evidence for "giving up" is pretty thin. Ignoring the new model: which has upgraded screens, a faster refresh rate and a new headband design amongst other upgrades - which each indicate more R&D activity on the Vision Pro than say AirPods Max or the HomePod line. One would still need to content with: - Embracing 3rd party wide field-of-view, 180°, and 360° camera makers for direct compatibility for content creation. - Working with Black Magic Design on a spatial production workflow and a specialised camera for simplified spatial video creation. - The development of not just more content, but more types of content, especially around live events and sports. - A steady stream of software updates that add useful and forward-planning functionality. The people that are saying that it's dead are simply choosing not to pay attention or confusing apple's push into widening their AR offerings as abandoning the vision pro. It's also hard to reason with these people because they suggest (without evidence) that the sales numbers are unexpectedly low, while also stating that the factory that makes the screens is limiting production (again without evidence). This is more the type of speak of PR astroturfing than genuine discussion.

DennisP 1y ago

I was super interested in the Vision Pro when it was first released. Then I found out they went with an app model and the device could only display a single MacOS window. There went my dream of surrounding myself with a bunch of vim windows and terminals. If they'd focused on maximizing the device's usefulness instead of its revenue stream, maybe things would have worked out better.

kibwen 1y ago
Apple is not in the business of selling productivity software. Even their desktops/MacOS segment is an insignificant historical afterthought by now. To a first approximation, Apple is a manufacturer of locked-down handheld entertainment appliances whose primary function is to psychologically condition children into siphoning off money from their inattentive parents. There's no reason to suspect their vision for the AVP to diverge significantly from this user story.
- basisword 1y ago
  Every company I've worked at in the last 15-20 years has run fully on Mac. First it was the designers, then the devs, and now everyone. I used Windows for years and have some experience with various Linux distros, but if I joined a company that made me use either of those full-time I'd immediately start looking for another job.
  - Lio 1y ago
    Yep I've just joined, via aquisition, a company that runs remote Windows desktops you have to access using whatever Remote Desktop is now called. I've not seen a professional desktop operating system show you adverts and click bait during worktime before and I am not impressed. I'm taking it as an alarm bell that I should get out as soon as I can. For me and what I do, macOS or Linux are my platforms of choice.
    - supportengineer 1y ago
      Fortunately you can use Remote Desktop using the Microsoft Windows app for Mac.

geerlingguy 1y ago

I have yet to see one of these things in person. Granted, I only see a VR headset like four times a year, but nobody I know bought a Vision Pro either, whereas I know a few dozen people with other headsets.

CaptainOfCoit 1y ago
Similar to when the iPhone first appeared, remember it was really uncommon where I live and the first time I held one was while visiting France. But it was a rare item at first as well, not sure that tells us anything about how useful it is/can be.
- epolanski 1y ago
  Just because many products didn't impress at first and did well later, doesn't matter you can ignore that the opposite is even more frequent. But yours, is especially an apples and oranges comparison. The original iPhone was a flawed internet-less take on a thriving exploding market (mobile). VR's market just questionable.
  - boogieknite 1y ago
    i think its fair to say vr market is less than questionable. in theory ar/vr already has enough features to be worth using. in reality people dont want to put things on their face i have an avp and use it daily. but it turns out im weird and most people simply dont want to put screens on their face

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

dangus 1y ago

Interesting to see apps like Steam Link and the PlayStation VR controller support advertised. Seems like an admission that Apple underestimated how many VR users need that gaming functionality to be there.

outside2344 1y ago

$3499??? Is anyone actually buying this?

riffraff 1y ago
they wound down production of the previous iteration[0] due to poor demand. But seems like they do have a niche audience that likes it (and maybe can pass it as a business expense or something?) so they've sold a few. [0] https://www.macrumors.com/2024/10/23/apple-may-stop-producing-vision-pro-by-end-of-2024/ https://www.macrumors.com/2024/10/23/apple-may-stop-producin...
bombcar 1y ago
The reaction from the ATP guys is a solid "meh"; apparently it's pretty well done and nice, but not really "worth it." And one of them bought a fully-loaded Mac Pro, so they're not immune to the Apple Distortion Field.
- wlesieutre 1y ago
  FWIW wasn't that Mac Pro in the era where the Mac Pro was useful and had bigger CPU/RAM options than other models? Or did he do it again when the Mac Studio exists?
  - bombcar 1y ago
    Yeah, it was the last of the real big Xeon-based ones, which had its reasons to exist. Still a very pricey machine.
- astrange 1y ago
  The one who buys the Mac Pros is not the big spender; that would be the one who won't stop talking about his vacation homes and mechanical watch collection.

drtiberius 1y ago

Is this chip imprinted with engrams from Daystrom? It seems like this might be the ultimate computer.

RRRA 1y ago

How are they at version 26 of VisionOS?

madwolf 1y ago
The same way they're at version 26 of iOS and MacOS
swiftcoder 1y ago
They aligned their OS numbering across all platforms to "year + 1" a little while back

weinzierl 1y ago

I'd preferred they'd downgraded the price instead, but snark aside is it still really the only headset with twin 4K resolution or are there others?

mkozlows 1y ago
Shiftall Meganex 8K is out, and Pimax Dream Air is upcoming. But those are PCVR headsets, not... whatever the AVP is.
makeitdouble 1y ago
On paper headsets like MeganeX are on the same ballpark [0], while Bigscreen beyond for instance offer a completely different proposition (ultra light) for only slightly lower resolution [1] [0] https://en.shiftall.net/products/meganex8k https://en.shiftall.net/products/meganex8k https://store.bigscreenvr.com/products/bigscreen-beyond-2 https://store.bigscreenvr.com/products/bigscreen-beyond-2
fennecfoxy 1y ago
>is it still really the only headset with twin 4K resolution There are quite a few others, even some with near or at 4k res per eye released before the Apple product. Even just the Pimax 8k being the world's first dual native 4k headset early 2019. The problem with alternative sets is, as always, a software/ecosystem one which for gaming Valve helped massively by getting everyone onto one platform (SteamVR). It's tough to do similar with Apple as they lock everything down for "security" with the added benefit of preventing competitors from creating competing products. They're happy to interoperate with Wifi and Bluetooth standards etc, though (before someone claims that doing what they want with their platform is Apple's choice - the same people who grin when MS got hammered for anti-competition with IE Windows bundling, something Apple regularly escapes).

thelastgallon 1y ago

Apple Vision Pro upgraded with the powerful M5 chip and comfortable Dual Knit Band: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-vision-pro-upgraded-with-the-m5-chip-and-dual-knit-band/ https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-vision-pro-upgr... The latest version improves performance, display rendering, battery life, and comfort, while offering innovative features with visionOS 26 and all-new spatial apps and Apple Immersive content

tantalor 1y ago

They are still making this? Why?

dude250711 1y ago
Investors told Cook that he has to have a vision, and he misunderstood?
- speed_spread 1y ago
  Or maliciously complied...
bombcar 1y ago
Apparently they weren't making it, but selling down stock (at least according to the rumors). I guess they are still making them, now with M5?

basisword 1y ago

I wish they could get the price down. I had it for a few weeks before returning it. It's really an incredible device but for the value it currently provides it's not worth the cost. They also need to sort out the fact that mirroring a Mac is tied up with your Apple ID. My main use case was going to be mirroring my work MacBook, but I'm not signing into my work device with my personal Apple account. It's an astonishing oversight. If they can halve the price (and maybe the weight) over the next decade it'll be huge.

intrasight 1y ago
I expect the Apple ID thing will be fixed as it should be easy. Halving the price should be easy too - but probably won't happen until the new "half the weight" version is released. They definitely don't have a decade. The market gave them 14 years with iPhone (Newton was 1993?). But things move a bit faster now.
- basisword 1y ago
  >> I expect the Apple ID thing will be fixed as it should be easy. That's what I initially thought but there have been two OS cycles now with no fix. I think Apple often back themselves into a corner when they base stuff around iCloud and I wouldn't be surprised if this was similar. Maybe user accounts on visionOS will be the eventual solution?

muglug 1y ago

The Vision Pro is a premium VR experience, but the weight is something I could never get used to. I hope that they revisit the hardware at some point when novel tech enables a lot of weight reduction.

wlesieutre 1y ago
Rumor was they were working on a cheaper model (Vision Air?) but have shelved it prioritize chasing Meta's smart glasses https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-01/apple-shelves-vision-headset-revamp-to-prioritize-meta-like-ai-smart-glasses https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-01/apple-she...

jsiepkes 1y ago

Since they only list France and Germany as EU countries I guess the rest of us in the EU are never going to get the Vision Pro? While I could get one from Germany, when I did that with the Google Pixel I ran into a whole bunch of trouble when it needed to get repaired. Since Google required an address in Germany.

AndroTux 1y ago
I’m living in one of those irrelevant EU countries and am considering getting one from Germany. Do you know if this is going to cause issues when downloading apps from a non-German Apple account, etc.?
- jsiepkes 1y ago
  As far as I read online that is not going to be a problem. However if you need a repair, you might run in to problems (like needing a German address).

tetrisgm 1y ago

I love my first gen Apple Vision Pro. I find that most of the criticism isn’t addressed at the product and technology, but at the price and Apple’s strategy. Price will go down in five years, once the tech mature la. For now this is a bit like how the Oculus DK1 was. An early device to explore what the overall vision is about, and figure out the apps.

abtinf 1y ago
What do you use it for? How often do you use it?
- karmakaze 1y ago
  Use was never claimed, only love for.
- coderatlarge 1y ago
  i want to capture 3d video of loved ones before they’re gone
  - astrange 1y ago
    If Apple sold an Ouija board you could capture it after they're gone too.
    - coderatlarge 1y ago
      if the avp is too expensive imagine apple ouija! the connection fees alone would be like making an international phone call in the eighties :)
  - jazzyjackson 1y ago
    You want to wear goggles on your face during those moments?
    - coderatlarge 1y ago

MichaelZuo 1y ago

120 Hz support seems like the biggest upgrade.

laweijfmvo 1y ago
motion blur was the biggest technical flaw i saw when i tried one, i wonder if this will help?

akamaka 1y ago

> With M5, Apple Vision Pro renders 10 percent more pixels with the micro-OLED displays I found this little piece of information interesting. Apparently the display on the Vision Pro has such high resolution that they reduce the detail of the rendering. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that reported before. It means that an even higher quality display is still far in the future, since the silicon to push that many pixels isn’t quite ready.

ErneX 1y ago
I think it also does foveated rendering, it detects where you are gazing and renders that area at a higher res than the periphery.
layer8 1y ago
At the same time, the resolution still isn’t quite enough for virtual Mac screen to not look worse than the real one. The Vision Pro has around 34 PPD. “Retina” resolution for VR is generally considered to require at least 60 PPD. That would mean four times the amount of pixels at the Vision Pro’s panel size. Add to that that the Vision Pro’s FOV is relatively small, you’d want even more pixels than that.
- nullishdomain 1y ago
  It won't look as sharp as a real display at the same size, but it is significantly larger. I've spent probably 3,000+ hours in the headset, with the vast majority of that using the Virtual Display. I've always preferred larger fonts and sitting close to the display, so using the wide virtual display mode has been a fantastic experience for me. My eye-strain-induced migraines have basically disappeared since I started using this as my main display, moving from my previous setup of 30% Studio Display and 70% 16" MBP.

mallowdram 1y ago

Spatial computing is not spatial intelligence. Apple fundamentally has missed the boat on topological integrations.

FumblingBear 1y ago

I won't be upgrading from the M2 model, but I still get a lot of value out of mine simply using the Mac Virtual Display with my Macbook Pro. Of course there are other benefits (gaming w/ ALVR and a PC, watching movies, reading comics) but it makes video editing workflows much nicer for me because I can set the resolution to ultrawide and have much more real estate for Davinci Resolve. It never really leaves the house, and I get why a lot of people don't like it, but personally, it's one of the coolest pieces of tech I own and I get a ton of value out of it. The value is just tied to being integrated into the apple ecosystem more than it being a standalone device, which is a very Apple thing to do. I have lots of criticisms too, but overall I really like it. Also converting photos to spatial photos and looking through old memories in 3D is truly incredible. Can't overstate how much I love that feature. The thing I'm most excited about from this release is the backwards compatible Dual Knit Band, which I'm definitely buying.

eddieroger 1y ago
I am in a similar boat. I wish they'd gone in to more detail about why this version is different than the existing one - other than "new chip" - because I like mine so much that I want to know how it's improved. I love having a portable, infinite desktop that pairs to my laptop. I have watched movies with it while away, and it's a great media consumption device. It's just cool, and should only get better and cheaper as the tech evolves.
cjoelrun 1y ago
Similar. I use this as a traveling external monitor. I have a face that works well without the face seal and with the old dual band: Counter weighted with the back of my head in a way that floats the headset over my nose/face. Going back to squeezing this onto my face like the old knit band seems like it would go backwards in comfort. How can anyone have this pressed against their face for 8+ hours?
- wahnfrieden 1y ago
  The best is to have a pulley system above your head that removes the weight of it from above. I’d like to see someone implement this via a backpack / should strap for mobile use.

taeric 1y ago

I remain convinced that the main use case for VR is games. And to see them flirt around it so badly is just flat out amusing to me.

intrasight 1y ago
s/games/porn/
fennecfoxy 1y ago
Yeah AR will be where it's at for most consumers I'd say. VR is still useful but in far fewer scenarios.

thetwentyone 1y ago

Anyone have experience with AVP+ALVR vs Valve Index? I have only used the latter but interested if I can use ALVR effectively enough to replace the Index.

Coeur 1y ago
If anybody else is wondering what parents means by ALVR: "Air Light VR", a software to stream games from your PC to a VR headset: https://github.com/alvr-org/ALVR https://github.com/alvr-org/ALVR

ChrisArchitect 1y ago

Related: Apple M5 Chip https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45591799 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45591799

fpgaminer 1y ago

I had to return my Vision Pro after trying it for a week. I'm one of those rare customers that genuinely wanted to keep it, because it's the only VR headset I could _actually_ get work done in thanks to its stellar resolution and overall screen quality. In spite of its many, many flaws. But I had to ditch the thing because: 1) it's stupidly heavy, and 2) it's the only headset that caused me eyestrain. I was praying for a new revision, but ... this wasn't it. No mention of making the thing lighter. Seems like instead they _added_ weight to the band to compensate. Guess I'll keep waiting and hoping someone else fills the space. Maybe, just maybe, there will be a real Quest Pro with the same screen quality as the AVP. The Quest 3 is almost perfect in every regard except for that, so I'd happily drop "stupid" money to grab one with an AVP level display in it. (With the usual caveats of it being an evil Meta product, etc, etc).

crooked-v 1y ago
The problem isn't really total weight, it's unbalanced weight. For comparison, see the BoboVR head straps for the Quest (https://www.bobovr.com/products/s3-pro https://www.bobovr.com/products/s3-pro), which look ridiculous and add a lot of total weight (especially with a battery), but are actually more comfortable than not having it, because they spread out and counterbalance the weight of the headset. The Dual Knit Band may help AVP comfort, but I'm skeptical. To have a significant benefit it would need to have much stiffer side support so that the entire thing can lever the weight of the headset upwards and pull the center of gravity way back from the face.

bluescrn 1y ago

Still an external battery? If it's going to be tethered to a battery, why not just tether it to a Mac (or iPhone) instead, and make the device a lot cheaper+simpler in the process?

crazygringo 1y ago
Because those batteries are busy powering their respective devices?

boogieknite 1y ago

biggest question on whether i should upgrade mine is trade in value for the m2 version. i havent seen anything on that yet edit: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/discontinued-m2-vision-pro-not-available-for-trade-in.2469178/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/discontinued-m2-vision-... lmao. dicks

JeremyHerrman 1y ago

I've had the Vision Pro since launch, and the only thing that keeps me coming back to it nearly daily is the Mac Virtual Display for my MacBook Pro. It's just so useful to have a huge display wherever you want it - no hunching over looking down a small laptop screen. This is especially useful on a plane where I'm not even able to open the laptop completely due to the tight space. My main gripe is: Why do I need a separate Mac at all? Even the original M2 Vision Pro has more than enough horsepower to run the virtual Mac inside of the headset, so it seems like a fake limitation. I'm looking forward to it being lighter weight and smaller, and for them to make the Mac Virtual Display native to the Vision Pro experience without the need for a separate computer.

pfannkuchen 1y ago
Battery life, probably? I suspect they didn’t want to have functionality that could only realistically be used when plugged in.
- wpm 1y ago
  Functionally the battery life is already shit. I barely ever use mine untethered to at least an external USB-PD battery. They might as well have made the plunge.
xenospn 1y ago
The only use case I’m interested in is long-haul flights. How comfortable is it to wear for an extended period? Do people interrupt you to ask you about it? Are you able to use all the features sitting in economy while gesturing?
- mobiledev2014 1y ago
  Expectations vary but I find that regardless of perfect comfort and battery life I don’t want to go more than a few hours without a break. I’ll watch a jumbo movie or a few hours of tv on a flight no problem Comfort: For me, the answer was “no” out of the box. I had to exchange my light seal twice before I got the right one. This was no charge but obviously it would be great to get it right the first time and it seems like a large number of users never did this and those are the ones who complain most about comfort. Not blaming the users btw, Apple needs to fix this if they care about the product Onlookers: I always wonder if somebody will bug me and they never have. If you are self-conscious, it might not not be the product for you Gestures: You learn that they can be done very subtly and you don’t need to bother the person next to you

merelysounds 1y ago

> Dual Knit Band is available to purchase separately for $99 (U.S.). This price looks surprisingly reasonable. Given the band’s purpose, the price and the fact that it’s backwards compatible, perhaps they’re interested in increasing adoption.

thr0waway001 1y ago

Cool… I guess. shrugs

jazzyjackson 1y ago

Regarding "Apple Vision Pro and the Environment", I'd be much more impressed with a way to upgrade my current goggles with a chip swap than recycled textiles

apparent 1y ago

Can't believe this is heavier than the original. > The lower strap features flexible fabric ribs embedded with tungsten inserts that provide a counterweight for additional comfort, balance, and stability. This is like how the iPad keyboard case is surprisingly heavy because it's bottom-weighted for stability. While the iPad is lighter than a laptop, the iPad + keyboard case is pretty much the same weight.

paul7986 1y ago

Maybe Apple’s working on smart glasses — one with a display, one without — to rival Meta. Honestly, Meta’s glasses are cool… until they break. And they do break! Meta’s biggest weakness? No in-person support. Unlike Apple, they don’t have stores where you can walk in and get help. My two pairs of Meta Ray Bans are broke - one was hosed after a software update.

yalogin 1y ago

Looks like everyone has the same complaint here about the device. Apple is not listening to its consumers and trying to push the device in directions that the users don't care about. I hope they make it a full fledged MacBook and just grabs that market. They can continue to push the "spatial computing" crap in parallel. I don't know what use cases or market fit the spatial computing has, but really having unlimited screens/space to work on is the main and best use case.

paultopia 1y ago

... so does this mean that the rest of us will one day be able to buy the previous model for some price less than your firstborn??

tatrajim 1y ago

The AVP has greatly enhanced my productivity through access to a large virtual mac window inside a variety of environments, facilitating deep focus while reclining, sitting outdoors, or traveling. And the 3D image conversion of treasured photos is remarkable. On the whole, I've used it near daily for over a year and a half, and marvel at how many naysayers there are.

scyzoryk_xyz 1y ago
Now there is a comment I'm interested in here - because all the whining and yet actual users are far and few between. I would ask for more observations.
electric_muse 1y ago
My use is more episodic than daily. But I love mine for many of the same reasons others have cited. On a plane this is so useful. Flights go by much faster. When traveling it’s so much less of a productivity drag to be able to pop this on and work with more real estate and focus. The spatial videos and photos, whether taken with a real spatial device or upgraded later, are… so immersive. Seeing very old memories in 3d is emotional. But I would pay so much to have a great gaming experience. Like a racing sim or something else realistic. The hardware is so impressive. Frankly, I think this shines most as a consumption device for 3d content. There’s just not nearly enough yet.
jswny 1y ago
Can you elaborate on how you use it with your Mac for productivity ? What’s the experience like vs using a large 5k monitor etc? What about for long hours?

WheatMillington 1y ago

Aah yes this highly relevant product