Apple Vision Pro Review

The Apple Vision Pro is a groundbreaking device that aims to introduce “spatial computing” by layering apps and information over the real world. Priced at $3,499, it’s positioned as a comprehensive device in Apple’s ecosystem, allowing users to perform various tasks from work to entertainment. However, the Vision Pro faces significant tradeoffs, including its weight and the need for an external battery pack. While it excels in design and display technology, its video passthrough feature, which blends virtual and real-world environments, has limitations. The eye and hand tracking system is impressive but comes with distractions, and the device’s 3D persona system is both impressive and awkward. Despite its advancements, the Vision Pro falls short of being a seamless AR experience, often reminding users that they are looking at screens rather than directly experiencing reality. The review suggests that while the Vision Pro offers some remarkable features, it may not fully justify the tradeoffs for everyday use.

The Vision Pro runs visionOS based on iPadOS. Leveraging the iPad foundation gives it a robust app library, but notable apps like Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube are holding back. The device offers free-floating window chaos for multitasking across native visionOS, iPad apps, and even Mac display sharing. While impressive, the window management could use improvement. The device’s highlight is its impressive display and immersive movie-watching experience. Gaming lacks popular VR titles like Beat Saber, and fitness apps are absent. The headset’s AR capabilities are limited, with only a few true AR features. Despite its technological achievements, the Vision Pro raises questions about its practicality due to trade-offs, like the weight, DRM limitations, and the inherently isolating nature of headsets for primary computing.