Apple just unveiled its long-awaited Vision Pro headset, but how does it stack up with Meta’s recently announced Quest 3?
It’s a day that felt like it might never come but here we are – the Apple headset is a reality and it’s called the Apple Vision Pro and it looks absolutely next level. If you’ve seen Apple’s WWDC presentation then you’ll know that the company clearly spent a lot of time putting the Vision Pro together because it is like no other VR or AR headset that we’ve ever seen before.
Speaking for most of the folks in the Trusted Reviews office, we’re a bit gobsmacked. Of course, this comes hot off the heels of Meta announcing its follow up to the successful Quest 2 VR headset: the Meta Quest 3. Given that these two headsets have been unveiled around the same time, it’s only fair to wonder how exactly they compare, so let’s run through the key bits to know.
Apple Vision Pro is a lot more expensive
Usually we wouldn’t start with the price on a product comparison but in this instance, it feels quite pertinent. I say this because the Apple Vision Pro has a price tag of $3499. Yes, you read that right, you’ll be expected to pay well over three-grand for the pleasure of donning your very own Apple Vision Pro.
By comparison, the Meta Quest 3 is far more affordable at $499. UK pricing hasn’t been announced for either headset, but it’s fairly clear which one will be more popular with those on a budget.
Apple Vision Pro has a greater focus on productivity
Even though there was a brief mention that some games in Apple Arcade will work on the Vision Pro, Apple didn’t spend any time at all detailing the gaming experience here. In fact, the company isn’t really calling the Vision Pro a headset, instead using the term ‘spatial computer’. Instead, it’s clear that Apple is priming the Vision Pro as something to be used for work, with multiple tabs visible in front of the user.
While previous Meta Quest headsets have included the ability to have VR workstations via various third party apps, they haven’t pushed the concept as a key selling point, so it’s clear that Apple wants to shimmy into this gap in the market and establish the Vision Pro as the go-to headset here.
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Meta Quest 3 has its sights set on gaming
Of course, while Apple has its sights set on the productivity crowd, the Meta Quest 3 is sat firmly on the other side of the VR aisle with gaming as its main focus. This shouldn’t come as any surprise as the Meta Quest 2 is currently one of the most popular VR headsets on the market for gaming, with titles like Resident Evil 4 VR and Beat Saber being highly playable on the device.
This isn’t to say that the Apple Vision Pro is incapable of running games, but given that the control input is done via hand gestures and not a dedicated controller, the experience will likely be limited and so from the outside at least, the Meta Quest 3 will probably be a safer bet for VR gamers.
Vision Pro benefits from Apple’s ecosystem
Of course, one of the most appealing aspects of the Vision Pro is how it’ll blend with Apple’s existing ecosystem. Apple showed that it’ll be possible for users to view their iPhone apps in a larger space thanks to the Vision Pro’s display which, if you’re an iPhone user, sounds like a pretty tempting prospect.
We won’t know the full extent of how the Vision Pro integrates with iOS, iPad OS and watchOS until we get our hands on the Vision Pro, but it isn’t hard to imagine that it’ll do its absolute best to benefit users who are already heavily invested in Apple’s existing tech.
Meta’s operating system for the Quest line is great in its own right, but it doesn’t have the type of seamless connectivity with other devices that Apple can boast.
Battery life
The Apple Vision Pro requires an external battery pack to run but according to Apple, that battery should last for up to two hours on a single charge. Meta hasn’t stated what the battery life of the Quest 3 is yet, but its predecessor ran for up to three-hours at a time so it wouldn’t be too hard to imagine Meta at least aiming for a similar run-time in the Quest 3.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
