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Title: Apple Vision Pro M5 review: A better beta is still a beta

Link: https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/apple-vision-p...

Everything new about the revamped Apple Vision Pro can fit in a single
sentence: It has a far faster and more efficient M5 chip, it comes with a
more comfortable Dual Knit Band and its display looks slightly sharper and
faster. Beyond that, the Vision Pro is still basically a $3,500 developer kit
that really isn't meant for consumers.

Still, the Vision Pro fascinates me. It's a bold swing from a company that's
become increasingly risk-averse over the last decade. And now that we have
its first refresh, it's clear that Apple isn't ready to give up on the
concept of spatial computing yet. For the niche audience of mixed reality
developers and hardcore Apple fanatics who haven't already picked up a Vision
Pro, the new model is more compelling than the original with its aging M2
chip. If you've already got one, though, you can just pick up the Dual Knit
Band for $99 to get a more comfortable fit.

What's the point of the M5 Apple Vision Pro?

While the Vision Pro launched with a huge splash in 2023, it was released
early last year with the 2022-era M2 chip. Now that we're three generations
beyond that Apple silicon, it's high time it received an upgrade. With the M5
chip, the Vision Pro is up to 50 percent faster at rendering your Persona
avatar and creating spatial scenes from photos, according to Apple. Both of
those experiences were noticeably faster during my testing, but they also
never felt too sluggish on the original Vision Pro.

As I mentioned above, having new hardware is a sign that Apple hasn't
completely forgotten about the Vision Pro. It's not being almost immediately
ignored like the original HomePod. Instead, this new model aims to fix some
of the biggest annoyances from the first. The Dual Knit Band alone makes the
Vision Pro feel more comfortable, since it relies on a rear and top strap to
balance the device on your head. The original Solo Knit Band only had a rear
strap, which clamped the Vision Pro on your head and left much of its weight
resting on your forehead and nose.

While the original Vision Pro also included a Dual Loop Band in the box, that
was rarely featured in the marketing for the Vision Pro, likely because it
made the device appear to be more like a traditional VR headset. The new Dual
Knit Band almost feels like an apology for Apple's previous bands ΓÇö it's as
if the company is admitting that it was more concerned with how the Vision
Pro appeared in ads, instead of choosing a more comfortable default head
strap.

In addition to making the headset feel easier to wear, the Dual Knit Band is
also ingeniously simple to adjust. Twisting its small tightening knob adjusts
the horizontal straps, and then you just have to pop that knob out to
customize the over-head straps. That's a major upgrade over most VR headsets,
which typically rely on velcro to tighten straps over your head.

Apple Vision Pro M5 adjustment knob. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Aside from the Dual Knit Band, the Vision Pro sports the exact same design as
the original model, so I'd recommend reading my initial review for more
hardware specifics. "In typical Apple fashion, the Vision Pro looks far more
handsome than any VR headset I've seen," I wrote last year. "That mostly
comes down to materials: Whereas the competition is almost entirely made of
plastic cases, Apple's device is built out of smooth glass, polished metal
and designer fabrics."

While the new Vision Pro is using the same micro OLED displays as before, the
headset can render 10 percent more pixels thanks to the M5 chip. I couldn't
really see a difference when I swapped between the two headsets, but that's
to be expected with a small resolution bump. What's more important is that
the M5 Vision Pro still has some of the most impressive screens I've ever
seen. It can scale up 4K video into enormous 300-inch windows while still
looking sharp, and it's easy to read text in the browser, or while working on
a virtual Mac display.

MacBook Mirroring on Apple Vision Pro M5 Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

The M5 chip also allows the Vision Pro to reach up to a 120Hz refresh rate,
instead of being limited to refresh rates between 90Hz and 100Hz. Again, I
didn't see a huge difference with the new model, but theoretically the higher
refresh rate should allow for smoother performance while scrolling through
windows and documents. It also means the Vision Pro can run games at up to
120 fps, which could be helpful if you're trying to play Overwatch over
GeForce Now streaming.

In addition to being more powerful than the M2, the M5 chip is also more
efficient. I was able to use the new Vision Pro for more than two and a half
hours while swapping between videos, visionOS apps and Macbook mirroring. The
same workflow typically drained the original model's battery in around two
hours.

Apple Vision Pro M5 Devindra Hardawar for Engadget How has the Vision Pro
ecosystem changed over the last year?

It's not too often Apple has to build an entirely new operating system with
fresh input mechanisms, but that's basically what we got with visionOS. Its
interface hovers in front of you, like a holographic iPad home screen. And
instead of a keyboard and mouse, you interact with it mainly using finger
gestures and eye tracking. I found visionOS to be surprisingly easy to use on
the original Vision Pro -- flicking through floating windows quickly made me
feel like Tom Cruise in Minority Report -- and it's only gotten more refined
over time.

For one, Apple added Spatial Personas, which are virtual avatars that can
float around your space during FaceTime calls with other Vision Pro users.
That feature made the headset feel like a "telepresence dream" when I first
tested it out, and it's only gotten better with visionOS 26, which has more
realistic Spatial Personas. During several group FaceTime calls, I felt like
I was sitting beside people in the real world, even though I was just looking
at rendered faces, shoulders and hands floating in the air. The sense of true
presence was uncanny: Spatial Personas can walk freely around your room, and
with the flick of a button you can also collaborate together on documents,
view 3D models or watch videos together in virtual space.

Apple Vision Pro M5 viewed from the side. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Apple's Immersive Videos ΓÇö 8K 3D 180-degree footage shot using its custom
cameras ΓÇö were one of the highlights of the original Vision Pro, and they
still look great on the new model. I was most impressed by "Hill Climb," an
episode of the Adventure series focused on Laura Hayes, a driver attempting
to make a new record racing to the top of Pikes Peak. Expansive overhead
shots (which feel incredibly life-like in 3D) did a fine job of showing the
scale of her drive, and footage from beside and inside her car delivered a
thrilling sense of speed.

All of the Immersive Videos I've seen are miles ahead of the blurry, low-res
360-degree VR footage we've been seeing for years. Apple's 8K 3D content is
more focused on trying to recreate reality right in front of you. Looking
ahead, the company also plans to broadcast live NBA games in Immersive Video
and more Vision Pro content is coming from Red Bull, CNN, BBC and others.

Speaking of immersive content, Apple also added support for the PS VR2 Sense
controllers in visionOS 26, which gives Vision Pro the ability to support
true VR experiences. When I tried the What If?... Vision Pro experience last
year, it was clear that hand gestures werenΓÇÖt precise enough to handle VR
gaming. IΓÇÖve only been able to try the PS VR2 controllers in the pickleball
game Pickle Pro, but they were instantly impressive, allowing me to
realistically angle and swing my paddle.

Apple Vision Pro M5 lenses. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Wrap-up: Still
very much a beta

IΓÇÖm astounded by the Vision Pro every time I put it on. The displays look
fantastic, and theyΓÇÖre versatile enough to handle everything from watching
movies, immersing myself in 3D content and diving into productivity work by
mirroring my MacBook Pro. But, when I take off the headset, reality sets in.
ItΓÇÖs still wildly expensive at $3,499, and there isnΓÇÖt nearly enough
spatial computing content to make that price worth it.

Once again, the Vision Pro feels like a proof of concept ΓÇö a symbol of what
Apple can do when itΓÇÖs not constrained by traditional screens. But the
companyΓÇÖs dream of spatial computing wonΓÇÖt go anywhere until it can
deliver cheaper devices. As IΓÇÖve argued, Apple should just take a cue from
Xreal and shove visionOS into a pair of display glasses. That would allow the
company to produce a much more accessible device, and it would also put Apple
in a better position to compete with Android XR hardware like SamsungΓÇÖs
$1,800 Galaxy XR.

Until Apple can open up visionOS to more users, it will still be just beta
testing the future.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-
vr/apple-vision-pro-m5-review-a-better-beta-is-still-a-beta-
130000284.html?src=rss

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