The most talked-about product from Apple in decades has received positive reviews. What the spatial computing device can and should perform better is listed below.
It would be an understatement to describe Apple’s press approach for its $3,500 Vision Pro headset as “controlled”. Notably absent from the solitary photo op at WWDC 2023 and the scheduled, battery-operated hands-on sessions preceding the pre-order week in January was a comprehensive comprehension of the headset’s real-world performance, its optimal applications, and the full extent of its potential for the upcoming era of spatial computing.
Since reviewers and industry insiders may now discuss their own testing experiences with the Vision Pro over the past week, some of these questions will be addressed today. ZDNET will be testing Apple’s newest offering, so check back for our opinions and purchasing recommendations. Here’s a synopsis of the initial evaluations of the Apple Vision Pro in the meantime.
“Living in the Vision Pro for the past week has been one of the most complex experiences of all,” writes Scott Stein of CNET. It’s among the most difficult goods I’ve ever had to review. Some parts are quite beautiful. Some don’t think they’re done yet.” Stein was amazed by the Vision Pro’s spatial awareness and depth mapping, especially the way the headset processed the items around him without having to map out guardian borders.
In addition, Stein utilized the Vision Pro as his “everywhere computer,” using Mac Virtual Display to link the headset to a Mac. The projection looks sharp in 4K even if the Vision Pro restricts users to a single monitor view (with floating Vision OS/iOS apps on the side). “There are glitches, and sometimes the controls feel too floaty, but in its first form, I’m shocked at how good it already is,” said Stein.
The haptics, however, could have used some work. “Having the same tactile feedback that you would find on a watch, phone, or gaming controller. I want multipurpose controls that are more accurate in 3D space. I doubt that hand and eye tracking by themselves will be able to do anything.
Joanna Stern of the Wall Street Journal also tested the Vision Pro while skiing with it in order to see how well it recorded spatial video. The video output, structured in 2200 x 2200 resolution, 30 frames per second, and 1:1 aspect ratio, appeared to be of a respectable quality, albeit not significantly better than what could be obtained for thousands of dollars cheaper with a pair of Meta Ray-Bans.
How does it feel to wear the headset nonstop for a whole day? Stern called it “painsful, but insightful.” “The Vision Pro possesses every feature of a product from the first generation. It’s hefty, has a terrible battery life, hasn’t got many amazing applications yet, and occasionally has bugs.” Stern discovered that viewing movies and using the Vision Pro as a work PC were the top use cases.
Nilay Patel of The Verge discussed his use of Vision Pro’s EyeSight function, which was concealed in previous demo sessions. “EyeSight really doesn’t need to exist at all. In most normal to strong lighting, it’s really difficult to notice because of the poor resolution of the OLED and the lenticular display in front of it that creates a slight 3D appearance, according to Patel.
Fortunately, Todd Haselton of CNBC reports that the internal display is far more powerful. “The screens lessen the “screendoor” effect that is sometimes present in less expensive headsets, such as the Meta Quest 3. That’s the area where pixels appear while looking through a headset. The Vision Pro makes it simple to read text from books or websites. Additionally, I had access to larger and better screens than any TV in my home on which to see movies, including ones in 3D.”
