One Month Test: Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3 – Results Revealed
I spent a month testing the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3; here's what happened.
VR Headset Comparison: Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3
As a regular user of the Meta Quest 3, I was eager to explore what the Apple Vision Pro had to offer in terms of entertainment, gaming, and productivity. Why spend almost €3000 more? To answer this, I conducted a detailed comparative analysis.
First Impressions of Apple Vision Pro
The Apple Vision Pro requires optical inserts to function, making it incompatible with regular glasses. The additional cost for these official Zeiss inserts is over €150, nearly half the price of the new Meta Quest 3S. Despite these hurdles, using the Vision Pro proved to be intuitive. Even with a narrower field of view (90 vs 106 degrees on Meta Quest 3), the lack of traditional controllers was not the drawback some had anticipated.
Entertainment Experience
A standout feature of the Vision Pro is its compatibility with top streaming services like Apple TV, Disney+, Max, and Crunchyroll. Conversely, the Quest 3’s options are more limited, struggling with poorly developed apps from Prime Video and YouTube. The Vision Pro offers significantly better video quality and allows users to alter their viewing environment, mimicking a 150-inch screen experience.
What About Video Games?
In gaming, the Vision Pro delivers superior graphics with less pixelation and anti-aliasing but lacks physical controls. Despite lower graphic quality, the Quest 3 provides a more immersive and entertaining experience for motion-based games.
Impressive Productivity
For productivity, the Vision Pro connects almost seamlessly to my MacBook. While the Quest 3, with the Immersed app, comes close, the Vision Pro offers a smoother experience, feeling like an extension of my MacBook. Additionally, Apple’s ecosystem allows for flawless integration with iMessages, Photos, AirPlay, and AirDrop, providing instant access to all my content.
Ultimately, while the Vision Pro delivers an impressive experience, its additional cost is hard to justify compared to the Quest 3. After a few weeks of use, the allure of the Vision Pro faded, and I found myself sticking with my Quest 3.