Apple Vision Pro Impressions

Finally got my hands on an AVP one year after it came out (and the hype is long gone :)).
I’ve seen a lot about it, so I knew what to expect, but I was still surprised by a few things. Here are some of my impressions.

• It’s amazing for watching 3D movies.
  It gives you a perfectly aligned stereo view and amazing brightness + sharpness, something you can’t get to this level even in an IMAX cinema. The sound is also really good.

• Ergonomics are BAD.
  Really front-heavy, definitely feel the fatigue after 30 min. Combined with a third-party head strap, it might be better, but they need to reduce the weight by a lot.

• Eye + hand tracking works really well, as expected.
  UX is mostly well done, although I sometimes struggled to place menus properly (no snapping), and the home button seemed to have a mind of its own.

• SHARING the headset is HARD.
  It does not detect a new user (and automatically set up the eye tracking for them). Instead, you need to dig through menus, set up a guest account, etc.
  Especially UNUSABLE if you want to demo something at an event where you might have dozens of people in an hour.
  I wonder how long the IPD motors last if you push them all day.

• Yes, there are some immersive apps—stuff we’ve seen on any other platform in the last ten years (glorified 3D model viewers)—but it really NEEDS CONTROLLERS.
  If you want to utilize the full potential of immersive apps and more complex interactions, you can’t go full eye/hand tracking. Look at the complexity of the experiences on Meta headsets.

• 3D photos and videos are AMAZING—one of the killer features for me, especially imagining what will soon be possible with AI, NERFs, etc.

• Connecting a MacBook and multitasking in the headset worked GREAT!
  Still can’t imagine working in the headset due to EYE FATIGUE and ergonomics.

• The dial knob (volume and switching VR → MR) has NO HAPTICS.
  I imagined a slight vibration or slight resistance when turning the dial, which would make it a lot more satisfying.

• The front screen is useless, weird, and barely visible.
  Cut it and save some weight and cost.

• The FOV with the default face pad is really narrow, feels like a scuba mask.
  I tried wearing it without it, and it was so much better—with added peripheral vision and having eyes closer to the lenses, the mixed reality content blends much better.
  Otherwise, it feels like a weird mix of a VR headset that tries really hard to not be a VR headset.
  Smaller face pad and no peripheral blockers is the way.

Final Verdict

Overall, I liked it as a 3D TV and for recording 3D footage, not much else.
4,000 euros? Definitely not worth it—get a Meta Quest for 10 times less and you can do a lot more.