I put Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3 to the test for a month

I’m using my Meta Quest 3 almost every day, but wanted to see how the Apple Vision Pro would do for entertainment, gaming and productivity – and what the extra $3,000 would really get you. Check out my full head-to-head video below to see which I think is the best VR headset around:

Apple Vision Pro vs. Quest 3: It’s not even close yet! – YouTube

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First impressions of Apple Vision Pro

One of the reasons it took me so long to get to know Apple’s premium headset is that the Vision Pro requires optical inserts technically cannot be used with glasses. While there are cheaper options, you’ll have to pay an additional $149 to purchase the official Zeiss prescription inserts. That alone is half the cost of the new Meta Quest 3S.

Once I had my stakes in, the Vision Pro was surprisingly easy to get to grips with. Without traditional controllers, I expected hand and eye navigation to be tricky, but honestly it felt like magic. While I quickly noticed the Vision Pro’s narrower field of view (90 degrees instead of 106 degrees on the Meta Quest 3), it wasn’t the deciding factor that I think many people claimed it was.

Aren’t you entertained?

Aside from how polished and snappy the overall experience feels with the Vision Pro, another selling point is its support for some of the best streaming services, including Apple TV (of course), Disney+, Max, and Crunchyroll. Quest 3? Not so much.

Unfortunately, it’s far more difficult to play your favorite content on the Quest 3. You’re essentially limited to poorly developed Prime Video and YouTube apps. The Quest even recently lost its Netflix app and in most cases it’s best to use the web browser instead, but streaming quality and features like downloading for offline mode are compromised.

In comparison, the Vision Pro made me want to catch up on my backlog of shows and blockbusters on a 150-inch screen. Aside from the noticeable sharpness in the video, being able to change the environment I was in took things to another level.

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Apple TV on Apple Vision Pro — (Image credit: Future)

What about games?

You’ll quickly appreciate the extra power of the Vision Pro. I tested a few games, including Cut the Rope, LEGO Builder’s Journey and Castle Crumble, where the graphics looked better with less pixelation and anti-aliasing, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

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Lego Bricktales on Apple Vision Pro — (Image credit: Future)

Sure, eye and hand controls were cool, but I missed the physical controls. The Quest 3 feels more engaging and entertaining overall. Even though the graphics aren’t that impressive, there’s no competition when it comes to sports and other motion-based games.

Play ping pong on Quest 3

(Image credit: Future)

The productivity was incredible

The main reason I was excited to test the Vision Pro was productivity – especially when working on the go. The way the Vision Pro connects to my MacBook is almost perfect – you just look at it and with one click you’re connected. Although the Quest 3 with the Immersed app is pretty close and even has the edge (currently) with support for multiple displays and audio pass-through, the Vision Pro ran smoother and felt like an extension of my MacBook.

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Looking at the Mac on Apple Vision Pro — (Image credit: Future)

Aside from mirroring my desktop, I was also able to use several native Vision Pro apps like Apple TV or Photos. But this is where the Apple ecosystem really shines. My iMessages and photos sync seamlessly, AirPlay and AirDrop work effortlessly, and even my passwords are saved so I can access all of my content instantly. It’s a testament to how easy it is to jump into the Vision Pro and pick up right where you left off in your Apple experience.

Air Drop on Apple Vision Pro

(Image credit: Future)

Ultimately, the Vision Pro is impressive and worth a try if you can. But it’s also still a niche product, and like many other people who tried it, its magic wore off after a few weeks and I found myself using it less and less. I already own a Quest 3 that can do most of this, which makes the extra cost of the Vision Pro hard to justify. For now I’m sticking with my Quest 3.

I put Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3 to the test for a month – here’s what happened

First impressions of Apple Vision Pro

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