It's finally official – Apple's Vision Pro AR/VR headset was just unveiled during the annual WWDC event. And conveniently, mere days after Meta unveiled its own upcoming AR/VR headset – the Quest 3.
It's not a stretch to presume that those two are going to be the most popular headsets in 2023, purely due to Apple's sheer brand weight, and the fact that the Quest 3 is a successor to the most popular (and non-coincidentally, affordable) VR headset right now – the Meta Quest 2.
So, based on what we saw from their announcement, and what we know about the headsets right now, it's time to do an early comparison of the two, and help you decide on which one you may want to buy later this year, when they're released!
Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3 expected differences:
Vision Pro will cost a whopping $3499, while the Quest 3 is reasonably affordable, at $499.99
Vision Pro is running VisionOS (based on iOS frameworks), Quest 3's operating system is based on Android
Vision Pro starts a brand new line of products from Apple, while Meta's Quest 3 is a generational update over the Quest 2, which has a huge, established library of native apps and games
Vision Pro has an external battery, the Quest 3 will likely pack an internal one
Vision Pro is a premium headset, made from aluminum, and packing way more cameras and advanced tech inside (as its price suggests), while the Quest 3 will have a plastic build, and is focused on affordability
Both Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3 are speculated to be about the same in terms of size, and both are similar in design to ski goggles. However, the Vision Pro will have an external battery dangling from it, which is not quite as nice as having an internal battery and forgetting about it, which is what we expect with the Quest 3.
We're yet to find out how much Vision Pro will weigh, while the Quest 3 has been speculated to be around 509 grams. Both are likely going to be much lighter and more comfortable than the average VR headsets, albeit less so than a pair of modern AR glasses (which don't normally hold any thick or heavy components).
The Apple Vision Pro is made from premium materials, notably aluminum, which isn't surprising for what seems to be a very high-end consumer headset.
The Meta Quest 3, front
The Quest 3 is definitely much more compact than its predecessor, sports a plastic build, with three distinct modules on the front, two of which hold color passthrough cameras, while the middle one packs a depth sensor.
Both headsets support interchangeable head straps. The Quest 3 will likely have support for users wearing glasses by utilizing an optional "separator" piece, while the Vision Pro headset will apparently require users with myopia to purchase special Zeiss lenses, which will attach to the headset magnetically.
Display Differences, FOV, IPD Range
Vision Pro is going to pack two, separate, 1.41-inch, micro OLED displays, one for each eye. Their resolution is presumably going to be either 4K or slightly beyond that. But perhaps even more impressively, their maximum brightness is rumored to go beyond an insane 5,000 nits. And another flagship display feature about Vision Pro is its 4,000 PPI (pixels-per-inch) density, which will certainly make everything the viewer sees look crisp and convincing. While the PPI too is speculated, Apple's presentation did sell us on crystal image clarity, so it seems like a plausible leak.
We're yet to know the FOV and IPD situation on the Apple Vision Pro, as the Cupertino company hasn't shared any details just yet.
The Meta Quest 3, it being more on the budget / affordable end (unlike the Vision Pro), will instead use a single LCD display, reportedly (but not officially confirmed, so take with a grain of salt) at 120Hz screen refresh rate, and a resolution of 4128-by-2208 pixels. Its peak brightness will likely be way lower, perhaps around 100 nits like its predecessor, which we know from experience is not always bright enough. However, again – this is unconfirmed, and Meta may surprise us with higher specs.
Performance
The Apple Vision Pro will be powered not only by Apple's impressive and efficient M2 chip, which we've seen on its laptops, but an additional processor called Apple R1, which will do all of the required augmented reality computational work.
The Vision Pro was showcased to be able to perform some impressive multi-window multitasking, and support popular productivity apps, such as Adobe Lightroom, so based on all that, we can definitely expect fantastic performance from it.
As for the Meta Quest 3, while its successor wasn't exactly a powerhouse, it does have multi-window app support too, albeit the apps that supported it were very limited. In any case the Quest 3 is expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip and 12GB of RAM, which, while not officially confirmed, should be more than enough for smooth multitasking and productivity, let alone content consumption.
Stay tuned for our full comparison when we eventually have the devices in hand, for real-life intel on how the two fare up against each other!
Apps and games
The Vision Pro will get many iOS and iPadOS apps and games
It's the iOS vs. Android war all over again, but on a whole new set of devices! Because as we mentioned previously, Vision Pro will be running an operating system called VisionOS, based on iOS frameworks.
The Vision Pro will get its own app store, similarly to how iPads and iPhones have one, and speaking of those - Apple's headset will get a lot of their apps too, so we can expect a massive app and games library from the get-go. Some of the more notable apps we were told to expect on Vision Pro include Disnay+ on day 1, Microsoft's office apps (Excel, Word), lots of popular iPhone and iPad mobile games, plus the usual ones we have on other Apple devices - the Safari web browser, FaceTime, and so on.
The Meta Quest 3 is powered by its own proprietary operating system too, based on – you guessed it – Android. However, Meta's AR/VR headset does have a theoretical leg up over Apple, as its headsets are already quite established on the market, and have been for years. Meta's Quest 3 will also come with a huge app and games library out the box, and as the most affordable mainstream headset (presumably) in 2023, those are likely to continue growing strong.
Some of the most popular VR games ever are available natively on the Quest 2, and will certainly trickle down on the Quest 3. Those include Beat Saber, Gorn, Resident Evil 4 VR, Superhot VR, Pistol Whip, Population: ONE, I Expect You To Die, Job Simulator and many more.
It's worth noting that none of those have yet been announced for the Vision Pro, and it does overall seem like more of a productivity and content-consumption device, while the Quest 3, at its core, will still remain a VR gaming headset.
Cameras
The Apple Vision Pro will pack a lot of cameras - 12 to be exact. Notably, some of those will also be able to do video recording, and will capture photos.
The Meta Quest 3 will pack two color cameras for passthrough / AR, two monochrome cameras for head and hand tracking, and a depth sensor. Its predecessor does not allow for video and image capturing, so we can probably expect the same for it.
Controllers and Hand Tracking
The Apple Vision Pro is fully standalone, meaning it does not require controllers, and will rely solely on hand tracking, eye tracking, and voice commands through the Siri virtual assistant, for user interactions. We're yet to know just how well and precisely this works, but it does sound very futuristic!
The Quest 3 will use controllers, while Apple's Vision Pro - just hand tracking
The Meta Quest 3 will use its own new Quest controllers, which are an upgrade over its predecessor's. They have a familiar thumbstick, touch pad and touch-sensitive buttons, as well as tracking sensors, but are also smaller and more compact. For charging, they'll use replaceable AA batteries, as opposed to having built-in rechargeable batteries, which is one of the downsides of this being a more budget-oriented product.
In addition, the Meta Quest 3, like its predecessor, will support hand tracking, including hand gestures, for those who prefer to put the controllers down and navigate through the headset in a more natural manner. However, it's worth noting that most Quest apps and games, at least currently, don't support hand tracking and require controllers. Hand tracking, as it is currently on the Quest 2, is mostly supported by built-in apps, such as the Quest web browser and file manager.
It's also worth noting that hand tracking on Quest headsets is still a bit mixed in terms of how well and accurately it works, but Meta may be able to improve it by the time the Quest 3 gets released.
Audio Quality
Both headsets feature stereo speakers and directional audio. The Apple Vision Pro also has Spatial Audio support.
Right now, we expect only the Quest 3 to have a 3.5mm headphone jack, although both headsets will support Bluetooth headphones, if needed.
Battery and Charging
The Vision Pro headset has an external battery, meant to be kept in the user's pocket
The Apple Vision Pro will have an external battery, meaning connected with a cable, and meant to stay in the user's pocket. We don't know its capacity yet, but were told to expect "up to 2 hours of battery life" on a single charge. The headset also appears to support wired use, meaning it can be plugged into an outlet using a standard charger, and be used for as long as needed, without worrying about battery life.
The Meta Quest 3 is expected to pack an internal battery, just like its predecessor, which would make it more convenient, as an internal battery is easy to forget about. We're yet to know its capacity, but it too can be used plugged in.
Rado, a tech enthusiast with a love for mobile devices, brings his passion for Android and iPadOS to PhoneArena. His tech journey began with MP3 players and has evolved to include tinkering with Android tablets and iPads, even running Linux and Windows 95 on them. Beyond tech, Rado is a published author, music producer, and PC game developer. His professional work on iPads, from producing songs to editing videos, showcases his belief in their capabilities. Rado looks forward to the future of mobile tech, particularly in augmented reality and multi-screen smartphones.
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