Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3

Cairo: cairopost, Baher Tarek

I agree that the Vision Pro, which costs over $4,000, has the better hardware. It has faster processors, significantly more cameras and sensors, eye-tracking capabilities, and other features. At the same time, Vision Pro and Quest 3 have many of the same features.

However, Meta Quest 3 has a starting price of $499.99 and comes with 128GB of storage. If you need more space, you can snag the 512GB variant for an extra $150.On one hand, The Vision Pro, on the other hand, has an exorbitant price tag of $3,499, which gets you 256GB of storage. If that’s not enough, grab the 512GB variant for $3,699. The priciest model, at $3,899, gives you 1TB of storage.

Moreover, it feels noticeably lighter than its predecessor (Quest 2). And, while journalists and influencers have complained that the Vision Pro is simply too heavy to wear for an extended time, I can assure you that this is not the case with the Quest 3. Nor, The Quest 3 is mostly comprised of plastic, which gives it a featherweight feel. In contrast, the Vision Pro is comprised of metal and glass, making it rather cumbersome. According to CNET, Apple offers the Dual Loop band, which helps enhance the balance of the Vision Pro, similar to Meta’s Elite Strap.

The Vision Pro, has 12 cameras, a LIDAR sensor, a True Depth camera, and IR flood illuminators (allows your hands to be “seen” in low-light conditions). In addition, The Quest 3, has the following sensors, according to Meta:

4 cameras on the front of the headset, 2 high-res RGB color cameras used for mixed reality passthrough, 2 IR cameras used to power SLAM tracking (hand tracking, controller tracking), 2 peripheral IR cameras on the lower sides of the headset used to power SLAM tracking, and Quest 3 also has a depth projector that helps improve depth perception for mixed reality experiences.

Both Vision Pro and Quest 3 can launch an augmented reality (AR) experience. In other words, in addition to virtual reality (i.e., total immersion in a simulated space), they can overlay virtual artifacts on top of your real-world environment.

To navigate these experiences, Vision Pro supports eye tracking and hand tracking. It does not have controllers. The Quest 3, on the other hand, does not support eye tracking, but it offers hand tracking — and ships with a pair of controllers.

while Quest 3 has a cornucopia of stellar virtual reality games, Apple is making it easy for iPad and iOS developers to port over their apps and games to the Vision Pro. However, the Vision Pro will still need mind-boggling native Vision Pro software — apps designed to take advantage of its top-of-the-line hand-and-eye tracking to truly take off.

Apple has announced 600 apps for Vision Pro. Apple Arcade offers access to 250 games, which will likely deliver more of a big-screen experience as opposed to anything immersive, as Digital Trends puts it. However, keep in mind that the Vision Pro, unlike the Quest 3, will not have native apps for YouTube and Netflix. In my experience, the YouTube and Netflix experiences on Quest 3 are phenomenal, both simulating a gigantic home theater feel.

The Vision Pro features dual 3,680 x 3,140-pixel, micro-OLED displays, which beats what the Quest 3 offers (dual LCD panels with 2,064 x 2,208-pixel resolution).

Apple claims that the Vision Pro delivers about 2 to 2.5 hours of battery life, which is like what I get with the Quest 3.

The downside of the Vision Pro, however, is that it comes with a battery pack. You must charge the battery pack first. Next, you’ll need to connect the battery pack to the headset via a proprietary connector. Awkwardly, this battery pack must sit in your pocket while you’re using the Vision Pro.

Quest 3 doesn’t have this issue. You only need to charge the headset itself. Once it’s juiced up, you’re free to use the headset without any wires getting in the way.