Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest Pro: Which headset is right for you?

This article is part of our series?Battle of the Brands, in which we compare category-leading products to their counterparts to determine which are actually worth your money.

Apple recently unveiled its Vision Pro headset, teasing an exciting mixed-reality future where we can summon a giant 4K screen anywhere in our living room, or collaborate with co-workers on a project while their heads float right next to us on immersive FaceTime calls. And while Apple isn’t pushing this as a VR device (the company would rather you call it a “spatial computer”), it’s impossible not to compare it to the many headsets out there that already blend the real and virtual worlds for work and play — particularly the Meta Quest Pro.

Similar to what Apple is promising for next year, the Meta Quest Pro lets you, say, build a 3D model on your real-life coffee table, or get work done on big virtual monitors without losing sight of your actual office. It also gives you access to the plethora of traditional (and excellent) VR games, fitness apps and entertainment experiences on the Quest store. And while Quest Pro is certainly an investment at $1,000, it suddenly feels like a bargain compared to the $3,499 Apple is asking you to cough up for Vision Pro when it launches early next year.

So, should you jump into the mixed-reality arena right now with Quest Pro or hold out — and start saving your money — for the Vision Pro? We won’t have a definitive answer to that question until we’ve tested Apple’s headset extensively, but based on our own hands-on time with the Quest Pro and early thoughts on Vision Pro, here’s a guide to how the headsets compare to help you decide which semi-virtual world you want to live in.

Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest Pro at a glance

Quick comparison

Choosing the right ecosystem for you

Vision Pro and Quest Pro appear to have the same core purpose. You can use them to get fully immersed in virtual spaces, or take advantage of their advanced passthrough cameras and use all kinds of 3D and 2D apps while staying aware of your surroundings. They both let you chat with virtual avatars of your friends and colleagues over calls, and allow you to do things like browse the web and watch movies on digital, customizable screens. However, Apple and Meta appear to have very different approaches to this mixed-reality future — especially when it comes to the kinds of apps you can use.

I haven’t used Vision Pro myself, but based on the various hands-on impressions out there (including one from CNN’s Samantha Murphy Kelly), it seems to take the apps we use on our iPhones and Macs every day and lets us experience them in a floating 3D space — the kind you’ve probably seen in a sci-fi movie before. When you put the headset on, you’ll see an iOS-like interface with familiar apps like Mail, Messages, Music and Photos, and can navigate around them by simply moving your eyes and pinching your fingers.

Apps on Vision Pro appear to be larger, more dynamic versions of their mobile counterparts; you’ll be able to see your photos in higher fidelity (and in 3D), you can open multiple Safari windows for easy multitasking and you can create an immersive home theater when bingeing Apple TV+ shows. There will even be a special Disney+ app made for Vision Pro with special interactive 3D elements, such as the ability to have Mickey Mouse jump around your living room or get a bird’s-eye view of a basketball game during instant replays.

Whereas Quest Pro lets you chat with friends via cartoony avatars, Apple’s headset uses facial scans to create a “persona” that’s designed to look like the actual you during virtual FaceTime calls. The concept is a little creepy in an uncanny valley kind of way, but your friends and family should look more like their real-life counterparts on Apple’s headset. There isn’t an exhaustive list of Vision Pro apps out there just yet, but it’s safe to assume that the headset will be most ideal for folks already deep in the Apple ecosystem — since all of your contacts, photos and subscriptions will come with you.

Meanwhile, the Quest Pro is better suited for folks seeking a more well-rounded mixed-reality and virtual reality experience — or anyone ready to upgrade from their Quest or Quest 2. Meta’s headset gives you access to hundreds of apps, ranging from productivity tools to top-rated games to fitness experiences. It’s also fully compatible with the existing Quest 2 library, so if you upgrade, you’ll still have access to all of the games and apps you’ve bought.

Quest Pro has a head start on gaming and fitness

Gaming and fitness just may be where Quest Pro ends up beating Vision Pro in the long run. We don’t know much about the Vision Pro’s gaming capabilities, other than the fact that you’ll be able to use it to play Apple Arcade games on a virtual screen. Meanwhile, the Quest Pro gets you access to hundreds of top-rated Meta Quest games, from the rhythm-action of titles like Beat Saber and Pistol Whip to the first-person scares of Resident Evil 4 VR. And if you have a powerful enough gaming PC, you can connect your Quest Pro to your computer and enjoy even greater immersion in VR blockbusters such as Half-Life: Alyx and Star Wars: Squadrons.

The Meta Quest is also an excellent fitness device, with apps such as Supernatural and FitXR that make exercising feel like playing a fun video game. I own a Quest 2, and it’s legitimately the only way I work out. Apple hasn’t said anything about potential fitness experiences on Vision Pro just yet, but it’s easy to imagine some form of the company’s Fitness+ service making its way to the virtual space.

2 sleek designs with unique approaches to control

If we’re going off looks alone, Vision Pro is already the winner here. Apple’s headset has one of the sleekest designs we’ve seen for this kind of device, with an aluminum and fabric build that blends the Apple Watch and AirPods Max into something you might actually want to wear on your face all day. Speaking of Apple Watch, there’s even a Digital Crown on the headset for adjusting how much of the real world you want to see in your virtual space as well as swappable bands for switching up sizes and styles.

The Quest Pro looks nice enough with its understated all-black exterior, but it seems a bit bulky compared to Apple’s headset. Fortunately, Meta’s headset delivers where it matters most, with a lightweight 1.5-pound frame that was easy to forget about as I doodled in 3D and played immersive mixed-reality games. Apple hasn’t released the Vision Pro’s exact weight, but early testers have been similarly positive on its comfort and fit. Both headsets have built-in speakers, allowing for engrossing spatial audio without the need for any external headphones.

Perhaps one of the biggest differences between the headsets is how you control them. Apple’s headset promises an experience that feels as natural and intuitive as possible, relying almost entirely on eye and hand tracking to let you navigate menus by simply looking around and using your hands to flip through photos or expand your virtual movie screen. Vision Pro will support Bluetooth devices — such as a keyboard and mouse for when you’re working or a game controller when playing Apple Arcade — but based on the footage we’ve seen, you should be able to navigate your mixed-reality environment without the need for any extra gadgets.

Meanwhile, the Quest Pro is primarily controlled via the two Touch Pro controllers that come out of the box, which have a variety of buttons, triggers and sensors designed for working on 3D projects or playing games. One big advantage to using the controllers over basic hand gestures is their detailed haptic feedback, which can go a long way to make it feel like you’re actually wielding a lightsaber or climbing a mountain, to name just a few examples.

If you’d rather put the controllers down, the Quest Pro does support hand and eye tracking for getting around menus using natural body movements. It also supports a range of Bluetooth accessories just like the Vision Pro does, which is ideal for traditional controller-based games or mouse-and-keyboard work sessions. Meta’s headset offers more control options on paper, but we’ll have to see what kind of accessories roll out for Vision Pro in the future — or if the hand tracking is good enough that we won’t need any.

What about performance and battery life?

The Meta Quest Pro is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ chip, which is essentially a beefed-up version of the processor inside the popular Meta Quest 2. It’s performed well in our hands-on time, providing crisp visuals and immersive frame rates during games and productivity apps, all while smoothly laying our apps on top of our real-world surroundings.

Meanwhile, the Vision Pro is powered by an Apple M2 chip — the same one that delivers best-in-class speeds on the latest MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro — as well as a new R1 processor that’s built to handle all the information being picked up by the headset’s various cameras and sensors. We’ll have to do some side-by-side testing to determine which headset is more powerful, but at least on paper, the Vision Pro may win out here considering it essentially has a full-on laptop processor (and for more than three times the price of the Quest Pro, it really should).

Meta and Apple both promise two hours of battery life for their respective headsets (Meta’s battery is built into the headset; the Vision Pro’s comes in a small pack you keep in your pocket). That might not seem like a lot, but it’s par for the course for this type of device — and you probably shouldn’t spend more time than that in VR anyway. Apple says you’ll get “all day” battery life if you keep the Vision Pro plugged in, and the Quest Pro too can be charged up while you’re using it.

The takeaway

It’s an exciting time to get in on mixed reality, even if these headsets are still a niche luxury rather than something you need in your everyday life. And as compelling as the Vision Pro sounds, there are plenty of headsets you can buy right now that will give you a similar immersive experience — and for a fraction of the price.

If money’s no object and you absolutely can’t wait to see what VR and MR are all about, the $1,000 Quest Pro is a good purchase. It has arguably the best app selection of any VR headset, from collaborative work tools to some of the best VR games and fitness experiences on the market.

And if you can hold out until this fall, the even cheaper $500 Meta Quest 3 will borrow many of the pro’s mixed-reality features for a fraction of the price. Heck, you can get seven Quest 3s for the price of one Vision Pro and bring your whole family into virtual reality. And if you just want to play some fun games in VR without all the mixed-reality stuff, the $300 Meta Quest 2 is the best VR headset for most people.

That brings us to an important question: Who is the Vision Pro actually for? If you have no problem dropping thousands of dollars to be an early adopter, Apple’s headset will likely offer the most value to folks who are deeply ingrained in the Apple ecosystem and are looking for a new way to experience all of their favorite iPhone, iPad and Mac apps. You could argue that this $3,500 purchase eliminates the need to get things like a 4K TV, an external monitor and possibly even a Mac, but I’m not sure how many people want to work and play exclusively behind the lenses of a headset. If Apple’s mixed-reality future sounds appealing to you, feel free to wait — for everyone else, there are plenty of more affordable ways to get immersed right now.