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Now that the Apple Vision Pro has been released, there is finally some proper competition for Meta’s VR headset lineup. The most popular of those is the Meta Quest 3 which is principally a gaming headset with some mixed-reality capabilities.
The Meta Quest 3 is also much cheaper than the Vision Pro, so you’re probably wondering what value a comparison between the two can bring.
And that’s where I have an interesting proposition for you. Most people cannot afford Apple Vision Pro. But what if you desperately want to get into virtual reality?
Can you make do with the Meta Quest 3, or should you just wait for a more affordable Vision Pro?
Let’s find out!
Design and Build Quality
There is no effective comparison in terms of build quality between the Quest 3 and Vision Pro. The latter costs almost 7x as much as the former and therefore comes with lots of nice shiny bells and whistles.
Primarily made out of aluminium and glass, the Vision Pro looks superb. Most VR headsets look like clunky plastic cubes, but the Vision Pro is sleek and luxurious. The solo knit headband is also incredibly soft and flexible to fit any head shape.
Apple’s Light Seal on the Vision Pro is another innovative bit of tech that magnetically attaches to the inside of the headset. Whilst it’s comfortable at first, the Light Seal can begin to press on your brow after long periods which is worsened by the Vision Pro’s biggest problem; weight.
Coming in at a substantial 600-650 grams, the Vision Pro is heavy. This is a consequence of using higher-quality materials like metal and is worsened by the fact that Apple chose not to use the battery pack as a counterbalance.
In contrast, the Meta Quest 3 weighs in at 515 grams thanks to a largely plastic makeup. Without beating around the bush, it looks cheap next to the Vision Pro. But that doesn’t mean it looks bad. It’s just very…plain.
The nifty thing about the Quest 3 though is that you can buy an additional head strap that includes a battery slot. This means you can use the headset completely wirelessly whilst also counterbalancing the heavy mask.
Whilst the Meta Quest 3 has its wireless nature going for it, the Vision Pro has one huge benefit; it doesn’t use controllers. Vision Pro is controlled entirely by hand gestures, mainly a pinch of the thumb and forefinger, and it’s truly revolutionary.
Any VR headset from Meta that follows will never feel as intuitive and seamless to use as the Vision Pro until they too ditch controllers. If you want to play games or use a keyboard on Vision Pro, however, you’ll still need a physical BlueTooth keyboard or PlayStation controller.
At the end of the day, the Meta Quest 3 is primarily a gaming device, and you need controllers for that.
Display and Visual Experience
This is where things start to get a bit numbers-y. But the bottom line is that the Apple Vision Pro has the best ever VR headset display.
Making use of two micro-OLED displays, the Vision Pro has an ultra-high resolution of 23 million pixels. This is compared to the Quest 3’s 9 million pixels. Both have 4K displays, but the massive difference in resolution means the Vision Pro provides more vibrant colours, a sharper picture and a more realistic rendering of the world when in mixed reality mode.
Let’s break it down:
- Field of Vision: The Meta Quest 3 has a horizontal FOW of 110 degrees, 10 degrees more than the Vision Pro’s 100 degrees.
- Display Tech: Vision Pros uses micro-LED displays at a 23 million pixel resolution. The Quest 3 only used standard LED displays at 9 million pixels.
- Tracking: Vision Pro utilises six external cameras and six internal cameras for hand and eye tracking. There are also motorised lenses that adjust to fit the width of your eyes. The Meta Quest 3 does track hand movements but still requires controllers.
That final point is what makes the Vision Pro so impressive. The motorised lenses automatically adjust to fit the dimensions of your eyes, without you having to do more than look at a few dots. That means the viewing experience is fully optimised for your specific needs, instead of being one size fits all.
Interestingly, the Vision Pro’s maximum refresh rate is 100Hz compared to the Quest 3’s 120Hz. This isn’t a huge point of contention though as the recommended refresh rate for most VR apps is 90Hz, although higher refresh rates provide smoother viewing experiences.
In all, both headsets have suitably buttery viewing experiences, it’s just that Vision Pro is more vibrant, sharp and dynamic. $2500 more vibrant, sharp and dynamic though? I’m not so sure.
Performance
Again, the extra money spent on the Vision Pro brings noticeably higher levels of performance. Whether it matters for you depends on your use case.
The Meta Quest 3 sports a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2, a sprightly chip that handles pretty much anything. Gaming, for example, rarely runs into slowdowns. You aren’t stuck desperately wanting more power, that’s for sure.
It also has 8GB RAM under the bonnet which does the job, but it would be nice to have a bit more like, say, the 16GB on the Vision Pro.
Apple’s VR headset also includes an M2 chip and the all-new R1 chip. The R1 is what really sets Vision Pro apart from the rest. It’s a separate chip dedicated to handling all mixed-reality capabilities. All incoming visuals from the 12 cameras, sensors and microphones are processed within 12 milliseconds by the R1 to provide a real-time reconstruction of the physical world.
It is truly mind-blowing what Apple is achieving at the moment with its chipsets. The M3 Max chip is an almost incomprehensible bit of computing tech and the creation of the dedicated R1 chip illustrates how serious Apple is about VR.
And it makes a huge difference. The Quest 3’s mixed reality mode is good. In fact, if Vision Pro didn’t exist, Meta’s latest headset would have the best pass-through on the market. But, unfortunately, it does and the mixed reality mode is far superior.
The augmented world Vision Pro shows you is amazing. It is so close to reality that it sits in the uncanny valley. But better than that, everything happens in near real-time with pinpoint accuracy. If people walk into frame, there is no delay in them showing on your screen. You can play catch whilst wearing the headset and use your phone as normal.
The Quest 3 struggles with these tasks; often there is lag between the real and virtual world which greatly hinders how slick the mixed reality mode is to use. Undoubtedly, this is a headset more suited for gaming than anything else.
Software and Ecosystem
One of the weak points of the Vision Pro’s release was the lack of visionOS-compatible big-name apps like Netflix and YouTube.
That being said, visionOS is a lovely bit of software. It runs smoothly and makes the Vision Pro compatible with the rest of the Apple ecosystem, something totally unique among other VR headsets.
With visionOS at the helm, the draw lies in the ability to dovetail with your iPhone, iPad, and MacBook. Connecting your MacBook to your headset transforms VR from a gimmick into a potentially useful tool. Working with multiple screens in your headset can be incredibly beneficial, especially if you’re working on something like 3D design.
It is so nice to be able to just pick up your iPhone or AirPods and, within seconds, use them in conjunction with your Vision Pro. This is something that the Meta Quest 3 lacks through no real fault of its own. Apple is just the king of the ecosystem.
To do similar on a Quest 3, you have to download Meta compatible software to your device and manually connect it to the headset. It isn’t hard but it certainly isn’t seamless.
However, there is one area where Meta comes out on top; compatible apps. There are over 500 games available on the Quest 3, and once you connect it to a SteamVR account, you can play any VR title.
There is no SteamVR driver for Vision Pro yet, and Apple is famously poor in terms of gaming compatibility. There’s no question about it; if you want a device to plug in and play some games then the Meta Quest 3 is an easy pick.
Once developers get their hands on Vision Pro, and larger companies like Netflix get tempted to make an app, Apple will soon close the gap on Meta. And it’s a self-fulfilling cycle; more cornerstone apps attract more users which attracts more developers, more sales and so on.
Battery Life and Portability
In terms of battery life, there isn’t much difference between the two. Meta promises up to two hours of playtime when gaming, although this is an absolute maximum. Apple also says two hours for general use on the Vision Pro, and two and a half when watching video.
You can use them both whilst plugged into the mains.
It’s a disappointing part of VR in general that we still don’t have batteries that last longer than two hours. The key to making VR a success is to make it as unobtrusive as possible and that means removing the need for wires. Having something strapped to your head that is plugged into the wall isn’t a fun experience.
This also relates to portability. The Quest 3 is very much marketed as a device that stays in your home. It’s like a games console; you wouldn’t take it on an aeroplane. But the Vision Pro very much is marketed that way. It’s an all-in-one that you can use on the go.
Apple wants users to take it on long flights or bring it into the office with them. It’s not that the Vision Pro is literally more portable than the Quest 3, but it makes a better argument for being taken around in your rucksack.
Plus, Apple sells a dedicated Vision Pro case to carry all of the wires and accessories in one place for $199. But we think the Spigen Klasden Pouch provides much better value for just $68.
Price and Value for Money
The base model 128 GB Meta Quest 3 costs $499/£479 with the 512GB model rising to $649.99/£619.99.
The base model Apple Vision Pro with 256GB memory costs $3,499 with the most expensive option sitting at $3,999 for 1TB memory.
That’s a $3000 difference.
If Vision Pro was priced at $1500, I don’t think many people would be raising the question of value for money. But as the difference is so large, the question must be asked; can you make do with a Meta Quest 3?
The answer to that is, simply, ‘yes’.
You can do pretty much everything on a Quest 3 that you can on Vision Pro. You can watch movies, play games and work in mixed reality. Yes, it might be at a lower resolution, with some small elements of lag and an admittedly much weaker mixed reality mode. And you still have to use controllers.
But, for the price, there isn’t better out there for what the Quest 3 does.
That being said, the Vision Pro is a better VR headset. It is so beautifully designed, smooth to actually use and totally immersive. The lack of controllers is a huge plus that signals the way forward for VR to be adopted en masse.
I know this statement is ridiculous, but if you have the spare $3,499 lying around, and you really want a VR headset, then buy Vision Pro. Or, perhaps more sensibly, wait for the second generation model so that the early niggles can be smoothed out.
Conclusion
There is one glaring deciding factor in this debate; cost.
If you have the money to buy Vision Pro, it is undeniably the nicer VR headset to use, especially for things like work. This is even more true if you are already locked into the Apple ecosystem.
But, if you just want a device to play VR games on and watch movies, then buy the Meta Quest 3. It does the job well enough and you won’t know any different if you’ve never used a Vision Pro. Just don’t expect a seamless mixed reality mode.
When the Vision Pro drops in price in a few generations’ time, that’s when the debate becomes really interesting.
Guide: How to buy Apple Vision Pro in the UK – From the US
FAQs
What resolution is the Meta Quest 3?
The Quest 3 has a resolution of 2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye. This gives an overall resolution of 9 million pixels.
How much does the Meta Quest 3 cost?
The 128 GB Meta Quest 3 costs $499/£479 with the 512GB model rising to $649.99/£619.99.
How much does the Apple Vision Pro cost?
The Apple Vision Pro with 256GB of memory costs $3,499 with the most expensive option sitting at $3,999 for 1TB of memory.
What resolution is the Apple Vision Pro?
The Apple Vision Pro has about 3,660 x 3,142 per eye, giving an overall resolution of 23 million pixels.
Is Apple Vision Pro in the UK?
At the moment, the Apple Vision Pro is only available in the USA. Apple hasn’t given any indication of when they might release it in the UK or elsewhere. We might get an update at WWDC24 in June.
Why is the Apple Vision Pro so expensive?
Much of the expense of the Apple Vision Pro comes from the build materials such as the aluminium frame and laminated glass front display. The 12 cameras and sensors also add to the cost, as does the new R1 chip made especially for the Vision Pro.
What does Apple Vision Pro actually do?
You can use the Apple Vision Pro for a range of activities, including watching videos, face-timing other Vision Pro users and observing life-size 3D models. The main benefit of Vision Pro is its compatibility with other Apple products like the MacBook. By connecting the two via BlueTooth, you can work in your headset and pull up as many virtual screens as you need.
Can I wear glasses with Apple Vision Pro?
You cannot wear glasses whilst wearing the Apple Vision Pro headset. Instead, you can buy ZEISS Optical Inserts to match your prescription. These are small lenses that slip over the original lenses inside your Vision Pro headset.
Do you need wifi for Apple Vision Pro?
To make full use of the Vision Pro’s capabilities, you need a strong WiFi connection. Otherwise, you won’t be able to do things like watch YouTube, share items from your iCloud or use any apps that require WiFi.
What’s the difference between Meta Quest 2 and 3?
The main difference between the Quest 2 and Quest 3 is in the mixed reality mode’s pass-through capabilities. The Meta Quest 2 had no external front cameras to sense the world around you. The Quest 3 however has dedicated sensors to improve the blending of worlds when using mixed reality.
Is it worth upgrading from Quest 2 to 3?
In short, yes, it is worth upgrading from the Quest 2 to the Quest 3. The latter is more comfortable, has a higher resolution, more features and a much improved passthrough mode. In short, it is better in every way and worth the bump in price.
