Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest Pro: Which is Best?

Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest Pro: Which “professional” headset is best?

When Apple first announced its innovative spatial computing headset, it seemed like a revolution. Though Apple didn’t share much about the actual specs of the product initially, it promised to deliver an experience unlike any other. But it’s not the first “Pro” headset on the market.

Meta has been offering companies its own high-powered mixed-reality headset for years (at a fraction of the price of the Vision Pro, we might add).

While the Meta Quest 3 headset has stolen the spotlight in Meta’s portfolio today, the Quest Pro still has some tricks up its sleeve. It’s still a powerful (relatively affordable) headset for mixed reality.

But as the Apple Vision Pro continues to evolve, adding new apps, features, and functionality, is it worth taking the financial hit and upgrading to the latest Pro headset?

After testing both headsets, I decided to put that question to the test. Here’s your comprehensive guide to how the Meta Quest Pro stacks up against Apple’s new arrival.

Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest Pro: Our Quick Verdict

The Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest Pro might share similar names, but that’s almost all they have in common. The Vision Pro outperforms the Quest in virtually every category, from customized ergonomic design, to display resolution, RAM, and storage options.

The only areas where the Meta Quest Pro has an edge are pricing and access to a wider range of apps (at least for now) through the Meta marketplace.

Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest Pro: The Specs

The first thing I should note is that while Apple defines the Vision Pro as a “spatial computing system”, it is essentially a mixed-reality headset, just like the Meta Quest Pro. What separates it from the competition is more advanced spatial features, like exceptional hand and eye-tracking, and a proprietary operating system (VisionOS), designed by Apple.

Additionally, while Apple is constantly making updates to the Vision Pro’s performance, introducing new apps, and browser-based XR content, Meta isn’t doing much with the Quest Pro. Unsurprisingly, they’re focusing their attention on the Meta Quest 3, which outperforms the Pro in various areas.

You can check my review of the Quest 3 here, if you want to learn more about the latest headset.

Ultimately, while the Quest Pro and Apple Vision Pro have similarities, the Vision Pro has a serious edge in terms of specs. Let’s compare the details side-by-side.

Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest Pro: Pricing

For the most part (as you’ll see in this review), the Meta Quest Pro doesn’t hold a candle to the Apple Vision Pro. However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t offer great value for money. Compared to the Apple Vision Pro, the Quest Pro is almost a third of the price.

That means if you’re looking for a mixed reality headset that doesn’t break the bank, and you’re not ready to upgrade to the Meta Quest 3 (for whatever reason), you might pick the Quest Pro. It’s much easier to supply your team with headsets that cost $999 per piece than paying $3,499 or more for the Apple Vision Pro (depending on the storage option you choose).

Since the Meta Quest Pro only comes in one size (256GB), there’s only one price to worry about. With the Apple Vision Pro, the 512GB version will cost $3,699, and the 1TB version costs $3,899.

Plus, there are a bunch of extra fees to consider, like Vision Pro accessories. ZEISS optical inserts will cost between $99 and $149. If you want to protect your device with Apple Care, that’s another $499 for two years of support.

Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest Pro: The Design

On the surface, the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest Pro look pretty similar. Their ski-goggle-type design is a world away from the clunky VR headsets I’ve reviewed in the past. On a fundamental level, there are some significant differences in design.

The Vision Pro comes with a curved sheet of 3D laminated glass, which can actually display your eyes to people around you. I’ve seen plenty of examples of how odd this can look in Vision Pro memes. The Quest Pro doesn’t offer anything similar to Apple’s “Eyesight” feature, but the front shield looks pretty similar (at a glance).

In my opinion, the difference between designs really stands out when you actually wear the headset. Both products are designed to be ergonomic, but they approach comfort in different ways.

The Comfort Factor

Like most Quest devices, the Meta Quest Pro has a one-size-fits-all structure. You can adjust the headband, and a dial adapts screen distance. Plus, you can use partial or complete light blockers (like the Vision Pro Light seals).

It really just feels like any other Quest headset.

The Vision Pro feels a little lighter, and it’s custom-designed to fit your face. When you buy a Vision Pro, you’re asked to upload a scan of your face so that the Apple team can structure the headset to align perfectly with your face. The biggest downside is that you might have a harder time sharing your Vision Pro with your colleagues.

Still, the custom approach means you get an incredible level of comfort unlike anything else on the market. You could wear this device anywhere, all day, and many customers already are. Plus, the Vision Pro offers various light seal and headband options to choose from, like the dual loop band with an extra strap for the top of your headset.

Plus, it’s worth remembering the Vision Pro is lighter for a reason. The Quest Pro has its battery installed on the back of the headset. It offers great balance, but it’s heftier.

The Apple Pro has an external battery, which you can keep in your pocket. Although I don’t really appreciate having an extra wire running down the back of my ear while wearing the device, it does make a big difference to the overall weight of the product.

Meta vs Apple: The Displays

As you might expect, the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest Pro promise excellent visual fidelity. However, unfortunately, the resolution of the Quest Pro is a little “outdated” at this point. It doesn’t even match up to the Quest 3, although the resolution is an upgrade from the Quest 2.

The Quest Pro impressed me a couple of years ago, with 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye across two LCD panels. It’s still a great visual experience today, particularly for newcomers to the XR world, but it doesn’t compare with the Apple Vision Pro.

As I mentioned in my review of the Apple Vision Pro, the visuals are truly incredible. The headset features two micro OLED displays, offering 4K resolution for each eye and a combined clarity of 23 million pixels. Even in passthrough mode, the visual fidelity is fantastic.

Although you feel slightly removed from the “real world” when using the Apple Vision Pro, there’s less graininess and distortion than you’ll get with the Meta Quest Pro.

The only area where the two displays appear to be evenly matched is in the refresh rate. Both can offer around 90Hz on their twin displays. Notably, however, when you’re watching 24fps content, your refresh rate will temporarily change to 96Hz.

The Meta Quest Pro has a slightly wider field of view, too, offering 106 degrees compared to Apple’s pure 100. Still, there’s really no competition here.

Spatial Audio Capabilities

Visual performance isn’t the only thing worth looking at when comparing the Apple Vision Pro vs the Meta Quest Pro. I wanted to take a moment to talk about audio, too, since there’s a good chance you’ll be using these headsets for immersive collaboration tasks.

Sound quality is pretty subjective, but I’ve always been pretty disappointed by the Meta Quest Pro’s performance. The downward-facing speakers direct sound away from your ears, which means you’re never going to get a really great audio experience.

The design actually detracts from the spatial audio promise, in my opinion, as it sounds like noises are always coming from somewhere slightly above you.

Apple’s speakers are far more impressive. You get an amazing audio performance (though it is a little quiet at times). Plus, you can access various forms of audio playback, from Dolby Atmos to AAC. Plus, you’ll have no problem talking to colleagues with the six beam-forming microphones.

Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest Pro: Extended Reality

As I noted above, the Meta Quest Pro and Apple Vision Pro offer mixed reality experiences. This means both tools allow you to navigate the virtual and real worlds differently. However, there is a difference in how Apple and Meta approach the concept of “MR”.

While both devices have full-color passthrough capabilities powered by cameras on the front of the headset, Apple has gone above and beyond to optimize its MR experience. There’s the Eyesight feature, which duplicates your eyes onto a front display when interacting with people in the physical world. Plus, you can create digital personas for use in Facetime MR interactions.

Apple also enables mixed reality by default. Essentially, as soon as you wear the headset, you’ll see a combination of digital content and your natural surroundings. Users can then use the “crown” feature on the headset’s top to adjust their immersion level.

Alternatively, the Meta Quest Pro is more of a VR-first experience with mixed reality options. You can toggle the “full-color passthrough” option on or off in your settings or use a controller shortcut. You’ll also have the opportunity to choose between full or partial light blockers for complete immersion when you’re in VR.

Hand and Eye Tracking Functionality and Controllers

Both the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest Pro have controller support and offer eye and hand tracking. However, only the Apple Vision Pro can be used without any controllers.

The Apple Vision Pro has five sensors to track your eyes, six microphones, and 12 cameras, ensuring you can use your eyes, hands, and voice commands to control the content. That’s what makes it a true “spatial computing” headset.

You can look at what you want to interact with on your screen and tap your thumb and index finger to “click” on it. Plus, since the VisionOS operating system uses your real-world environment as a baseline, the video passthrough is incredibly lifelike.

Interacting with everything feels completely natural, particularly without any controllers to weigh you down. The Quest Pro just can’t match this experience.

It can manage hand tracking, but the sensors aren’t as great at picking up your movements, so you might struggle with some apps. Plus, there’s eye-tracking to enable foveated rendering. This is something you actually won’t get from the Meta Quest 3.

Still I felt the best experience you can access is by actually using the TouchPro controllers. The good news is that these controllers are pretty intuitive. They don’t require a tracking ring, like previous Meta Controllers, and offer TruTouch haptics for fantastic haptic feedback (another factor that’s not as significant in the Meta Quest 3).

Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest Pro: Performance

Even before it was released, the Apple Vision Pro promised a higher computing performance than the Quest Pro. It comes with a new R1 processor and a powerful M2 processor that helps to enhance sensor inputs and minimize display lag.

I encountered occasional bugs when trying to use Siri, or access certain apps, but all headsets have teething pains. The VisionOS operating system is also fantastic, offering access to various advanced features, like OpticID, for authentication for your purchases.

Like many standalone headsets, the Meta Quest Pro relies on Qualcomm processing chips for performance. The solution within the Pro is the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ chipset, which offers phenomenal power and thermal performance. This is the chipset that has allowed Meta to go beyond the basics of virtual reality with its enterprise-grade wearable.

Of course, it’s not quite as powerful as the Meta Quest 3 Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip, but there’s not much difference in overall performance.

Software and Content

One thing that does connect Apple and Meta’s Pro devices, is they’re both “enterprise” ready. This means you can expect a fantastic experience regardless of whether you’re using the headset for immersive collaboration in the metaverse or entertainment.

Crucially, both devices also provide access to various apps and content. The Meta Quest Pro can access all the games and apps available on the Quest 2 app store. Some handy apps are specially designed for teams, like the Meta Horizon Workrooms app.

Apple initially had fewer apps to offer via VisionOS, but it’s been extending its portfolio with the help of various developers. Now, there are a ton of great software solutions available for business users, such as Slack and Zoom. You can even launch collaboration apps and browse the web simultaneously, moving apps around in your virtual space as you work.

Plus, the Apple Vision Pro can also work alongside your keyboard and mouse, your Apple smartphone, and your Mac, so it’s great for connecting all your devices. It also supports spatial images and video recording, which is ideal for collaborative experiences.

When you’re on a call with your “Persona” on the Vision Pro, you can also share your Vision Pro view with your team and highlight the apps you’re working on, which I found quite useful.

Battery Life

Finally, I wanted to give the Quest Pro one last chance to shine in this comparison. While it’s obviously a world behind the Apple Vision Pro in terms of performance, it does offer a slightly longer battery life. It can give you up to 2.5 hours of battery life, compared to Apple Vision Pro’s 2 hours.

Notably, however, you can potentially purchase an extra battery for the Vision Pro to keep your system “juiced up” for longer. You can also plug the headset into an outlet with an included USB-C power adapter, which limits the immersive experience.

The Meta Quest Pro vs Apple Vision Pro: The Verdict

So, Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest Pro: which should you choose?

For me, it’s an easy decision overall. The Apple Vision Pro out-performs the Meta Quest in virtually every area. It offers a better, more immersive mixed-reality experience, higher visual fidelity, stronger spatial audio, and even better ergonomics.

The Meta Quest Pro only has an edge in a few areas: its slightly longer battery life, the wider range of apps on the Quest store, and pricing. However, since Apple is consistently working on the Vision Pro, adding new apps and features, the Quest Pro may lose its advantage here, too.

Plus, some reporters believe Apple will create a slightly cheaper version of its Apple Vision Pro. Although there’s a good chance this headset won’t be nearly as affordable as the Quest Pro.

Bottom line, I’d only recommend the Quest Pro if you’re looking for a cheaper headset, with included eye-tracking (unlike the Meta Quest 3). If you’re looking for a state-of-the-art spatial computing experience, and you’re willing to spend extra, the Apple Vision Pro is the obvious choice.