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Pimax’s new VR headset can swap between QLED and OLED displays – but the Vision Pro beats it in one important way
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Pimax has unveiled two new VR headsets with the top of the line Pimax Crystal Super seemingly set to put the best VR headsets to shame – even the Apple Vision Pro – with some phenomenal specs. It also has one of most unique display features we’ve ever seen: you can swap between an OLED and QLED display engine to get the most out of your virtual experience.

Are you playing a frightening horror adventure that has you exploring dark spaces filled with monsters? Then an OLED screen’s excellent dark contrast will be just what you need. If you’re instead kicking back with a vibrant VR social app then you could swap in the QLED screen to be dazzled by the colors it can produce. 

No matter which screen type you choose, the Pimax Crystal Super will deliver 29.5 million pixels across its dual, 3,840 x 3,840 pixels per eye displays, each with 200 nits of brightness. The QLED display system has a max refresh rate of 120Hz and uses glass aspheric lenses, while the OLED one has a 90Hz max refresh rate and uses less bulky pancake lenses.

You’ll also find neat features like eye-tracking, dynamic foveated rendering, and inside-out tracking – so there’s no need for lighthouses.

As you'd expect, this swappable display design doesn’t come cheap. If you want a Pimax Crystal Super with both the OLED and QLED display engines you’ll be paying $ 2,399 (around £1,925 / AU$ 3,700) for the headset. Alternatively if you’d rather get just one type of display the QLED model will set you back $ 1,799 (around £1,450 / AU$ 2,800 ) while the OLED version costs $ 1,999 (around £1,600 / AU$ 3,100). 

No precise release date has been given yet but Pimax estimates the Crystal super will launch in Q4 2024 (so October, November or December).

The Pimax Crystal Light in a purple and blue room, it's lying on the floor, switched off

The Pimax Crystal Light (Image credit: Pimax)

If this is all still too much to pay for a VR headset – especially one that requires you to have a similarly high-end PC gaming rig so you can get the most out of your headset’s capabilities – or you want a headset that’ll arrive sooner, you could instead opt for the Crystal Light.

The crystal light boasts less sharp displays – boasting just 2,880 x 2,880 pixels per eye – though its QLED screen can get up to 120Hz. However, it uses aspheric lenses so will be bulkier than headsets using pancake lenses, and it lacks eye-tracking, and dynamic foveated rendering capabilities.

The upshot is it’s a heck of a lot cheaper starting at just $ 699 (around £550 / AU$ 1,100) and it should launch in May according to Pimax.

As impressive as these news Pimax headsets sound, I'm disappointed that they’re locked into the PCVR ecosystem, and aren’t at least adopting Pimax’s own wireless tech.

Analysis: Several steps forward, several steps back

A big issue with PCVR headsets are the cables that tether you to a PC – or a console in the case of PSVR 2 – that limit your movement, and that you can catch yourself on as your flail about in virtual reality. 

However, as we’ve seen from the displays in Pimax’s headset, the advantage of PCVR is you can enjoy a super high level of graphics and performance that outshines standalone devices – like the Meta Quest 3 and even Apple Vision Pro (provided you have a great PC, that is).

This is where a wireless module can come in like the Pimax Crystal 60G Airlink device as they allow you to enjoy PCVR without being tethered. We’ve known that this device has been coming for a while – it was demoed at CES 2024 already – but we finally know exactly what the Crystal 60G can do with official specs straight from Pimax.

Specifically it boasts wireless PCVR with a 2,880 x 2,880 pixel resolution per eye, 90Hz max refresh rate, and “ultra low latency” – though exactly what this means hasn’t been revealed.

The Pimax Crystal 60G Airlink system including a module for your PC and another for your headset

The Pimax Crystal 60G Airlink module (Image credit: Pimax)

Unfortunately, neither of Pimax’s new headsets – the Crystal Super or Crystal Light – will support the 60G Airlink module.

What’s more, they strip out the batteries and Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset that the base Pimax Crystal headset included, which allowed it to support both wireless PCVR and a standalone VR experience.

To this end, you might find the base Crystal model is the better option for you – or a non-Pimax model like a Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro – thanks to the versatility offered by a standalone headset. Not only are you freer to use the headset wherever you want but also, with the exception of the Vision Pro, you can very easily use these headsets for wireless VR and for wired PCVR – giving you the best of both worlds.

This versatility is one of the reasons why Quest headsets have been topping the Steam VR usage charts for years.

Considering how impressive Pimax’s machines are I’d love for it to have kept pushing into the world of standalone VR. Improving its software catalogue or partnering with a company with a great VR OS to jumpstart its app store – ideally the amazing Quest ecosystem, though are others out there from the likes of HTC – would also have been great.

I’ll have to try the latest Pimax headset out for myself before giving my final verdict, but as it stands I don’t think these are VR gadgets I can see most people using – nor do I think most people should use them. Which is a real shame because otherwise I feel Pimax’s machines could be a slam dunk on pricey competitors like the Vision Pro – for now, though, I feel relative newcomer Apple has Pimax’s Crystal Super beat, on paper.

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Meta is cutting off support for the original Quest headset at the end of April
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Support for the original Oculus Quest headset will soon end as Meta has sent out emails to developers informing them of the company’s future plans for the device. Forbes managed to get their hands on the details, and according to their report, the tech giant is going to be strict. They really do not want the headset to stick around.

Developers have until April 30 to roll out any “app updates for the Quest 1 to the Meta Quest store.” Past that date, nothing will be allowed to be released even if dev teams want to continue catering to users of the older model. Meta will outright block the patch. 

If an app is available on other Quest devices, the update can roll out to those headsets, but the Quest 1 support will be denied. New apps that come out after April 30 are not going to appear on the online store nor will owners even be allowed to buy them. They’ll be stuck in limbo.

The email continues by saying Meta will maintain the Quest 1 by releasing “critical bug fixes and security patches” until August of this year. Once the summer is over, the company will be wiping its hands clean, marking the official end of its first mainline headset. Users who want to continue on the platform will need to upgrade to either a Quest 2 or Quest 3. 

Depreciation

The depreciation of the Quest 1, as sudden as it may seem, has been a long time coming. Meta originally announced the end of the headset back in January 2023. Soon after, it began to periodically pull the plug on certain features. Upgrades eventually grinded to a halt, people lost the ability to create parties, and lost access to the social aspects of Horizon Home.

Meta is turning the Quest 1 into a plastic brick as it cuts off support without any wiggle room. However, it's possible that the headset could see new life among niche online communities or platforms like SideQuest. No one is stopping independent developers from sideloading apps. If you plan on joining these groups, keep in mind the software you download from unofficial spaces could come with malware. Meta isn’t going to come in and save you. You’re on your own.

Analysis: is the Quest 2 next?

Despite knowing all this would happen ahead of time, the Quest 1 cutoff is harsh to say the least especially when you compare it to gaming consoles. The headset didn’t even reach its fifth birthday before getting the ax. Consoles, on the other hand, often see many more years of support, sometimes a full decade’s worth. Seeing the shutdown makes us wonder what’s going to happen to the Quest 2.

The second-gen model was released about a year-and-a-half after the original headset. Although it brought many improvements at launch, the performance of the Quest 2 has been eclipsed by other headsets. It could potentially see a similar end, although we think it’s unlikely. The Quest 2 has proven itself to be much more popular than the original, so a sudden cutoff likely won’t happen any time soon. It should exist as the brand's mid-range option moving forward.

If you're affected by the shutoff and want a new device, check out TechRadar's list of the best VR headsets for 2024.

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Meta Quest 3 Lite: everything we know about the rumored cheap VR headset
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Based on the leaks and rumors it seems increasingly likely that Meta is working on a cheaper version of the Meta Quest 3 – expected to be called the Meta Quest 3 Lite or Meta Quest 3s. 

It’s not yet been confirmed, but the gadget is expected to be a more affordable version of the Quest 3 – at a price closer to the Quest 2 – that would see the Meta fully phase out its last-gen VR hardware. The trade-off would be the device wouldn’t have all the capabilities of the Quest 3 – likely sporting lower-resolution displays, less RAM, a worse chipset, or dropping mixed reality support (though that last point seems unlikely).

While we’re not convinced the gadget will look exactly like what’s been rumored so far, as the saying goes: where there's smoke there’s fire. The fact that several independent leaks have come out suggests Meta is definitely working on something.

We’ve collected the latest news and rumors here so this page can serve as your one-stop shop for all things Meta Quest 3 Lite. As we learn more about the device we’ll be sure to update the page and keep you in the loop with all the latest information.

Meta Quest 3 Lite: Latest news

We’ve seen not one, but two distinct Meta Quest 3 Lite leaks – one render called the Meta Quest 3 Lite and one with more details that the leaker called the Quest 3s.

The Oculus Quest 2 was also at a record low price ($ 200 / £200) as part of this year's Amazon Spring Sale, following a permanent price cut to $ 249.99 / £249.99 / AU$ 439.99 earlier this year. This could be a sign Meta and retailers are trying to shift stock ahead of the last-gen device being phased out before a Quest 3 Lite release.

Oculus Quest 2 on a white background

Is the Quest 3 Lite the true Quest 2 replacement? (Image credit: Shutterstock / Boumen Japet)

Meta Quest 3 Lite: Price

As the Meta Quest 3 Lite isn’t yet official – meaning Meta itself hasn’t confirmed (or denied) its existence – we can’t say for certain how much it’ll cost or when it will be released.

But based on rumors and previous Meta hardware releases, we can make some reasoned predictions on what the gadget might cost and when we could see it in action.

Price-wise, we can reasonably expect it’ll cost around the same as Meta’s last-gen headset, given the Lite is billed as a super-affordable model meant to fully replace the Oculus Quest 2. It’ll certainly cost less than the Meta Quest 3.

This would likely see it released at around $ 299 / £299 / AU$ 479, which is where the Quest 2 started life. Honestly, we’d be more than a little disappointed if it was more expensive.

A man using his Zenni customized Meta Quest 3 headset

The Meta Quest 3 could soon have a sibling (Image credit: Zenni)

Meta Quest 3 Lite: Release date

As for the Quest 3 Lite’s release date, Meta usually likes to release new hardware in October. However, it might decide to mix things up with this budget-friendly gadget to avoid confusing it with its main line Quest and Quest Pro lines.

We predict the Quest 3 Lite will be announced and released as part of this year’s Meta Quest Gaming Showcase, which should be around June based on previous years. 

If Meta sticks to its usual hardware release schedule, though, then a launch after this year’s Meta Connect – which we expect will land in September or October – could be on the cards.

Of course, this assumes the Meta Quest 3 Lite even launches at all.

The Meta Quest 3 in action

The Meta Quest 3 Lite will likely look a little different to the Quest 3 (Image credit: Meta)

Meta Quest 3 Lite: Specs and design

So far we haven’t heard many specs for the Meta Quest 3 Lite. The main leaks so far have been renders showing off its possible design.

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These leaks suggest it’ll be bulkier than the Quest 3, likely because the Lite would adopt the fresnel lens system used by the Quest 2. This makes some sense as fresnel lenses are cheaper, partly because the alternative pancake lenses require brighter displays. However, considering pancake lenses lead not only to a slimmer headset design but also better image quality (and we’ve seen cheap headsets like the Pico 4 use pancake lenses) we’d be surprised if Meta didn't use them in the Lite.

One of the leaks went into more detailed specs, suggesting it’ll have 128GB or 256GB of storage (instead of the 128GB or 512GB in the Quest 3) and 1,832 x 1,920 pixel displays (one per eye). Something seems off about the leak, though, in terms of the assets shared and the included info that could help identify the leaker (which seems like a bad idea for anyone trying to avoid the wrath of Meta’s well-funded legal team).  

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As such, color us skeptical when it comes to the details highlighted in the post.

Meta Quest 3 Lite: Software

Assuming the Meta Quest 3 Lite has the same or similar mixed-reality capabilities as the Meta Quest 3, we expect it’ll have access to all of the same software – which is to say, everything available on the Quest platform’s Store (and many other games and apps available through sideloading via third-party digital storefronts).

If it has significantly worse specs – such as the Quest 2’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 1 chipset – there may be some software that launches in the future that would be exclusive to the full Quest 3. But we expect the Quest 3 Lite would use a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 so, hopefully, this won’t be an issue.

We’ll have to wait and see what Meta announces.

Girl wearing Meta Quest 3 headset interacting with a jungle playset

The Meta Quest 3 Lite needs to have mixed reality (Image credit: Meta)

Meta Quest 3 Lite: What we want to see

As for what we want to see from the Quest 3 Lite VR headset – acknowledging that its lower price will necessitate lower specs than the Meta Quest 3 proper – our ideal setup would boast the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset and 8GB of RAM as the Quest 3, though 6GB of RAM like the Quest 2 is, admittedly, a lot more likely. 

Storage options would start at 64GB – as frankly, you don’t need a lot of storage space for VR apps, especially if you’re willing to download and delete them as necessary – and the displays would be a lower resolution than the Quest 3. A leak suggested the 1,832 x 1,920 pixels per eye option, and considering this is what’s used by the Quest 2 it does make some sense.

Pancake lenses seem like an easy win from a design and image-quality perspective (especially if Meta opts for poorer displays), and mixed-reality passthrough that’s at least as high-quality as the Quest 3 is also a must.

Beyond this, one rogue cost-cutting measure could see Meta scrap or change its Quest 3 controllers. However, given how much developers have emphasized to us the importance of VR handsets having a standard design, and the fact that many Quest titles don’t support hand-tracking, this might be a step too far.

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A Meta Quest 3 bug has made the headset unusable for many, but a fix is coming
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If you've managed to avoid Meta Quest 3 update v62 you might want to keep it uninstalled for a while longer. That’s because some users who have downloaded the update, which was released last month, have been plagued by an annoying warning popup telling them there’s dust or debris in their USB port, when this isn’t the case.

What makes this popup especially annoying is that even if you try to dismiss the erroneous warning it’ll reappear again and again, leaving the headset feeling “essentially worthless” according to some disgruntled Meta Quest 3 customers.

It’s not clear what's causing the issue – I haven’t seen the popup at all, and I’ve been using my Quest 3 every single day for my VR fitness experiment, and anecdotal accounts from social media suggest that even if two people are using the headset in similar ways, one may see the popup while the other doesn't. But now there’s some potentially good news from Meta.

The Meta Quest 3 and controllers on their charging station which is itself on a wooden desk next to a lamp

We suggest only using official Quest 3 chargers (Image credit: Meta)

On the main Meta Community Forum page where people have been sharing their experiences, an official Meta Quest Support moderator has shared an update saying “Issue Replicated. Fix In Progress.”

While this is great news for the many Quest 3 users annoyed by the bogus USB-C port warning, the moderator stressed that the team doesn’t yet have a timeline for when a fix will be available – just that they've been able to replicate the issue, and have started to test possible solutions.

This vagueness has resulted in undertandable annoyance amongst those affected – especially those who have been having troubles with the warning message for over six weeks since v62 rolled out. In the forum thread linked above, we’ve seen people threatening to never buy Meta VR tech ever again, recommending that people file chargebacks on the credit card they bought the headset with, and generally venting their frustrations with the issue.

If you’re in this boat, is there anything you can do?

What can you do to avoid the Quest 3 bug? 

The Meta Quest 3 resting on a blue couch with its controllers on a blanket

Can the bug be avoided? (Image credit: Meta)

As we said above, because there’s no obvious cause for this issue it’s tough for us to recommend what you can do to avoid it. The main piece of advice we can give is not to update to v62 if you haven’t already. 

If you've already updated to v62, based on what we've seen on the community thread we’d suggest only using the official Meta Quest 3 charging cable with your headset, as some people have suggested that third-party cables have been a cause of their problems. We’d also recommend using for headset for standalone experiences rather than wired ones to avoid setting off the popup.

If the popup is appearing for you, however, then there doesn’t appear to be much you can do beyond trying to push through it. We’ve seen some people say it only appears when their headset is 80-100% charged – so you might have success if you don't fully recharge your Quest 3 between sessions – and some people have said rebooting their device caused it to go away (though others have said it had zero effect).

Unfortunately, these are the best solutions we can come up with until Meta releases a proper update, so hopefully one isn’t too far away – although given the vagueness of the timeline Meta has offered, who knows how long we'll be waiting.

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The display specs for Samsung’s first XR headset may have just leaked
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We're expecting a Samsung XR/VR headset in the near future – that's extended reality and/or virtual reality – and a new leak gives us a better idea of the display specs the hardware device might bring along with it.

According to Daily Korea (via SamMobile), the headset will use a micro-OLED display supplied by Sony, with a size of 1.3 inches, a resolution of 3,840 x 3,552 pixels, a refresh rate of 90 frames per second, and a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits.

For comparison, the Meta Quest 3 headset launched last year offers a resolution of 2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye, an experimental 120Hz refresh rate mode, and a 90Hz standard refresh rate mode. The size of the displays isn't specified, but they use LCD technology, and you can read our thoughts on it in our Meta Quest 3 review.

As for the Apple Vision Pro, inside that particular device we've got micro-OLED tech. Apple doesn't specify a resolution, but does say there are 23 million pixels across both displays, and the refresh rate goes up to 100Hz. As our Apple Vision Pro review will tell you, it offers rather impressive visual performance.

Coming soon?

Samsung announced it was working on an XR headset all the way back at the start of 2023, with Google and Qualcomm helping out. It's yet to see the light of day though – there have been rumors that the launch of the Vision Pro gave Samsung executives enough food for thought that they decided to take more time over their own device.

Extended reality or XR, if you're unfamiliar, is the catch-all term for virtual reality (entirely enclosed virtual worlds), augmented reality (digital elements laid on top of the real world), and mixed reality (digital elements and the real world interacting in more realistic ways, like an upgraded augmented reality).

So far we've seen a battery leak, got confirmation that the Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 chipset will power the device, and… that's been about it for specs and features. There've been more leaks regarding a launch, which could happen in the second half of the year, 

Specifically, that might mean July. Samsung held an Unpacked launch event in July 2023, and is expected to do the same this year, giving full unveilings to the Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Galaxy Z Flip 6, the Galaxy Watch 7, the Galaxy Ring, and probably more besides.

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A new Meta Quest VR headset could launch in early 2025 with LG OLED displays
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  • Meta Quest Pro 2 rumored for 2025 release
  • LG expected to make OLED displays for it
  • OLED could provide visual boost next Quest Pros need

The Apple Vision Pro might be the talk of the town in the high-end VR space right now, but not only will it have to contend with rivals like the Samsung XR headset that are expected to launch later this year, new reports claim the Meta Quest Pro 2 will launch in early 2025 to compete with it too.

The original Meta Quest Pro was something of a disappointment. At the time it seemed like a decent option for people looking for a high-end standalone VR headset – especially compared to rivals like the HTC Vive XR Elite. But since the launch of the Meta Quest 3 and Vision Pro – the former of which is not only cheaper but actually has some better specs in the mixed-reality department – it’s fallen by the wayside.

Meta is clearly hoping to make its next Quest Pro device a standout VR gadget. A Korea Economic Daily report (translated from Korean) cites unnamed industry sources who said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to meet with the CEO of LG Electronics to discuss a partnership for its next Pro devices.

LG OLED coming to Quest?

It’s been rumored for some time that LG is looking to make an XR device of some kind – either its own or one in partnership with another brand like the collaborative Google and Samsung XR headset – and back in February 2023 we first heard whispers Meta wanted LG to create OLED displays for its headsets. 

While we hope these high-end screens will make their way to the more budget-friendly Quest line it’s more reasonable to assume that a pricier Quest Pro line would be upgraded to LG OLEDs first. 

A woman sat in front of an LG C3 OLED TV in a blue living room

LG makes fantastic OLED TVs like the LG C3 (Image credit: LG)

Yes, we know the original Oculus Quest got there first, but since then Meta has relied on LCD panels with better brightness and resolution because the original OLED Quest couldn’t benefit from this display tech’s full advantages. The pixels took too long to turn on and off so you could never experience true blacks, despite the ability to achieve true blacks being the main reason to use an OLED.

LG’s next-gen panels hopefully should be able to offer top-of-the-line visuals – one of the four things we want to see from the Meta Quest Pro 2 – but we’ll have to wait and see.

Thankfully, the recent Korea Economic Daily report said we might not be waiting too long. The Meta Quest Pro 2 is apparently being prepared for an early 2025 launch, and while this is a slight departure from Meta’s usual October release strategy it makes some sense. 

However, as with all rumors, we must remember to take these reports with a pinch of salt. Until Meta or LG make an official announcement there's no guarantee they’re working together on the next Quest Pro or any kind of headset – nor a guarantee of when it’ll launch and what specs it might have.

As soon as we do hear anything more concrete, or we spy any interesting leaks and rumors, we’ll be sure to keep you informed.

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Samsung’s XR headset could be launching soon according to a new report
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We might not have heard much about it since it was announced in February 2023, but Samsung is apparently still working on the Samsung XR headset (XR being a catchall for VR, MR, and AR), and a new rumor suggests we’ll see it this year.

We know for certain that the Samsung headset is being made in partnership with Google – Samsung has said as much itself – and we know the device will use the Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 chipset according to a Qualcomm announcement, but that’s about it from official channels. Unofficial reports peg the headset as a cheaper Apple Vision Pro rival with high-end performance but a not-so-high-end price tag – with a rumor saying Samsung delayed the headset to help it stand up better against Apple’s device.

This not only means a solid performance but also high-end displays, with it believed the headset will boast dual OLED screens (one for each eye) likely similar to the 1.03-inch OLEDoS display (OLED on Silicon) – with a 3,500 pixel-per-inch pixel density – it showed off earlier this year. 

That said these screens were created by eMagin rather than the Samsung Display team, and Samsung only acquired this company fairly recently so there’s a chance these displays will be reserved for a later headset model (assuming we even see more than one).

Key Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 specs, including that it has support fo 4.3k displays, 8x better AI performance, and 2.5x better GPU performance

The Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 promises big thing for the Samsung headset (Image credit: Qualcomm)

But given the headset was apparently delayed to give the team more time to improve its screens, there’s a chance these impressive OLED panels could make their way into the headset. We hopefully won’t be waiting long to find out if they have. A new report (translated into English) from Korean Economic Daily (nicknamed Hankyung) suggests the Samsung XR headset will drop in the second half of the year.

We should always take rumors with a pinch of salt but this isn’t the first time we’ve heard the Samsung headset will launch in late 2024 – with it previously being suggested that the Samsung VR headset might arrive alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 6 which is also due to launch in the second half of 2024.

If it is coming this year, let's hope Samsung has had enough time to learn from its rivals' mistakes. Mark Zuckerberg might think the Meta Quest 3 is better than the Vision Pro but it has some issues of its own, and the Vision Pro isn’t perfect either according to all the people sending it back to Apple for a refund.

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Don’t forget your Vision Pro passcode – if you do you’ll have to send your headset back to Apple
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There are a few big features that the Apple Vision Pro is missing – such as support for Bluetooth mice and location tracking for the Apple Find My network – but perhaps the strangest omission from the Apple Vision Pro is the ability to reset your device if you forget your passcode.

During the Vision Pro set-up process you’ll be asked to enter a six-digit passcode, just as you would when setting up an iPhone or iPad. You can also optionally set up an Optic ID login method, but just as with Face ID on your other Apple gadgets there will be times when you’ll be forced to enter your passcode – for example after your headset has restarted.

If you ever forget your iPad or iPhone passcode you can unlock your Apple device by connecting it to your Mac or PC and wiping the data on it, and on the Apple Watch you can use the digital crown or your connected iPhone to do the same thing. Yes you’ll delete all the data, but a blank gadget is better than a gadget you’re forever locked out of.

However, while the Apple Vision Pro also has a setting that allows you to erase all your content – including the passcode – it’s only accessible via the Settings app. If you're locked out of your headset because you’ve forgotten your passcode there’s currently no at-home way to get into your Vision Pro. 

Instead, as reported by Bloomberg ($ /£), you’ll need to either take your headset back to your local Apple Store, or ship it back to Apple to have it reset if there isn’t a physical store near you.

Apple Vision Pro battery pack

Locked out? Send it back to Apple, or say hello to your new paperweight (Image credit: Apple)

Is there a workaround? 

Unfortunately, the only workaround to this problem available to most people is to not forget your passcode in the first place.

We’ve seen reports that users with the Developer Strap – a dongle that adds a USB-C port to the Vision Pro so that it can be connected to a Mac computer – could erase the Vision Pro’s content and passcode using a Mac. However, the Developer Strap costs $ 300 and is only available to officially registered developers, so most people won’t have access to it – and we’ve not been able to confirm that this method works, so there’s a chance the dongle wouldn’t even help you if you had one.

We expect that Apple will launch some kind of alternative way to erase your Vision Pro passcode in due course, especially once the gadget is made available outside the US, and sending your headset back becomes even more inconvenient for some. But for now you might want to make a note of your passcode, taking the usual precautions to ensure that this is secure.

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Apple Vision Pro review roundup: here’s what everyone thinks of the Apple headset
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The first batch of Apple Vision Pro reviews has dropped, giving us a look at what it’s like to use the headset beyond the 20 to 30-minute demos Apple has run for it previously.

The Vision Pro preorders aren’t set to arrive for weeks after the headset releases on February 2 – and we strongly advise you not to buy one of the preorders being sold on eBay for ridiculously high markups. But if you’ve been on the fence about buying Apple's mixed reality device, now is a good time to find out more about it and decide if it’s worth the $ 3,500 asking price.

Interestingly, a lot of the reviewers seem to be in agreement so far. The capabilities of the headset are apparently superb, with 3D spatial video and the intuitive eye and face-tracking control system being standouts. But the price does feel steep, especially as the Vision Pro is only at its best if you’re already deep in the Apple ecosystem with gadgets and peripherals like a Mac, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Mouse.

Here’s our round-up of all of the full Apple Vision Pro reviews published so far.

Apple Vision Pro reviews

Tom's Guide: “A revolution in progress”

For Mark Spoonauer, the global editor-in-chief of our sister site Tom's Guide, the standout features of the Vision Pro are its eye and hand-tracking interface – which he called “amazing” – and the 3D spatial video playback, which our own Lance Ulanoff called an “immersive trip”.

Design-wise the Vision Pro was also solid, though Spoonauer noted that he had to take regular breaks from wearing the device because of the Vision Pro’s weight. The tethered battery that powers the Vision Pro could also be “annoying at times.”

Some of the software also feels like it's “still in the early stages,” with the App Store missing several notable apps at launch, and Personas (a digital stand-in for Vision Pro wearers) are “a bit unnerving to look at.”

He added that the expensive price limits the headset's initial appeal, though Spoonauer hopes Apple has a lower-cost version on the way as the Vision Pro is “the most innovative Apple product since the original iPhone.”

In a nutshell

The Good

  • Eye and face-tracking “puts the competition to shame” 
  • It’s a “multitasking champ” 
  • Immersive environments full of detail 

The Bad

  • Had to take periodic breaks because of the weight 
  • Very expensive
  • Tethered battery is “annoying” at times

WSJ: “All the characteristics of a first-gen product”

The Wall Street Journal's review is a very real-world summary of the Vision Pro's current strengths and weaknesses, with reporter Joanna Stern wearing it “nearly nonstop” for one of the testing days.

The main takeaway is that the Vision Pro is a very first-gen product that “you’re probably not going to buy”. As the review concludes, “it’s big and heavy, its battery life sucks, there are few great apps and it can be buggy”. 

Okay, so is it actually good at anything yet? Broadly speaking, feeling very sci-fi in a Minority Report sense and also being, as Stern states, “the best mixed-reality headset I’ve ever tried”. That seems to be broadly due to experiences like watching films and or your own home 3-D movies, rather than real-world productivity. 

Stern states in the review that she only “started getting real work done once I paired the Vision Pro with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse”, rather than using the built-in virtual keyboard. In other words, it feels more like a face-mounted iMac than a next-gen computer right now.

While “getting around is intuitive”, there are lots of niggles. For example, “at times, the Vision Pro’s eye tracking didn’t respond to my movements” and Stern had to “charge every two to three hours”. During FaceTime calls, friends and family concluded that the reporter looked “awful” and “frightening”. Like all mixed-reality headsets then, the Vision Pro is very much a work in progress.

In a nutshell

The Good

  • Best AR/VR headset so far
  • Intuitive interface
  • Great built-in speakers

The Bad

  • Headset is heavy
  • Virtual keyboard is limited
  • Few great apps

The Verge: “the best consumer headset anyone’s ever made” 

The Verge’s editor-in-chief Nilay Patel gave the Apple Vision Pro a score of seven out of 10 in its review, calling it “an astounding product” with “a lot of tradeoffs”

App-wise, Patel says it’s “not totally wrong” to call the Vision Pro an iPad for your face. Most of the software that’s currently available are ported over from iPadOS, and most of them work like iPad apps, too. As Patel notes this means the Vision Pro is lacking when it comes to “true AR” software – that is software that has AR elements blend in and interact with the real world like, say, First Encounters on the Meta Quest 3.

Patel adds that the “iPad for your face” comparison continues to the weight of the thing – pointing out that at 600 to 650 grams it's not far from the weight of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (at 682 grams). Wearing the dual loop strap can help, but he says you can’t “reduce the overall sensation of having all that headset on your face.”

The heavy package does come with some impressive specs, however, with an “incredible display,” “convincing” video passthrough, and an M2 and R1 processor for handling any apps you throw at it. But at the end of the day, Patel doesn’t believe that using a computer in the “inherently isolating” world of VR is better than using a regular computer that doesn’t cut you off from the world around you.

In a nutshell

The Good

  • Fantastic display
  • Best passthrough on a headset
  • “Stunning” design

The Bad

  • Isolating
  • Tracking “works until it doesn’t”
  • A lot of tradeoffs

CNET: “A mind-blowing look at an unfinished future”

CNET's lengthy Vision Pro review is one of the more misty-eyed ones so far, which isn't surprising given reporter Scott Stein has been writing about mixed reality for over a decade. The conclusions about Apple's headset are familiar though; “parts of it are stunning, others don't feel entirely finished”.

Despite its many impressive moments, CNET concludes that the Vision Pro is “clearly not a device you need to get on board with now”. After only 30 minutes, “the headset feels top-heavy and pushes in on my cheeks a bit”, although it apparently works fine for short sessions.

The apps selection is also very limited right now. While “the App Store shows Vision Pro-optimized apps” the “pickings are slim”. Still, “the closest thing to a killer app the Vision Pro has is its cinema-level video playback” the review concludes. Stein says that The Way of Water looks lovely and “sometimes gives me chills”.

While the Vision Pro is “most advanced blend of mixed reality in a standalone device that I've ever experienced”, it's also blighted by the limitations highlighted by other reviews. These include some inconsistent hand- and eye-tracking, a “limited battery life” and a field of view that “feels a bit smaller than the Meta Quest 3”.

So while the Vision Pro is a “stunning look at the future”, it's also “still essentially an iOS computer inside a mixed reality VR headset”.

In a nutshell

The Good

  • Amazing micro-OLED display
  • Blends real and virtual well
  • Personal 3D memories

The Bad

  • Not many apps
  • Interface isn't always perfect
  • Extremely pricey

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Netflix says the Apple Vision Pro is way too niche for it to make an app for the headset
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Apple describes the Vision Pro as a “spatial computing” device, but right now it's arguably as much a pair of cinema goggles that can play 3D movies. That billing has been undermined by the absence of a few apps from streaming's big players – and Netflix has just explained why it's steering clear of the headset, for now.

In an interview with Stratechery (via The Verge), Netflix's co-CEO Greg Peters revealed why Netflix hasn't made a native app (or even made its iPad app available) for the Vision Pro. In a completely fair yet somehow slightly withering observation, he states that the Vision Pro “is so subscale that it's not particularly relevant to most of our members”.

Peters adds that Netflix has to make sure “that we’re not investing in places that are not really yielding a return”, but that “we’re always in discussions with Apple to try and figure that out”. In other words, Netflix isn't ruling out making an app for the Vision Pro in the future, but only when Apple's headset becomes a lot more mainstream.

That could be some way off. Early estimates suggest the Vision Pro's first weekend sales were around 180,000 units, with demand likely to taper off significantly. When you consider that Netflix now has 260 million subscribers worldwide – helpfully bolstered by the success of its ad-supported tier – you can see why it might be taking a watch-and-wait approach.

Yet Netflix's conservative approach to the Vision Pro also reflects some historically frosty relations with Apple. Netflix hasn't let you sign up to its app through Apple TV for many years to avoid Apple taking a cut of the revenue. And Netflix also still hasn't fully integrated with the TV app on Apple's streaming box, which lets you see content from all of your streaming services in a single carousel.

Whether it'll be a similar story for Netflix on the Apple Vision Pro remains to be seen, but for now, the mixed-reality headset will be missing the world's biggest TV streaming app, alongside Spotify and YouTube. 

A sensible move or a snub?

The Disney app running on the Apple Vision Pro

(Image credit: Apple)

Right now, the Vision Pro is arguably a very expensive developer kit that's also available to buy in limited quantities – so Netflix's stance is completely understandable.

Greg Peters does add that Netflix and Apple are in regular contact, stating that “we’re always in discussions with Apple” and that “we’ll see where things go with Vision Pro”. 

That's far from a closed door – and yet Netflix hasn't even allowed its iPad app to run on Apple's headset. You can watch Netflix on a web browser on the Vision Pro, but that's hardly a premium experience.

Daring Fireball's Jon Gruber even recently suggested that a Netflix iPad app for Vision Pro did exist, but that the streaming giant had a change of heart – and that the decision was made out of “pure corporate spite”, rather than anything technical.

Whatever the reality behind Netflix not even offering its iPad app on the Vision Pro, Apple certainly has its work cut out to convince some of the world's biggest apps to join its $ 3,499 “spatial computing” party. It's rubbing many developers the wrong way with its potential approach to sideloading on the iPhone, and we'll likely need to wait until at least the Vision Pro 2 before it gets close to being mainstream.

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