Highlights
- The Apple Vision Pro, a “spatial computer”, was officially launched to the public on February 2, 2024.
- The Meta Quest 3, VR headset, made its official debut on June 1, 2023, and was available in the market on October 10, 2023.
Apple recently unveiled its first VR headset to much fanfare, branding it as a “spatial computer” – the Apple Vision Pro.
While it is packed with advanced hardware and has many features to look forward to, it comes with a hefty price tag of $3,499.
This price tag in itself makes many people look for alternatives.
One such alternative is Meta Quest 3, the innovative VR headset from Facebook’s parent company, Meta.
Priced as low as $499, Quest 3 today is the biggest competitor of Apple Vision Pro.
Taking the competition in stride, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently posted a video on his Instagram account and gave his verdict on Apple’s “Spatial Computer” aka Vision Pro VR headset.
Although Zuckerberg may not be unbiased, the Meta chief didn’t hesitate when he said, “I have to say that before this, I expected that Quest would be the better value for most people since it’s really good and like seven times less expensive, but after using it, I don’t just think that Quest is the better value, it’s the better product, period,”
Moving on from Zuckerberg’s relatively negative review of Apple Vision Pro, let’s deduce whether Quest 3 is the “better product”?
To help make this choice easier, here’s a full comparison between the Apple Vision Pro and the Meta Quest 3.
Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3 – Feature Comparison
| Apple Vision Pro | Meta Quest 3 | |
| Resolution (per eye) | 23MP per eye, roughly 4K resolution | 2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye |
| Display Type | Micro-OLED | Dual LCD, Pancake lenses |
| Storage | 1TB / 2TB / 4TB | 128GB / 512GB |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Battery Life | 2 hours (estimated) | 2.4 hours gaming |
| Tracking Technology | LEDs and infrared cameras | NA |
| Audio | Two speakers with spatial audio | Improved near-field speakers |
| Weight | 453 grams | 515g |
| Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 120Hz |
| Processor | Apple M2 + Apple R1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 |
| RAM | Not Specified | 8GB |
| Lenses | Custom catadioptric lenses and ZEISS Optical Inserts | Pancake |
| Controllers | Hand, eye, and face tracking | Touch Plus controllers |
Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3 – Design
Both Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3 have distinct ergonomic considerations and design philosophies.
The Meta Quest 3 features a plastic main housing, while Apple chose an aluminium and glass frame.
Apple Vision Pro offers different Light Seal options and includes two customizable headbands made from soft textiles and knitted fabric.
On the other hand, the Meta Quest 3 provides various materials and accessories, including the Standard Facial Interface, an anti-microbial VR Cover with foam lining, and a separate Silicone Facial Interface.
The Vision Pro is a headset designed and developed for comfort, extended use.
It weighs between 21.2 and 22.9 ounces (600-650 grams).
In comparison, the Meta Quest 3 is lighter at 515 grams.
Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3 – Display
The Apple Vision Pro employs micro-OLED technology.
It is known for its exceptional image quality and high pixel density.
Moreover, Vision Pro boasts an impressive 23 million pixels in total with a 7.5-micron pixel pitch and promises sharp visuals.
The Meta Quest 3, on the other hand, features a 4K+ Infinite Display using LCD technology.
It has 2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye and offers 25 Pixels Per Degree (PPD) and 1218 Pixels Per Inch (PPI).
Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3 – Features
The key distinction lies in Apple Vision Pro’s advanced hand, face, and eye-tracking capabilities.
Unlike Meta Quest 3, which relies on Touch Plus controllers, Apple’s headset operates solely through eye movement and hand gestures, enabled by its 12 cameras and sensors: six external, two TrueDepth, and four internal.
As for Meta Quest 3, it utilizes Touch Plus controllers but incorporates AI and field-of-view technology for hand tracking, eliminating the need for tracking rings seen in previous models.
It employs seven cameras and sensors: four front-facing, two on the bottom/sides, and one depth sensor.
Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3 – Multitasking
To compare both devices in terms of multitasking, we had to start with Apple Vision Pro.
To understand its ability to hold up multiple tasks, we got to know that it can open a bunch of browser windows at once.
You can have your music, Twitter, email, text messages and the Apple website open simultaneously.
With multiple browsers, the performance of Vision Pro is quite impressive.
A cool feature is that you can take the iPhone from the Apple website out with a pinch gesture and place it in your environment.
You can rotate the iPhone around and check it from all angles.
Overall, multitasking on Apple Vision Pro is good.
Now let’s check Meta Quest 3.
In this device, you can open only three browsers at once.
It doesn’t allow you to take out objects from the screen to the environment and you can only check devices on the browsers when using Quest 3.
Although when compared to Vision Pro, Quest 3 might seem lacking in the aspect of multitasking, the huge price difference between the two devices explains why Quest 3 is at par with Vision Pro.
Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3 – Cameras
The Apple Vision Pro comes with in-built cameras and sensors.
The combination of camera setup includes a stereoscopic 3D primary camera system with an 18mm lens and 6.5 stereo megapixels.
The camera setup of Vision Pro allows users to explore spatial photos and video capture.
The Vision Pro camera setup also includes two high-resolution main cameras, six world-facing tracking cameras, four eye-tracking cameras, a TrueDepth camera, a LiDAR Scanner, four inertial measurement units (IMUs), a flicker sensor, and an ambient light sensor.
On the other hand, the Meta Quest 3 is equipped with an advanced six-camera setup to focus on mixed reality and spatial tracking.
It has an array of four cameras arranged in two vertical stacks on the front face of the headset, two cameras for spatial tracking and two for full-colour mixed-reality viewing.
The Quest 3 also incorporates two more spatial cameras on its bottom edge.
These cameras support future full-body tracking features, creating immersive mixed-reality scenarios and delivering precise motion tracking.
Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3 – Battery Life
The biggest when it comes to the battery in both devices is its form.
Contrary to Meta Quest 3’s head strap battery, the Apple Vision Pro requires an external battery. The battery is connected to the Vision Pro with a woven USB-C cable.
As for battery life, the Meta Quest provides up to 2.2 hours of usage for general usage and social activities, 2.4 hours for gaming, 1.5 hours for productivity tasks, and 2.9 hours for media consumption.
On the other hand, Vision Pro provides up to 2 hours of general use or video watching for up to 2.5 hours.
Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3: Price
Price is where both devices are nowhere close to each other’s lane.
Meta Quest 3, available in two variants, has a base model with 128 GB storage priced at $499.99 and a higher-end model with 512 GB storage at $649.99.
In contrast, Apple Vision Pro starts at $3,499 in the US, placing it in a significantly higher price bracket.
Conclusion
This substantial price gap between Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3 is the biggest decision-making factor when both devices are compared.
Apple has been deliberately avoiding calling their latest launch a VR headsetand has been calling it a “spatial computer, instead.
However, in the consumer’s head, the difference doesn’t mean much. So, in the VR headset category, Meta Quest 3 feels a more comforting choice.
As for value, Apple Vision Pro is a premium device and will be an addition to Apple’s ecosystem.
However, as a standalone device, Meta Quest 3 seems to be the device that caters to a large section of the consumer.
FAQs
Q1. Is Apple Vision Pro available in India?
Answer. At the time of writing this answer (Feb 2024), neither the Meta Quest 3 nor the Vision Pro headset is officially available in India.
However, one can easily find the Meta Quest 3 for around Rs 50,000 on platforms like Amazon, while one has to import Vision Pro, which is currently limited to the US.
Q2. Will Apple specially launch Vision Pro in India?
Answer. Apple is yet to announce retail availability for the headset in other parts of the world, including India.
The tech giant first announced Vision Pro last year at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.
It stated that the headset would go on sale in “early 2024” without sharing specific details on the launch date.
Q3. Is Meta Quest 3 4K?
Answer. The Meta Quest 3 VR headset features a 4K screen with a display resolution of 2064×2208 pixels per eye.
Q4. Can I use Apple Vision Pro if I wear glasses?
Answer. “Apple Vision Pro supports a wide range of vision needs. Certain prescription needs and conditions might impact the viewing experience.
If you require vision correction, you must either wear contact lenses or purchase compatible ZEISS Optical Inserts, as eyeglasses are not compatible with the device.”
Also Read: Apple Vision Pro Once Lost, Cannot be Located on the Find My Network
Also Read: Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3 Headset Showdown: Which One is Better Value for Money?