How Does Apple's Vision Pro Compare With Meta's Quest 3?

The battle of augmented reality or AR and virtual reality or VR headsets heats up as Apple Inc.’s AAPL Vision Pro and Meta Platforms Inc.’s META Quest 3 takes the stage. 

With both tech giants vying for dominance in the AR/VR market, consumers are eager to know which headset will offer the best experience. 

What Happened: On Monday, Apple debuted the much-anticipated Vision Pro mixed reality headset during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference 2023. An analyst at Wedbush said that the Cupertino-based tech giant might ship roughly 150,000 devices in the first year of its release. 

Subsequently, Meta Quest 3 follows in the footsteps of its highly popular and now attractively priced predecessor, the Meta Quest 2. 

See Also: Apple’s AirPods Pro Upgrade: Introducing Adaptive Audio At WWDC 2023

Naturally, users have tons of questions and we are here to answer them by doing an early comparison: 

Price Difference

Apple’s Vision Pro carries a hefty price tag of $3499, positioning itself as a premium option in the market. In contrast, Meta’s Quest 3 comes at a more affordable price point of $499.99. 

Build And Battery Life

Apple’s Vision Pro boasts a sleek aluminum build, while Meta Quest 3 opts for a plastic construction. Regarding battery life, the Vision Pro relies on an external battery with approximately two hours of usage on a single charge. Quest 3 features an internal battery, eliminating the need for external attachments.

Performance And Processing Power

Powered by Apple’s impressive M2 chip and an additional Apple R1 processor for AR computational tasks, the Vision Pro promises exceptional performance. The Quest 3 is expected to be equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip and 12GB of RAM.

Operating Systems And Compatibility

Vision Pro runs on VisionOS, an operating system based on iOS frameworks, offering seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem. On the other hand, Quest 3 relies on an Android-based operating system. With its established library of native apps and games, Quest 3 inherits compatibility from its popular predecessor, Quest 2.

Visual Finesse And Display 

Apple’s Vision Pro features two micro-OLED displays with 4K resolution and rumored brightness of 5,000 nits. Meta Quest 3, while relatively budget-friendly, utilizes a single LCD with a potential refresh rate of 120Hz and a resolution of 4128-by-2208 pixels. 

The Vision Pro flaunts an impressive 12 cameras, allowing for advanced AR capabilities, video recording, and photography. In contrast, the Quest 3 incorporates two color cameras for AR, two monochrome cameras for head and hand tracking, and a depth sensor. 

The Audio Experience And Controllers 

Both headsets offer stereo speakers and directional audio for an immersive audio experience. The Vision Pro takes it a step further with Spatial Audio support. While Meta Quest 3 is expected to have a 3.5mm headphone jack, both headsets support Bluetooth headphones for personalized audio. 

The Vision Pro relies on hand tracking, eye tracking, and voice commands through Siri, eliminating the need for controllers. On the other hand, the Quest 3 comes with upgraded Quest controllers featuring thumbsticks, touch pads, touch-sensitive buttons and hand-tracking abilities. 

Dedicated App Store And Game Libraries

Vision Pro introduces VisionOS, providing access to a dedicated App Store similar to the one found on iPhones and iPads. With its extensive ecosystem, Vision Pro users can expect a wide range of apps and games, including popular titles from Apple’s existing lineup. Meanwhile, Quest 3 builds upon its predecessor’s success, offering a vast app and game library, mainly focusing on VR gaming experiences.

Why It’s Important: Apple Vision Pro is set to debut in the U.S. in early 2024, with subsequent launches in other countries expected throughout the year.

The Quest 3 is scheduled for an autumn release, with further details to be unveiled at Meta’s annual AR/VR conference on Sept. 27. 

Editor’s Note: Artificial intelligence was used as a secondary aid in the writing of this story.

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Photo courtesy: Apple, Meta