I spent 30 minutes in an intense boxing workout. My heart rate hit 150, and I could feel it. It was great. Coach Doc is serious. I followed through and did a cool-down exercise — and all of this happened inside the Meta Quest 3. Then I wiped down the headset and then got back to work… inside the Apple Vision Pro.
That describes my life in mixed-reality headsets lately. Meta’s $500 Quest 3 and Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro feel very different but also very much the same; it just depends on how you look at them.Â
I’ve had VR and AR devices in my life for years, but for many people, the decision to put an immersive device on your face is still pretty new. Apple is the latest company entering a space where Meta, aka Facebook, has been for nearly a decade. The Meta Quest 2 was my favorite VR headset ever made, and it was affordable. But the Quest 3 and Vision Pro, both introduce ideas that will influence the landscape for years.Â
Watch this: Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Breaking Down the Hype
The Vision Pro, which feels like an iOS device in mixed-reality headset form, seems like the beginning of an entirely new proposition. Its displays are fantastic, as is the way it multitasks apps. Its eye and hand tracking, while handling FaceTimes and more with virtual Persona avatars, can feel like a revelation.
But if you want something affordable you can use to play with mixed reality and games and fitness right now (with a few work-related benefits, too), the choice should be the Quest 3 for nearly everyone. Here’s why.
Mixed reality: Virtual blends with the real, to different degrees
The Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro are both standalone VR headsets with mixed-reality passthrough capabilities. These goggle-like headsets, which tighten over your face, have arrays of cameras…
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