Meta Quest 3 vs. Apple Vision Pro: How accurate was Zuckerberg’s review?

It’s been two weeks since the Apple Vision Pro launched, and naturally, many thoughts and opinions have risen. Is this the VR killer? Or is it simply an iPad killer? Should you cross the street with the headset on? Can you use it to get through an eight-hour workday?

If there’s one perspective that you should be particularly vested in — besides ZDNET’s full review coming soon — it’s that of Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, who recently took to Instagram to share his experience using the Vision Pro and how it compared to the Quest 3, Meta’s latest VR headset. In short, “I don’t just think that the Quest is the better value, I think Quest is the better product, period,” said Zuckerberg.

Also: Meta Quest headsets now support Vision Pro’s spatial video playback

Should you take the Meta CEO’s remarks with a grain of salt? Probably, but he’s not far from the truth. The Quest 3, as an indirect competitor to the Vision Pro, is in fact “seven times less expensive” — and I agree that Meta’s headset is better suited for mobile use cases like gaming and fitness. That doesn’t mean you should completely rule out Apple’s VR alternative, as I’ll also highlight its biggest advantages below. 

Specifications

You should buy the Meta Quest 3 if…

1. You want a headset for gaming and/or fitness

No matter how far-reaching Zuckerberg is about the Meta Quest 3’s feature parity with the Vision Pro, there’s no denying that it’s a gaming-first headset, backed by hundreds of VR/MR titles like Beat Saber, Superhot, and Asgard’s Wrath 2, a slew of third-party accessories for enhanced comfort, controller grip, and battery life, and PC VR support.

Review: Meta’s $500 Quest 3 is the mainstream VR headset I’ve been waiting for, and it delivers

While the Vision Pro supports a growing list of Apple Arcade games, not all of them leverage the superior audiovisual quality of the headset and the hand-eye tracking sensors within. The Vision Pro is also more front-heavy than the Quest 3 due to the various computing parts embedded within its glass and aluminum face piece. Early adopters, including myself, have expressed concerns over the comfortability of the Vision Pro, especially in more physical use cases like gaming and fitness.

2. Comfort and physical controllers are priorities

That level of fragility on the Vision Pro is absent on the Quest 3, which flaunts a more affordable price tag thanks to Meta’s primary material choice: Plastic. The plastic casing that surrounds the Quest makes it lighter on the head and more resistant to damage. That extends to the Touch Plus controllers, which make all the difference when playing games or working out in apps that require rhythmic inputs like Beat Saber and Supernatural. 

Vision Pro has a similar app called Synth Riders, but I’ve found the reliance on hand-tracking far from ideal, especially in dimmer environments. It doesn’t help that the Vision Pro requires an external battery pack that becomes another thing to keep in the back of your mind as you move around.

3. The price is right

Some quick math tells me that the $500 Meta Quest 3 is significantly cheaper than the $3,500 Apple Vision Pro. Zuckerberg wasn’t wrong to use that as his starting argument. The price gap should also indicate to you how vastly different the two headsets are, and how Apple competing with Meta is more of a narrative than anything else. Put simply, the Vision Pro is intended for technology enthusiasts who want to leverage Apple’s spatial computing platform for work, media, and communications. Quest 3 offers similar functionality (and then some) but at a lesser quality — whether that’s display resolution, spatial audio playback, or processing speed.

At a fraction of the price, the Quest 3’s “good enough” status should be more than sufficient for most consumers.

You should buy the Apple Vision Pro if…

1. You want the clearest look into the future

I’m not exaggerating here. Using the Apple Vision Pro over the past two weeks has, in many ways, made my tablet, laptop, and TV feel outdated. I can chalk it up to the ultra-premium finish of the headset, from the curvatures of the 3D glass to the clickiness of the head strap fastener, or the 4K Micro OLED displays that can project 3D movies better than the ones in theaters, or how I can FaceTime a friend with a Digital Persona by navigating the software with only my eyes and finger pinches. Using Vision Pro is unlike any other VR headset I’ve tried, but I’ve also never tried one that costs $3,500.  

Also: I tried Apple Vision Pro for a weekend and here are my 3 biggest takeaways

What’s considered the “Apple Tax” comes with its benefits, such as greater customer support and repair services via the hundreds of Apple Stores nationwide, one-on-one demo sessions, and, most importantly, a seamless integration with the brand’s other hardware and services. AirDropping files to and from the Vision Pro feels as smooth as it should be, Mac Virtual Display gives your computer a 4K however-big-or-small monitor to work with, and watching Spatial Videos captured by the iPhone 15 Pro is the closest thing you’ll get to reliving memories.

2. You’re a movie fanatic who wants the best seats in the house

The combination of Vision Pro’s Micro OLED displays and dual-driver audio pods makes for one of the most immersive viewing experiences ever. From 3D renditions of Avengers: Endgame and Avatar: The Way of Water on Disney Plus to sitting courtside as Giannis Antetokounmpo tramples through defenders, the audiovisual quality of the Vision Pro is, arguably, superior to when you’re physically at the movie theater or basketball game. And it’s far better than the same experience on the Meta Quest 3.

Alternatives to consider

View at Amazon