Mark Zuckerberg recently On Instagram He left his impressions of using Apple Vision Pro. The content can be easily predicted. It is claimed that the Quest 3 is an “overall superior device for enjoying mixed reality.” Honestly, I didn’t expect to see such a strange video of Zuckerberg sitting in a hotel room talking about a competitor’s headset product. Meta, led by Zuckerberg, has a Reality Labs division in charge of Quest 3, and has so far recorded billions of dollars in losses in the process of developing, selling, and marketing this product.
ⓒ Foundry
Zuckerberg is the most controversial figure on mixed reality devices, so it’s worth hearing his opinion. But is his opinion really accurate? What can the $500 Quest 3 do that the Vision Pro, which costs seven times as much, can’t? Overall, is Quest 3 more suitable for general users? As someone who has used both devices for quite some time, I think Zuckerberg’s opinion makes sense. However, I left out some important facts. Some of the evidence claiming that the Quest 3 is better than the Vision Pro is not persuasive, and that may change in the near future.
Let’s compare Quest 3 and Vision Pro. However, to clarify in advance, what is described here may change as the product continues to improve.
Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Price and value for money
Let’s start with where the Quest 3 clearly excels. It’s the price. The Quest 3 starts at $500, while the Vision Pro costs $3,500. The former is a product aimed at millions of potential users, and the latter is a kind of luxury item.
This difference continues even beyond the headset itself. In other words, the Quest 3 related accessories are quite reasonably priced, and the Vision Pro is not. For example, the Quest 3 bag costs $70, while Apple’s ‘wrinkly cloud-shaped’ case costs $199. The fixing strap is also $70 for the Quest 3, but $99 per side for the Vision Pro. Since 2 pages are required, the actual price is double. Let’s look at the price of lenses for glasses users. The Quest 3 sold by Zenni is $50, half the price of the Zeiss for Vision Pro and one-third the price of a custom lens. Moreover, in the case of Quest 3, many people do not need these accessories. If you adjust the gasket a little deeper, you can wear the Quest 3 even while wearing glasses.
Of course, the Quest 3 looks cheaper because it is made of plastic, and the seams are not as smooth as the Vision Pro. However, the winner in terms of price and cost-effectiveness is the Quest 3. No matter how good the Vision Pro is, it is too expensive for many people to purchase.
Winner: Meta Quest 3
Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Comfort
The weight of the Vision Pro cannot be left out. There is a difference depending on the strap, but it is about 20% heavier than the Quest 3 at 600-650g. In reality, the difference may be greater depending on how the product is used. Quest 3 has better weight distribution through the strap. The $70 Elite Strap rests securely on the back of your head, distributing the weight across your entire head and virtually eliminating the feeling of the headset pressing against your face. It can also prevent light from leaking.
On the other hand, almost all of the Vision Pro’s weight is focused on the front of the product. When I move around while wearing this product, I feel a lot of pressure on my face. Even if you use a dual loop band to support the weight above your head, it still feels like a lot of pressure.
But wearing a headset is not the only factor that determines comfort. The Quest 3 has many advantages over the Vision Pro in the comfort department, but the Vision Pro feels more comfortable in a slightly different way. This is the hand tracking function. Quest 3 also supports this, but it does not work reliably without a controller. This is because the default input method is a controller. It’s quite inconvenient to have to pick up the controller every time you need to use the virtual display or keyboard.
It’s also worth mentioning that fans of Quest 3 return often. You can clearly hear the sound of the fan. It doesn’t really bother me in a VR environment with a lot of music or sound effects, but I hear a ‘buzz’ sound very frequently during everyday tasks. On the other hand, the Vision Pro had two fans, but I couldn’t hear the fans at all when I was using it. Additionally, the Quest 3’s pass-through video is grainy and severely distorted compared to the Vision Pro. You can see that Apple put a lot of effort into making the pass-through video match what the actual user sees.
Taking these things into consideration, the Quest 3 is a more comfortable headset than the Vision Pro. Apple’s uncomfortable bands and obsession with metal and plastic led to this result. However, it is not a significant difference.
Winner: Meta Quest 3
Vision Pro vs. MetaQuest 3: Interface and Usability
In this department, the Vision Pro is significantly ahead of the Quest 3. In short, Vision Pro is easier to use. The interface, which operates solely through eye and hand tracking, is clearer and more intuitive. Of course, there are many inconveniences. You can’t have windows follow you around, and notifications are sloppy. Apps are still either missing or half-baked, and Home View is especially messy. However, manipulating the virtual environment as the user wants is clean and clear.
Quest 3, on the other hand, requires the use of a controller. The controller has many convenient advantages, but operating the main interface with something like a pair of laser pointers makes it feel like a VR prototype rather than a polished product. The icons are too many and too small to be inconvenient, and the way to enlarge the selected item is vague or impossible. Additionally, in augmented reality mode, the number of 3D apps that can run simultaneously is limited to three. Apple also has more sophisticated accessibility settings.
Quest 3 is limited to three apps that can be placed in space. Using controls like a laser pointer is not a good interface. ⓒ Foundry
Overall, Quest’s interface is cumbersome and difficult to use. It feels like a mixture of new ideas and existing customs. For example, some are icons and others are almost web-like feeds. Buttons come in all sizes and shapes, and some interfaces are too small. On the other hand, Vision Pro’s interface is relatively limited compared to Quest’s, but it’s clear and consistent, and you’ll get used to it after using it for just a few minutes. Even after using Quest 3 for several days, I often still discover new ways in which it works. If you ask someone who is not familiar with new technology to wear the Quest 3 and find, download, and run a specific app, they will most likely be confused.
Winner: Apple Vision Pro
Vision Pro vs. MetaQuest 3: Productivity Features
To be honest, neither headset is very useful for actual work. There is a difference. When you wear Vision Pro and use virtual desktops and universal controls, you can seamlessly move between your Mac desktop and Vision Pro apps using your Mac’s keyboard and trackpad. The higher resolution and fidelity of the Vision Pro display makes testing on a virtual computer screen more efficient than with the Quest 3. However, even if you do this, you cannot move between the two apps with the mouse.
The ability to place windows wherever you want is very powerful. However, it is difficult to be productive without a Mac. ⓒ Foundry
In summary, not only Quest 3 but also the better Vision Pro are not comparable to working while looking at an actual monitor. Additionally, apps created for Quest 3 or Vision Pro are mostly inferior to apps installed on laptops or desktops. A representative example is accessing and working with files, but there are many limitations in core functions. The Mac environment, which allows you to run more apps simultaneously and use Finder, is incomparably better for work.
So who is the winner in the productivity category? It is a Vision Pro thanks to its ability to easily run and redeploy multiple applications. All texts and photos are automatically synchronized to the cloud, and it is more convenient to use with other Apple products. However, that doesn’t mean you can get work done any easier or faster than working with the headset off. In most cases, purchasing an additional monitor is a better way to increase productivity. However, considering the excellent display accuracy, multitasking, and easier and more intuitive interface without a controller, Vision Pro has the potential to be a better productivity tool. It’s just that the app hasn’t gotten off the ground yet.
Winner: Apple Vision Pro
Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Entertainment
Currently, the most outstanding and complete use of the Vision Pro is probably watching movies or videos. Whether flat, 3D or spatial, the experience of viewing images in Vision Pro is truly unique. This specialness is mainly due to the fantastic HDR display, but excellent space apps like Disney Plus also play a role.
Games are another important form of entertainment. You can play some iPad games on the Vision Pro, but you won’t be able to play them without an Xbox or PlayStation controller. 3D games are almost impossible to find, and the same goes for so-called ‘AAA’ masterpiece full VR games. With no support for hand-tracking controllers, it’s hard to imagine the Vision Pro being a truly high-quality, immersive gaming device.
If the best game you can play is a 14-year-old iPhone game, this is not normal. ⓒ Foundry
If you watch video with Quest 3, the picture quality is not as good as Vision Pro. However, there are more diverse videos that can be viewed. There are more streaming apps available, and unlike the Vision Pro, you can also watch VR videos on the web. There are many high-quality apps that can stream VR or general video through local network sharing. Apple Vision Pro lags far behind in this regard.
High-quality VR games, including AAA games, are important. In fact, if you purchase the Quest 3 headset, you get Asgard’s Wrath 2 for free, and it surpasses all Vision Pro games in terms of game depth and quality. Additionally, with Quest 3, you can enjoy PC VR games on a Windows PC using a wireless connection or link cable. You can also play Steam VR games or games from other PC marketplaces. Compared to these games, Vision Pro games are at the level of children’s toys.
Xbox streaming works fine on the Quest 3, but is not available on the Vision Pro. ⓒ Foundry
In summary, the video viewing experience that Vision Pro provides through very few apps is excellent. However, it is difficult to view videos using other methods, so content selection is very limited. Also, the gaming sector is embarrassing to compare to Quest.
Winner: Meta Quest 3
Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Social Sharing
If there’s one thing that’s really disappointing about the Vision Pro, it’s that it’s a very disconnected device. Aside from a FaceTime call that shows your persona in a floating window, there is no way to share ‘something using space’ with others. It is impossible to watch a movie together in a virtual theater, or for two people to look at and interact with the same virtual object in the same space, each using Vision Pro. There are no online multiplayer games where you can see other people or avatars.
Meta’s approach is the exact opposite of Apple’s. Since the early days of Oculus Rift, when it released the ability to connect to a gaming PC, a lot of emphasis has been placed on multiplayer games. With MetaQuest 3, you can enjoy a complete multi-user experience, from VR chat to multiplayer gaming. A representative example is ‘Horizon Worlds’, a metaverse space where people can create avatars and do various activities such as walking, playing games, and watching TV together.
Although Horizon World has some shortcomings, it is a good example of the ‘reality + social’ combination that Meta dreams of. ⓒ Meta
With social media as its main business, it is not surprising that Meta focuses on connection and collaboration between users. On the other hand, there is currently no Metaverse app for the Vision Pro, and Apple probably will not create a Metaverse service. However, it is also clear that it is too big a task for a third-party company to develop a metaverse tailored to Vision Pro. However, even taking this into consideration, it is unfortunate that most of the work that can be done with Vision Pro is done entirely by yourself. This is because you are missing out on telepresence experiences, from working to watching TV or movies, watching sports games, and playing games. In summary, Meta is the winner in terms of social sharing, but not entirely because Meta is good at it. This is because Apple scored an own goal.
Winner: Meta Quest 3
Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Ecosystem
Vision Pro may seem like a great deal because you only have to log in once and everything, including texts, photos, and emails, will be synchronized with your Mac and iPhone. Creating a Mac virtual display is as easy as taking a glance at your MacBook and selecting the ‘Connect’ button. Several immersive movies and drama videos that can be viewed on Vision Pro are also available on Apple TV Plus.
But it’s also true that there’s a big disconnect between the Vision Pro and other Apple devices. In fact, you can’t use the Vision Pro with an iPhone or Apple Watch. While wearing the Vision Pro, you cannot see the iPhone or iPad screen like you can on a Mac. You cannot receive notifications when a call comes in, and you cannot send video to the VR screen in Vision Pro using AirPlay from another Apple device. Even if you create a virtual Mac display, the audio comes from the Mac, not the Vision Pro.
Of course, this does not mean that there are no ways to use it with other devices. Some third-party apps allow you to play videos or music from your local network. However, other than these few methods, there is no way to connect directly to Vision Pro. It is impossible to install apps separately, and installing apps from the web or other marketplaces, like on Mac, is blocked.
By connecting Quest 3 with other devices, you can use various functions that Vision Pro does not support. ⓒ Foundry
On the other hand, Quest 3 does not have an integrated ecosystem where you can log in once and view everything, including photos and texts, smoothly. Instead, it has the advantage of being compatible with a variety of devices. It supports a variety of functions, including using external storage, connecting to a PC, installing external apps, and running VR games and apps on a Windows PC. Of course, it can be connected to all types of controllers and Bluetooth devices. It supports a wider range of devices than Vision Pro.
In summary, it’s clear that Vision Pro’s ecosystem is easier to use, but it’s limited to Apple devices and services, and even this is a bit sloppy at the moment. Quest 3’s ecosystem is often a bit cumbersome to set up, but its strength is that it is more extensive and works seamlessly with other devices.
Winner: Meta Quest 3
How long will Quest 3 maintain its advantage?
I think Zuckerberg’s argument is persuasive. He argued that the Quest 3 is a better device for most mixed reality applications, and as you can see, it is.
Above all, it is important to note that most people around the world are not deeply involved in the Apple ecosystem. Even if these people purchase Vision Pro, they cannot enjoy benefits such as easy cloud synchronization of texts or photos. They are likely to prefer WhatsApp video calls over FaceTime. Moreover, the purposes for which people currently use mixed reality are mainly entertainment, multiplayer, and multi-user social experiences. I just watch VR and general videos, play games, and do home gym. The Vision Pro’s video quality is excellent, but the video you can view is limited. It is not at all or barely suitable as a gaming or fitness device.
However, there is one thing that Zuckerberg overlooked or intentionally ignored. The fact is that he was comparing the latest version of a product that has been improved over the years with the first device on a platform that is now a month old. Part of the Quest 3’s strength for mixed reality applications comes from the Quest family’s position as the dominant leader in this market. Quest headsets have been continuously improved to suit the purposes for which people use the product.
It will be difficult for Apple to catch up with this difference in a short period of time. Since you can’t connect any other devices to the Vision Pro, it’s unlikely that a larger ecosystem will be created any time soon. However, it is possible to make major improvements through great software updates, updates to core apps, and the addition of new apps. Through this, it is important to create new experiences that the current quest cannot provide.
The biggest problem with Vision Pro is that it is still unfinished. As Zuckerberg pointed out, it is not a question of whether it is a ‘closed’ ecosystem or an ‘open’ ecosystem. Apple needs to improve the platform, update major apps to match Vision Pro, and encourage more developers to develop Vision Pro apps. At the same time, they need to do this faster than Meta can release software with a great interface and products with better displays and eye-tracking features.
If you want to buy an AR/VR headset right away and plan to use it for common uses such as entertainment, fitness, and social media, the Quest 3 is clearly a better product. In terms of productivity, to be honest, both products are not good, so even if Vision Pro has a slight advantage, it is not a big advantage. The remaining question is how long the Quest 3 can maintain its position as the better headset. Apple has an answer to this.
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