- Powered by Apple’s new M5 chip, the Vision Pro delivers faster performance, smoother multitasking, and enhanced graphics capabilities.
- Improved micro-OLED displays now render 10% more pixels, offering sharper visuals, better clarity, and more realistic lighting for apps and games.
- Enhanced comfort and slightly longer battery life with the included Dual Knit Band, making extended use easier without increasing the $3,499 price.
Apple has finally launched the upgraded version of its spatial computing headset, the M5 Vision Pro. Building on the first Vision Pro that featured the M2 chip, this new model is powered by Apple’s latest M5 chip, which also appear in the latest iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models. The upgrade claims faster performance, sharper visuals, and improved comfort, making it Apple’s most refined spatial computing device yet.
Apple unveils M5 Vision Pro: faster, sharper, and smarter than ever
The main difference in the new M5 Vision Pro is the power of the M5 chip. It’s built to handle everything faster, from loading apps and browsing to multitasking in spatial environments. The performance jump is clearly noticeable when compared to the previous model.
The M5 chip also comes with a 10-core GPU, which supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading. This means developers can make games and apps with more realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections. Apple mentioned that games like Control can now show a much better visual experience on the headset.
The headset’s micro-OLED displays now render 10% more pixels, which should make the visuals sharper and cleaner to look at. It’s not a massive change, but it improves the overall experience for users.
Apple has maintained the base price at $3,499 for the 256GB model. While the price remains the same, comfort has been addressed with the Dual Knit Band, included by default. This band adds a top strap for extra stability, making long sessions more comfortable. For existing Vision Pro owners, the band is available separately for $99.
Battery life has slightly improved too. The new model gives around 2.5 hours of normal use and up to 3 hours of video playback. That’s a small increase compared to the older version that lasted about 2 hours for general use.
Production and release timeline
According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple has begun mass production of both the M5 Vision Pro and the new iPad Pro, indicating that a public release is imminent. Pre-orders for the M5 Vision Pro are already live, with shipments scheduled to begin on October 22.
What’s interesting is that Apple seems to be moving away from making a cheaper or lighter version of the Vision Pro. Instead, the company is developing smart glasses for future releases. One version, without a built-in display and designed to work alongside iPhones, is expected in 2027. Another version, featuring a full display to compete with Meta’s Ray-Ban Display, could arrive in 2028.
Apple’s vision for the future
For now, the M5 Vision Pro is Apple’s next step toward building the future of spatial computing. The first Vision Pro was praised for its innovation but was also seen as something made more for developers than regular users because of its price and lack of content. The M5 upgrade improves performance and comfort, but the main success still depends on how fast developers bring new and useful apps for the headset.
Availability
The M5 Vision Pro is available for pre-order now at $3,499, with shipments starting October 22.
Overall, the M5 Vision Pro brings a faster chip, improved visuals, slightly better battery life, and enhanced comfort without increasing the price. While not a radical redesign, it is a clear upgrade from the first Vision Pro and is the best choice for Apple enthusiasts and spatial computing fans.
