Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: How much does $3,500 really get you?

You may be thinking, "Why do an Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3 comparison? The Vision Pro is obviously better."

I'd agree that the Vision Pro, priced at nearly $4,000, has the better hardware. It's got zippier processors, far more cameras and sensors, supports eye tracking, and more. At the same time, however, both the Vision Pro and Quest 3 share many of the same features.

So the question is, does the Meta headset deliver better value despite lacking some perks? Let's find out.

Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Price

The Meta Quest 3, of course, is the cheapest of the two.

It has a starting price of $499.99 and comes with 128GB of storage. If you need more space, you can snag the 512GB variant for an extra $150.

In my personal experience, 128GB is more than enough. For reference, on my Meta Quest 3, I have a library of about 40 apps — they take up less than 64GB of space. However, if you are a VR streamer, and you plan to store in-game recordings, the 512GB model is best for you.

The Vision Pro, on the other hand, has an exorbitant price tag of $3,499, which gets you 256GB of storage. If that's not enough, grab the 512GB variant for $3,699. The priciest model, at $3,899, gives you 1TB of storage.

Winner: Quest 3

Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Design and comfort

I own a Quest 3 and Meta definitely "cheaped out" in the design realm.

On the plus side, it feels far more lightweight than its predecessor (Quest 2). And with journalists and influencers complaining that the Vision Pro is far too heavy to wear for long, I can say that is not an issue with the Quest 3.

However, the white nylon and polyester straps featured on the Quest 3 are flimsy. At one point, while I was adjusting the headset on my head, I accidentally yanked the strap from its clasp. Luckily, I was able to fix it, but this isn't a good sign as far as durability is concerned.

I'd highly recommend getting an Elite Strap alongside the Quest 3. Yeah, I know it's annoying to buy an extra accessory when you're already dropping $500, but the Elite Strap makes the Quest 3 more snug on your head, which is particularly ideal if you're playing high-energy games like Beat Saber.

The Vision Pro, as aforementioned, has developed a reputation of having poor weight distribution. YouTuber MKBHD remarked that he couldn't see himself wearing it for too long. The Quest 3 is made with plastic, for the most part, giving it a featherweight feel. The Vision Pro, on the other hand, is made of metal and glass, so it's quite unwieldy.

In the same way Meta has the Elite Strap, Apple offers something called the Dual Loop band, which helps improve the Vision Pro's balance, according to CNET.

Unlike the Elite Strap, though, the Dual Loop band ships with the Vision Pro.

Finally, if you ask me, the Vision Pro is the sexier of the two. The Meta Quest 3's trio of "eyes" remind me of a web-creating insect. Bleugh.

Winner: Draw

Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Tracking

The Vision Pro, according to The Verge, has 12 cameras, a LIDAR sensor, a TrueDepth camera, and IR flood illuminators (allows your hands to be "seen" in low-light conditions).

The Meta Quest 3, on the other hand, has six sensors, according to ZDNet. Two of which are RGB cameras that facilitate mixed-reality experiences.

Both the Vision Pro and Quest 3 can launch augmented reality (AR) experience. In other words, in addition of virtual reality (i.e., total immersion in a simulated space), they can overlay virtual artifacts on top of your real-world environment.

To navigate these experiences, the Vision Pro supports eye tracking and hand tracking. It does not have controllers. The Quest 3, on the other hand, does not support eye tracking, but it offers hand tracking — and ships with a pair of controllers.

Reviews, like this one from CNET, say that the eye and hand tracking on the Vision Pro are mindblowing. The hand tracking on the Quest 3, on the other hand, is a bit buggy and unreliable. The controllers, however, make the Quest 3 a better headset for gaming.

(The Vision Pro supports controllers such as PS5 DualSense, but the Meta headset still has the edge as it has controllers tailored for the Quest experience.)

Winner: Meta Quest 3

Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Apps and games

Naturally, the Quest series is a more established headset line, with the first consumer device hitting the market in 2016 (i.e., the Oculus Rift). As such, developers have been making games tailored for the Quest platform for years now.

Some of the best Quest 3 games include I Expect You to Die 2, Pistol Whip, and Rec Room's Laser Tag.

And despite the Quest's incredibly large portfolio of games, I don't use it regularly. Once I've finished playing a game I love (e.g., a new installment from the I Expect You to Die series), it's difficult to find another that's equally as gripping. And while the Quest 3 has a cornucopia of stellar virtual reality games, as I mentioned in my review, the AR games are scant.

So if the Quest line has this issue, and it's been around for years, imagine the mountainous hurdle that the Vision Pro faces as a fledgling mixed-reality headset in the market.

On the plus side, Apple is making it easy for iPad and iOS developers to port over their apps and games to the Vision Pro. However, the Vision Pro will still need mind-boggling native Vision Pro software — apps designed to take advantage of its top-of-the-line hand-and-eye tracking — to truly take off.

Apple has announced 600 apps for Vision Pro. Apple Arcade offers access to 250 games, which will likely deliver more of a big-screen experience as opposed to anything immersive, as DigitalTrends puts it.

Keep in mind that the Vision Pro, unlike the Quest 3, will not have native apps for YouTube and Netflix. And in my experience, the YouTube and Netflix experiences on the Quest 3 are phenomenal, both simulating a gigantic home theater feel.

Winner: Meta Quest 3

Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Graphics

The Vision Pro features dual 3,680 x 3,140-pixel, micro-OLED displays, which beats what the Quest 3 offers (dual LCD panels with 2,064 x 2,208-pixel resolution).

Based on these specs, Vision Pro should deliver better graphical fidelity compared to the Quest 3. In other words, apps and games should feel more immersive because they're closer to what the eyes see in real life.

The Quest 3, in my opinion, has mediocre graphics. In mixed-reality games, although the real-world environment is displayed in vivid color, it's still somewhat fuzzy and noisy.

Winner: Vision Pro

Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Battery life

Apple claims that the Vision Pro delivers about 2 to 2.5 hours of battery life, which is similar to what I get with the Quest 3.

The downside of the Vision Pro, however, is that it comes with a battery pack. You must charge the battery pack first. Next, you'll need to connect the battery pack to the headset via a proprietary connector. Awkwardly, this battery pack must sit in your pocket while you're using the Vision Pro.

The Quest 3 doesn't have this issue. You only need to charge the headset itself. Once it's juiced up, you're free to use the headset without any wires getting in the way.

To make things clear, the Quest 3 is a wireless headset. You do not need to hook it up to a PC. (It's worth nothing, though, that you can connect it to one of the best gaming laptops to harness their GPU power to unlock access to more powerful Steam VR games.)

Winner: Quest 3

Final thoughts

The Vision Pro may be a cutting-edge technology, but since it's still a "baby," few apps will take full advantage of its capabilities at this time.

It's also worth noting that the Vision Pro is not a gaming headset. Can it play games? Sure. For example, games like Super Fruit Ninja and Demeo are expected to support Vision Pro. However, it doesn't have controllers, so the hand tracking may not keep up with some of the zippy action games on the market.

Plus, because the Vision Pro is controller-less, established developers will have to rejig their games so that they're compatible with the Apple headset's eye-and-hand tracking functionality, which takes time.

As such, the Vision Pro is ideal for spatial computing (e.g., mixed-reality productivity) and immersive entertainment (e.g., watching multi-dimensional films, videos, and photos). The Quest 3 can do all of those things — and fast-moving gaming.

For best value for money, the Quest 3 is the winner — for now.