The Apple Vision Pro headset has garnered some seriously mixed reviews since its release, and a wave of Apple fans are ditching the $3,499 headset for a refund as the 14-day return window approaches. Not everyone was impressed by this next-gen premium VR headset, and as the novelty begins to wear off for most, it seems Apple hasn't quite produced the Meta Quest 3 competitor it initially hoped for.
Even Mark Zuckerberg has tried out the Apple Vision Pro, as we recently reported, and shares in a casual reaction video that his company's Meta Quest headset is not the cheaper alternative to the Vision Pro, as he presumed it would be, but is actually the "better product, period." Given the weight, gesture-based controls, and lack of versatility with the Apple Vision Pro, maybe he's right?
(Image credit: Apple)
According to Reddit, some of the most common reasons that Apple fans are returning the Vision Pro headset include comfort issues, particularly the fact that it's so heavy (weighing in at around 22.9 ounces), and causing early adopters headaches after only 10 minutes of use. Having a screen practically on your eyeballs can't be good for eye strain either. Does the Vision Pro have blue-light blocking filters?
Reddit user Affectionate_Ear_743 said: "I really wanted to love it. I am an Apple ecosystem family. But I was disappointed and I still have a headache from wearing it for about an hour last time. Unfortunately I may be resting mine."
Another common reason why the people of Reddit are returning their Apple Vision Pro's boils down to the purchase feeling more like a gamble. It's understandable for a gen-1 product to not be flawless, but sub-par performance at this high of a price tag can't be forgiven. And many are waiting in anticipation for an improved version 2 model to be released instead (which could be a few years away yet).
There's also the ridicule that comes with wearing and owning the Apple Vision Pro, especially in public spaces. We have to admit that even we think the Vision Pro looks pretty goofy when worn at a table surrounded by food. Just, why?
The overall consensus is that the price of the Apple Vision Pro is just too expensive to justify keeping the product after consumers have had their two weeks of fun with it. There might not be enough bang for the buck to warrant frequent usage of the headset either, with reports of limited productivity, file support issues, and insufficient entertainment (can you believe it doesn't have Netflix?) to keep Apple fans occupied.
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(Image credit: Apple)
However, in more recent news, it has been announced that the Apple Vison Pro will be getting two new VR staples: Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator. You have to admit that it's pretty ironic to be using a vacation simulator through a VR headset that you paid $3.5K for in your living room instead of, maybe, going on holiday? As our reviews editor put it "We deserve the meteor."
All jokes aside, we hope that Apple will come to the rescue and add more features and functionality to the Apple Vision Pro so that users aren't feeling too let down and out of pocket. Personally, I'll stick with Android.
Beth is Creative Bloq’s Ecommerce Writer and has the fun job of finding you the very best prices and deals on creative tech. Beth kicked off her journalistic career writing for Digital Camera World, and has since earned bylines on TechRadar too. With a Masters degree in Photography, Beth loves getting to tinker with new cameras, especially camera phones, as the resident Samsung fan on the team. Her background working as a tester for CeX let her play around with all kinds of weird and wonderful products, including robots, and she’s recently gotten into 3D printing too. Outside of CB, you’ll find her gaming on her PS5, photographing local shows under the alias Bethshootsbands, and making TikToks of her dog, Tilly.
