Apple’s Vision Pro refresh lands with meaningful improvements wrapped in the same premium price tag that keeps most mortals at bay. The new M5 chip delivers four times the AI performance and bumps the display to 120Hz, making interactions noticeably smoother. Yet that $3,499 starting price remains unchanged—a decision that screams “developer kit” louder than Apple’s marketing team would prefer.
Performance Gains That Actually Matter
The M5 chip transforms Vision Pro from impressive tech demo to genuinely capable spatial computer.
This isn’t typical Apple spec-sheet fluff. The M5’s 10-core GPU with Neural Accelerators delivers tangible improvements you’ll notice immediately. Apps load faster, the spatial interface responds without lag, and AI features like Persona capture run 50% quicker. The 120Hz refresh rate reduces the motion blur that plagued first-generation units during head movements. Battery life creeps up to 2.5 hours—still requiring that external pack, but every minute counts when you’re working in virtual space.
Comfort Gets the Tungsten Treatment
The new Dual Knit Band tackles Vision Pro’s biggest physical complaint with metal counterweights.
Apple heard the comfort complaints loud and clear. The redesigned Dual Knit Band uses tungsten inserts for better weight distribution, turning extended sessions from endurance tests into more manageable experiences. The catch? It’s $99 extra for existing Vision Pro owners, because apparently the original headband experience wasn’t costly enough. Multiple sizes accommodate different head shapes, suggesting Apple learned that one-size-fits-all doesn’t work for devices you strap to your skull.
Smart Glasses Strategy Reveals Apple’s Real Plan
Bloomberg reports show Apple’s betting on lightweight glasses, not cheaper headsets.
Here’s where things get interesting. Apple reportedly shelved plans for a budget Vision Pro, instead focusing resources on smart glasses launching in 2027-2028. This refresh feels less like mass-market preparation and more like Apple perfecting its spatial computing foundation. The Vision Pro remains what reviewers consistently describe—a sophisticated technology demonstration that happens to work as a developer platform.
The M5 Vision Pro consolidates Apple’s learnings across every product category into one premium package. For developers and affluent early adopters, these improvements justify the investment. For everyone else, this update confirms Apple’s timeline: revolutionary spatial computing experiences are coming, but they’re still a few years and several price drops away from your living room.
