Apple today has unveiled an upgraded Apple Vision Pro powered by the new M5 chip, promising faster performance, sharper visuals, and extended battery life. The headset also introduces a redesigned Dual Knit Band for improved comfort and ships with visionOS 26, which adds new spatial experiences and Apple Intelligence features.
According to Apple, the M5 aids in delivering a big leap in responsiveness across apps, games, and immersive environments on the hardware side, while visionOS 26 helps in that regard on the software front.
The tech giant claims that its new headset renders 10 percent more pixels on its custom micro‑OLED panels and supports refresh rates up to 120Hz, reducing motion blur in both immersive apps and Mac Virtual Display. The company adds that the "purpose-built R1 chip" helps immensely in creating a real-life image of the world within just 12 milliseconds.
Over on the software side, visionOS 26 introduces better widgets, improves Personas for FaceTime, and generative AI‑powered spatial scenes for adding depth to photos. Users can also enjoy 180‑degree and 360‑degree video playback.
Thanks to the combined efficiency of the new M5 and visionOS 26, Apple claims that battery life on the Vision Pro headset now extends to two and a half hours of general use or three hours of video playback on a single charge.
The new Dual Knit Band on the headset which leaked earlier this month is designed to add to the comfort, with a dual‑rib structure, breathable fabric, and a counterweight system for balance. A dual-function Fit Dial is there to allow for finer adjustments.
Pre‑orders for the Apple Vision Pro are open now with availability beginning October 22. Pricing starts at $3,499 (U.S.), and is available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities.