Apple’s Vision Pro M5 comes with faster silicon, crisper displays, and a new strap — and all without shifting from its roughly $3,500 price. Feeling the heat from rivals in extended reality, early reviews have asked a simple question: Are these improvements enough to make fans out of everyday users?
The major outlets offer something closer to mixed coverage. Performance is improved, comfort sees an upgrade, and battery life inches upwards, but reviewers largely characterize the latest version as fine-tuning that smooths out some rough edges rather than a reimagining of what the headset can do.
- Performance and display upgrades enhance daily use
- Battery life and real-world usage see modest gains
- Fit, comfort, and weight changes with new strap design
- Apps, controls, and ecosystem remain key concerns
- How it stacks up today, and who the M5 is really for
- The key takeaways from early Vision Pro M5 reviews
Performance and display upgrades enhance daily use
The headline revision is the new Apple M5 chip, a replacement for the previous M2 that makes the Vision Pro feel more responsive to premium-laptop standards. Reviewers say that apps open much faster, and booting up is also significantly zippier. CNET’s Scott Stein referred to the improvements as “subtle” but significant — hand tracking feels more responsive in games like Synth Riders, and the overall experience stumbles less when multitasking with other apps.
Apple’s new 120Hz micro‑OLED panels (up from 100Hz) and higher pixel density also earned applause. The increased refresh rate is of great benefit in diminishing perceived latency, particularly when it comes to gesture input and rapid UI transitions. While no one is calling this a visual revolution, the uplift seems to simply remove friction in day-to-day use — and that actually matters much more for comfort and immersion than raw benchmarks.
Battery life and real-world usage see modest gains
Battery life inches up by about 30 minutes for general use, with Apple claiming approximately three hours for video playback. In testing, Tom’s Guide editor-in-chief Mark Spoonauer noted he hit 55% remaining after an hour and a half — pretty good progress, but not quite enough to erase the chainsaw feeling that the external battery brought with it. The most practical configuration for longer play sessions is still stationary use near an outlet, reviewers report.
It’s great that it’s improved, but it doesn’t radically alter usage patterns. The brick-in-pocket interaction is a trade-off to get the weight off of the headset itself, but detractors continue to register complaints that it’s not a more elegant, long-lived power solution.
Fit, comfort, and weight changes with new strap design
Paradoxically, the M5 is a touch heavier. Much of this is down to the new Dual Knit Band, which adds a top strap and a rear counterweight to even out pressure. Chance Miller (9to5Mac) called the design a “should’ve been there from day one” fix: easier to adjust, and less pressure on your face over time.
But the physics of a heavy, front-loaded headset continue to apply. Gizmodo’s Kyle Barr observed that even with a better strap, long sessions can strain eyes and cause pressure points that lead to natural breaks. “The good: I was on board until you pointed out how difficult it would be to remove this thing if I wanted to take a break — like if I had worn it all day and forgotten the battery when standing.”
Apps, controls, and ecosystem remain key concerns
Software remains the sticking point. Even with its integration of support for PlayStation VR2 controllers and an increasing slate of compatible iPad apps, critics argue that the Vision Pro continues to suffer from not having an expansive bench of must-have, made-for-spatial experiences. Stein also highlighted interoperability quirks with other Apple hardware that undermine the company’s vaunted seamless handoff and continuity across devices.
Reviewers agree that Apple still has some work to do on three fronts:
- Lighter hardware that feels more like glasses than goggles
- Tighter synergy with iPhone, iPad, and Mac for shared processing and battery monitoring
- A richer catalog of spatial-native apps with more flexible input methods
Until that trifecta materializes, the Vision Pro feels half-achieved — incredible demos and less roughness, but not yet a straightforward daily driver.
How it stacks up today, and who the M5 is really for
Context matters. There’s increased competition from new XR entrants, like high-quality Android-friendly headsets, and industry trackers like IDC have continued to project growth in mixed reality shipments as costs drop and content strengthens. Against that backdrop, Apple is playing it safe with a focus on polish rather than revolution — it will please early adopters and developers who care about such things, but whether the mainstream embraces the technology will depend largely on factors outside its control.
Priced at $3,500, the M5 model is for pros who are experimenting with a spatial workflow, developers creating content for visionOS, and enthusiasts playing Apple’s long game. If you passed on the original Vision Pro, this model is definitely nicer to have in your home. If you already have one, then enhancements like a faster chip, better displays, and an improved strap and battery life are welcome but mostly not transformative.
The key takeaways from early Vision Pro M5 reviews
Reviewers say the Vision Pro M5 is a smarter, smoother iteration that reduces friction — but doesn’t solve XR’s toughest challenges. Spoonauer put it bluntly: the revolution seems stuck. The hardware is advancing, but the case for necessity is still a work in progress — and Apple’s next big steps are likely going to have to be lighter, longer-lasting, and driven by apps you can’t imagine living without.
