M5 Apple Vision Pro Review: Is the New VR Spatial Computer Worth Upgrading To?

Apple refines the Vision Pro experience with improved comfort, faster performance, and subtle display enhancements rather than dramatic hardware changes.

Apple's second-generation Vision Pro arrives with a handful of meaningful improvements rather than a complete reinvention. The M5 chip promises significantly higher performance; Apple has introduced a redesigned Dual Knit Band to address one of the headset's biggest complaints, and the overall experience has been refined in subtle ways.

However, with the original Vision Pro now selling for considerably less on the used market, the bigger question is whether the new model is worth buying or if the first-generation headset remains the smarter choice.

Looking Back at the Original Vision Pro

The original Apple Vision Pro never received a full long-term review because by the time it officially became available, much of the initial excitement had already faded. However, after using the new M5 Apple Vision Pro for the past month and spending extensive time with the original model, there is now enough perspective to properly compare the two generations.

Ultimately, everything comes down to three things. First, the new strap changes almost everything about comfort. Second, the new M5 chip improves performance in several noticeable ways. Finally, the biggest question remains whether you should buy the M5 Apple Vision Pro or save money with the much cheaper M2 model.

The New Dual Knit Band Changes Everything

When the original Vision Pro launched, Apple included the Solo Knit Band. It looked incredible, which is why Apple featured it throughout its marketing materials. It was also extremely easy to adjust with the single knob on the back, which tightened or loosened the fit.

Unfortunately, comfort was its biggest weakness. Without any top support, the headset's entire weight rested on the forehead, making longer sessions increasingly uncomfortable.

Apple also included the Dual Loop Band inside the box. It distributed the weight much better thanks to the additional top strap, making it considerably more comfortable. However, it looked far less elegant and lost the convenience of the simple adjustment knob.

A few months later, Apple introduced another solution in partnership with Belkin. The additional top strap on the Solo Knit Band was intended to combine the best qualities of both previous designs. Comfort improved while the convenient adjustment mechanism remained intact.

Even then, the solution was not perfect. Adjusting the upper strap felt cumbersome, and the headset still remained too front-heavy. After about 40 minutes of use, the weight could still be felt pressing against the face. Now Apple has introduced the Dual Knit Band, which comes included with the M5 Apple Vision Pro. 

Existing Vision Pro owners can also purchase it separately for $99. This is easily the best strap Apple has released because it solves both major issues: weight distribution and adjustability.

Unlike previous designs, the rear section is made of metal, with tungsten inserts that serve as counterweights. Despite being heavier, the material remains flexible and extremely comfortable. Even better, both the rear section and the top support can now be adjusted using the same knob.

Turning the knob adjusts the rear fit, while pulling it outward switches control to the upper strap. The system feels intuitive and makes an enormous difference during extended use. If you already own the original Vision Pro, this is arguably the best upgrade you can make.

The M5 Chip Delivers Noticeable Performance Improvements

The second-generation Vision Pro replaces the M2 processor with Apple's M5 chip, representing a three-generation leap. Apple claims the M5 Vision Pro delivers double the CPU performance in both single-core and multi-core workloads, more than twice the GPU performance, and an impressive 27-times faster AI performance. Storage speeds have also improved; hardware-based ray tracing is now supported; the refresh rate has increased from 100Hz to 120Hz; and the display renders 10% more pixels.

In everyday use, the M5 Apple Vision Pro definitely feels faster. We noticed quicker boot times, noticeably faster app launches, and much faster loading when populating environments with widgets. Creating Spatial Photos also finishes more quickly. Overall, almost every interaction simply feels more responsive.

The improvement feels similar to moving from an M2 MacBook Pro to an M5 MacBook Pro, though not nearly as dramatic, since visionOS is based on iPadOS and is far less demanding than macOS. Beyond these improvements, however, the differences become much harder to notice.

Most applications perform almost identically. Although some developers have promised future updates that will take advantage of the M5's ray tracing capabilities and additional graphics performance, there are currently very few apps that actually do so. That situation may improve over time, but because Vision Pro remains a niche platform compared to Macs and iPads, expectations should remain realistic.

Higher Refresh Rate and Resolution Bring Only Minor Benefits

The refresh rate has increased to 120 Hz from the previous 100 Hz. Surprisingly, the difference is extremely difficult to notice. Even Mac Virtual Display continues to operate at 60 fps rather than taking advantage of the higher refresh rate.

Apple also states that the display renders 10% more pixels. This improvement is more noticeable, although still relatively small. The biggest difference appears when using the Mac Virtual Display. Since Vision Pro renders an enormous virtual 10K display, it relies on foveated rendering, a technique that renders the area you're looking at in much higher quality than the surrounding image.

With the M5, the high-quality viewing area becomes slightly larger, and the center image appears a bit sharper, reducing the tunnel-vision effect. The improvement is visible, but subtle. To compare the two headsets, we used a traditional Snellen eye chart while minimizing the Mac Virtual Display.

Using the M2 model, line nine was readable, although two characters remained too blurry to identify. With the M5 model, line nine became slightly clearer, leaving only one unreadable character. The difference exists, but it is far from dramatic.

Zeiss Lens Inserts Make the Biggest Difference

While comparing both models, another upgrade proved far more impactful than expected. Apple offers optional Zeiss Lens Inserts for Vision Pro. Even though glasses are not normally required, a proper eye examination followed by ordering the appropriate prescription inserts produced an unexpectedly dramatic improvement.

Everything became noticeably sharper, particularly outside the central viewing area. It almost felt as though the headset had received a much larger foveated rendering region. Repeating the Snellen eye test confirmed the difference. With the Zeiss Lens Inserts installed on the M2 Vision Pro, the entire ninth line became readable, outperforming the M5 without the inserts.

Combining the inserts with the M5 Apple Vision Pro also made a small portion of line ten readable, though not the entire line. The improvement delivered by the lenses was much greater than the difference between the M2 and M5 processors.

Should You Upgrade from the M2 Vision Pro?

The answer is simple: no. If you already own the original Vision Pro, upgrading to the M5 Apple Vision Pro simply isn't worthwhile. The Dual Knit Band is available separately, and adding the Zeiss Lens Inserts dramatically improves clarity. Together, they bring the original headset remarkably close to the M5 experience in terms of comfort and visual quality.

Apple also does not offer trade-ins for the original Vision Pro, which strongly suggests that even Apple does not expect existing owners to upgrade. That recommendation could change if future software begins to make meaningful use of the M5's additional performance, but right now the upgrade simply does not justify the cost.

Should You Buy an M5 Vision Pro or an M2 Vision Pro?

If you're considering your first Vision Pro, the decision becomes more interesting. Used M2 Vision Pro units have dropped to roughly $2,000. Waiting until prices approach around $1,500 would make the original model an exceptional value.

Even today, Vision Pro remains the best device available for watching movies. The virtual cinema experience feels enormous, while 3D movies look sharper and brighter than most traditional theater presentations. The headset also excels as a portable ultrawide display for Mac users. We found it incredibly useful while traveling, offering a floating workspace that feels genuinely practical. Gaming could also improve significantly thanks to recently introduced support for PlayStation VR2 controllers.

Another standout feature is the ability to pin widgets directly onto walls. Simple conveniences like viewing Apple device battery levels while working on an ultrawide Mac display make the overall experience feel surprisingly futuristic.

Software Still Has One Major Weakness

Although visionOS has matured considerably, one issue continues to stand out. Many iPad-specific applications display text at an excessively large size, even when using the smallest available scaling options.

Because of that limitation, we often preferred using Mac Virtual Display instead of filling the workspace with multiple floating iPad applications. Aside from that issue, the software experience is now in a very solid place.

The Future of Vision Pro

Hardware remains the biggest area needing improvement. If Apple continues to develop the Vision Pro platform, a future Vision Pro 2 will ideally be much lighter while offering substantially better battery life.

Battery performance on the M5 Apple Vision Pro remains roughly 2 hours, leaving plenty of room for improvement. Current expectations suggest that a truly redesigned Vision Pro may still be several years away.