Apple Unveils Updated Vision Pro with M5 Chip and Enhanced Dual Knit Band

Apple Unveils Updated Vision Pro with M5 Chip and Enhanced Dual Knit Band

Apple has announced the next-generation Vision Pro headset, just hours after Samsung signaled its plans to reveal the Android XR headset codenamed "Project Moohan" on October 21. The new Vision Pro brings notable upgrades, including the M5 chip and a redesigned Dual Knit band aimed at improving user comfort.

Design and Comfort

The most visible change is the new Dual Knit band, developed likely in collaboration with ResMed, the company behind the original Vision Pro’s Kontor head strap. This band balances the headset’s weight more evenly and allows for fine-tuned adjustments, making it more comfortable than before. It represents a hybrid approach between the Solo Knitted Band and the Dual Loop Band from the first model. Interestingly, the Dual Knit Band is available separately for existing Vision Pro users for USD 99.

Despite the comfort improvements, the M5 Vision Pro is 25% heavier than its predecessor, weighing between 750 and 800 grams depending on the headband configuration. It still requires an external battery pack weighing around 353 grams. Battery life has seen a modest improvement, offering up to 2.5 hours of normal use and up to 3 hours of video playback, up from 2.5 hours previously. The included 40W dynamic power adapter, USB-C cable, and polishing cloth handle charging duties.

Display and Performance

Display upgrades are subtle. The custom micro-OLED panel retains its 23 million pixels and 92% DCI-P3 color gamut but now supports a 120Hz refresh rate alongside the existing 90Hz, 96Hz, and 100Hz options. Like the original, it automatically adjusts for the user’s interpupillary distance.

The major leap comes from the M5 chip, a significant upgrade over the M2 in the first Vision Pro. Apple claims a 50% faster Neural Engine for AI features and up to twice the speed for some third-party apps. The M5 also enables the headset to render 10% more pixels for sharper text and images. The chip combines a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, paired with the Apple R1 chip for processing inputs from cameras, microphones, and sensors. Storage options start at 256GB, which many find pricey given the high cost.

visionOS 26 and New Features

The headset runs visionOS 26, introducing several enhancements. Users can place widgets in physical spaces around them, and these remain in position the next time the headset is used. A new “Spatial scenes” feature adds depth to 2D images for a more immersive experience. Spatial photos and videos captured on compatible iPhones (15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 16 series, 16 Pro series, 17 series) can be viewed through the Vision Pro.

The Safari browser has been updated for spatial browsing, and the user’s “Persona” appears more realistic with improved hair, eyelashes, and skin tones. The Vision Pro also supports multiplayer capabilities for watching movies or playing spatial games with nearby users. Additionally, visionOS 26 adds compatibility with Sony’s PlayStation VR2 Sense Controllers, expanding gaming options.

Specifications

• Weight: 750 – 800 grams (depending on Light Seal and head band configuration)
• Display: Custom micro-OLED panel with 23 million pixels, 92% DCI-P3, up to 120Hz refresh rate
• Performance: Apple M5 chip (3nm), Apple R1 chip
• Storage: 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
• Operating System: visionOS 26
• Sensors: 2x high-resolution main camera, 6x world-facing tracking cameras, 4x eye-tracking cameras, TruDepth camera, LiDAR scanner, 4x IMUs, flicker sensor, ambient light sensor
• Audio: Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, six-mic array
• Battery: Up to 2.5 hours in general use, up to 3 hours of video playback
• Connectivity: WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3

Price and Availability in Nepal

The M5 Vision Pro retains the same pricing as its predecessor, starting at USD 3,499 for the 256GB model, with the 512GB and 1TB variants costing USD 3,699 and USD 3,899 respectively. While the device is unlikely to arrive through official channels in Nepal, it is expected to appear through unauthorized sellers at a starting price of approximately NPR 640,000 for the base model.