After almost two years on the market, the Apple Vision Pro has received its first major hardware upgrade. Alongside the new iPad Pro and 14-inch MacBook Pro, the updated Vision Pro is among the launch devices for Apple’s new M5 chip.

For the Vision Pro, the chip update alone is a substantial improvement. The first-generation headset launched with an M2 chip when the M3 had already been released and the M4 was right around the corner.

What Does the M5 Bring?

One would assume improved performance would be the standout benefit of such a big generational leap. On the Vision Pro marketing page, Apple mentions “…faster load times for apps and widgets, more responsive web browsing…,” but doesn’t provide specific percentage gains.

Instead, the biggest benefit of the M5 is would appear to be improved efficiency. The M5 is built on a more advanced 3 nm process node compared to the older 5 nm process the M2 was built on. The result is a much more efficient chip which leads to better battery life. Apple now quotes up to 2.5 hours of general use (up from 2 hours) and 3 hours of video playback (up from 2.5 hours).

The M5 also brings 120 Hz refresh rate support. The original Vision Pro supported refresh rates up to 100 Hz. This change will likely benefit VR games as more of them are (hopefully) ported to the platform now that hardware controller support has arrived with visionOS 26.

Now here’s where things get interesting: Apple claims the M5 Vision Pro renders up to 10% more pixels. I’m still not entirely sure what that means. The displays themselves haven’t changed, so I guess the implication is that the M2 wasn’t performant enough to push every pixel in certain circumstances? It’s a little strange, and honestly, a bit annoying to think I might not be getting full use of all the pixels I paid (a lot) for.

New Accessories Expand Use Cases

The nice thing about the new Vision Pro accessories is that they are available for both generations of the headset.

The M5 Pro includes a redesigned strap in the box. Replacing the Solo Knit Band (which I use daily and enjoy) is the Dual Knit Band. It looks like two Solo Knit Bands stitched together, echoing the popular “Solo Top” mod from the early days of the headset.

The new band features tungsten inserts that act as counterweights for better balance and weight distribution. It remains to be seen how much this improves comfort compared to the widely reported fit issues with the Vision Pro, but any improvement is welcome. The Dual Knit Band can be purchased separately for $99.

Speaking of new accessories, we finally have release details for the accessories first announced at WWDC 2025.

The Logitech Muse, a spatial stylus, can now be preordered from Apple’s website for $130. I’m curious to see what, if any, note-taking solutions emerge from this. While you can take notes on an iPad or notepad while wearing the Vision Pro, the passthrough isn’t quite clear enough for it to be an enjoyable experience. If there was some kind of native note taking solution that didn’t require waving the stylus in the air, I would definitely pick up this accessory.

The standalone PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers will become available on November 11 for $250. It’s worth noting that the current retail price of the PSVR 2 (with controllers included) is $400.

The biggest complaint about gaming on visionOS has been the lack of controller support. Most major VR games are designed for the Meta Quest, which ships with hardware controllers. Hardware controllers bring more precise input tracking than the hand tracking system of Vision Pro (which is quite good). When you design a game around that level of precision, its hard get it to work as well without controllers.

No Trade-In Program

I’m very happy with my Vision Pro. However, like any good nerd, I can’t help but wonder what the math would look like if I was to upgrade. Most Apple products can be traded in toward new models, but currently there’s no trade-in program for the Vision Pro. Given how much aftermarket prices for the headset have fallen, any trade-in value Apple might offer would probably be unsatisfactory, but it still would be nice to see a program in place.

Who knows where this whole spatial computing concept goes, maybe its more headsets, maybe its glasses, maybe it goes nowhere. But I’m treating my first-generation Vision Pro like it was the original iPhone. I’m not planning to sell it or trade it in towards a new model.Hopefully, if I hold onto it long enough, I can sell it as a historical artifact for lots of money 🤣.

Link: Apple Newsroom