Apple’s M5 Vision Pro Is a Lot More Powerful and Just As Expensive

Apple’s Vision Pro is getting its first big upgrade since its release, and just like all the products Apple announced today, everything centers on the M5 chip. According to Apple, the introduction of the M5 brings quite a few benefits to the Vision Pro experience, including “10% more pixels on the custom micro-OLED displays,” which should equate to a sharper, better-defined viewing experience. A new 10-core GPU architecture will also enable ray tracing and very likely make gaming feel even more immersive, particularly when it comes to rendering light and shadow.

On top of that, the M5 will bump the Vision Pro’s refresh rate to 120Hz, helping to reduce ghosting and make watching pretty much any experience involving lots of motion look even smoother. If you’re worried about AI performance, the M5 will also perform better on that front. Apple says native AI experiences like Personas and spatial video run 50% faster, which may not be the most important metrics in the world, but they will be a boon to those who don’t like waiting around for things to load. As you might expect from Apple silicon, the M5 sounds like a step up generation-to-generation, but it’s not just about performance; the chip is also bringing much-needed battery improvements.

Apple says the M5 Vision Pro is rated for 2.5 hours of general use and three hours of video playback. That last one is especially important considering that the Vision Pro is still positioned as the best headset for long-form content thanks to its premium display. Speaking of wearing the Vision Pro for hours at a time, Apple is also introducing a new Dual Knit Band that has both upper and lower straps. That might not sound like the most mind-blowing upgrade, but having used the previous Vision Pro myself, I predict that extra support will go a long way, especially since the headset weighs between 600 and 650 grams. The band will also be sold separately for $99.

One thing you won’t be getting in this generation is a discount. With the M5 and upgraded head strap, the price this generation will remain the same—which is to say, $3,500. That’s a heck of a lot of money for a headset, but if you’re in the market for a very expensive toy and have the cash to spare, this Vision Pro is shaping up to be the best, most performant one you can buy.

You can preorder the M5 Apple Vision Pro starting today, and the headset hits shelves on Oct. 22.