Apple upgrades Vision Pro with M5 chip including faster AI, sharper display, same $3,499 price
Apple today presented a revised version of its Vision Pro AR glasses with the new M5 chip. The headset is said to offer up to 50 percent faster AI performance and has a more comfortable dual knit band. The price remains at $3,499.
M5 chip brings a noticeable increase in performance
Apple has announced an updated version of its Vision Pro augmented reality headset that receives the new M5 chip. The glasses can now display ten percent more pixels on the micro-OLED displays, offering sharper images with more precise text. The refresh rate can be increased up to 120 Hertz, which reduces motion blur and enables a smoother display when using the Mac Virtual Display.
The M5 chip is based on the third generation of 3-nanometer technology and has a 10-core CPU with six efficiency and four performance cores. The CPU offers up to 15 percent faster multi-threaded performance than the M4. Particularly noteworthy is the new GPU architecture with integrated neural accelerators in each core. According to an Apple statement, AI-supported system functions should run up to 50 percent faster and third-party AI features should even run up to two times faster than in the first generation.
Improved wearing comfort
In addition to the performance increase, Apple is introducing a new Dual Knit Band. The band consists of a top and bottom strap that have been 3D knitted as one piece, forming a unique double rib structure. The bottom strap contains flexible fabric ribs with tungsten inserts as counterbalance for added comfort and better balance. The band is available in sizes S, M and L and can be purchased separately for 99 dollars (around 85 euros) – also for the first generation of the Vision Pro.
Battery life also improves. The Vision Pro with M5 now supports up to two and a half hours of general use and up to three hours of video playback on a single charge. However, the external battery pack is still required, which critics see as a weak point of the system. Apple was unable to reduce the weight of the headset itself – it still weighs between 600 and 650 grams depending on the configuration.
Price unchanged
Apple maintains the starting price of $3,699 and offers the Vision Pro with M5 in three storage variants: 256 gigabytes, 512 gigabytes and one terabyte. Pre-orders are already possible and general availability begins on October 22nd in Apple Stores in various countries, including Germany. The updated Vision Pro runs VisionOS 26, which offers new features such as persistent widgets, improved personas and spatial scenes with generative AI.
The system continues to work with the R1 chip, which processes input from twelve cameras, five sensors and six microphones and relays images to the displays within twelve milliseconds. Despite the improvements, the Vision Pro will likely remain a niche product – Apple sold fewer than a million units worldwide in its first year.
