Apple Vision Pro gets upgraded with new M5 chip and longer battery life
The updated system goes on sale next Wednesday, October 22
š„½ Apple just announced a new version of the Apple Vision Pro
āļø The upgraded model comes with the new M5 chip
š It delivers faster performance, improved display rendering, and longer battery life
š It also ships with a new Dual Knit Band for a more comfortable experience
š The upgraded Vision Pro is up for preorder now at $3,499
Apple has finally upgraded the Vision Pro. It isnāt a complete redesign or the rumored cheaper āVision Airā headset, though. Instead, itās a spec bump - a notable one, at that. The company now includes its upgraded M5 chipset in the headset, the same one found in the 14-inch MacBook Pro and iPad Pro. The chip enables faster performance and better display rendering, as well as slightly longer battery life.
š„½ Apple Vision Pro with M5: what you need to know
š Big chip upgrade. The Vision Pro originally used Appleās M2 processor, which came out in 2022. Itās now been replaced by the new M5, which uses a new 3-nanometer process for its design that makes it smaller and more efficient. Itās also a lot more powerful: the 10-core CPU delivers better performance for ordinary tasks, while the 10-core GPU allows for more powerful gameplay and other graphics-heavy experiences, which can now be outfitted with better details like shadows and reflections.
š Improvements you can see. Apple says the chip also allows for 10% more rendered pixels on the micro-OLED displays inside the Vision Pro, which should help everything look a bit sharper. The M5 also enables a 120Hz refresh rate for the screens, helping everything look smoother to the naked eye.
š¤ Faster AI performance. The M5 also enables faster performance for AI-related tasks. Thatās thanks to the 16-core Neural Engine, which runs up to 50% faster for system experiences like capturing your Persona and turning ordinary photos into spatial photos. The improvement will also affect third-party apps and help them perform better.
š (Slightly) longer battery life. The updated Vision Pro also gets longer battery life thanks to the M5 chip. Apple says it now lasts up to 2.5 hours with general use and up to 3 hours while watching videos. Thatās an increase of a half hour which, admittedly, isnāt much, but any improvement is welcome.
š Same design as before. The internal spec bump is by far the biggest change here. The Vision Pro looks identical to the previous version, complete with a glass visor on the front and aluminum body. It hasnāt gotten any lighter or skinnier, and there isnāt any additional color options.
š Easier to handle. At least it should be more comfortable to wear. The Vision Pro now ships with Appleās new Dual Knit Band, which comes with upper and lower 3D-knitted straps stitched together in a single piece that counters the weight of the headset to make it feel lighter. We havenāt tried the new band just yet, but we plan to get our hands on it soon to see if it makes a difference. Itās available in small, medium, and large sizes, and is sold separately for current Vision Pro owners.
š° Pricing and availability. The Apple Vision Pro M5 still starts at $3,499 for 256GB of storage and can be configured with either 512GB or 1TB, if you have money to burn. Itās up for preorder today and will launch this Friday, October 17.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. Heās been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.