Ask HN: Are you still using a Vision Pro?

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Apple’s Vision Pro headset elicits sharply mixed reactions from early adopters: some use it daily as a giant private screen for work, coding, and media, especially while traveling, while many others have shelved or returned it after a brief novelty period. Common pain points include weight and neck strain, short battery life with a dangling cable, “half-Retina” text clarity that’s marginal for serious productivity, high price, and uncertainty about Apple’s long‑term commitment. Several commenters instead favor cheaper, lighter AR glasses or other headsets for movies and gaming, suggesting that current XR hardware still hasn’t crossed the threshold from impressive tech demo to indispensable tool.

Overall Adoption

  • Usage is highly polarized.
    • Some use Vision Pro (AVP) daily or many hours per week, mainly as a screen.
    • Many others stopped after days or weeks; several devices now sit unused or were returned / given away.
  • A common pattern: initial “wow” followed by no enduring “killer use case” beyond media viewing.

Primary Use Cases

  • Most-cited: giant private virtual monitor for Mac (coding, video editing, Logic, Citrix, PS5 remote play).
  • Media: movies, YouTube, immersive/3D/VR180 videos, sports (courtside-style NBA, “immersive” Lakers game), and personal photospheres for emotional impact.
  • Travel: some bring it on trips and flights; others see it as too bulky for carry-on-only setups.

Ergonomics & Comfort

  • Weight (≈1.5 lbs) and front-heavy balance are frequent deal-breakers; many report neck strain or headaches within 10–15 minutes.
  • Others, especially with the newer dual-knit band or counterweight-like straps, report hours-long comfort.
  • Some find it better than laptop-down-in-lap ergonomics, particularly when reclining or lying down.
  • General view: until headsets get closer to glasses weight, mass adoption is unlikely.

Display Quality & Text Clarity

  • Image quality is praised for movies and immersive content but criticized for 2D text.
  • Several compare text clarity to a 27" 1080p monitor or “half-Retina”; acceptable for some developers, intolerable for others.
  • Internal reflections and glare are a problem for a subset of users, especially with prescription inserts.

Travel & Monitor Alternatives

  • Multiple commenters strongly prefer lightweight USB‑C display glasses (Xreal, RayNeo, etc.) for flights and mobile work: cheaper, simpler, no battery, just a virtual screen.
  • These lack AVP’s spatial features but win on practicality.

Gaming & Content Ecosystem

  • Native gaming is limited; PC/PS5 streaming via third-party apps is possible but introduces latency.
  • Some feel Apple’s long-standing weak engagement with game devs hampers the platform.
  • Adult content comes up: some argue it’s critical for early adoption; others note web access makes dedicated apps unnecessary and question demand at this price.

Apple Strategy & Future Uncertainty

  • Thread cites reports/rumors of AVP 2 and “Vision Air” being canceled, staff moving elsewhere, and focus shifting to AR glasses and AI.
  • Others counter with ongoing visionOS updates and WWDC sessions as evidence the platform isn’t being abandoned.
  • Consensus: future direction is unclear; current device feels like an expensive, impressive but niche “preview of the future.”