Apple Vision Pro (M5)

Source

Marques Brownlee (MKBHD)

Key Takeaways

• Despite M5 silicon and redesigned headstraps, the front-heavy glass/aluminum mass still crushes cheekbones past 45 minutes.
• Stuck at an uncompromising $3,499 price tier, cementing it as an elite luxury oddity out of reach for normal professionals.
• The visionOS native spatial app ecosystem remains a ghost town; major streaming services still refuse to build dedicated apps.
• The tethered hip battery cable easily snags on chair arms when standing up, and replacement batteries cost a fortune.

✅ Pros

• M5 silicon enables complex spatial multi-tasking without frame drops
• Peerless dual 4K Micro-OLED displays remain unchallenged
• Dramatic improvements in Spatial Persona photorealism and mouth tracking

❌ Cons

• Front-heavy facial pressure remains unaddressed
• Staggering $3,499 price blocks mainstream traction
• Ghost-town spatial native app catalog
• Tethered external battery is cumbersome and easily snagged

📝 Verdict

"Vision Pro M5 is a technological titan trapped inside an uncomfortable, $3,499 head-mounted luxury cage."

Source

• Video: M5 Apple Vision Pro Review - 1 Month Later!
• Channel: ZONEofTECH | Type: Long-term review (one month of use, by a long-time Vision Pro user) | Based on: YouTube transcript (fetched with youtube-transcript-api)

Key points

• He thinks the biggest change is the included Dual Knit Band: the rear strap contains tungsten weights and both the top and bottom can be adjusted with a dial, solving the previous bands' front-heaviness and awkward adjustment; original owners can buy it separately for $99, which he considers the most worthwhile upgrade.
• The M5 brings twice the CPU, more than twice the GPU and 27 times the AI performance, making everyday operation more responsive, but apps run about the same, and he hasn't yet seen any apps that support ray tracing.
• He can't feel much difference between 120Hz and 100Hz; Mac screen sharing is still only 60fps. Render resolution is about 10% higher, so the foveated region on the Mac Virtual Display is larger and sharper, but the difference is small.
• Vision Pro is best at watching movies (including 3D movies, sharper and brighter than a theater) and as an ultrawide Mac display while traveling; oversized text scaling in iPadOS-style apps is his biggest software complaint.
• Real-world battery life on the M5 version is about 2 hours. In the end he returned the M5 version and kept using his own M2 version with the new band.

✅ Pros

• The Dual Knit Band greatly improves comfort
• More responsive operation
• Excellent for movies and as an ultrawide Mac display

❌ Cons

• The chip upgrade is barely noticeable in everyday use
• 120Hz difference not obvious
• About 2 hours of battery life
• Oversized text scaling in iPad apps

📝 Verdict

The band matters more than the chip: original owners only need the new band; the M5 version suits new buyers but isn't enough for existing users to upgrade.

Source

• Video: Apple Vision Pro M5 Review!
• Channel: Adam Savage’s Tested | Type: In-depth review (Adam Savage and Norm Chan, day-one buyers of the original) | Based on: YouTube transcript (fetched with youtube-transcript-api)

Key points

• Both are day-one buyers of the original; they stress that the M5 version isn't a Vision Pro 2 but a soft refresh of the internal hardware, jumping three chip generations from the M2. As soon as Adam put it on, everything felt more responsive and edges looked sharper.
• A five-person meeting with strangers using Personas: the low latency made the conversation feel exactly like talking in person, and you can turn your head in the virtual space to interact with the people beside you; Adam described it as the most "present" experience.
• In a shared space, two people can see and manipulate the same 3D object at the same time; the system generates reflections on virtual objects based on the room's lighting, so realistic you want to reach out and touch them.
• Battery life: officially 2.5 hours of general use and 3 hours of video, but Norm's two full discharges lasted only 1 hour 51 minutes and 2 hours 15 minutes, similar to the original's roughly 2 hours; he speculates the official 3 hours was measured in a theater environment without mixed reality.
• The new Dual Knit Band with a dial is more stable and comfortable than the Solo Band; PS VR2 Sense controllers can be paired, but few games support them yet. A used original costs about $1,500–2,000, making this a good time to get in.

✅ Pros

• M5 makes overall operation smoother and sharper
• Amazing Persona video calls and shared-space experiences
• The Dual Knit Band is more comfortable and easier to adjust
• Supports PS VR2 controllers

❌ Cons

• Measured battery life falls short of the official figure, similar to the original
• No change in design or weight
• Game and controller support still limited
• Still expensive

📝 Verdict

A real improvement for enthusiasts: the M5 version doesn't change what Vision Pro is, but makes the experience smoother; battery life is still the weak point.

Source

• Video: Apple Vision Pro M5 Review: The Future is Clear
• Channel: Andru Edwards | Type: Review (published the day before launch) | Based on: YouTube transcript (fetched with youtube-transcript-api)

Key points

• The original's three big impressions were expensive, outlandish-looking, and heavy for most people after 10–15 minutes; the new Dual Knit Band reduces forehead pressure with dual-strap weighting and separately adjustable dials, and original owners can buy it separately for $99.
• The only physical change is the band; the chip goes from M2 to M5 (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, hardware ray tracing, 16-core Neural Engine, 153GB/s memory bandwidth), with a Neural Accelerator in every GPU core.
• Text and edges are clearly sharper; looking at a real iPhone or Apple Watch while wearing it, the clarity is very different from the M2 version. Mac Virtual Display finally reaches 120Hz, and the ultrawide mode is equivalent to two 5K displays side by side — he considers it the best portable display.
• Official battery life rises to 2.5 hours of general use and 3 hours of video (25% / 20% more than the original).
• The biggest barrier is still the starting price of $3,499; original owners will find it hard to pay again, but new buyers get many experience improvements; prices of used originals have also dropped sharply as a result.

✅ Pros

• More comfortable Dual Knit Band
• M5 brings sharper text and a smoother experience
• Mac Virtual Display supports 120Hz and ultrawide mode
• Improved official battery life

❌ Cons

• Price still starts at $3,499
• Limited upgrade appeal for original owners
• Gaming ecosystem still in its early days

📝 Verdict

A better Vision Pro, but not a cheaper one: for new buyers, the M5 version is more mature in comfort, clarity and battery life.