The Apple Vision Pro emerges as the most extraordinary mixed reality headset I’ve encountered, offering a delightful experience for gaming and movie-watching with its remarkable eye and hand tracking capabilities.
However, with a price tag of $3,500, expectations soar beyond it being a mere high-end toy. When it’s on par price-wise with a top-spec MacBook, one anticipates it to serve beyond entertainment purposes.
Having spent a few months with the Vision Pro, I recently embarked on a week-long experiment to use it as a substitute for my standard PC setup to gauge its productivity capabilities.
The promising aspect is that the Vision Pro boasts enough power and adaptability to act as a virtual workstation.
Yet, the drawback is the necessity for additional hardware, specifically a MacBook, to unlock its full productivity potential.
Incorporating a MacBook for Enhanced Productivity
Initially, I attempted to use the Vision Pro standalone for work-related tasks. Given its power equivalence to the iPad Pro, the 2022 MacBook Pro, and the 2023 MacBook Air, coupled with its visionOS—a hybrid of iPadOS and macOS—this seemed feasible.
Unfortunately, it leans more towards the iPad, presenting similar challenges in executing serious work.
Multitasking and app management are cumbersome, with a glaring absence of a task manager or a macOS-like dock to indicate active apps. This makes the Vision Pro ill-suited as a lone work device.
To alleviate these challenges, I connected it to a MacBook Air using the Mac Virtual Display feature.
Although not as seamless as Apple’s claims, the connection process is straightforward—requiring just a look upwards to access the menu, navigate to settings, and select the Mac Virtual Display option for an instant connection over the same Wi-Fi network and Apple account.
This setup was surprisingly efficient, though Apple envisioned an even simpler connection process with a prominent Connect button, which appears inconsistently.
The Mac Virtual Display transforms the Mac’s screen into a resizable, repositionable window within the headset.
Unlike other smart glasses that lock the display to a fixed position, the Vision Pro allows for a flexible viewing setup, a clear advantage.
The Vision Pro enhances productivity by allowing app use alongside the Mac Virtual Display. This facilitates multitasking, enabling serious work on macOS while simultaneously accessing a video or chat window within the headset.
Input devices like the keyboard and mouse function well through the MacBook, with the notable exception of mouse support outside the Mac Virtual Display window.
A physical keyboard remains essential for extensive typing due to the Vision Pro’s virtual keyboard limitations.
Transitioning from a dual-monitor PC setup, I found the Mac Virtual Display’s single-screen limitation disappointing.
Despite the ability to choose high resolutions, the inability to extend macOS’ Mission Control desktops to multiple Vision Pro windows limits workspace flexibility.
Additionally, the Vision Pro’s Persona feature does not integrate as a webcam feed for video calls through the MacBook, necessitating a separate setup for calls within the headset.
In summary, the Apple Vision Pro stands as a pioneering mixed reality headset with potential for work-related applications, provided you’re willing to integrate it with a MacBook.
Its current form offers a glimpse into a future where work and entertainment blend seamlessly in mixed reality, albeit with room for improvement in multitasking and app management for a truly standalone work experience.