Vision Pro first impression

I am sitting here writing this post, looking across Trillium Lake at the majestic Mount Hood off in the distance. But I’m not. Instead, I feel the soft arms of my office chair at my sides, a far cry from the rustic charm of a folding camping chair.

I’m immersed in one of the new VisionOS environments, an illusion replacing the world around me with digital renditions of iconic landscapes, the moon included. The realism is uncanny, particularly under the cool glow of the night sky, dotted with uncountable stars—but yet I can’t decide if I’m underwhelmed.

This duality, a blend of augmented reality and tangible existence, creates a sense of feeling “half-in” and “half-out”—a recurring theme throughout my first impressions of the Vision Pro. Now don’t get me wrong; this medium provides what I do think is a look (albeit a hazy one) into the future.

Taking off the Vision Pro for the first time made me immediately notice just how static my TV felt. It’s machined into a state that cannot be manipulated. Contrast that with the seemingly endless scalability and portability of videos within the Vision Pro.

Last night, I watched an episode of “Masters of the Air” while lying down in the shadow of Mount Hood, gazing up at a massive screen. It‘s an unparalleled experience—but one that, unfortunately, feels much too solitary. I do expect that one day we’ll be able to share windows with each other, but until then, the individualistic nature is not particularly enjoyable for myself.

Another interesting bit I’ve found intriguing is using the Vision Pro as an external monitor for MacOS. It’s nice to glance at a 13” MacBook, press a (virtual) button above it, and see its display cast into VisionOS, complete with all the scale and maneuverability of any other native window.

However, there’s a catch.

Instinctively, the first thing I did was look at something and tap my fingers together, expecting an interaction. No dice. I awkwardly reached for my nearby trackpad, and a cursor—reminiscent of iPadOS—happily bounced through the interface elements.

That’s fine, but I expected to be able to look, and tap, my way around—as I learned throughout the rest of VisionOS. Perhaps MacOS will properly support this feature soon, but for now, it feels somewhat lackluster in the interim.

And finally, as far as first impressions go, I’d expect every person to note the elephant in the room: this thing is heavy; there’s no getting around it. I find it uncomfortable to wear for more than thirty minutes or so. It’s taxing on my neck, a bit on my shoulders, and, of course, on my eyes.

In one sense, wearing a Vision Pro is like catching a glimpse of  the future—one where apps are integrated within our environments, or rather any environment. But for now, I’m left with a slight headache and dry eyes.