Two years after it was first unveiled to the world, Apple’s space-age Vision Pro headset has just received a refresh. These are not giant changes, but they are aimed at improving the usability and speed of this immersive wearable technology. It’s very impressive, but will it tempt you into parting with £3,199? Firstly, Apple has now added an improved M5 processor to help boost the overall performance, and there’s an updated head strap, which makes it more comfortable when placed on your head.

The latest Vision OS 26 software is installed right out of the box, which adds new features, including the ability to add useful virtual widgets all over your room.

Having had these rebooted gadget goggles strapped to my face, there’s no question that things are improved over the original – you can read my review of the first Vision Pro here.

One of the biggest criticisms Apple faced after launching its original VR headset – or what the company refers to as Spatial Computer – was that it wasn’t that easy to wear, especially for long periods of time.

Now, when you open the box, you’ll find a new Dual Knit Band attached, which definitely goes a long way to fixing those initial gripes.

As the name suggests, this updated strap gets two bands rather than one. These go around the back of the head and also provide support across the top.

Both are adjustable via a neat single dial on the side of the device, and it basically means the weight, which is all at the front of the device, doesn’t pull on your neck so much.

It’s a much-needed update that definitely improves the wearability.

Other than the Dual Knit Band, the design remains the same, with these ski-goggle style glasses still getting a premium design that’s covered in glass and metal. One small thing to note – the Vision Pro adds 150g of weight over the original model. That’s actually due to the Knit Band featuring a counterweight inside, so although it’s physically heavier, it actually feels lighter on the face. 

The next big change is actually hidden under the body, thanks to the inclusion of a new M5 processor. This makes the whole experience of using the Vision Pro more fluid.

Apps launch without a hint of stutter, swipes and gestures feel faster, and the whole thing is incredibly slick to use. This chip has also allowed Apple to render 10 percent more pixels on the custom micro-OLED displays tucked inside the headset.

This means everything appears a little sharper, crisper and more detailed. This new Vision Pro can also increase the refresh rate up to 120Hz for reduced motion blur as you look around your physical surroundings.

That’s something the Vision Pro was already good at, thanks to the array of cameras dotted around the frame that beam live footage of your living room straight to your eyes.

The chip also enhances the Mac Virtual Display experience. This is where you can work on giant virtual screens wirelessly beamed directly from your MacBook

The final upgrade is that the new model ships with Vision OS 26 out of the box (this OS can also be installed on the older model). The new operating system has improved the virtual Persona of your face, and they are now scarily lifelike. For those not in the know, Persona’s are a 3D scan of your face, which is performed using Vision Pro’s cameras. 

See mine below.

This makes video calls feel like the person really is in the room with you, which is both incredibly cool and a little bit scary. There are also new widgets, such as a clock, news and weather, which can be dotted (virtually) all over your walls.

Another addition is Spatial scenes, which use generative AI to add lifelike depth to photos, and make family photos feel more immersive. It takes seconds to apply this effect and it really does bring images to life. The M5 Vision Pro is an improvement on what was already a pretty groundbreaking device.

If you’ve never tried this gadget before, it’s worth taking a trip to your local Apple Store, as the experience is pretty mind-blowing.

Being able to watch movies on a massive cinema screen, having dinosaurs walk right into your front room and make immersive video calls where friends and family actually feel like they are right beside you are truly incredible.

The in-built spatial speakers remain magical thanks to technology such as Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, and you honestly don’t need headphones to enjoy a night of entertainment.

The hand and gesture controls are so intuitive that even my 80-year-old dad has got the hang of them in a matter of minutes. Just pinch, point and swipe to whizz through menus, launch apps and view content.

It remains a very futuristic device, but it’s still not built for the masses. Despite the new headstrap, it’s pretty heavy and you won’t be able to wear it comfortably for more than an hour or so.

More apps continue to arrive on Vision Pro (Where Winds Meet, POOLS, and Sniper Elite 4 are on their way), but it lags miles behind dedicated applications built for the iPhone and iPad, which have millions available to download.

The portable battery pack is cumbersome, and it only lasts for a maximum of three hours – it is possible to power it directly from the mains, but you can’t then move around with it on. I still wouldn’t feel that comfortable wearing it out in public, either, as you are guaranteed to get some very funny looks.

Finally, there’s the £3,199 asking price, which puts it well out of most people’s reach. It’s notable that this is actually £300 cheaper than the old version sold for, so if you want to take the plunge, this new model is better value.

If you get a chance to have a go, don’t even hesitate to try it out.

Should you actually buy one? The experience remains mesmerising and the Vision Pro still has to be seen to be believed, but I’d wait and see if Apple makes a cheaper model in the future.