I'm not a naysayer of VR; I've used it plenty over the years and had a lot of enjoyment. But one of the issues I've always had is fatigue, purely from hanging these things off my head for extended periods.

Be it the Meta Quest lineup or the last PC VR headset I owned, the now-defunct Lenovo Explorer (RIP Windows Mixed Reality), the form factor and the weight ultimately turned me off.

At the recent Sim Racing Expo in Charlotte, I had my first chance to try out the Pimax Dream Air, a high-end, PC VR headset that's smaller and lighter than anything I've ever worn before. All while preserving the quality of the image inside the headset, which is easily up there with the best I've ever seen.

It's not cheap. Not at all. If you're looking for budget-friendly VR, you'll still want to look at a Meta Quest 3S.

But for more serious VR players, specifically here looking towards Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 or sim racers in titles such as iRacing, aka experiences where you'll be inside VR for much longer, I think this could be a winner.

Lightness makes a huge difference (to me) for VR

The Pimax Dream Air isn't the lightest headset out there; there's still one from Bigscreen that has it beaten there. But compared to the likes of the well-known kings of the space, like the Meta Quest 3, it's night and day.

The Pimax Dream Air is around 170g for the headset, compared to the 515g of the Meta Quest 3 (and a hair lighter than this for the Meta Quest 3S). You could wear three of the Pimax headsets and still be under the weight of a single Meta Quest 3. That's significant.

Of course, as it's a PC VR headset, it doesn't have all the computer bits inside that a Meta Quest 3 does, which certainly helps. But the form factor combined with this lack of weight means it's extremely comfortable.

The bulk of my previous iRacing career was done using VR, partly for immersion, but more so because I don't have space for massive screens. But with the Lenovo Explorer, which at the time was one of the lightest headsets around, I couldn't race for more than an hour because I just started to feel uncomfortable. This meant I couldn't really take on longer races.

I'm not saying the same wouldn't eventually happen with this VR headset, but given how little it weighs, it'd certainly be longer before it did. That's where I think this could be a killer piece of hardware.

Sim racers and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 pilots will really feel the benefit during those longer sessions.

High-end hardware if you have the budget

There's no getting away from the fact that both the Pimax Dream Air and Dream Air SE are expensive VR headsets. The Dream Air SE drops a huge chunk off the price by 'only' featuring 5K resolution, and it's also the lightest of the two.

The full-fat Dream Air has an 8K resolution, and it's this one I tried out. Simply put, the visuals are mindblowing. It's by far the best VR display I've ever tried, with deep blacks, glorious colors, and razor-sharp images.

Eye tracking and Dynamic Foveated Rendering also helps preserve system performance, rendering only the sharpest images where your eyes are focusing.

With titles such as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 in mind, the resolution available to replicate the detail both in and out of the cockpit would be insane. All from a tiny headset.

The full specs of each version are broken down in the table below.

The Dream Air and Dream Air SE both have the option of SLAM (inside-out tracking) or saving $300 and going with a Lighthouse system.

It's also worth highlighting you don't need a monster rig to run either of them. Pimax says the minimum requirement is an RTX 2070, while the recommendation is an RTX 3080. You can run it off a laptop, too, so long as you have a good enough GPU and its outputs to either a miniDP port or USB-C.

But if you're in the market for a high-end VR headset, you probably already have a PC that's capable of running it.

It's been a while since I've really been impressed with VR, but the Pimax Dream Air certainly ticks that box. The experience is astonishing, and with its small form factor and lack of weight, I could happily lose hours flying or racing in one of these.

The only real issue seems to be when you can actually get one. Both headsets are available to preorder on the Pimax website, but there's no indication of when shipping is expected. Hopefully they start landing soon.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

PlayStation players can rejoice. While Xbox players are out there playing PlayStation’s own Marathon more than PlayStation users themselves. PlayStation fans can indulge themselves, as they get a feature exclusive to their console, omitted from Xbox hardware, in a first-party Xbox game no less.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is finally getting PlayStation VR2 support for both PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro today, April 30, 2026, giving virtual pilots full VR support in the title. That alone is enough for PlayStation fans to laugh and maybe even clap back.

I’m being a bit dramatic and sarcastic on purpose, of course, but it’s great for those that enjoy Microsoft Flight Simulator to finally get this feature on PlayStation. PlayStation VR2 has been out for around three years now, and while originally it was stuck to PlayStation’s closed ecosystem, it has since escaped those crutches.

Back in 2024, PlayStation released a PC adapter for the headset, which helped open things up. I’ve always had mixed feelings about virtual reality. It can be genuinely fun, and even a decent workout, but it feels limited when it’s locked to a single platform, or restricted by a cord that needs plugging in.

At least now, with PC support, the PS VR2 isn’t all that bad of a headset. That said, I still lean toward a cordless experience whenever I use virtual reality.

Hopefully, PlayStation users can make the most of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s VR support. It’s a well-loved feature on PC, and for good reason, as it adds a strong sense of immersion.

What’s always baffled me, though, is Xbox’s reluctance to embrace virtual reality at all. Whether it was making use of Windows Mixed Reality (which has since shut down) or simply opening the door to third-party headsets, it feels like there were missed opportunities for some sort of virtual reality platform on Xbox.

It could have even positioned Xbox as a more affordable entry point into VR, especially when the Xbox Series S was cheaper.

What do you think? Did Xbox miss an opportunity by skipping virtual reality, or was it smart to avoid a niche that still hasn’t fully taken off? Let me know in the comments and be sure to take part in our poll:

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Meta just released a Surface Keyboard and Touchpad that could transform work within virtual reality. A new feature for the Meta Quest 3 allows you to use a virtual keyboard on any flat surface, such as a desk or table.

The new feature has nothing to do with Microsoft Surface, but it is a handy feature for those who want to get work done within VR.

It's currently in testing in Horizon OS v85 PTC (Public Test Channel). The feature is limited to the Meta Quest 3, meaning you cannot use it on the Meta Quest 3S or other headsets from Meta.

Many think of gaming first when the topic of a VR headset comes up, but the Meta Quest 3 can also be used for work. Windows 11 integrates with Meta Quest headsets, allowing you to extend a PC to a set of virtual monitors. You can also stream Windows 365 through the cloud to a Meta Quest headset.

Working on a PC inside VR did not technically require a physical keyboard, but one was needed in practicality.

Virtual keyboards are fine in a pinch, but they do not provide a great typing experience. It's not like the movies where you can type at full speed while tapping at the air. Holding your hands up can also be tiring, so much so that extended typing sessions are impractical.

A physical keyboard will still be better for typing in VR. The tactile feedback and ergonomics of a physical keyboard will beat typing directly on a desk or table in almost all circumstances. But the Surface Keyboard is a solid middle ground between a physical keyboard and an awkward floating digital one.

I would argue the touchpad functionality will make a bigger difference for those working in VR. Navigating the web or a virtual desktop by pinching your fingers in the air or swiping around your hands can be quite frustrating.

A video shared by Yoon Park, Principal Designer at Meta Reality Labs, shows smooth scrolling on the web with a gesture and navigating within Microsoft Word using the touchpad.

For context, take a look at the video below shared by my colleague Nicholas Sutrich. It was taken a couple of years ago to demonstrate the web versions of Office working on a Meta Quest 3.

Sutrich's setup from back then had a physical keyboard on a desk. Near the end of the video, you'll see a floating keyboard pop up.

Here's how to sign up for Meta Quest PTC, as outlined in a Meta support document:

1. On your phone, open the Meta Horizon app.
2. Tap Menu at the top of your Horizon Feed.
3. Tap Devices.
4. Select the headset you want to find to join Meta Quest PTC with.
5. Tap Headset settings, then tap Advanced settings.
6. Tap the toggle next to Public Test Channel to try to join Meta Quest PTC.
   1. If the toggle doesn't work, Meta Quest PTC is currently full and not available.

The Quest 3 is arguably the best consumer headset for gaming, but Meta is clearly pushing to make it a legitimate workstation. Does a virtual "Surface Keyboard" make you more likely to strap on a headset for work, or is VR destined to remain a gaming-only platform for you? Let us know in the comments.

CD PROJEKT RED has begun striking down the popular Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod created by well-known modder Luke Ross. While it may appear to be a straightforward takedown at first glance, the situation is slightly more nuanced.

There is little debate around the quality of the mod itself, which was widely praised by those who used it. However, it was distributed behind a Patreon paywall, meaning access required payment. That placed it in direct conflict with CD PROJEKT RED’s fan content guidelines, which prohibit monetizing its IP without prior permission.

Like many of Luke Ross’ other projects, the Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod was distributed behind a Patreon paywall, meaning access required payment. That put it in conflict with CD PROJEKT RED’s fan content guidelines, which prohibit monetizing its IP without prior permission.

Under those guidelines, paid access counts as commercial use, even when framed as early access. CD PROJEKT RED subsequently issued a DMCA notice and has since stated it would be open to the mod returning if it were made freely available to the public.

CD Projekt Red's VP, Business Development, Jan Rosner, also commented on the mods removal:

Following the mod’s removal, Ross addressed the situation on Patreon, where he expressed frustration over the lack of permitted financial support for modders, particularly in cases where no official VR version of a game exists.

Ross is best known for his work on the R.E.A.L. VR framework, which enables VR support across a wide range of traditionally non-VR PC games, including titles such as Far Cry and Atomic Heart. With Cyberpunk 2077 support now removed, he has shifted focus toward other games, including Baldur’s Gate 3 VR, which could prove especially ambitious if executed well.

It highlights a difficult line to draw. Modders often invest significant time and expertise into projects that help keep games active long after launch. Communities around titles like Halo: The Master Chief Collection on PC, or even Skyrim, as well as platforms built on user-generated content, such as Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft, demonstrate just how valuable that work can be.

Do you think publishers should allow modders to financially support themselves, or should all mods remain free? Share your thoughts in the comments or vote in the poll below:

In 2021, Facebook, Inc. changed its name to Meta. The rebrand was a strategic move by the company as it attempted to shift away from social media and focus on building the metaverse, which it envisioned as a digital world with the potential to be the next generation of the internet.

But like most big tech corporations, Meta is all-in on generative AI, leaving its metaverse hopes and aspirations in the rear-view mirror. In case you missed it, Meta's virtual reality department recently took a huge hit following the company's decision to shut down several VR game studios.

Consequently, up to 1,000 people have also lost their jobs. The layoffs have affected approximately 10% of Meta's Reality Labs hardware division, which is in charge of developing the company's Quest headsets and more.

According to people with close affiliations and knowledge about the situation at Meta, the company is shutting down Armature Studio, Twisted Pixel, Sanzaru, and Oculus Studios Central Technology.

Additionally, the company's popular VR fitness app Supernatural will no longer receive any updates. According to the developers: “Due to recent organizational changes to our Studio, Supernatural will no longer receive new content or feature updates starting today."

However, the company says the app will remain active for existing users.

The Facebook maker is diverting all the money and talent that it had once invested in the field that could have potentially defined its future toward its artificial intelligence and wearable technology divisions.

While speaking to Engadget, a Meta spokesperson indicated:

"We said last month that we were shifting some of our investment from Metaverse toward Wearables. This is part of that effort, and we plan to reinvest the savings to support the growth of wearables this year."

Meta claims that it is still committed to the industry and that the recent changes do not imply that it is giving up on video games.

It's interesting to see Meta subtly pull the plug on its VR ambitions for AI despite its heavy investment in the field. For context, the company has been suspiciously quiet about its efforts on the VR front, especially after it launched its Quest 3S headsets in 2024.

Last month, the company announced that it had paused the development of its long-anticipated Horizon OS headsets from Asus and Lenovo. And as it now seems, video game development is also joining the fold and being placed in the back banner.

Elsewhere. Meta is undoubtedly doubling down on its AI efforts, from launching its new superintelligence lab to investing $14.3 billion in Scale AI and hiring CEO Alexandr Wang to co-lead operations to poaching top AI talent from rival research labs like OpenAI.

However, everything isn't going according to plan. While explaining his abrupt departure from Meta, AI Scientist Yann LeCun claims that the company fabricated Llama 4 benchmark test results to keep up with advanced AI development and hype. LeCun predicts that more layoffs could be on the way for Meta.

Will Meta's decision to ditch VR for AI payoff in the long run? Share your thoughts in the comments.

A lot of innovation is happening in the wearable tech space, especially when you look at AR and smart glasses.

XREAL is one of the biggest players on that front, and now the company is teaming up with ASUS on a brand-new product: AR glasses focused entirely on gaming. Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the ASUS ROG XREAL R1 glasses boast a world's first with dual, 240Hz micro-OLED displays.

AR glasses are already a great choice for elevating your gaming experience, whether you're at home, in bed, or traveling, but the ROG XREAL R1 glasses shown at CES 2026 want to be the best in the category. Here's what you need to know, including why anyone should consider this over XREAL's main offerings.

Peak performance for gaming on the go

I reviewed the XREAL One Pro and called it "the absolute best" of AR glasses, and this collaboration with ASUS ROG does borrow a lot from XREAL's flagship specs. Namely, the ROG XREAL R1 seem to use the same optical design, so you get the same wide 57-degrees FOV the equivalent of a 171-inch display that only you can see, and best-in-class optical transparency.

However, these glasses double the refresh rate to an unheard of 240Hz, and lower the latency from 3ms to just 2ms. Both those numbers matter a lot when it comes to competitive gaming. There are other similarities and differences, too.

The ROG XREAL R1 borrows the excellent Bose stereo speakers, electrochromic dimming, and 3DoF tracking, but doesn't boast the XREAL X1 spatial computing chip or support for the XREAL Eye attachment that enables 6DoF tracking. It also weighs about 4g more, but it still isn't heavy for a pair of AR glasses at 91g.

On the ASUS side of things, the company designed the ROG XREAL R1 glasses with the Xbox Ally gaming handhelds in mind, guaranteeing plug-and-play support and full compatibility through the USB-C ports. These glasses will also be released alongside the new ASUS ROG Control Dock, which will feature a DisplayPort and two HDMI 2.0 ports to connect to devices that don't support USB-C display output.

That basically sums it up — the ASUS ROG XREAL R1 trades some of the spatial tracking and productivity-focused features of the flagship XREAL One Pro in favor of improved gaming performance. AR glasses are already awesome for gaming, so this collaboration makes a lot of sense. It's also practically guaranteed to be significantly better than the ASUS AirVision M1 glasses I reviewed.

It'll all depend on price, but we don't have that information... yet. The ASUS ROG XREAL R1 AR glasses should release in the first half of 2026, but we'll have to wait to know exactly how much they'll cost you.

Have you experienced AR glasses for yourself, and do you think they're worth it? Let us know in the comments below!

In a potentially surprising move, depending on who you ask, user @GeneralKidd on X, formerly Twitter, has spotted that Microsoft has pulled one of its Halo games from the Microsoft Store, with no remaining way to access the title.

The game in question is Halo: Recruit, a short virtual reality experience that launched in 2017 for Windows Mixed Reality. At the time, it was designed to showcase Microsoft’s push into virtual and augmented reality rather than act as a full Halo release.

However, in what now feels like a familiar Satya… I mean, Microsoft pattern; Windows Mixed Reality itself was discontinued in 2023. With the platform gone, Halo: Recruit appears to have quietly vanished alongside it a coupleof years later.

What exactly was Halo: Recruit?

Whilst only a short, standalone release designed to showcase the capabilities of Windows Mixed Reality, Halo: Recruit was not received particularly poorly. It functioned far more as a technical demo than a complete game, offering a brief glimpse of the Halo universe in VR rather than a substantial experience.

Its removal from the Microsoft Store appears to have gone largely unnoticed, and it is currently unclear how long the title has been delisted. Microsoft has not provided any explanation, leaving its disappearance easy to miss unless you were actively searching for it.

Interestingly, GeneralKidd also highlighted another obscure Halo project, though this was one never officially released. This was a Pokémon Go-style concept tied to Halo 4, with ties to 7-Eleven, Doritos, and Mountain Dew?

The project, titled Halo 4 King of the Hill, reportedly revolved around scanning Mountain Dew and Doritos codes to level up your character, with 7-Eleven stores acting as real-world locations similar to gyms. The idea never progressed beyond the concept stage, but it remains one of the more unusual Halo experiments that surfaced during that era.

A frustrating trend for some games

Despite being a relatively unknown entry in the Halo franchise, it is still a shame to see it delisted without any word from Microsoft. It feels unnecessary, especially when leaving these titles listed would seemingly cause no harm.

It is a small frustration I have with situations like this. We have seen similar cases with Halo: Spartan Strike and Halo: Spartan Assault no longer being accessible on specific platforms, and it leaves a sour taste.

As a lifelong Halo fan, seeing parts of the franchise quietly disappear like this is always disappointing.

Do you think Microsoft should be more transparent about removals like this, or is it just part of the digital era we live in? Share your thoughts below — how do you feel about losing access to games you thought were safe in your library?

I've been on the fence about buying a Meta Quest VR headset for a long time, and each holiday season I wonder if this year's deals will finally convince me. Well, the time has come — my Meta Quest 3S should be arriving some time tomorrow.

What finally broke me and persuaded me to actually spend money on Cyber Monday? Being able to get a Meta Quest 3S (256GB) with a free game, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and a $50 Best Buy Gift Card for just $329.99 at BestBuy.com.

Don't need that much storage? The Meta Quest 3S (128GB) in a similar bundle is only $249 at BestBuy.com. I'm excited to begin exploring what I can do with my new VR headset, but in the meantime, I wanted to share these savings with you before Cyber Monday ends.

I work from home, and generally live a rather sedentary lifestyle. I actually do enjoy being active, but straightforward exercise is also dreadfully boring, making it practically impossible for me to develop a routine.

That's where the Meta Quest virtual reality headset will (hopefully) come in. I want to be more active at home, and being able to explore brand-new virtual worlds while doing so will help me stay engaged. That's the idea, anyway, and I've been toying with changing the theoretical to reality for a while.

This Cyber Monday has finally given me the nudge I need to pull the trigger, despite my general reticence to spending money during these sales seasons at all (unless it's an awesome Xbox Game Pass Ultimate deal). Once the final embers of Cyber Monday have died out, and I can breathe again, I'm looking forward to my new Meta Quest 3S.

Cyber Monday hasn't ended, though, and that means the same deals that convinced me are still active — at least for now. I made a little bundle for myself that included the Meta Quest 3S (256GB) for $329.99 at BestBuy.com, the Meta Quest Elite Strap with Battery for $103.99 at BestBuy.com, and the Meta Quest Compact Charging Dock for $59.99 at BestBuy.com... that last item isn't actually on sale, but I don't feel like worrying about replacing the batteries in my controllers.

I briefly debated opting for the flagship Meta Quest 3, instead, tempted by the upgraded displays, but Meta's top VR headset hasn't enjoyed any meaningful discounts this Black Friday season. There were some free gift cards here and there, but nothing even close to good enough to entice me away from the excellent Meta Quest 3S deals.

FAQ

More Cyber Monday 2025 — Quick links

• All our TOP recommended Cyber Monday deals: Just the best
• Mini PC deals: up to 47% off tiny PCs
• GPU deals: early price drops on NVIDIA RTX before they go up
• Microsoft Surface deals: save up to $500 on premium PCs
• Xbox accessories: best deals on gadgets for your Xbox Series X|S and PC
• Gaming laptop deals: the best laptops for the best price
• Xbox controllers: our top picks for best controller deals
• ANC headphones: great Cyber Monday deals on the best ANC headphones
  
  Even more Cyber Monday deals:
• Dell deals: 13 deals from Dell.com that you shouldn't miss
• Best Buy: 34 hottest discounts on laptops, monitors, gaming, and more
• Walmart: 7 top laptop deals you shouldn't miss
• Samsung monitors: the best Samsung display deals we've found
• Retro gaming: handhelds, arcade machines, old school consoles, and more
• Gamer merch: Blizzard’s Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo IV collectibles
• Game keys: 10 PC game codes are even cheaper at Loaded (formerly CDKeys)
• Accessories: Even more PC accessories starting at $17

A Black Friday discount turns what was already an incredible bargain into one of the best values in gaming. The Meta Quest 3S is currently $50 off, which reduces the headset to just $249.

When it comes to wireless VR, Meta only competes with itself. The current discount on the Meta Quest 3S pushes the budget-friendly headset ahead of Meta's other offerings.

Is the Meta Quest 3S right for you?

The Meta Quest 3S is a virtual reality headset designed to deliver a premium VR experience at a non-premium price. The Meta Quest 3S runs on a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, which is a speedy chip for VR gameplay.

Despite its lower price tag, the Meta Quest 3S actually gets better battery life than some other Meta Quest headsets. Depending on the games you play or content you enjoy, the Meta Quest 3S can get up to two and a half hours of battery life on a single charge.

"The Meta Quest 3S is a budget triumph. Meta delivered a headset that's $200 cheaper than the Meta Quest 3 without sacrificing its powerful graphics, full-color mixed reality vision, new controllers with advanced haptic feedback, and seamless software," said my colleague Nicholas Sutrich in his Meta Quest 3S review. Thanks to its Black Friday discount, the Meta Quest 3S delivers even more value.

The list of the best Meta Quest games features excellent titles, including Assassin's Creed Nexus VR and Batman: Arkham Shadow. Beat Saber remains a must-have VR game, and it continues to improve as more songs are added.

You can also stream games to the Meta Quest 3S through Xbox Cloud Gaming. When doing so, it feels as if you're playing Xbox games on a massive TV. With Xbox Cloud Gaming getting its biggest upgrade ever earlier this month, it's a great time to start streaming games or grab another device that supports the service.

Microsoft and Meta work together and have expanded their partnership. You can even use a Meta Quest headset as a virtual desktop for Microsoft 365 and connect your PC to supported Meta headsets through Mixed Reality Link.

FAQ

More Black Friday 2025 - Quick links

• All our TOP recommended Black Friday deals: Just the best
• Mini PC deals: up to 47% off tiny PCs
• GPU deals: early price drops on NVIDIA RTX before they go up
• Microsoft Surface deals: save up to $500 on premium PCs
• Xbox accessories: best deals on gadgets for your Xbox Series X|S and PC
• Gaming laptop deals: the best laptops for the best price
• Xbox controllers: our top picks for best controller deals
• ANC headphones: great Black Friday deals on the best ANC headphones
  
  Even more Black Friday deals:
• Dell deals: 13 deals from Dell.com that you shouldn't miss
• Best Buy: 34 hottest discounts on laptops, monitors, gaming, and more
• Walmart: 7 top laptop deals you shouldn't miss
• Samsung monitors: the best Samsung display deals we've found
• Retro gaming: handhelds, arcade machines, old school consoles, and more
• Gamer merch: Blizzard’s Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo IV collectibles
• Game keys: 10 PC game codes are even cheaper at Loaded (formerly CDKeys)
• Accessories: Even more PC accessories starting at $17

Valve has announced its first all-in-one VR headset, dubbed the Steam Frame, which runs SteamOS and is powered by a 4nm Snapdragon SoC. The headset is the first Snapdragon-based SteamOS device on the market, meaning Valve is supporting Arm with the SteamOS platform, perhaps laying the foundations for an Arm-based gaming handheld future.

Up until now, pretty much all PC gaming handhelds on the market are powered by AMD chips. Even the latest Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are powered by AMD chips, instead of Qualcomm's own. So far, all official SteamOS devices are also x86 only, with no official support for Snapdragon-based PCs.

That might soon be changing now that the Steam Frame is official. The Frame is Valve's first Snapdragon-powered SteamOS device, running a 4nm Arm SoC paired with 16GB RAM. The chip will power the entire experience, from the OS to the games and the displays.

It's unknown what chip Valve is using exactly, but we know Qualcomm offers OEMs a range of specialist XR chips such as the high-end Snapdragon XR2+ Gen2 SoC, which would be the right call for a fully-fledged gaming VR headset like the Steam Frame.

Of course, a wearable headset isn't a gaming handheld at all, but that doesn't mean foundations aren't being laid with this device. Now that SteamOS officially supports Arm via the Snapdragon XR SoC, it's only a matter of time before we see SteamOS running on a gaming handheld that's also powered by a Snapdragon SoC.

It's quite unlikely that this will be the only Arm-based SteamOS device going forward. With NVIDIA rumored to be launching its N1X chips next year, it's reasonable to expect we'll see NVIDIA-powered Arm-based gaming handhelds in the near future too, and SteamOS will be well prepared to support it.

Although not directly, this should also benefit Windows on Arm. All Windows-powered gaming handhelds to date run an x86 processor, even though Windows has fully embraced Arm over the last handful of years. Qualcomm is eager to enter this market, and there's no reason why an OEM couldn't make a Snapdragon-powered Windows gaming device today.

But with SteamOS now beginning to support Snapdragon, perhaps OEMs will take a second look at the architecture. It'll be interesting to see how games perform on a Snapdragon-based SteamOS device, especially with Proton in the mix. In most cases, x86 gaming handhelds run better with SteamOS compared to Windows 11, so it'll be interesting to see if the same happens when both OSes are powered by Arm.

Valve hasn't announced pricing or exact availability for the Steam Frame, though it has said to expect it to arrive sometime in the first half of next year. The Steam Frame is a clear competitor to Apple's Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR headsets, both of which are premium high-end headsets, though Valve's will have an edge in gaming.

Of course, Microsoft only just recently threw in the towel on any and all XR efforts. It was first to market with AR glasses with HoloLens in 2015, followed up with a successor in 2019 that was even more capable. Unfortunately, Microsoft has scrapped plans to release any more XR headsets, conceding the market to Google, Apple, Valve, and Meta.

Alongside the Steam Frame, Valve has also announced a new Steam Machine "console," with an AMD processor. The company says it's 6 times more powerful than the Steam Deck, and is competing directly with Xbox, PlayStation, and Windows PC gamers. It also runs SteamOS and is a clear attack on Microsoft's vision to turn Xbox into an ecosystem.

Looking for a terrifying new game to add to your backlog? Survios, the developer and publisher behind 2024's Alien: Rogue Incursion, is bringing a reimagined edition of the action-horror VR experience to consoles — including the Xbox Series X|S — on September 30.

Alien: Rogue Incursion — Part One: Evolved Edition is a re-envisioning of the VR experience to make the game playable on PC and consoles. Survios had previously announced the title for PlayStation and PC. After releasing a new launch trailer for the Evolved Edition of the game, Survios also announced it will also burst onto Xbox consoles simultaneously.

The game is part one of a two-part saga set between the events of the Alien and Aliens films, centering around rogue Colonial Marine Zula Hendricks. Hendricks is tasked with investigating a distress call on a remote planet, only to discover a secret facility that has become overrun with the dreaded Xenomorphs.

Hellbent on exposing the black site, Hendricks and her synthetic companion, Davis 01, will need to infiltrate the infested research facility and survive the infestation of terrifying xenomorphs that have evolved to be more cunning than ever before. The gritty, unnerving new trailer for Alien: Rogue Incursion — Part One: Evolved Edition is a gritty and gruesome look at the first-person horror.

The trailer opens with the player exploring the exterior of a daunting and seemingly abandoned facility in freezing and snowy conditions at night. The sounds of the xenomorphs can be heard all around, and the player character engages in gunfire against a xenomorph lurking in the dark.

The camera then cuts to an interior shot of the facility, complete with groups of xenomorphs crawling around in hallways and leaping through open doorways. The trailer continues to show combat against the frightening beasts that haunt the facility, including showing one of the notorious face-huggers suspended in a research lab. Meanwhile, a voiceover declares that if the xenomorphs reach Earth, it could result in the end of humanity.

What's in the Evolved Edition?

The version of Alien: Rogue Incursion coming to Xbox later this month is more than just a simple port of the VR title. According to a press release from Survios, the game has been completely re-envisioned and rebuilt for consoles and PC. The xenomorphs in the game have not just increased in number; they've "evolved to be smarter, faster, more adaptive, and harder to both predict and kill."

In addition to the new tech behind the xenomorphs, Alien: Rogue Incursion Evolved Edition has also been updated with improved visuals, a 60fps frame rate, and 3D audio that enhances the game's cinematic horror experience.

There will be two editions of Alien: Rogue Incursion — Part One: Evolved Edition. The standard edition will include a standard copy of the game on your respective platform, as well as two pre-order exclusives: the Alien: Romulus-inspired armor skin and weapon skin. The standard edition costs $29.99 on all platforms.

The Alien: Rogue Incursion — Part One: Evolved Edition also has a digital deluxe edition available for pre-order, which includes the standard game, blue camo armor skin and weapon skin, and The Art of Alien: Rogue Incursion digital art book. The Alien: Romulus-inspired armor and weapon skin are also included for those who preorder. The digital deluxe edition costs $39.99.

Alien: Rogue Incursion — Part One: Evolved Edition will be available on Xbox Series X|S consoles, PlayStation 5 (with PlayStation 5 Pro enhancements), and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

If you have a PC powered by a Snapdragon X processor, you can now connect it to your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S headset. Mixed Reality Link now supports Windows on ARM PCs, giving users more flexibility when it comes to using a local Windows PC within virtual reality.

It's not clear when Microsoft added support for PCs powered by Snapdragon X processors. The Mixed Reality Link listing in the Microsoft Store states that the app received an update on August 29, but there does not appear to be a change log. A Reddit post by user "Nicalay2" highlighted the new capability.

Regardless of whether the feature is brand-new or rolled out previously, it's a nice addition to Mixed Reality Link. Microsoft has worked hard over the years to improve app compatibility for Windows 11 on Arm.

What is Mixed Reality Link?

Mixed Reality Link is an app that allows you to connect up to three virtual monitors to a supported Meta Quest headset. The app is still in preview and works with the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S.

The app allows you to connect your PCs to your headset wirelessly or through a wired connection and creates a multi-monitor setup that's only visible to you.

It's also possible to access a Windows 365 Cloud PC on a Meta Quest headset.

Turns out Mixed Reality Link is now compatible on Windows for ARM from r/Surface

Mixed Reality Link was seemingly limited to Intel and AMD-powered PCs until recently. Microsoft's support document for the app still lacks any mention of Snapdragon X PCs, such as the Surface Pro 11. But Reddit user "Nicalay2" was able to connect a Surface Pro powered by a Snapdragon X chip to Mixed Reality Link.

What is Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition?

The Meta Quest 3S is a next-gen VR headset that was designed to be affordable. It features a powerful chipset, comes with next-gen controllers, and supports the best Meta Quest games and apps.

One of the main draws of the Meta Quest 3S is its price. Nicholas Sutrich, who leads VR coverage over at Android Central, said "the idea of having a $299 Quest 3 headset seemed preposterous" when discussing the rumored pricing of the Meta Quest 3S. Those rumors turned out to be accurate, and the result was a "triumph", according to Sutrich.

The Meta Quest 3S sets the standard for affordable VR, delivering much of the same experiences as its more expensive sibling, the Meta Quest 3. There are some tradeoffs, of course, such as the Meta Quest 3S having a narrower field of view and worse display, but Meta had to trim some features and specs to hit the $299.99 price point.

The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is a special version of the headset with unique coloring and some bundled extras. It comes with a pre-installed Elite Strap ($70 value), an Xbox controller ($65 value), and three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate ($60 value).

The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is only available for a limited time, but how long that time will be is unclear. Meta sold out of the Xbox Edition of the headset quickly but Best Buy still has stock.

Considering the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is $100 more than the normal Meta Quest 3S, you get quite a bit extra for the extra cash. Sutrich called the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition the "best value in VR," and I agree.

Our Executive Editor Jez Corden went hands-on with the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition. Corden said Xbox Cloud Gaming on the Meta Quest 3S is "absolutely awesome" and broke down the partnership that made the device possible.

The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is an excellent bargain, but if you don't need an Xbox controller or want to grab a headset at a lower price, the standard Meta Quest 3S is available and is also a great option.

Last year, Microsoft announced it was discontinuing the production of its HoloLens 2 headsets, without outlining any plans for a future replacement. However, the tech giant will at least support the devices with security updates through December 31, 2027.

HoloLens is just the tip of the iceberg compared to the heaps of products and services that Microsoft sent to its graveyard before they reached their prime. It's the same premise that billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently referenced when he suggested he would simulate his own version of Microsoft using AI, calling it "Macrohard," implying that Microsoft is purely a software company that doesn't truly engage in the hardware space.

What if Microsoft decided to give HoloLens another chance, but this time upped the ante with Copilot AI and a radically different design? That's exactly what Braz de Pina did. Microsoft's principal designer took it upon himself to envision an unofficial fan-made concept of a Copilot-powered wearable that could potentially be HoloLens' successor and even rival Apple's Vision Pro and XREAL's new AR glasses (via TechRadar Pro).

The designer named the AI-powered wearable "Copilot Veja", and the futuristic concept adopts a distinct form factor. Unlike Microsoft's HoloLens headsets, Copilot Veja features ear-worn devices equipped with cameras, microphones, and buttons that would collectively enhance the user's real-world experience.

As highlighted by TechRadar Pro, the word "Veja" in Copilot Veja's name comes from a conjugation of "to see" in Portuguese, making it somewhat unusual for the device to lack any visual HUD gear for the user's own eyes, such as camera-equipped glasses or other advanced visor tech.

However, this omission was by design. According to the Microsoft designer, most people already have screens on their phones and smartwatches, rendering an additional display redundant. "But my question is: with capable agentic AI, do I really need to see what the AI tells me? Or is it enough to just hear it?" the Microsoft designer added.

A glimpse of what Microsoft HoloLens's future would've been

Braz de Pina indicated that Copilot Veja fixes one of AI's major flaws — its inability to read context in real time:

"In that case, glasses wouldn’t be necessary—we’d simply be fixing one of AI’s flaws: the inability to read context in real time. An AI that can see what you see and provide instant feedback about your surroundings would allow for quick, natural communication. That’s what Copilot Veja is about. The word Veja is Portuguese for See. It’s a verb. Copilot, see…"

The Microsoft employee's concept includes dual cameras that work together to replicate stereoscopic vision. As such, the device can leverage AI to deeply analyze the environment while simultaneously allowing the user to record content while on the go.

However, the concept designer admits that developing these sophisticated earbuds would present a major challenge, especially on the ergonomics front. "Modeling something quickly using 3D human references is tricky, so forgive me if this still needs some extra polish in terms of fit and proportions," de Pina added.

Based on the earbuds' design, the development of the device seems like it would be a steep uphill task, attributed to the complicated nature of the ear stems, which prioritize comfort and still feature a handful of controls, including a power button, a volume knob, a Copilot button, and a camera trigger.

The AR/VR landscape has taken a major hit with little adoption outside enterprise clients. Tech companies have also faced challenges living up to the high expectations presented during demos in real life. The cost implication and form factor of these devices, which generally lean heavily toward the bulkier side of things, have significantly contributed to their stunted adoption, too.

The concept designer admits that they almost didn't share the idea with the world, but they eventually opened up with a disclaimer: "This is a personal project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft. Although I am a Microsoft employee, this work is entirely independent and does not reflect any official Microsoft initiatives. I am not involved in, nor do I have access to, any industrial design projects at Microsoft. My role is focused on UI/UX design."

While it shows great promise, it remains to be seen whether Microsoft will ever adopt the concept, refine some elements, and even potentially progress to the development phase.

Any time Amazon Prime Day rolls around, one of the most popular products folks look for deals on are Meta Quest VR headsets. That's no different in 2025, and this deal is the absolute best around. Currently, the Meta Quest 3S is down to just $249 at Amazon.

Not only is that over $50 off the headset's regular $300 MSRP, but it's also over $150 cheaper than the recently launched limited run $400 "Xbox Edition" of the Meta Quest 3S. While the new bundle has some perks, if you're already a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, this cheaper one is a no-brainer.

• Shop all Amazon Prime Day deals

Easily the best Meta Quest 3S deal I've ever seen

VR headsets allow you to dive into VR games and media made specifically for the hardware, and also let you play regular games and movies with a virtual screen (it works with PC and SteamVR, also).

You'll be hard-pressed to find one that offers more bang for your buck than the Meta Quest 3S — last year's alternative to the Meta Quest 3. Despite being an entire $200 less expensive than the $500 Quest 3 at the entry level, the Quest 3S actually sports the exact same CPU, memory, and controllers, and also works with the same games and software.

The differences lie with storage, lenses, and display; the Quest 3 has 512GB of game storage, while the Quest 3S comes with either 128GB or 256GB. Additionally, the Quest 3's pancake lenses and 2064x2208 per-eye display resolution is sharper than the Quest 3S' older Fresnel lenses and 1832x1920 pixels per eye count.

As a result, the Quest 3S falls behind in terms of image quality and gives you a lot less storage to work with, but it still looks and feels great to play — and with a starting price of $300 that's down to just $249 this Amazon Prime Day, it's undeniably one of if not the best entry-level VR headset to buy right now.

As VR expert Nicholas Sutrich said in his review over on our sister site Android Central, "the Meta Quest 3S is a triumph in every regard."

It's worth noting that Meta also throws in three months of Meta Horizon+ with every Quest 3S. This subscription service ($7.99/month, or $59.99/year) gives you access to a catalog of VR games you can play at any time, with two curated titles added to it monthly.

• DEAL: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 1-month memberships are $13.69 at CDKeys, giving you access to Microsoft's service for a cool discount

Interestingly, this huge Prime Day discount has come just two weeks after Microsoft and Meta partnered up to launch a limited edition Meta Quest 3S "Xbox Edition" headset; priced at $400, it's significantly more expensive than the baseline $300 (now $249) Quest 3S, but includes quite a bit. And while it's mostly sold out, you can still get it at Best Buy.

Beyond the Xbox-themed black colorway with green accents and the iconography of Microsoft's gaming brand, the 128GB "Xbox Edition" also comes with a Bluetooth-compatible Xbox Series Wireless Controller ($65), a Quest Elite Strap ($129.99) that adds an extra hour or two of playtime to the headset's 2-3 hour battery life, and three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate ($60; $20/month) so that you can use Xbox Cloud Gaming with the device right away.

That's $250 of value for just $100 more than the normal Quest 3S ($150, while the aforementioned deal lasts), which actually makes it a great deal — if you don't already have an active Xbox Game Pass subscription or an Xbox controller to use. If you already do, though? I'd say you're better off saving $150 and picking up the discounted standard Meta Quest 3S.

After all, there's nothing the "Xbox Edition" can do that the original can't, and you can always get the items it's bundled with at a later time if you want them. Notably, you can often find these on sale; standard Xbox controllers are selling for as little as $46.49 at Walmart at the moment, for example, and 1-month codes for Game Pass Ultimate are $13.69 at CDKeys.

The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition just launched, giving gamers another way to enjoy their favorite titles. The VR headset is the culmination of a partnership between Microsoft and Meta that was teased last year but took a while to bear fruit.

The collaboration was a surprise when it was initially announced, but it has resulted in an excellent bargain for those looking to jump into virtual reality. My friend Nicholas Sutrich, who heads up VR coverage over at Android Central, called the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition the "best value in VR."

Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition vs Meta Quest 3S

In terms of internal hardware and software capabilities, the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is identical to its non-Xbox-branded counterpart, and that's a good thing. In his Meta Quest 3S review, Sutrich gave the headset a 4.5 out of 5.

The Meta Quest 3S has powerful internals, next-gen controllers and hand tracking, and comes at an excellent price of $299.99.

So, you may be asking why the Xbox Edition headset, which has a $399.99 price tag, costs $100 more. Luckily, you get more than just a fancy exclusive color for that extra $100.

The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition comes with a pre-installed Elite Strap ($70 value), an Xbox controller ($65 value), and three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate ($60 value). It also comes with three months of Horizon+, though that subscription from Meta comes with any Quest headset.

It is also the only way to get the custom Carbon Black colorway with Velocity Green trim. That color scheme extends across the headset itself, the Meta Quest controllers, and the limited-edition Xbox controller that's part of the bundle.

All versions of the Meta Quest 3S (Xbox Edition or not) support the best Meta Quest games. You can also stream games to the headset through Xbox Cloud Gaming. The headset does not support playing Xbox games natively, which makes sense considering it is not an Xbox console.

Xbox Cloud Gaming is preinstalled on the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition. The Xbox controller that ships with the headset comes pre-paired, so you can sign into your Xbox account and start streaming games quickly.

Like most non-native content on a VR headset, streamed games aren’t as immersive as native VR experiences. But the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition provides a massive virtual canvas that makes it feel like you're playing games on a giant TV.

If you have a gaming PC capable of playing VR games, you can connect the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition to your PC through USB-C or Wi-Fi.

The partnership between Microsoft and Meta may have been a surprise initially, but the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is an excellent bargain for those looking to immerse themselves in VR. It combines the budget-friendly design of the Meta Quest 3S with some nice perks, including an exclusive Xbox controller, plus three months each of two subscriptions to help you get started.

Over the past few weeks, Google has doubled down on throttling and preventing playback on YouTube videos for users with ad blockers installed on their devices. At this point, it feels like a cat-and-mouse chase, leaving Google stuck in a "hamster wheel" of chasing down the loopholes users are leveraging to bypass YouTube's ads.

Recently, Belgian software engineer Stijn Spanhove developed an ingenious augmented reality (AR) app designed to identify and block ads in real life, including billboards and product branding (via Tom's Hardware).

For context, the app works on Snap's fifth-generation AR "Spectacles" and leverages Google's Gemini AI to identify and block billboard ads and brands in the real world. As shown in the video above, the smart glasses are demonstrated running the app, blocking ads on billboards, newspapers, and posters.

The app replaces the ads with a red square and the blocked brand’s name. Interestingly, the app also seems to block out ads featured in food packaging. It isn't perfect, but it's close enough to be impressive.

According to Spanhove:

“I’ve been building an XR app for a real-world ad blocker using Snap Spectacles. It uses Gemini to detect and block ads in the environment. It’s still early and experimental, but it’s exciting to imagine a future where you control the physical content you see."

To that end, the app was built from libraries and APIs shared by Snap on GitHub, limiting the ad-free experience to Snap's smart AR glasses. Developers who applied for access through the company's Lens Studio desktop tool can grab the Snap fifth-gen AR Spectacles for $99/month.

While the app's access is fairly limited since it is still in an early development phase, it could, in theory, find its way to Apple's Vision Pro and Meta's Quest. In the viral clip on X (formerly Twitter) post, users have suggested that the developer should replace the bold red rectangle with more natural elements like local foliage, plants, and animals. Imagine that.

Xbox itself may have swerved virtual reality, but its previously-announced partnership with Meta VR seems to be on the horizon.

A now-deleted thread on X (formerly Twitter) shared images of the Xbox-branded Meta Quest. The image was reposted by @bmfshow, and has since spread across the metaverse (and real universe too.)

This isn't new, however. We previously reported on the Meta Xbox VR headset in 2024, and now it seems you may be able to get your hands on one as early as June 24 for just $399.

It's unclear why it took a full year for this partnership device to emerge, but it follows closely behind Xbox's recent announcement of a partnership with Asus to release the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X gaming handhelds. Xbox's own first-party handheld console efforts have been set aside.

According to Gamesandwich.com, the black and green Xbox-branded Quest 3S will shadow drop on June 24 for $399. The headset is said to offer 128GB of standard system memory, similar to the standard Meta Quest 3S without Xbox branding. Along with the virtual reality headset, an Elite Strap, Xbox wireless controller, and three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate are reported to be included in the box.

CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, had previously been vocally opposed to the idea of a native Xbox headset, stating in 2019 that "nobody's asking for VR" on Xbox. However, Microsoft's marketing strategy for the Xbox Series X|S generation has shifted with the rise of Xbox Cloud Gaming and the "This is an Xbox" marketing. Some Xbox games have been playable in VR on Meta Quest headsets while utilizing Xbox Cloud Gaming on a large virtual screen. Naturally, cloud streaming will still be a requirement, this is mostly just a bundle for Xbox fans who want to grab a Meta Quest with some extra flavor.

Since announcing the "This is an Xbox" strategy, Xbox has expanded its reach from just consoles and Windows PCs to cover mobile devices, TVs, VR headsets, and handhelds. Perhaps an Xbox branded Samsung smart fridge is next.

When Microsoft announced the Xbox One X a few years ago, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer then said it would support VR headsets — a first for the ecosystem. Fast forward a short while, and those plans were totally shelved. Xbox has repeatedly said that it has no plans to chase VR in the future, either.

Microsoft has had a weird relationship with virtual reality and augmented reality. It was all CEO Satya Nadella seemed to talk about during the pandemic, "metaverse this," and "metaverse that." Again, fast forward a short while, and the big tech fad faded almost as fast as NFTs. Microsoft's much hyped AR headset, HoloLens, is now practically dead.

Still, there were two major players persisting, with what can only be described as mixed success. Meta, of Facebook fame, is actually building some kind of limited edition Meta Quest 3S in partnership with Xbox, to showcase Xbox Cloud Gaming on the platform. However, it has lost tens of billions chasing VR. That's B for Billion. Meta even rebranded its entire company around the "metaverse" fad, which will likely never yield profitability. To date, reports suggest Meta has lost $45 billion on VR so far, which can only be described as absurd.

Sony PlayStation, the other major player, has definitely not spent $45 billion on its headsets — which on paper are extremely good, and among the best and most comfortable on the market. However, this latest news emerging from one of VR's most popular games is a signal that PSVR might not be long for this world.

Beat Saber is one of the few VR gaming success stories the industry can point to. The musical VR rhythm block hack n' slash has made hundreds of millions of dollars since its launch according to the WSJ. It was acquired by Meta in 2019, and often comes bundled with Meta Quest headsets.

Despite the game's success, it seems that Beat Games is sunsetting support for Beat Saber on the PSVR range. As of June 2025, no new content will be added. Multiplayer will be closed a few months after, although the basic game will still be available to purchase.

The game's retirement on PSVR comes as a bit of a blow to the platform, and I couldn't help but wonder how much longer PSVR has left in a gaming industry that seems to have rejected VR almost entirely.

I recalled how disappointed a few Xbox fans were when Microsoft rescinded its promises to bring VR to the Xbox One X, but looking at the VR landscape today, I can't help but feel like it was the right call to make. Even Apple, with its legions of unquestioning customers, utterly rejected the Apple Vision Pro. If Apple and PlayStation couldn't figure out this paradigm, there's absolutely no reason to think Microsoft could have done.

VR and AR likely still has some role to play in the future. Smaller, more discrete headsets like the excellent XREAL glasses can give you a 1080p monitor anywhere you currently are. Some estimates suggest that the VR market will continue to grow as well, but whether or not immersive VR gaming is part of that profitability layer remains to be seen.

In my experience VR gaming is — today — simply far too uncomfortable, claustrophobic, and nauseating for huge sections of the addressable audience. Xbox was right to not bother chasing this one. Perhaps the Xbox Ally and PC gaming handheld market will fare better?

Microsoft turns 50 on April 4, and the celebration of everyone's favorite Windows developer has us all taking a look back at some of the company's greatest achievements (with a healthy mix of criticism mixed in).

Some of my first (and most memorable) experiences with Windows were gaming-related.

From my earliest days playing Solitaire on a Windows 95 PC before becoming so hopelessly addicted to Age of Empires II — both ranked among the best Microsoft games of all time by my colleague Rebecca Spear — that I nearly flunked Grade 7, Microsoft has been along for the ride.

Taking a big leap ahead in time, with plenty of PC gaming goodness in the middle, Microsoft was part of the VR bubble that began reinflating sometime around the mid-to-late '10s.

I'm taking a look back at Windows Mixed Reality's brief run to uncover its biggest positives as well as a few likely reasons why it didn't make it in the long run.

What was Windows Mixed Reality?

Windows Mixed Reality was first introduced at WinHEC 2016 as part of the 2017 Windows 10 Creator's Update.

WMR was one part of Microsoft's "Project Evo" initiative, and it aimed to bring low-cost headsets to market that would "raise the bar" surrounding expectations for Windows PCs.

It wasn't until CES 2017 that we got our first look at the WMR hardware — then called Windows Holographic VR before a rebrand — from Microsoft's partners.

Alex Kipman, HoloLens inventor and (at the time) Microsoft's WMR lead, took to the stage later in October wearing a WMR headset and bearing news that WMR headsets were available for preorder.

Kipman also released a lengthy blog post detailing his vision of Windows Mixed Reality:

"We are standing at the threshold of the next revolution in computing. A revolution where computers empower us to expand our capabilities and transcend time, space and devices. A revolution where we immerse ourselves in virtual worlds of our choosing and we accomplish seemingly impossible things, while making lasting memories with the people we love.

"Our sense of what is possible is set to be transformed as we enter a new era of computing, the era of mixed reality. We have started to see this transformation take place in the modern workplace and soon we'll see it in every facet of life. With mixed reality, our ideas move beyond the boundaries of paper, beyond the boundaries of screens, and beyond the boundaries of description. This is the fundamental promise of mixed reality. The barrier that exists between our physical and digital worlds will disappear."

Microsoft saw its WMR platform as a jumping-off point for the future of computing. Updates would push it to new limits, all while taking into account user needs and preferences.

👉 Related: What exactly is Microsoft's Windows Mixed Reality?

From the start, WMR was intended to be used for everything from gaming to watching movies or TV, browsing the web, and meeting with friends in virtual chatrooms.

Here's a quick list of all the VR headsets released under the WMR banner:

• Acer AH101: Released October 17, 2017 at $399.99 (with controllers).
• Dell Visor: Released October 17, 2017 at $349.99 ($449.99 with controllers).
• HP WMR: Released October 17, 2017 at $449.99 (with controllers).
• Lenovo Explorer: Released October 17, 2017 at $349.99 (449.99 with controllers).
• Samsung Odyssey: Released November 6, 2017 at $500 (with controllers).
• ASUS HC102: Released February 20, 2018 at $399.99 (with controllers).
• Samsung Odyssey+: Released October 22, 2018 at $500 (with controllers).
• HP Reverb: Released May 6, 2019 at $599 (Consumer) and $649 (Pro).
• Acer OJO 500: Released October 17, 2019 at $399.99 (with controllers).
• HP Reverb G2: Released October 31, 2020 at $599 (with controllers).

Windows Mixed Reality got a lot right no matter how it ended

It's easy to look back on Windows Mixed Reality with a negative eye.

Its retirement as of Windows 11 update 24H2 left a lot of adopters holding e-waste, and it never really delivered on all of its promises.

However, it did a few things quite well, and in some areas was ahead of the competition.

Windows Mixed Reality was ahead of its time ... a classic Microsoft story

The first VR headset I tested was an early Oculus Rift version. The second was an HTC Vive.

Both setups required a network of base stations to be connected to your PC in order to track the movements of the headset and its controllers.

While inside-out tracking is now the norm for headsets like the Meta Quest (which is ultimately what became of the Rift after Meta bought Oculus), Windows Mixed Reality was ahead of its time in offering the feature.

I remember unboxing my first WMR headset; no base stations, no miles of cable. The headset was plug-and-play with the PC, and the tracking was all handled by built-in cameras and sensors on the hardware.

The headset keeping track of the controllers led to some wonk — especially if you moved your hands (with controllers) behind you — but it was a lot easier to set up and use for the average adopter.

Windows Mixed Reality's high visual fidelity was a selling point

In terms of visual fidelity, WMR was ahead of many other mainstream VR systems.

Dell, Acer, HP, and Lenovo all released WMR headsets in 2017 to kick off the partnered initiative, and they came with a 1440x1440 resolution.

Putting that into perspective, the HTC Vive launched in 2016 with a 1080x1200 resolution while the PSVR (also released in 2016) had a lowly 960x1080 resolution. Even the Oculus Rift CV1 topped out at 1080x1200.

Considering how important a high resolution is in VR, WMR offered a significant visual upgrade while retaining relatively affordable pricing.

The Samsung Odyssey launched in 2017, and it took everything to the next level with an AMOLED display at a 1440x1600 resolution. It took HTC another year to launch the Vive Pro with the same screen.

In 2019 and 2020, HP released its Reverb and Reverb G2 WMR headsets, pushing the resolution up to 2160x2160.

I reviewed the Reverb G2 favorably, and I'll argue that it was probably the best chance WMR had at succeeding.

Windows Mixed Reality had some of the most affordable hardware

Windows Mixed Reality headsets and their controllers were some of the most affordable ways to get into VR.

The initial run of systems from Microsoft's partners hit the market with sub-$500 price tags, and Acer's AH101 system was the cheapest at $400 for the complete kit with controllers. It didn't take long for these headsets to drop in price.

Putting that into perspective, the Rift CV1 was selling for $599 and the HTC Vive for $399. Even PSVR was a $400 investment if you wanted the headset and controllers.

The awesome Samsung Odyssey headset with its high-res AMOLED display launched at $500, but it was also prone to frequent discounts.

Besides, it was way ahead of its time. The Vive Pro with the same display launched about a year later at $1,099 for the full system, so Samsung's headset was a major steal.

Windows Mixed Reality worked flawlessly with Steam

Every PC gamer's favorite developer and retailer, Valve, was quick to implement WMR support in its SteamVR toolkit.

All you had to do in order to unlock the vast library of Steam games was install the tool on the main Steam app and download Microsoft's WMR for SteamVR app.

From there, it was just a matter of plugging in your headset and following the on-screen prompts. Any VR games you launched on Steam were sent automatically to the WMR headset.

For PC gamers looking to get into VR titles, WMR represented an affordable and fully compatible way to fully immerse themselves.

It's worth pointing out here that WMR even saved some software from extinction.

AltspaceVR was on the rocks in 2017 when Microsoft purchased it, which at the time seemed like an indicator of how serious Microsoft was about VR.

Too bad AltspaceVR ended up in the trash heap anyway when it was abandoned in 2023.

The demise of Windows Mixed Reality ... and the reasons leading up to it

The death of WMR wasn't entirely Microsoft's fault.

Looking at Statista numbers, consumer interest in VR headsets hasn't grown as quickly as expected, and worldwide demand for VR hardware and software has been eclipsed by Augmented Reality.

Those who do want a VR headset generally turn to Meta's Quest lineup of wireless, self-contained headsets, while Valve's own VR platform, Index, remains the leading hardware for PC gaming.

There are, however, a few pain points that didn't help Windows Mixed Reality's progress and attempts to gain market share.

I'm still waiting on that whole 'Mixed Reality' part

"Windows Mixed Reality" didn't really represent what Microsoft's VR platform could do. However, "Windows Virtual Reality" didn't really have the same ring to it.

Augmented reality at the time was being pushed forward by Microsoft's HoloLens, which could display information over the real world in front of you.

At the other end of the spectrum was virtual reality, which shut you off from the outside world completely for complete immersion.

The headsets were full virtual reality, with many hoping that the mixed part would arrive sometime in the future. That, of course, never panned out.

I'm not sure how much the "mixed" feature never arriving actually harmed the product, but it certainly didn't make the emerging world of VR any less complicated for those looking in from the outside.

The cheapest WMR hardware made a poor first impression

As a counterpoint to one of my earlier positive notes regarding the affordability of WMR headsets, the cost cut didn't come without side effects.

The headsets created by Microsoft's partners resulted in a wide range of quality, and I remember plenty of reports regarding Acer's budget option not faring well under heavy use.

It certainly wasn't the only hardware that had a cheap feel compared to competitors like HTC and Oculus.

Attempting to jumpstart an entirely new sector on the back of shoddy hardware is never a good idea.

Although there were WMR headsets that rivaled everything else on the market in terms of quality, the cheap stuff is what sold most, giving more people a negative impression.

It was a great way to give VR a shot without investing a ton of money, but it didn't do justice to the platform as a whole.

Despite Steam integration, WMR didn't have one killer app or game

Jumping into Windows Mixed Reality on Windows was fun at first. There was an entire house to decorate and set up, acting as your launch pad for everything WMR.

The excitement quickly waned as I found myself usually skipping any sort of intermediary software and jumping straight into the app or game of my choice.

Once SteamVR integration came along, I really didn't need to touch the WMR portal built into Windows at all. It just kind of became an annoying add-on.

Microsoft never really created that one killer app or game in an attempt to sell WMR, and it never got anywhere with Xbox integration.

Even Xbox head Phil Spencer was quoted in 2019 as saying "Nobody's asking for VR" on Xbox, though others argued it could be a perfect fit for the console.

Sony ultimately proved Spencer's point with PSVR and PSVR 2, which fizzled out due to poor sales and an overall lack of interest.

Still, I look at Valve's Half-Life: Alyx, released in 2020 to complement the Valve Index VR system, which currently sits at an Overwhelmingly Positive rating with more than 84,000 reviews.

What could have been if Microsoft had invested in turning one of its legendary brands into a VR game?

Could anything have saved Windows Mixed Reality?

Windows Mixed Reality support is officially dead if you've made the switch to Windows 11.

It's still kicking around in Windows 10, but its support is done, and besides, Windows 10 is being retired in October 2025.

That leaves a whole lot of e-waste sitting around. Microsoft could likely have lifted restrictions on code, turning it into an open-source platform and allowing enthusiasts to take it to the next level.

I don't know if anything could have saved WMR. Microsoft definitely didn't put as many resources into it as it could have, but the market appeal across all VR cooled off not long after it began heating up.

So, here we are in 2025 with Windows Mixed Reality pushing daisies in Microsoft's graveyard. Where do we go from here?

In 2024, it was reported that Microsoft is planning an MR/VR headset to take on the Apple Vision Pro, with a focus on gaming and media rather than any sort of metaverse.

That hardware, if it ever materializes, likely won't arrive until late 2025 or 2026.

It appears Extended Reality (XR) hardware — cutting-edge Goovis Art is currently being tested by Windows Central Editor in Chief Daniel Rubino, and XREAL is another favorite — is the next big push for consumer headsets.

XR offers hardware that's much less intrusive and heavy, and it delivers a better version of mixed reality than Windows Mixed Reality ever could. But, whether or not it sticks around remains to be seen.

Did you use WMR? Do you still use WMR? How could it have been saved from annihilation? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Apple's long-anticipated Vision Pro AR glasses showed great promise at launch, but the iPhone maker has failed to live up to the hype. For instance, the company deterred many users from buying the entry due to its steep $3,500 price tag, seemingly limiting its accessibility to high-income markets.

The sophisticated augmented reality headset is riddled with a wide range of issues, including health concerns like eye strain and cognitive fatigue, design flaws (particularly its bulkiness), and limited app support from developers, which makes the $3,500 entry less appealing outside of its novelty.

Be that as it may, the hype around the expensive headset has quickly faded as affordable and more multi-functional entries like XREAL's AR glasses join the fold. However, a new report suggests that Apple might be attempting to make a comeback with the Vision Pro via AI-powered features (via LaptopMag).

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple plans to ship its AI (Apple Intelligence) to the Vision Pro, an updated mode for guest users, and a spatial content app to potentially spark user interest and drive more headset sales.

The AR headset will reportedly receive the highlighted improvements via a new update, visionOS 2.4, which is slated to ship as early as April. However, developers may gain access to these new features this week.

While Apple has yet to confirm any of the highlighted details, if true, Apple Intelligence will ship with a wide range of features to the Vision Pro, including Writing Tools, Genmojis, and the Image Playground app.

Will Apple Intelligence save the Vision Pro from flopping?

Apple played safe with generative AI until October 2024, when it unveiled its Apple Intelligence strategy. Interestingly, Apple Intelligence hasn't hit its prime-time yet, as it continues to ship in waves for iPhone 15 users and higher or Macs with M1 chips and higher.

Apple's iPhone sales have seemingly declined over the past few years, especially in the Chinese market. It's unclear if Apple Intelligence's debut has helped improve these figures in the grand scheme of things. It will be interesting to see if this theory proves successful for the Vision Pro.

This news comes weeks after Microsoft confirmed it was handing over the development of its military IVAS hardware and software to Anduril Industries, potentially dumping the $22 billion deal to the third-party developer if the deal pulls through.

Last year, the Redmond giant pulled the plug on its Windows Mixed Reality platform and stopped developing HoloLens 2.

More competition is coming to the world of augmented reality gaming.

As part of its CES 2025 lineup, Lenovo revealed the Lenovo Legion Glasses 2, an upgraded version of its prior wearable effort allowing players to have their own private theater for games and movies wherever they go. Just like the prior model, the Lenovo Legion Glasses 2 are designed to be used alongside the Lenovo Legion Go or any other supported USB-C gaming device, allowing players to pass through anything they're playing and experience it in comfort.

Per the full specs for the Lenovo Legion Glasses 2, users can expect a 1080p image per eye, just like the prior model. Unlike the prior glasses however, it's been built with brightness in mind, and Lenovo claims it can reach a maximum of 800 nits, well beyond the 270 nits the original glasses were capable of. Lenovo also says that these new glasses support a 120Hz refresh rate, while the original model was locked to 60Hz.

Another improvement for this time around is a lightweight build, with these glasses weighing in at just 65 grams, as opposed to its predecessor's 96 grams.

The 120Hz panel is interesting to me, as I don't talk to many players using their gaming handhelds to play games at that high of a refresh rate. Most users opt to lock their games to 30 FPS for a consistent experience, or bumping up to 60 FPS when playing a less-demanding game. Still, options are always great, and any added flexibility or future-proofing is neat as the handheld gaming space gets more and more packed from a variety of competitors.

Outside of that, there's not exactly a lot to go on right now, though my colleague Zachary Boddy did get to see the glasses in-person at CES 2025, as I have them to thank for the images you're seeing right now. This announcement does serve as a nice complement to another of Lenovo's CES headlines, the Lenovo Legion Go S, which will be available with Windows 11 or SteamOS, giving players the option of a true Steam Deck alternative.

Lenovo is set to provide XREAL with some competition when the Legion Glasses 2 arrive, and prospective users won't be waiting long. The glasses are slated to launch at some point in February 2025 starting at $399.

What you need to know

• XREAL is an augmented reality glasses company that is at the forefront of miniaturising the tech.
• Up until now, XREAL relied on external computing solutions to add spatial anchors to its insanely sharp hologrammatic screens, but not anymore.
• The XREAL One series (One and One Pro) have a new XR chip baked straight into them, side-stepping the need for apps and external add-ons.
• The XREAL One and One Pro are available now in the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe, starting at $499 USD, £449 GBP, and €549 EUR.

XREAL is back, and this time, they're even better.

I'm a big fan of XREAL. In my XREAL Air review, I detailed how the subtle lenses do all the things I wish HoloLens would've ended up doing, albeit with a key concession: they have no on-board compute. The worst thing about the XREAL glasses previously was underbaked software and integration with Windows and Android, although the app situation has improved immeasurably over time. XREAL even launched its own compute module for their glasses called the XREAL Beam, although it was a bit like carrying an extra phone around in your pocket, and not exactly ideal.

XREAL agreed, which is why their shiny new XREAL One and XREAL One Pro now have on-board computing for the first time, completing the augmented reality circle HoloLens failed to accomplish.

The XREAL One glasses are now available for preorder over on Amazon.

XREAL describes its new One series as the "biggest least forward" for consumer AR, owing to its independently-designed X1 processor platform. Previously, without a connected XREAL Beam, Android app, or Windows app, the XREAL was unable to independently reconfigure its virtual 3D display. You basically got an external monitor in glasses form, which while admittedly a very good external virtual reality monitor, the lack of configuration options was always a bit of a drag. Now, however, the X1 chip and the new XREAL SDK should enable an entire universe of new possibilities without having to rely on additional devices and apps to do the heavy lifting.

"Using XREAL's brand new, in-house designed X1 independent spatial computing co-processor, XREAL One Series creates a spatial display from nearly any device and for anything the wearer sees, leaping beyond the limits of today's AR and VR devices by introducing a fully customizable cinematic virtual screen that is for the first time spatially controlled by the glasses themselves."

The new glasses feature a variety of other tweaks and improvements over their predecessors. We now have speakers by BOSE, alongside official eye health certifications and even an AI-powered optional modular camera for added tracking and spatial awareness features. The new glasses have dynamic interpupillary distance control as well for the first time, which should make for a more comfortable experience and easier positioning. There are also options for prescription lenses as was the case with the previous glasses.

The XREAL glasses are compatible with a huge range of devices, giving them broad applications for all kinds of use-case scenarios. Connect them to a Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally for large display gaming. Connect them to a Windows PC as a second virtual monitor. Expand your Samsung S24 with Samsung DeX, and so on.

XREAL is what HoloLens could've been

The XREAL One glasses have boosted 57-degree field of view, incredibly sharp 1080p visuals, clocking in at 84 grams and 87 grams for the Pro respectively. This is orders of magnitude more usable and convenient than HoloLens, or even devices like the Meta Quest 3.

I think therein lies the big gap between what some platforms want to push vs. what consumers will actually want in reality. Yes, the XREAL aren't cheap, but they're also something I use regularly as someone who travels frequently. I watched Cyberpunk Edgerunners while travelling exclusively on the XREAL devices connected to my phone. They're great for playing Xbox Cloud Gaming titles, and also adding a bigger display to the Lenovo Legion Go and so on.

The downside was always that you couldn't resize the monitors or anchor them without extra steps. The new X1 computing platform should help resolve that situation. We'll be back with a full review soon.

December 3, 6:52 AM ET: Meta's Quest 3S 128GB + Batman: Arkham Shadow + Xbox Controller + 3-Month Xbox Game Pass bundle sneakily raises its price from $329.97 to $359.97 at Best Buy as Cyber Monday ends — Ben Wilson, Senior Editor

In light of Microsoft's recent, extremely corny, "This is an Xbox" marketing campaign, the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S very much are an Xbox for your face. It can also be used in conjunction with a PC, and now, Xbox Cloud Gaming. In a world where the HoloLens never took off, nor did Windows Mixed Reality, the Meta Quest and its support and integration of Microsoft products makes it the best option we have.

Before Cyber Monday ends, these are the Meta Quest bundles you need to be snapping up.

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A great buy for Microsoft and Xbox users

There once was a time we had high hopes for Microsoft in the VR/AR space, with the revolutionary HoloLens and the promising Windows Mixed Reality. While both of those have been put out to pasture (at least from a consumer perspective), Microsoft has partnered with Meta to keep a toe in the VR space.

For gamers, with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you can stream games from the cloud right into the Meta Quest headset and play them with Microsoft's wireless Xbox controller.

For the productivity crowd, Microsoft already made its office apps available on the Quest, and will soon allow you to stream your entire Windows 11 PC to the headset from December of this year.

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What you need to know

• Microsoft has announced a new feature for Meta Quest 3 and 3S headsets that adds the ability to wirelessly stream Windows 11 from your PC into your VR environment.
• The feature seamlessly pairs Windows 11 and Meta Quest headsets and lets you set up virtual desktops that you can resize and use for work.
• Users can try the feature in preview starting in December.

Originally teased by Meta back in September, Microsoft has today formally announced deeper integration between Windows 11 and Meta Quest headsets. Unveiled during its Ignite 2024 event, soon Meta Quest users will have a seamless and easy way to pair and stream their Windows 11 PC directly into their VR environment on the Meta Quest 3 and 3S.

The feature is said to work with PCs in your local space or via the cloud with Windows 365, and will let you use Windows 11 via virtual monitors that can be resized and positioned how you want them in your VR space. Microsoft says the feature will launch in preview next month, sometime in December.

"Windows in mixed reality brings the full capabilities of Windows 11 to mixed reality headsets, starting with Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S," said Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft's CVP of Windows & Devices, in a blog post. "Access to your local Windows PC or Windows 365 Cloud PC from a Quest headset is seamless, and it takes only seconds to connect to a private, high-quality, large, multiple-monitor workstation."

Microsoft bringing Windows 11 to the Meta Quest is the latest feature from what appears to be a close partnership between Microsoft and Meta. Microsoft Mesh is already available on Meta Quest and brings VR Teams meetings to the Quest platform. The online Microsoft Office apps are also available in the Quest store.

Microsoft recently canceled its HoloLens 2 mixed reality headset after several years in production. With no follow-up seemingly planned, it appears the company's goal in VR going forward is to partner up instead of build its own.

What you need to know

• The U.S. Army wants Microsoft to reduce the cost of IVAS militarized augmented reality headsets to "be substantially less than" $80,000 per unit, which is the current project cost.
• IVAS has faced several delays and challenges for several years, but Microsoft's deal with the U.S. Army regarding the headsets could be worth almost $22 billion.
• Microsoft discontinued HoloLens 2 recently and the company's mixed reality efforts are largely dead.

When Microsoft discontinued HoloLens 2 and announced end of support for the mixed reality headset, many asked if the announcement would affect the tech giant's planned military headset. Microsoft clarified at the time that it is "fully committed" to its Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), even after discontinuing HoloLens 2. While Microsoft is committed to IVAS, it appears the U.S. Army may have some hesitations. That is, unless Microsoft can lower the cost of individual IVAS units.

Microsoft needs to get the cost of an IVAS headset to "be substantially less than” $80,000, as highlighted by a report by Bloomberg. That figure is the current projected cost of an individual IVAS unit. Microsoft's current deal with the U.S. Army could be worth up to almost $22 billion, but several hurdles have to be cleared before things continue.

The U.S. Army has been testing IVAS, and initial tests were not great. Soldiers experienced headaches and nausea during testing, but things have since improved. Army acquisition chief Doug Bush said that testing" is going much better than the first time around" and that "a lot of problems have been fixed." Those comments were made during the annual Association of the US Army conference last week.

Bush also shared the unit costs will be "a key factor next year when senior leaders make decisions about going into production."

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IVAS units are militarized augmented reality helmets that can provide soldiers powerful insights in real time, such as issuing warnings for threats. The headsets also include night vision and are much more durable than commercial or enterprise augmented reality systems. Those specs and the cost of developing IVAS add up. Bloomberg highlighted that the display, battery, and chest unit of an IVAS unit cost $41,824 (as outlined by budget documents for the project). The rest of the cost is related to engineering, software support, and working with the Army.

While IVAS units are expensive, Microsoft is looking into ways to reduce costs. "We are going through the program to identify where we can reduce costs," said Microsoft Corporate Vice President for Mixed Reality Robin Seiler.

"It’s a fairly complex system, so when you look at cost reduction you have to look at it from a component level, from a labor level and from your supply chain," she added.

Death of Microsoft HoloLens

The move of HoloLens to the Microsoft graveyard has spanned across several years. The saga included former HoloLens lead Alex Kipman being accused of "verbal abuse and sexual harassment" and leaving the company, HoloLens 3 being called a "s--t show," and Microsoft killing its Windows VR platform.

Microsoft has largely shifted its virtual and augmented reality efforts to making software work on other platforms, such as Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro. Despite the shift in strategy, the tech giant seems committed to its plans to fulfil the IVAS contract with the U.S. Army.

The next major test of IVAS will occur from April to June this year, during which the headset will undergo further field testing. Following that testing, the Army will either commit to full production or move in a different direction.

What you need to know

• Microsoft halted production of HoloLens 2 headsets recently.
• HoloLens 2 headsets will continue to receive critical security updates and software regressions until the end of 2027.
• Microsoft's Mixed Reality division has struggled mightily over recent years, including the departure of former HoloLens lead Alex Kipman.
• Support for the original HoloLens will end on December 10, 2024.

Microsoft ended the production of HoloLens 2 headsets recently. The augmented reality headset will continue to receive "updates to address critical security issues and software regressions," until December 31, 2027. The start of 2028 will mark the official end of software support for HoloLens 2. Support for the original HoloLens 2 will end much sooner, specifically December 10, 2024. But it's worth noting that production of the original HoloLens ended in 2018.

The information comes courtesy of UploadVR, which received confirmation from Microsoft regarding the end of HoloLens 2 production.

When launched in 2019, HoloLens 2 showed promise and drew excitement within the virtual and augmented reality space. The device was much better than the original HoloLens and it did not have many direct competitors at the time. The VR space has changed quite a bit since then, and Microsoft hasn't shown much progress. The HoloLens division was reportedly called a "s--t show" by one Microsoft employee.

Microsoft reportedly canceled HoloLens 3, though there was some back-and-forth on if that was the case. Microsoft's $22 billion Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) for the US military has had several issues during testing. On that note, Microsoft told UploadVR that it is "fully committed" to IVAS, even after today's news.

Microsoft ultimately killed the Windows VR platform and announced the deprecation of Windows Mixed Reality in December 2023.

The (predictable) end of an era

Microsoft pioneered several concepts in the virtual and augmented reality space, but the company ultimately struggled to grow within the market. HoloLens had uses in industrial spaces and in corporate environments, but Windows Mixed Reality as a whole failed to capture everyday consumers.

Microsoft laid off teams behind virtual reality, mixed reality, and HoloLens in January 2023. The teams behind AltSpaceVR and the Mixed Reality Tool Kit were part of those layoffs.

Reports dating back to February 2022 claimed that Microsoft was lost when it came to HoloLens, calling HoloLens 3 a "s--t show."

In addition to technical and monetization challenges, Microsoft faced issues surrounding the leadership of HoloLens. A report from Insider (formerly Business Insider), accused Kipman of "verbal abuse and sexual harassment." Among the claims was an accusation of Kipman viewing pornography on a VR headset that was mirrored to a nearby monitor that could be seen by other people in the room. Kipman was also accused of fostering "culture that diminishes women’s contributions."

Official word on HoloLens is rare from Microsoft, and the company seems to change its plans about mixed reality regularly. Leadership changes and restructuring within the company have also likely contributed to the wandering path of HoloLens development.

The future of VR at Microsoft

While Microsoft has ended production of HoloLens 2 and killed of the Windows VR platform, the company still has plans for virtual reality. Microsoft has partnered with Meta and Apple to get Microsoft software onto Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro, respectively.

Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden reported that future Microsoft-made mixed reality headsets will likely be powered by Android, not Windows. While the devices would not run Windows natively, Microsoft is reportedly working on a solution that will let mixed reality devices run full Windows desktop apps through the cloud.

With Microsoft's track record surrounding virtual and mixed reality, even those plans may be canceled before a product is released to the public. We could see mixed reality headsets made by Microsoft as soon as 2025 or 2026, but we'll have to wait to see which plans Microsoft sticks with.

What you need to know

• PlayStation VR2 first launched as a high-end accessory for PlayStation 5 back in 2023. 
• The headset has seen mixed reception since launch, with praise for the advanced tech and features but criticism toward the games lineup. 
• PlayStation announced an adapter, allowing players to use PlayStation VR2 with Windows PC but with some features like HDR and eye-tracking disabled. 
• Preorders for the $60 adapter will open soon across a number of retailers, with the adapter set to release on Aug. 7, 2024.

Virtual reality fans will soon have a new way to play. 

Sony announced an adapter for PlayStation VR2 on Monday, outlining on PlayStation Blog how the device can be used to make PlayStation's virtual reality headset compatible with Windows PC. This means players will be able to use their headset with SteamVR games, including Fallout 4 and Half-Life: Alyx. 

This adapter will cost $60 and will be available for preorder soon from a variety of retailers, as well directly from PlayStation. When hooked up to a PC, some big features won't work, including HDR, eye tracking, and haptic feedback. Players will still be able to take advantage of the foveated rendering built into the 4K display. 

PlayStation VR2 on Windows PC requirements

Players who want to use PlayStation VR2 on Windows PC will also need to have a DisplayPort 1.4 cable, which isn't included with the $60 adapter. The minimum requirements for your gaming PC to work with the headset can be found below:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit / Windows 11 64-bit 
• CPU: Intel Core i5-7600 / AMD Ryzen 3 3100 (Zen 2 or later architecture is required)
• RAM: 8 GB or more
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 or later (Turing or later architecture is required) / NVIDIA RTX series-AMD Radeon RX 5500XT or later / AMD Radeon RX 6500XT or later
• DisplayPort: DisplayPort 1.4
• USB: Direct connection only
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0 or later (some Bluetooth adapters may not work)

Analysis: A good move, but PS VR2's fate is sealed

Ever since Sony first confirmed that the teams were working to make PlayStation VR2 compatible with PC, I figured it meant the hardware's fate was sealed. Make no mistake, I think it's a great choice that gives console users more functionality from their devices, and it gives PC players an additional option for engaging with the best PC games that support VR. 

It's also become abundantly clear that Sony has no interest in continuing to work on first-party games for the system in order to drive interest. To date there's only been a handful, with Firesprite and Guerrilla's co-developed Horizon Call of the Mountain, Firewall Ultra from now-defunct First Contact Entertainment, and a free update for Polyphony's Gran Turismo 7 comprising the entirety of PlayStation Studios' efforts for the device. With Team Asobi's new Astro Bot game not including any kind of support for PlayStation VR2 despite the original PSVR providing Astro's debut, the signs are clear. 

Still, I hope this ends up being a great way to play SteamVR games and we see something of a second life for the peripheral outside of the PlayStation console ecosystem.

What you need to know

• Nobody wants an Apple Vision Pro. 
• That's it, basically. 

According a report via Mac Rumors, water is wet nobody wants to spend $3000 dollars to wear an Apple Mac computer on their head, even if it has holograms. 

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Cuo reports that Apple has reduced its orders for Vision Pro devices, after demand in the United States fell "sharply beyond expectations." Supposedly, Apple will use the humbling to approach sales in other regions a little less optimistically. Supposedly, Apple will unveil wider Vision Pro availability at this year's WWDC conference, where we could see the expensive hologrammatic paperweight hit Europe and other regions. Apple supposedly expects demand for the headset to only decline year-over-year too, which doesn't exactly paint a rosy picture for the nascent market. 

It seems that Apple learned nothing from Microsoft's failings with HoloLens, although Apple was arguably far better positioned to actually make something of its tech. Apple's mixed-reality headset offers full inside-out virtual landscapes, utilizing cameras that reproduce the external environment, overlaying holograms on top. Apple also enjoys far more consumer confidence in hardware than Microsoft most likely, yet it still couldn't make the use-case for this monstrosity make any sense. 

Instead of full inside-out virtualization, HoloLens used clever prisms and lenses to overlay Windows windows directly on top of the real world, complete with spatial anchoring. The downside of HoloLens was its "letterbox" effect, since the field of view was incredibly small. The upside was that the headset didn't make you feel like throwing up, unlike Apple's, which due to subtle latency differences between the real world and virtual world, creates a sea sickness-like affliction in many users. 

The Apple Vision Pro could end up being remembered as one of Apple's most high-profile hardware failures in recent years. 

Is mixed reality doomed?

Both Microsoft's HoloLens and Apple's Vision Pro suffer from the same central issue: nobody wants to wear a huge, ugly computer on their face. Literally nobody. Even people who claim to like wearing the Apple Vision Pro are lying to you, me, and everybody else — and most of all, themselves. The only place these types of devices have any potential is in business scenarios, where you wear the headsets for a specific purpose before removing them. Wearing them for any length of time is simply uncomfortable, throw paying thousands of dollars on top of it for the privilege and you make for a seriously dumb product.

At least you wouldn't have to sell a kidney to grab a Meta Quest or something like that. Meta even "opened up" its platform recently, allowing Microsoft to build its very own Xbox edition Meta Quest, although it won't really be anything different from a regular Meta Quest, besides coming pre-installed with Microsoft Office and Xbox Cloud Gaming, perhaps. 

The best augmented reality headset remains the sleek, sexy, and small XREAL Air glasses. Which as you might expect from my description there, are actually just glasses. Connected to your phone, laptop, or gaming handheld, the XREALs give you a personal HD cinema for gaming, media consumption, and beyond — without looking stupid. If any of these products are ever going to make sense, it's going to be in a small package like the XREALs, rather than some huge face-hugging thing like Apple's effort. 

What you need to know

• Meta just announced that the operating system that powers its popular virtual reality headsets will be available to other manufacturers.
• Microsoft, ASUS, and Lenovo are among the manufacturers that will produce devices running Meta Horizon OS.
• Meta and Microsoft will work together to create a limited-edition Meta Quest that's inspired by Xbox.
• Microsoft and Meta already partnered together to get Xbox Cloud Gaming to work on Meta Quest, allowing Game Pass subscribers to stream games to the VR headset. 

Virtual reality enthusiasts have clamored for Microsoft and its Xbox team to embrace VR for years. Now, an Xbox-inspired Meta Quest is on the way. That's not the news VR fanatics who love Xbox may want to hear, but at least there will be a mixed reality headset with Xbox branding in the future.

Meta has worked on creating standalone virtual reality experiences for a decade, and now the company wants to expand the range of devices using Meta software. Meta Horizon OS takes the augmented reality and virtual reality technology Meta has made for its Meta Quest headsets and makes it available to other manufacturers. Microsoft, ASUS, and Lenovo are the first companies confirmed to have headsets on the way that will run Meta Horizon OS.

Before you get excited, there's no indication that the Xbox-inspired Meta Quest will deliver an augmented reality version of Halo or let you mix reality with your favorite Forza track. Meta highlighted its partnership with Microsoft to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to Meta Quest, which allows people to play games on the large virtual screens provided by the headset. That will presumably be a major part of the Xbox connection of the soon-to-be-released Meta Quest inspired by Xbox.

Microsoft and Meta Quest

Meta's announcement confirmed that a limited-edition Meta Quest that is "inspired by Xbox" is on the way. But apart from a short snippet, we don't have many details of what that headset will look like or how it will be different than the Meta Quest 3 or any other available headset.

"Xbox and Meta teamed up last year to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) to Meta Quest, letting people play Xbox games on a large 2D virtual screen in mixed reality. Now, we’re working together again to create a limited-edition Meta Quest, inspired by Xbox," said Meta.

I speculate that the Xbox-inspired Meta Quest will feature some green accents and come with a trial of Game Pass. Meta didn't hint toward that, but it's quite common for hardware to come with a Game Pass trial, so it only seems natural that a Meta Quest inspired by Xbox would serve as an entry point for game streaming and the other perks of Game Pass.

The photo shared by Meta (shown above) is not a render of an actual product, so the Xbox-inspired Meta Quest could look different.

Microsoft killed Windows Mixed Reality last year, and to be honest the platform was on life support for a while before that. But the tech giant has embraced Meta Quest increasingly over the last year. Xbox Cloud Gaming made its way to Meta's mixed reality headsets in 2023 and you can even use Microsoft's Office applications on Meta Quest.

Embracing Meta Quest allows Microsoft to have a presence in virtual and mixed reality without having to invest as heavily as it did to maintain Windows Mixed Reality and HoloLens. Meta can do all the heavy lifting and even make an operating system other manufacturers can use. Then Microsoft can make its most popular apps and services available on that platform.

Xbox, Arm, and Meta Quest

At the moment, Microsoft supports Meta Quest by having Xbox Cloud Gaming available on Meta's mixed reality headsets. There's no native way to play Xbox games on Meta Quest, but perhaps there could be a future in which an Arm-powered Meta Quest headset can play Xbox games.

2024 is the year of Arm computing, thanks in large part to the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processors that will ship later this year. PC makers are taking Arm  seriously, and we expect to see a Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 powered by Arm chips in the near future.

But it's not just Qualcomm's chips that could advance Arm computing. In fact, the next evolution of Arm chips may involve company's other than Qualcomm. Qualcomm's license is set to expire this year, opening a path for Intel, NVIDIA, and AMD to make Arm processors. Notably, AMD partners with Microsoft to make chips that power Xbox consoles.

Microsoft is rumored to have interest in using Arm processors to power Xbox hardware. Perhaps there's a chance we could see Arm make another gaming leap into powering Xbox games on Meta Quest or a future mixed reality headset from Meta? Right now emulation is needed to run x86 programs on an Arm processor, but Qualcomm has shown that's possible by playing Baldur's Gate 3 at 30 FPS through emulation.

Of course, these are more dreams based on emerging technologies than anything confirmed to be on the way. We'll have to wait to see what Microsoft and Meta create when forming a Meta Quest inspired by Xbox.

What you need to know

• Microsoft OneNote is now available on Apple's Vision Pro headset.
• You can use it alongside other apps for a better multitasking and note-taking experience.
• The experience is similar to the one on OneNote for iPad.
• Microsoft promises to ship support for Copilot and 2FA to the platform soon. 

Microsoft recently announced the native availability of its productivity note-taking app, OneNote, on Apple's Vision Pro headset. The tech giant is finally delivering on its promise to bring more apps to the augmented headset. At launch, the entry shipped with 7 Microsoft productivity apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.

According to Microsoft:

"OneNote will make use of the infinite canvas of spatial computing and can appear side-by-side with other great Microsoft apps like Word, Excel, and Teams at any scale for incredible multitasking."

With OneNote now available on the Apple Vision Pro, users can plan trips, create, edit, and keep track of their task lists in "spatial reality." It's worth noting that the experience will ship with most of the features already available on OneNote for iPad, including the capability to highlight important notes with To Do tags and more. 

Microsoft has also highlighted several features that aren't available on the OneNote experience for the Apple Vision Pro, including Copilot and two-factor authentication. However, these features are expected to ship to the headset soon.

The Apple Vision Pro isn't half as bad as I expected

Apple's flagship augmented headset is turning out to be a hit for most users despite its steep $3,499 price point. When the iPhone maker announced it would dabble its foot in the VR landscape with a flagship augmented headset that could potentially give Microsoft's seemingly abandoned HoloLens a run for its money, critics quickly indicated that it might be a flop even before it ships.

Fast-forward to the headset's launch in February, Apple sold over 200,000 Vision Pro headsets on pre-order. Its reception is great based on the tons of videos going viral across social media platforms with people integrating it into their day-to-day lives. Microsoft Word lead indicated that he might substitute his home theatre with the augmented headset, citing it's "much better, more capable, more fun, and cheaper."

What you need to know

• XREAL announced a new accessory called the XREAL Hub that allows you to charge your source device and use supported smart glasses at the same time.
• The XREAL Hub will work with the XREAL Air, XREAL Air 2, XREAL Air 2 Pro, and XREAL Air 2 Ultra.
• XREAL also shared that it will host an AR games demo at the 2024 Game Developers Conference, which will run from March 18-22 in San Fransisco, California.
• The company will also show off its glasses at the Alibaba Cloud and DeepMirror booths at the GDC Post Awards Export Party.

XREAL is one of the most exciting names in Augmented Reality (AR) at the moment. The company has a variety of smart glasses that act as portable monitors you can wear. Those glasses require a source device, such as a smartphone, but that setup results in lightweight glasses that are more comfortable for extended use. Today, XREAL announced a chance to try out its smart glasses and a new accessory that will ship later this year.

The XREAL Air, XREAL Air 2, XREAL Air 2 Pro, and XREAL Air 2 Ultra will all work with the newly announced XREAL Hub when the accessory launches later this year. XREAL hasn't shared pricing information or a shipping date at this time apart from "spring."

The XREAL Hub extends sessions by letting you charge your source device and use a supported pair of XREAL AR glasses at the same time. The company explained that support for charging a source device and using XREAL smart glasses at the same time is a highly requested feature.

The design of the XREAL Hub is rather straightforward. It's basically just a dongle with two USB-C ports on one side and a single USB-C port on the end of a cable.

While the main draw of the XREAL Hub is the fact that it can be used to charge a source device while using smart glasses, it can also be used to show an external display or monitor, since the accessory supports DisplayPort.

The XREAL Hub supports up to 120Hz refresh rate for 2D content and 90Hz refresh rate for 3D content. In both of those setups, resolution maxes out at 1080p. Fast charging support allows your source device to top up quickly through an outlet or a power bank.

XREAL demo at GDC

XREAL will hold a demo for its smart glasses at the 2024 Game Developer Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, California. The event runs from March 18-22 and will give developers a chance to see XREAL's smart glasses play a variety of games, including Landing Party, Table Trenches, apparatus. People will also be able to visit the Halo AR Museum.

XREAL demos will be at the Alibaba Cloud and DeepMirror booths at GDC. The company will also have demos at the GDC Post Awards Expo Party on Wednesday, March 20.

Our Rebecca Spear, who has gone hands-on with XREAL Air 2 UItra glasses and interviewed XREAL CEO Chi Xu, covered the upcoming demo at GDC more in-depth.

Play all day

Normally, I'd criticize a company for making people use a dongle, but XREAL is an exception. Most importantly, the XREAL Hub is not a requirement to use XREAL's smart glasses. XREAL smart glasses are lightweight devices that connect to a source device through a USB-C cable (and in some cases a dongle or Bluetooth). The XREAL Hub enhances the XREAL experience, but it's not essential.

Additionally, wearables are a bit different when it comes to weight distribution and dongles. Arguably the most important design element of a headset or smart glasses is that you can wear them comfortably. Batteries are heavy, so shifting a battery pack outside a device is normal. Even Apple Vision Pro has an external battery pack.

XREAL smart glasses are much smaller than Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest, which makes sense considering they're essentially a monitor you wear on your face rather than a standalone device. Adding a dongle like the XREAL Hub is a bit of extra work and adds some bulk to a setup, but I think that's a reasonable tradeoff to extend screentime.

What you need to know

• Sony noted on PlayStation Blog that it is currently working on bringing PlayStation VR2 headsets to Windows PC. 
• This support would allow players to use Sony's latest headsets on PC in a similar fashion to Meta's Quest 2 or 3 headsets. 
• Sony aims for this feature to come at some point later in 2024. 
• Currently, there are no upcoming first-party PlayStation VR2 games announced. 

Players may soon have a new way to play VR games on their gaming rigs. 

Sony is exploring bringing PlayStation VR2 to Windows PC, as shared via PlayStation Blog on Thursday. Details are scarce right now, but this support would mean that PlayStation VR2 players could use their headsets to play games on PC in a similar fashion to the Meta Quest 2 and 3. Sony is currently aiming to bring this support for PlayStation VR2 on PC later in 2024. 

The headset, which first launched back on Feb. 22, 2023, was praised for its innovative tech and quality, but has not been supported with a meaningful number of first-party games. After launching with Horizon Call of the Mountain — an experience co-developed by Guerrilla Games and Firesprite — the flow of first-party games dwindled, with no upcoming games from PlayStation Studios currently announced for the system.

While the original PlayStation VR headset sold over 5 million units in its lifetime, Sony has not yet reported a sales figure for the newer headset.

What does this mean for VR fans?

PC support would give PlayStation VR2 users a whole new way to utilize the headset, and would open up new games that aren't available on PlayStation VR2 right now. This kind of support would be a natural extension of Sony continues to slowly embrace this second platform, building on the growing list of PlayStation Studios games available on PC. With no new games announced from Sony, the move also cements a lack of focus on first-party games for the headset. 

Analysis: A good move, but a clear signal

Doing this is a great idea, as it'll give the headset more function and give players more competition in the PC VR market. After this news, I'm definitely going to hold off on any ideas of grabbing a Quest headset in order to see how things play out. At the same time, this is a clear message for where PlayStation will be supporting this headset moving forward. 

With zero first-party games announced right now (and only three on the system in total when counting Gran Turismo 7's VR mode) players holding out hope for meaningful support directly from PlayStation should look elsewhere. That doesn't mean the system won't be worth getting based on third-party games, especially now with the possibility it can be used to play PC titles. 

I also won't be surprised if this move will see Capcom bring VR support for Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4 to PC. Right now, the modes for these two games are exclusive to Sony's headset, much like the VR mode for Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was exclusive to the original PlayStation VR.

What you need to know

• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared a video comparing Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro.
• Zuckerberg claims that Meta Quest is not just a better value than Apple Vision Pro, but that "Quest is the better product, period."
• The CEO then goes on to compare several features on Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest.
• Microsoft recently deprecated Windows Mixed Reality, but the company has invested in virtual reality and augmented reality by releasing its apps and services on both Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro.

Apple Vision Pro is the talk of the tech world, but one prominent figure in the industry is not talking about it as positively as early reviews. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently compared the headsets in a video. Unsurprisingly, Zuckerberg prefers the headset made by Meta, which he runs, over Apple Vision Pro.

Zuckerberg's video goes on to compare several ways that he feels Quest is better than Apple Vision Pro, including hand tracking, gaming, and having lower latency. His central argument is that "Quest is better for the vast majority of things that people use mixed reality for."

The sentiments shared by Zuckerberg are hardly shocking. Meta has invested a fortune into virtual and augmented reality and Zuckerberg has pushed the Metaverse heavily, even if that specific term isn't used much anymore.

Even if people disagree with Zuckerberg's premise that Meta Quest is a better overall product than Apple Vision Pro, the CEO is steering the narrative well, at least from Meta's perspective. His video raises enough valid points to make it clear that even if you disagree with him regarding which product is better, Meta Quest is a better value.

Sheel Mohnot shared Zuckerberg's video on X (formerly Twitter).

Microsoft's plans for augmented and virtual reality

Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) has been deprecated. A recent Insider build of Windows 11 was the first to not support WMR. With Microsoft moving away from some of its longstanding augmented reality and virtual reality tech, some have questioned Microsoft's VR and AR plans going forward. That's a reasonable thing to ask, considering that Microsoft worked on HoloLens for years, stepped back, and then Apple Vision Pro made headlines with a similar product.

While Microsoft has no current plans for a HoloLens 3 and is dropping Windows Mixed Reality, the company still has plans for augmented reality and virtual reality. Somewhat like its software efforts on other platforms, Microsoft plans to have its apps and services accessible on devices and operating systems made and maintained by other companies. Apple Vision Pro launched with several Microsoft apps. Meta Quest has a growing library of Microsoft apps as well, including Office apps and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

• RELATED: Microsoft Word lead says Apple Vision Pro is better than home theater

Microsoft doesn't seem to care where you use its services. The company's leadership just wants you to use Microsoft apps and services. I also doubt that anyone is buying a Meta Quest or an Apple Vision Pro to entirely replace a computer and a smartphone, so Microsoft could argue that supporting the mixed reality headsets extends its ecosystem to other form factors rather than competing.

With apps on both Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro, it doesn't matter if Zuckerberg is right. Microsoft can move its mixed reality efforts forward while letting Apple and Meta battle it out on the hardware and interface side of things.

Is Zuckerberg right about Apple Vision Pro?

Zuckerberg is about as far from a neutral party as you can get when it comes to Apple Vision Pro. He is the CEO of Meta, which makes Meta Quest. So, are Zuckerberg's points valid? Despite his inherent bias, the CEO raises some good points.

I don't think anyone can reasonably dispute that Meta Quest is a better value than Apple Vision Pro. Meta Quest costs just under $500 while Apple Vision Pro costs just under $3,500. The fact that two devices with such drastically different price points compete at all indicates that Meta Quest is a better value.

What can be disputed, however, is if Meta Quest is an overall better product, which Zuckerberg claims. The Meta CEO claimed that Meta Quest is better than Apple Vision Pro in the following ways:

• Quest has no external wires
• Quest is more comfortable
• Quest is lighter
• Quest has more games
• Quest is designed with gaming in mind
• Quest has better hand tracking
• Quest supports precision controllers
• Quest has a wider field of view
• Quest "seems to have" a brighter screen

Zuckerberg also highlights many things that Meta Quest can do that people laud Apple Vision Pro for, such as high-fidelity passthrough and socializing in mixed reality. He credited Apple Vision Pro for having a higher resolution display but said there are too many tradeoffs on the device overall. He also briefly mentioned that Apple Vision Pro's eye tracking is nice before mentioning that future Quest headsets will have the feature (Quest Pro already has eye tracking).

Zuckerberg also highlighted that Quest supports Xbox Cloud Gaming and has some notable apps that aren't available on Apple Vision Pro.

I haven't used Apple Vision Pro myself, but early impressions of the headset suggest that Zuckerberg's opinion differs from many users.

While Apple Vision Pro may wear the crown when it comes to productivity, Meta Quest 3 is better for gaming. It has a larger library of titles, better latency for hand tracking, and supports dedicated VR controllers.

So, is Zuckerberg right? I would say that for many people Meta Quest is a better product than Apple Vision Pro. If you want to use a headset for a mix of productivity and gaming, Meta Quest is the better choice. If you prioritize productivity, Apple Vision Pro has better multitasking features and has more immersive augmented reality.

But the fact that there's even a discussion about which headset is better overall will point many toward the conclusion that Meta Quest is a better value, which may matter more when it comes to which headset people buy.

What you need to know

• Omar Shahine, the head of Microsoft Word, recently shared his experience with the Apple Vision Pro while flying to Dubai.
• He says the headset provides an immersive and superior experience compared to In-flight entertainment.
• He added that the headset is quite heavy, which makes it uncomfortable to wear for a long duration of time, and that it also strained his eyes.

When Apple announced that it would be dipping its foot into the VR landscape with its Vision Pro headset, users received the news with mixed feelings. Rumors hitting the windmill at the time indicated that the entry might be a flop even before it ships, especially after several reports surfaced online stating that Apple might not be able to deliver 1 million Vision Pro units by early 2024.

Fast forward to its debut, the augmented reality headset with spatial computing technology is becoming a hit among users. Despite the exorbitant $3,499 price tag, Apple sold approximately 200,000 Vision Pro headsets on pre-order, as spotted by MacRumors.

I know I'm not the only one baffled by the hundreds of viral videos of people using Apple's Vision Pro headset as they go about their errands. Some have even attempted dangerous stunts like driving while wearing the headset. 

Even the head of Microsoft Word, Omar Shahine, isn't being left out of the craze. According to a spot by Luxurylaunches, Omar recently shared his experience with Apple's VR headset while on a 16-hour flight from Seattle to Dubai. He primarily used the headset to entertain while flying business class in Emirates' Boeing 777 aircraft.

Post by @omarshahine

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Most aircraft feature In-flight entertainment systems with a TV screen fitted to each seat. This might be enough for some, while others feel the need to complement this setup with their phones and laptops. But as it now seems, this experience can be raised a notch higher with the Vision Pro. As echoed by the Microsoft Word lead while expressing his experience with the Vision Pro as an entertainment companion  on the flight, "This is wild!"

You might already know that the headset lets users run multiple programs simultaneously from reviews and first impressions of the Vision Pro. This is precisely what Omar meant when he said, "I am watching movies and browsing the Web using the entire cabin as my screen."

Omar further stated how impressed he is with how much in-flight entertainment systems have improved over the years. With a stable internet connection and a "sizable" screen display, you can catch up on some of your favorite shows and documentaries as you head to your destination. And while this is impressive, Omar indicated that the Apple Vision Pro provides a superior and unmatched experience. He added that the in-flight entertainment setup stacks miles behind the user interface and experience you'll find on the Vision Pro.

The headset ships with in-built speakers, though Omar pointed out that he used his Air Pods Pro for a better listening experience while flying to Dubai. He added that he preferred using them instead of Air Pods Max headphones. This is because the Vision Pro headset is quite bulky. Therefore, wearing the chunky Air Pod Max headphones simultaneously with the Vision Pro would make the whole experience uncomfortable.

According to Omar:

"I don't find the Vision Pro that comfortable to wear. It's heavy. And it strains my eyes a bit. Hopefully I get used to it."

So far, the Apple Vision seems like an instant success, with most users sharing their experience with the entry and how it fits perfectly into their workflow and other use cases like entertainment. However, some safety concerns need to be addressed.

Microsoft's idea, Apple's execution

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently praised the entry as the "second most impressive tech" since the iPhone. Microsoft was well on its way to achieving greatness with its military-grade HoloLens headset, arguably better than the Apple Vision Pro. However, the tech giant's failure to make the product more consumer-friendly points out why XREAL's Air 2 Ultra AR glasses and Apple Vision Pro are quickly gaining traction and enjoying a high adoption rate among casual users.

RELATED: Apple Vision Pro vs. XREAL Air 2 Ultra

Maybe Microsoft might ship HoloLens 3 in the future, offering consumers a more affordable and app-forward unit. This might help the company reclaim its spot in the fast-evolving AR/VR landscape.

Are you willing to spend $3,499 on the Apple Vision Pro and use it to replace most of your gadgets? Omar says it's "cheaper than my 77-inch OLED TV, Receiver, Speakers, and Apple TV and much better, more capable, and more fun." 

While similar, the Apple Vision Pro and XREAL (formerly NREAL) Air 2 Ultra glasses are also very different. Specifically, Apple Vision Pro is a wearable "spatial computer" with 4K micro-OLED screens mainly intended for virtual reality (VR). Meanwhile, XREAL Air 2 Ultra isn't a dedicated computer but an accessory with 1080p micro-OLED displays that you connect to compatible devices with USB-C video output — such as a laptop, phone, gaming handheld, etc. It's capable of both augmented reality (AR) and VR. 

The idea with either piece of wearable tech is to access various apps and programs and view them privately on your screens. Both devices are handy whether working in virtual spaces, watching a show, playing games, or looking up information. But which one is best between the two? Let's dive in and see. 

Apple Vision Pro vs XREAL Air 2 Ultra: Specs

Before we dive deeper, check out the Apple Vision Pro vs XREAL Air 2 Ultra specs and see some of the most significant differences for yourself. After that, we'll discuss what these specs mean for you as a user. 

Apple Vision Pro vs XREAL Air 2 Ultra: Price

After looking at Apple Vision Pro vs XREAL Air 2 Ultra specs, the price undoubtedly jumped out at you. There's no denying that both are costly devices, but the latter is far more affordable. Apple Vision Pro has a ridiculously high starting price of $3,499.00 with 256GB storage, but it can be even more expensive, with the 512GB version starting at $3,699.00 and the 1TB configuration starting at $3,899.00. 

It's also possible to purchase a prescription Apple Vision Pro, but there's no public information on how much this actually costs — fair to assume it's expensive.

To put that in perspective, that's more expensive than many of the most powerful laptops on the market today and around the same price as some 80-inch 4K OLED TVs. So, the XREAL Air 2 Ultra's far lower $699 price point is a much more appealing and affordable option.

• TL;DR PRICE WINNER: Without a doubt, the XREAL Air 2 Ultra is a far more affordable option due to its $699 price point costing $2,800 less than the Apple Vision Pro's starting price of $3,499.00. 

Apple Vision Pro vs XREAL Air 2 Ultra: Performance and displays

Apple Vision Pro is more of a VR than an AR device. By all accounts, it offers fantastic sensors that keep up with your hand, eye, and head movements and thus make it easy to interact with programs without using controllers. This headgear runs on a dual-processor consisting of an M2 chip (same as iPad Pro and 13-inch MacBook Air), which focuses on computation, and an R1 chip, which handles the real-time data side of things by analyzing feed from 12 cameras. 

Together, these processors make it possible to display mostly virtual reality, with a hint of what I will call virtual-augmented reality, since it can analyze the world in front of you to a degree and partially display it for you. But that also means that you'll likely need to take the headset off at times to interact with real-world people and objects. 

When it comes to the display, the Apple Vision Go features dual micro-OLED screens that can reach up to 100Hz in 4K (per eye) with a 100 to 110-degree field of view (FOV). That's pretty impressive. However, anything with a powerful display will drain the battery, and that's the case with the Vision Pro. Apple states it can last up to 2.5 hours when doing lighter tasks but is most likely to run for two hours or less when heavily used. It's not great, but not unexpected, either.

The performance of the Apple Vision Pro depends on the storage configuration used — the more storage, the more room your programs have to run efficiently. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 compatibility mean the Vision Pro can connect to compatible devices for additional convenience. However, knowing Apple, only a limited number of accessories even work with the headgear.

Things are a little different when analyzing XREAL's performance since this is a tech accessory rather than its own computer. It runs on a Snapdragon processor but can be plugged into any device with USB-C video output, like your phone, laptop, ROG Ally, tablet, or other devices. In some ways, it's as powerful as your connected device. 

As with the Vision Pro, the Air 2 Ultra also features micro-OLED displays that can reach a higher refresh rate of up to 120Hz but at a lower resolution of 1080p (per eye) with a much more narrow 52-degree FOV. So, while it doesn't cover your vision quite as thoroughly, it runs smoothly and with good clarity. 

Since the Air 2 Ultra doesn't have its own battery, you're beholden to the battery life of its connected device. If that's your phone or a more efficient laptop, you can use the glasses for quite a long time. But if you're connected to an unplugged gaming laptop or handheld, your sessions will be shorter.

Similarly, the Air 2 Ultra doesn't have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, but that's not surprising, given that you're connecting it to a device that should offer these things. However, XREAL sells a peripheral called XREAL Beam, which can provide external battery life and Wi-Fi for its glasses if desired.

• TL;DR PERFORMANCE & DISPLAY WINNER: There's a bit of a tie here with some tradeoffs. The Apple Vision Pro is a more powerful device by virtue of being a dual-processor computer, whereas the XREAL glasses are a Snapdragon tech accessory. What's more, the Vision Pro's micro-OLEDs have a wider FOV and a higher 4K resolution. However, the XREAL Air 2 Ultra's micro-OLEDs support a higher refresh rate, which can be especially helpful for making movies and video games run more smoothly on the screens.

Apple Vision Pro vs XREAL Air 2 Ultra: User experience and comfort

Now that we've discussed performance, it's time to move on to the user experience and how comfortable these devices are to wear. A unique thing about these wearable devices is that they don't require any controllers to interact with them. Instead, they track your hand and head movements and allow you to interact virtually with any programs displayed. That means you don't have to tote around any extra controller accessories unless you want to.

When I got to try the XREAL Air 2 Ultra glasses at CES 2024, I found they felt very similar to regular glasses and provided a crisp and clear viewing experience. What's more, the hand and face tracking technology worked very well. If I lifted my hand in front of my face, a virtual skeleton hand appeared, and I could interact with the programs displayed on the glasses simply by turning my head to look at them and then making a pinching gesture on a command. 

For instance, I could open a movie and start watching it or back out and open a social app. When I spoke with XREAL Head of PR Ralph Jodice, he even told me he used his glasses to follow directions around Las Vegas so he didn't have to glance down at his phone and look like a tourist. XREAL provides a smooth experience that makes you feel confident with the knowledge displayed right before your eyes. On top of all that, they're comfortable and stylish. Unless someone really looks at you, they likely wouldn't notice that you were wearing special glasses. 

Meanwhile, you'll undoubtedly get noticed for wearing the Apple Vision Pro, which has a typical VR design reminiscent of scuba goggles. Still, people have reported that the device is very responsive and works as intended. Like the XREAL glasses, the Vision Pro senses your hand movements and responds to gestures made.  

However, the Apple Vision Pro is much more clunky and bulky with a 1.1 lb weight, much more than the 0.18 lbs of the XREAL Air 2 Ultra glasses. Apple has tried to make wearing more comfortable by providing a soft knit headband that caresses your cranium. However, many people have already reported that the device is still too heavy despite this. 

Another major thing to mention is that you cannot wear glasses with the Vision Pro. Now, you can reach out to Apple and have the company create a prescription Vision Pro, which will undoubtedly be very expensive. XREAL, on the other hand, comes with prescription lens frames, so all you need to do is get lenses from your optometrist and then pop them into place. Certain companies work with XREAL to create prescription glasses if you want to look into that. 

One of the most significant differences between the Apple Vision Pro and the XREAL Air 2 Ultra experience is that the latter allows you to see the real, physical world around you. In contrast, the Vision Pro blocks your vision and replaces it with a camera-captured interpretation, so you cannot always see what's really in front of you.

In the case of the Air 2 Ultra, there's a dimming button on the right temple that can block out the environment around you or reveal it so you can see straight through the lenses. So basically, you can use these glasses as you go about your average day and then block out the world when necessary. Some directional speakers push music to your ears, so you don't have to wear extra accessories. 

The Vision Pro also has dual speakers near the temples to provide spatial audio. Weirdly enough, while you can't see through the Apple Vision Pro, the headgear has a screen on the front that displays virtual versions of your eyes in a Black Mirror nightmare-fuel kind of way. Every image I've seen so far leads to an uncanny valley sort of display where the eyes are just a little too blurred out or a bit offset from where they should actually be. In a word, it's unsettling. But hey, it's a great way to make someone think you're paying attention to them when, in reality, you've likely checked out.

Many official images from both companies fail to show that the XREAL glasses and the Vision Pro require wired connections to work. Since the Air 2 Ultra gets plugged into other tech, your portability is tied to its connected device. If it's just your phone, then you can walk around very easily, indeed — not unlike wearing a wired headset. When you're done using them, you can slip the XREAL Air 2 Ultra back into their included protective carrying case that's small enough to slip into a bag or purse easily. 

Meanwhile, the Apple Vision Pro must be connected to its external battery, which the company says is "small enough to fit in your pocket," although no exact dimensions are given. The official Belkin Battery Holder for Apple Vision Pro gives us a clue to the battery size since it measures 5.64 x 2.86 x 1.19 inches, so it's likely a little smaller than that. This means you tote around a phone-shaped device to use the Apple Vision Pro. It's not horrible, but it's not the most convenient setup. Then, of course, when transporting the Apple Vision Pro, you'll need to purchase a traveling case to protect your investment, which, in Apple fashion, is sold separately. 

Regarding app compatibility, the Air 2 Ultra can work with more programs since it displays whatever is on your device. Specific AR and VR apps allow you to get the full experience out of XREAL, and more will develop as time goes on. 

Meanwhile, the Apple Vision Pro was launched with over 600 apps, which seems like a lot at first but is somewhat limited when considering the programs you might want to use frequently. This number will likely grow with time but probably won't be nearly as plentiful as XREAL-compatible software. The thing is, Apple Vision Pro is part of the larger Apple ecosystem, so it allows you to do many things that your other Apple devices can do. That might be all you need, depending on what software you want to access. 

• TL;DR USER EXPERIENCE AND COMFORT WINNER: Apple Vision Pro may provide a more immersive experience, but it's much heavier and clunkier due to its external battery. Plus, you cannot wear prescription glasses while using it. Meanwhile, the XREAL Air 2 Ultra looks cool and is much lighter on your face. What's more, you can see the world around you, making for an added measure of convenience. Not to mention, it comes with prescription lens frames for those who wear glasses.

Apple Vision Pro vs XREAL Air 2 Ultra: Which should you buy?

If you're an intense Apple fan, feel free to drop $3,499+ on the Vision Pro. However, the far more affordable, comfortable, and approachable AR/VR device is the XREAL Air 2 Ultra. They feel like regular sunglasses, are easy to tote around, and are compatible with many devices. Another perk is that they don't look out of place in a crowd, so you aren't likely to draw unwanted attention to yourself when using them. 

Since they don't have their own battery, the Air 2 Ultra can last as long as the connected device. Plus, they come with a nice carrying case that can be dropped into your bag for convenient transportation. Altogether, they provide more options and broader compatibility in the AR and VR space. 

What you need to know

• Microsoft's productivity apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams launch for Apple Vision Pro today.
• The apps utilize the unique form factor and feature set of Apple Vision Pro, such as PowerPoint letting you practice a presentation in front of a virtual audience.
• Microsoft Teams on Apple Vision Pro creates a representation of your face when you wear the headset.
• Copilot is supported on the augmented reality headset as well, allowing you to interact with apps by using your voice.

Apple Vision Pro launched today. The augmented reality headset has made headlines everywhere from Vanity Fair to iMore. Over 600 apps are available for the Apple Vision Pro's launch, including several from Microsoft. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Loop, and Microsoft Teams are all available on the new headset.

Microsoft's productivity apps have been available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac for years, so it's a natural evolution to extend them onto Apple's first augmented reality headset.

Rather than just port over its iPad apps, Microsoft optimized its apps for Apple Vision Pro. For example, PowerPoint will let you practice a presentation in front of a virtual audience. Word on Apple Vision Pro supports a focus mode that uses the headset's Immersive Environments feature to remove distractions. Microsoft Teams can create a representation of your face for when you're in meetings while wearing the headset.

Copilot works within Apple Vision Pro as well. The AI-powered tool can help you catch up on meetings, help improve your writing, be used to create presentations, and analyze data.

Microsoft outlined what its apps can do in a Tech Community post.

Apple Pro for productivity

While the $3,500 price tag of the Apple Vision Pro screams professional, the device is marketed heavily toward productivity and general entertainment. The latter has run into some roadblocks, such as YouTube and Netflix lacking apps for the augmented reality headset. But when it comes to productivity, it looks like Apple Vision Pro may live up to its name.

Microsoft is keen to get its software in front of anyone and everyone who wants to get work done. Now, that includes users who own an Apple Vision Pro. The tech giant also put its apps onto Meta Quest late last year, meaning owners of two of the most talked about augmented reality headsets will have ways to use Microsoft's apps and services.

In addition to the Microsoft productivity apps, Apple Vision Pro launches with Things 3, a popular to-do list application our colleagues at iMore covered recently.

Replacing Microsoft HoloLens

Microsoft announced the deprecation of Windows Mixed Reality last year. The news wasn't surprising since no Mixed Reality headset had come out since 2021, but the deprecation left a gap in Microsoft's offering. Without Windows Mixed Reality and its HoloLens headset, Microsoft didn't have an official way to put its apps in front of people within VR and AR. The company quickly changed that.

Microsoft released Word, PowerPoint, and Excel for Meta Quest just over a month ago. Xbox Cloud Gaming (beta) shipped to Meta Quest just before Office was added to the Meta Quest store.

While Meta Quest is probably the most recognized consumer VR headset, Apple Vision Pro has a gravitas that Meta Quest does not. Love it or hate it, Apple has a following. The company turns heads and makes people dance in the streets at product launches. There's no doubt that Microsoft wants to capitalize that hype to get more people to use its productivity apps in augmented reality.

"So what? Why should I care? That's a big waste of money." These are the phrases that have popped into my head over the last year each time a company has revealed its own augmented reality (AR) and/or virtual reality (VR) glasses. Despite each brand's attempts to tell me that their product is important, I've had a hard time finding that to be true. 

The expensive $3,499 Apple Vision Pro costs a ton, seems to serve a very niche interest, and gives the dorky impression that you're about to go scuba diving indoors with heavy goggles. To their credit, the Apple Vision Pro might put enough pressure on your head to make you feel like you're underwater. Meanwhile, other companies' USB-C tethered AR/VR glasses have seemed like a superfluous purchase that will only serve a small few. 

However, XREAL (previously NREAL) has shown me just how its AR/VR glasses could very well be the future of tech, and that's because they are far more than just a wearable screen. 

What it's like to use XREAL glasses

Travel back in time with me to last week. I'm sitting in a small room at CES 2024 while watching and listening to Despicable Me, which no one else can see or hear. No, I haven't gone crazy...yet. I'm wearing the new XREAL Air 2 UItra glasses, which are tethered to a device via USB-C. The glasses are very lightweight (around 80g) and their image quality is very good, bringing a large screen easily into focus for my eyes only. They can reach 90Hz in 3D and 120Hz in 2D, and everything plays smoothly. 

I look at myself using my phone's camera and I can see that the glasses don't sit quite where regular sunglasses would, but they are far classier looking than bulky VR goggles. Enough so, that I could wear these in an office or around the city without raising eyebrows.

Directional speakers, located on either side of the glasses, point movie sounds straight at my ears for a private listening experience, and I can adjust the volume by simply tapping the proper buttons on the right temple. Staring straight ahead focuses on the movie, but if I turn left I see a music player, while turning right allows me to view other apps. It's not unlike sitting in a movie theater, where you can break your focus away from the show in order to look at those sitting next to you. 

When I raise my right hand, the Air 2 Ultra's dual 3D environment sensors (located near the temple hinges and small enough that they look like low-profile screws) identify my hand's presence and create an AR bone overlay that matches the positioning and motion of my fingers — If I point, the virtual finger points. 

It takes me a while to realize that a small, white, and very unobtrusive reticle is located at the center of my vision. Simply by focusing the reticle on another app icon, lifting my right hand in front of me, and making a pinching motion with my thumb and index finger, I can select another program and swap to it. The process is effortless and fast, with no phone fumbling or extra accessories necessary. 

Three colorful tiles are located in front of me, and I find that by toggling the first two's switches that I can change settings or jump to different programs displayed on the glasses screens. In the case of the orange tile on the far right, rotating it makes different 3D creatures appear in front of me. It's a simple yet tactile way to provide more interactions between myself and the programs I'm using.

Up to this point, I've been viewing this virtual experience while being able to see my surroundings, but with the press of a button on the right side, the world around me dims while the virtual screen stays bright. I press this button again and a black backdrop suddenly layers itself behind the movie, so I can fully tune the world out. It's so effective, that I almost forget about the throng of people rushing around behind me in the busy convention center.

Convenience through real-world applications

After my spatial experience, XREAL Head of PR Ralph Jodice (who is dressed in a killer red suit to match the color of his Air 2 Pro glasses) introduces me to XREAL founder and CEO Chi Xu, whose kindly smile immediately puts me at ease. The three of us sit down in a small, quiet room away from the conference's din, and we start talking. 

Shortly into our conversation, Mr. Chi explains that XREAL decided to go with a more complicated insert design for its glasses rather than a simpler physical switch or diopter because this design choice is healthier for people who might have different eye prescriptions. He, himself a glasses wearer, understands the importance of producing a product that will assist a wide range of people. 

Our conversation drifts to real-world applications for XREAL glasses. We talk about how the possibilities are endless, and it's really up to the developers to see just what they do with XREAL's products. Of course, there's always the simple aspect of entertainment. Similarly to what I'd just experienced, you can plug the glasses into any device with USB-C video output — whether laptop, phone, gaming handheld, or console (like Xbox Series X) — and get a large screen experience from it. But there's also the possibility of adding another layer to entertainment, such as with 3D movies or AR elements layered on top of video games.

As our conversation continues, the point that's driven home to me is that XREAL glasses have the potential to completely change our daily routines for the better by adding new conveniences. For one thing, they could help in scenarios of privacy. There have been multiple times where I have avoided doing work while on a plane because I didn't want people sitting next to me to see topics under NDA. But XREAL glasses could allow me to keep what I'm writing private, for my eyes only, during a flight.

Ralph mentions that he likes the phone-free assistance the glasses can provide. He goes on to say that he had recently used his XREAL glasses to get around a city. In order to avoid glancing at his phone like an awkward tourist, he had put a navigation app just outside his view so that he could reference it by turning his head but could otherwise just focus on the world around him, and this had helped him reach his destination more confidently.

He explains further that AR via XREAL glasses could also make car navigation more convenient, as was being shown via a collaboration between XREAL and BMW in the CES parking lot. Basically, the idea is that people could eventually wear XREAL glasses while driving and AR symbols like arrows and other data could appear over the street before them, to help them visually know when to turn without having to glance at their phones. 

Being obsessed with video games, I ask about the future of XREAL and gaming handhelds, to which Mr. Chi mentions that it was a perfect pairing. He goes on to say that he hopes to continue to make the XREAL user experience smoother and more beneficial for gamers, as a means of providing more entertainment value and accessibility for those who use them. 

It isn't hard to see how XREAL glasses could be helpful for people who are served better by a closer screen. Or how they could be useful for users who want to keep their game in the center and then have access to player guides or videos that they can view by turning their head right or left. We could even get AR overlays over the games we view that could give us game hints or interesting facts about the world around us. After talking a few more minutes, I shook hands with Chi and Ralph, and we parted ways back into the sea of busy CES goers.

Fast-forward to today, I'm still thinking about the XREAL experience a week later. I walked away from that discussion knowing that XREAL makes fantastic products that fit comfortably, cost thousands of dollars less than Apple Vision Pro, and look stylish enough to wear throughout your daily routine. They can be very useful for personal entertainment and business. As time goes on, we'll see various developers continue to make more software and apps that really take advantage of the company's AR and VR capabilities. I'm excited for XREAL's future and will definitely be grabbing a pair of glasses myself.

What you need to know

• XREAL just unveiled its Air 2 Ultra AR glasses, which are expected to start shipping in March, but you can pre-order them for $699.
• They are designed to compete against the Meta Quest 3, Microsoft's HoloLens, and Apple's Vision Pro.
• The AR glasses ship with a 120Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of 500 nits.
• The unit ships with support for Apple's spatial video, which will allow users to convert videos recorded with the iPhone 15 Pro to the side-by-side format using third-party iPhone apps.
• XREAL boasts that the entry features a full HD viewing experience with a field-of-view (FOV) of 52°and 42 pixels per degree (PPD), which stacks miles ahead of Apple's Vision Pro.

XREAL (formerly NREAL) just debuted the XREAL Air 2 Ultra, adding to its popular XREAL Air series AR glasses. The augmented reality (AR) space has been relatively quiet, with a few exceptions making significant headway, including the Meta Quest 3 and the soon-to-launch Apple Vision Pro.

But XREAL is also claiming a spot in the category with its XREAL Air 2 Ultra glasses, which ship with six degrees of freedom (6DoF) through dual 3D environment sensors. XREAL already has a 51% stake in the augmented reality market. The company aims to break through the spatial computing developer community by providing an affordable yet sophisticated entry with the potential to compete on an even playing field with established competitors in the field. 

READ MORE: Apple Vision Pro's big risk? It's a failed category

According to Chi Xu, XREAL's founder and CEO:

"With XREAL Air 2 Ultra we’re empowering developers around the world by providing an affordable and lightweight solution that allows them to jump into the exciting world of spatial computing and create the next generation of mixed reality experiences."

How will the XREAL Air 2 Ultra glasses work?

XREAL refers to the Air 2 Ultra as "a total package for developers." The glasses will help developers to create AR apps, thus allowing them to explore spatial commuting experiences. Right off the bat, they ship with XREAL's AR environment launcher called Nebula coupled with the company's latest SDK, which focuses on spatial computing technology designed to leverage the entry's in-frame sensors.

What's more, the glasses ship with a pair of 3D environment sensors with computer vision capabilities. It's in place to help determine a user's location within a 3D space. The user will get to enjoy a full HD viewing experience with a field-of-view (FOV) of 52°and 42 pixels per degree (PPD), which according to the company is higher than that of the Apple Vision Pro. This is complemented by a 120Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of 500 nits.

RELATED: Apple's HoloLens-like 'Vision Pro' headset may already be a flop

Additionally, the AR glasses ship with cinematic-grade audio and directional audio technology to help prevent sound dispersion, which promotes privacy. It's also important to note that the entry ships with support for Apple's spatial video. This means that you can convert videos captured on the iPhone 15 Pro to a regular side-by-side format using third-party iPhone apps. 

Stylish and capable AR glasses

Aside from its advanced capabilities, the AR glasses also spot a stylish and trendy aesthetic thanks to its titanium ring frame. This doesn't make them bulky, as they only weigh 80 grams and provide the user with optimum weight distribution with adjustable temples.

Moreover, the glasses are TÜV Rheinland certified for Color Accuracy, Eye Comfort, Low Blue Light, and Flicker Free usage. You can also rest assured that the glasses meet the set ISO standards when it comes to picture quality and comfortable viewing.

XREAL will start shipping the Air 2 Ultra AR glasses in March, but you can pre-order them for $699 now.

What you need to know

• Microsoft announced the deprecation of Windows Mixed Reality, marking the end of the Windows-based VR ecosystem.
• The last Windows Mixed Reality headset to come out was the HP Reverb G2, which was released in 2021.
• At least part of Microsoft's vision for virtual reality will continue on Meta Quest and Meta's VR platform.
• Microsoft recently launched Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Meta Quest and shipped Xbox Cloud Gaming (beta) to the headsets.

Microsoft recently announced the deprecation of Windows Mixed Reality. The news was hardly shocking, considering the last Windows Mixed Reality headset shipped in 2021. Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden explained, "it's clear that Mixed Reality at Microsoft is a dead venture." There isn't a true successor to HoloLens 2 on the way.

While Windows Mixed Reality is on the way out, Microsoft has not abandoned virtual reality. In fact, the company shipped several of its most popular apps to Meta Quest 3 earlier this month. Xbox Cloud Gaming came out in beta, and Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are all generally available.

We will likely never see the VR vision that Microsoft showcased on stage back in 2015, but many of Microsoft's most important apps and services will live on in virtual reality.

While I'd love to see a fully backed Windows Mixed Reality with developers on board, that seems to have been a pipe dream. But Facebook has been in the VR game for years, and Android Central named the Meta Quest 3 the best VR headset on the market. Microsoft can lean into the Quest ecosystem and get its apps in front of users' faces, all without creating and maintaining its own VR platform.

Xbox Cloud Gaming on Meta Quest 3

The Xbox team does not seem to value native VR titles, but Microsoft has released Xbox Cloud Gaming (beta) on Meta Quest. The app lets you stream hundreds of games to the headset's large virtual screens. It's a bit like having one of the best TVs for Xbox strapped to your face.

The Xbox Cloud Gaming app can be used when fully immersed or with Passthrough mode. Neither of those will provide a social gaming experience for people you share a room with, but Xbox Cloud Gaming with Passthrough mode feels more like playing on a TV than locking yourself in VR for your whole gaming session.

Notably, Xbox Cloud Gaming streams games from the cloud, so it's not the same as playing native games. The games are also limited to a virtual screen rather than taking advantage of VR, but that's okay. The Meta Quest store has a ton of games that take full advantage of the headset's hardware. Xbox Cloud Gaming is a bonus, especially if you already have an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership.

Xbox Cloud Gaming coming to Meta Quest seems like a solid compromise that brings popular Xbox titles to Meta Quest without Microsoft having to invest many additional resources. Xbox Cloud Gaming already works on phones, tablets, PCs, and some consoles. Now, it works in VR as well.

Microsoft Office on Meta Quest 3

Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel were added to the Meta Quest Store earlier this month. Those apps allow you to span your workflow across multiple virtual monitors and work with passthrough mode to let you see your office as you work. The apps even work with a Bluetooth mouth and keyboard to blend physical accessories with virtual applications.

Nicholas Sutrich, Senior Content Producer at Android Central, shared a brief video on the Office apps after they launched.

Word, PowerPoint, and Excel are part of the first wave of Microsoft 365 apps and services to ship to Meta Quest. Outlook, SharePoint, and even Windows 365 Cloud PCs will come in the future.

Microsoft making its biggest productivity apps available on Meta Quest is a welcome gesture. Virtual work and the Metaverse may not have exploded the way people once thought they would, but the Meta Quest 3 could convince a few people to work in mixed reality. Microsoft 365 support for Meta Quest means Microsoft can stay in front of people's eyeballs without maintaining its own VR platform.

Meta Quest 3 vs HoloLens 2

Meta Quest 3 and HoloLens 2 are different headsets, but part of Microsoft's vision of augmented reality lives on in Meta Quest 3. Meta and Microsoft approached augmented reality from different directions, but the end result is similar enough that everyday users can feel like VR mixes with the real world.

HoloLens 2 has a see-through visor and a variety of sensors that allow you to overlay virtual content over your real-world surroundings. It's a clever setup for industrial work, but it isn't the best for a gaming headset. While augmented reality is useful, especially in professional settings, there are times when you want to be fully immersed in VR.

Rather than make a headset with a see-through screen, Meta placed several cameras on Quest 3 for the headset's passthrough mode. The cameras are good enough to read text on a phone and see the world around you. Your surroundings aren't as clear as when using HoloLens 2, but the cameras are good enough.

Meta's approach to augmented reality means you can mix virtual reality and reality when you want and swap to full immersion any time you'd like. That's a better setup for a consumer-focused headset.

Meta Quest 3 does not replace the enterprise features of HoloLens 2, but it does a much better job as a consumer headset. It seems that was the right strategy, as Meta Quest 3 is one of the hottest gifts of the holidays, and Windows Mixed Reality was just deprecated.

What you need to know

• Despite the rivalry between China and the US, the Chinese military was recently spotted on a local TV station using Microsoft's HoloLens 2 headsets while training in aircraft maintenance on a warplane.
• The move has sparked uproar among the Chinese, who expressed the need for the country to manufacture their own devices rather than sourcing them from third parties.
• This comes a few months after the US government placed an exportation ban preventing chipmakers from shipping AI chips to the country over military and security concerns.
• The US insists that the move is designed to establish control over the use of the components and not to run down China's economy.
• It's unclear if Microsoft will continue investing in its HoloLens brand.

This past week, the Microsoft HoloLens 2 headset appeared on CCTV-7, the military channel of Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. In the short clip, a Chinese People's Liberation Army member was spotted rocking Microsoft's mixed-reality smart glasses while training in aircraft maintenance on a warplane.

As you may know, the hardware leverages a custom version of Windows to overlay hologram apps in a real-world space. This sets it apart from competitors, who often use full-immersion displays, which essentially transport users to a new reality. This is one of the main reasons users often complain of motion sickness when using these gadgets. 

In this particular scenario, as highlighted by Newsweek, the user is seen skillfully leveraging the headset's capabilities to scrutinize the warplane without touching it. Per the video shared, the trainee interacts with the hardware's operating system via gestures such as raising his palm to his face. He's also seen highlighting a panel on the fighter jet engine and even leveraging interactive tools, including a drill and wrench, to analyze the extent of repairs required.

China's embracing Microsoft's hardware, as outlined by the local TV station, is an avenue for the country to enhance combat effectiveness while simultaneously building upon its efforts to modernize the military. 

We're all aware of the longstanding rivalry between China and the US, with the latter having imposed strict export rules banning chipmakers like NVIDIA from shipping AI chips to China over military concerns. However, the US government did address the issue, citing that the ban is in place to establish control over the use of the chips and not to run down China's economy.

The video has gained quite a bit of traction with a hashtag trending most of last week, racking up to 500 million views on China's Twitter-like social media platform, Weibo.

Microsoft is awfully quite about its investment in HoloLens hardware

Things have been particularly quiet on Microsoft's mixed reality HoloLens front, leaving it to speculation whether the company will continue its AR hardware efforts or completely abandon them. Last year, several reports emerged indicating that the company had jumped ship, citing that Microsoft had canceled HoloLens 3.

Shortly after, the US Army indicated that it wouldn't invest in the technology if the company didn't ship an updated version of the military-grade headset with sophisticated features. And because Microsoft's massive layouts affected the HoloLens division, it's doubtful that the company will be able to deliver on these demands. However, the next phase is for the military-grade headset for version 1.2 of the device.

Microsoft could potentially be working on HoloLens 3 after a patent that resembles the company's flagship headset appeared. It features unique modularity, which might be more consumer-friendly than the available retail models at around $3,500.

Do you think Microsoft's HoloLens tech will return next year? Share your thoughts in the comments.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel are now available for Meta Quest.
• The productivity apps work all Meta Quest headsets, including the original Oculus Quest, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and Meta Quest 3.
• Since these are the web versions of the Office apps, you do not need a Microsoft 365 subscription to use them.

Office workers now have a new way to multitask, thanks to Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel shipping to Meta Quest. Just one day after releasing Xbox Cloud Gaming (beta) for Meta Quest, Microsoft shipped three of the most popular apps from its Office suite for the VR headset.

You can snag Word, PowerPoint, and Excel through the Meta Quest Store for free. Since they're the web-based versions of the apps, you don't need a Microsoft 365 subscription. You do need a Microsoft account, however. Once you've logged in on one of the Office apps, your account settings will sync over to the other apps.

Nicholas Sutrich, Senior Content Producer at Android Central, jumped at the chance to try out the Office apps on Meta Quest 3.

Sutrich's quick video shows the power of VR when it comes to productivity work. He quickly expanded his setup to include three virtual monitors with just a couple taps. I asked about the passthrough setup of Meta Quest 3 using cameras rather than a transparent visor. Sutrich said of the camera setup on Meta Quest 3, "it's definitely the better alternative right now. Maybe not in the future, but we'll see."

Is Meta Quest 3 a mixed reality headset?

While Meta Quest 3 is a virtual reality headset that succeeds Meta Quest 2, it is also a mixed reality headset. Rather than having a transparent visor like Microsoft HoloLens, Meta Quest 3 uses several cameras to recreate the world around you. The cameras on Meta Quest 3 are good enough to read a phone display or computer monitor, but you'll have a better experience running the Office suite in your headset.

In his Meta Quest 3 review, Sutrich said "the mixed reality games I've played so far were convincing because the camera quality finally matches the quality of the objects the Quest 3 rendered." Thanks to those cameras, you can feel like you're in your real-world office while using VR apps and games within the headset.

To expand your virtual workspace, you can simply drag an app to an additional virtual monitor. While you can use a virtual keyboard, that's not going to provide a great experience for crunching numbers or creating a Word document. Instead, you can attach a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to Meta Quest 3.

Microsoft and Meta have a growing partnership that will bring several major Microsoft apps to Meta Quest headsets. The Microsoft 365 apps are here already. In the future, Outlook, SharePoint, and even Windows 365 Cloud PCs will be available in VR.

If you prefer gaming over office work, you can now stream Xbox games to Meta Quest as well, though the Xbox Cloud Gaming app is in beta at the moment. You need an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to stream games to Meta Quest.

I love PCs, laptops, and reminiscing about Windows Phone, but before I joined Windows Central, I was a VR head. Dating back to the Samsung Gear VR, I immersed myself in games, virtual desktops, and more through various headsets.

I followed the growth of consumer VR from Gear VR to Oculus Go to Oculus Quest. I reviewed the original Oculus Quest and helped cover the launch of the follow-up Quest 2 for our buddies at Android Central. While I don't cover virtual reality professionally anymore, I keep up to date on all the advancements and chat with other VR fans frequently.

Last month, I watched the announcement of Meta Quest 3 in awe and with a hint of jealousy. I read Android Central's Meta Quest 3 review with anticipation and want to bug Sutrich to see if I can borrow his headset.

While the Quest 3 is currently the best VR headset you can buy, it is pricier than the Quest 2. That means it's more important to hunt for deals on headsets and accessories, which is where Amazon Prime Big Deal Days come in. Savings on straps, headphones, grips, and more are worth taking advantage of, so here's what I recommend.

Big Deal Days: Best PC deals

• Amazon: Up to 44% off Samsung SSDs and microSDs
• Amazon: Up to 30% off Dell monitors and laptops
• Amazon: Up to 34% off gaming monitors from Omen and Alienware
• Amazon: Up to 40% off CPUs, GPUs and other components
• Amazon: Up to 44% off gaming laptops
• Newegg: Up to 40% off graphics cards
• Newegg: Up to 62% off SSDs
• Dell: Up to 30% off Alienware laptops
• Dell: Up to 41% off monitors
• HP: Up to 60% gaming laptops, desktops, monitors, and accessories

Big Deal Days: Best tech deals

• Amazon Prime 30-day Free Trial: Sign up at Amazon
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: was $49.99 now $22.99 at Amazon
• Blink Mini security camera: was $34.99 now $19.99 at Amazon
• Ring Video Doorbell: was $99.95 now $54.99 at Amazon
• Blink Outdoor Security (3rd Gen): was $249.99 now $99.99 at Amazon

Big Deal Days: Meta Quest deals

While Meta Quest 3 is impressive, it needs to be improved in some ways. The core hardware delivering the virtual reality experience is great, but some edges need to be swapped out or enhanced. If you had to grab just one Meta Quest 3 accessory, I’d suggest getting a head strap like the discounted ZyberVR head strap for Meta Quest 3. It’s a relatively small investment that dramatically improves the headset. Notably, ZyberVR’s head strap leaves room for headphones like the Soundcore VR P10.

In my experience, Meta rarely discounts the newest VR headset available, so the best way you can save money on a virtual reality experience is to cut costs on accessories.  

• Back to the top ⤴

Big Deal Days: Frequently asked questions

The specifics for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days are now publicly available, with major brands and categories enjoying significant discounts. Windows Central will update each roundup with the latest dates and details whenever the company releases more information.

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days started at 3 AM ET on Tuesday, October 10, and will run through October 11. The real trick now is getting to the best discounts before stock runs out, so check out our Amazon Prime Day in October live blog and keep up to date with the hottest savings while supplies last.

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When Meta unveiled the Quest 3 this week, my mind was immediately taken back to when Microsoft first presented the HoloLens. Many of the ideas that Microsoft first introduced years ago will finally make their way to everyday people. In many ways, Meta Quest 3 delivers on the promises Microsoft first made with the HoloLens, but never delivered.

Meta Quest 3 launches on October 10, 2023, and it will bring both mixed reality and virtual reality to the hands and heads of gamers. Some features, like support for anchoring objects, deliver a true augmented reality experience (as opposed to the visual overlay experience in devices like Apple Vision Pro).

The icing on the cake is that Meta announced support for Xbox Cloud Gaming on Meta Quest 3. Well, Xbox Cloud Gaming is actually on the way to older Quest headsets as well, but I will focus on the Quest 3 because of the unique mixed reality experience it provides.

Affordable augmented reality

I remember the genuine excitement people had when Microsoft unveiled the HoloLens. When I saw Minecraft on a table in mixed reality, I thought we were living in the future.

I also remember most of us realizing we'd never own one due to its price. The technology was new and high-end, so the cost wasn't a surprise, but it made the headset unobtainable for the masses. Fast-forward almost a decade, and you have a Meta Quest 3 promising many of the same features as the original HoloLens but at a fraction of the cost.

Meta Quest 3 features a range of cameras that can show your real-world surroundings through the headset. The quality is much better than pass-through mode on the Quest 2 (Quest 3 cameras have 10x more pixels than Quest 2) and the addition of color is a big bonus for immersion and realism. The Meta Quest 3's cameras aren't as good as those seen on Apple Vision Pro, but they also don't cost you an arm and a leg. Meta Quest 3 costs $499.99. Apple Vision Pro costs $3,499.99.

My colleague Nicholas Sutrich went hands-on with Meta Quest 3 and discussed the quality of the cameras. "The mixed reality demos I experienced were convincing because the camera quality finally matched the quality of the objects the Quest 3 rendered," said Sutrich. "In the new First Steps experience on the Quest 3, players will be blasting little aliens that appear to jump through the walls and ceiling of the room."

The improved cameras and promise of support for anchoring objects work together to build a mixed reality experience that feels like what Microsoft showed off on stage years ago.

Xbox Cloud Gaming

Xbox Cloud Gaming will make its way to Meta Quest 3 in December. Microsoft seems keen to stream games onto any device that will have them, and I'm glad the Quest 3 made the list.

The built-in displays of the Meta Quest 3 allow you to create giant virtual screens for enjoying various forms of media. It's like having a giant television or monitor attached to your face. Older Quest headsets didn't have high enough resolution for watching movies, at least in my experience, but that should be a thing of the past. The improved resolution should also make game streaming more enjoyable.

While the Meta Quest 3 has over 500 games, those titles don't replace games you play with a controller. That's where Xbox Cloud Gaming comes in. When support rolls out in December, you'll basically have an Xbox and a monitor with you anywhere you can bring a headset connected to the internet.

I still think there's a place for Microsoft's HoloLens, but that place isn't gaming. Microsoft positioned its headset as a device for business and seems set to continue that trend. It seems more likely that we'll see a HoloLens on the head of an actual soldier for the US Military than as a canvas for streaming Call of Duty. I'm just glad that Meta stepped in and made the consumer-focused mixed reality headset that we never got from Microsoft.

Social VR

Almost by its very nature, virtual reality is isolating. There are ways to share what's on your screen, but having a screen attached to your face isn't exactly social. Meta Quest 3 alleviates some of this by mixing virtual reality with your surroundings. In addition to being less isolating, the design of Meta Quest 3 makes it feel more natural when you interact with other people.

Take the demos in the advertisement above. The video shows off several situations where being "in" virtual reality doesn't feel like you're off in another world. Playing with virtual Lego on a tabletop feels like you're just enjoying blocks and figurines in your living room. It's mixed reality, with an emphasis on the mixing.

Of course, you can also isolate yourself in a game to feel immersed.

Back when I reviewed the original Oculus Quest, I loved the VR headset. But I admit that it's a bit awkward. I almost felt like I had to tell my wife that I was going away for a while to play. I couldn't see the world around me, and I needed to free up space to make sure I didn't bump into anything, including my dogs.

While there's still the option to play completely immersed in the Quest 3, Meta has made a clear effort to make virtual and mixed reality more social experiences over the years.

A bright future for mixed reality and VR

Generally speaking, I follow the advice of Michael Fisher, aka Mr Mobile, when it comes to buying devices. That is to say that you should buy a device based on what it can do now rather than what it promises to do in the future. I think that's still sound advice, but Meta has a good track record of improving its headsets over time. The company has said that support for anchoring virtual objects to real-world devices will ship next year.

Meta will deliver the consumer-focused mixed reality device that we never got from Microsoft. The Quest 3 is more affordable, more social, and more versatile. Add in the fact that it will essentially be a mobile monitor for Xbox Cloud Gaming before the end of the year, and you have an incredibly powerful gaming device that costs the same as an Xbox Series X.

What you need to know

• The US Army has approved the next development phase for version 1.2 of Microsoft's militarized HoloLens headset known as IVAS.
• Evaluation of the entry was done by soldiers with 1st Battalion, the Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.
• The development team is currently exploring ways to make more headsets while maintaining the affordability and quality of the headsets.
• Cloud computing capabilities are set to ship to the entry over the next year. 
• If everything goes according to plan, the production phase is likely to commence in 2025. 

Things have been particularly quiet from Microsoft's mixed reality HoloLens line, leaving it to speculation whether the company will continue its AR hardware efforts or completely abandon them. Several reports surfaced online last year indicating that the company had jumped ship, citing that Microsoft had canceled HoloLens 3.

At the beginning of this year, the US Army indicated that it wouldn't invest in the technology if the company didn't ship an updated version of the military-grade headset with sophisticated features. And the fact that Microsoft's massive layouts affected the HoloLens division didn't improve the situation. 

But despite these setbacks, the next phase for the military-grade headset has been approved by the US Army for version 1.2 of the device. This is after thorough scrutiny and evaluation by soldiers with 1st Battalion, the Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and 10th Mountain Division.

While speaking to Army Times, Brig. Gen. Christopher Schneider, the Program Executive Office-Soldier commander, disclosed that the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology green-lit the second phase for the development of the device.

Work is underway to ensure that the device is up to par with the military's high standards. The force has been particularly vocal about their needs and wants regarding the headset, including the incorporation of cloud computing, which will, in turn, introduce nifty features and improvements to the device.

In the past, the $22 billion project has been negatively impacted by technology glitches and lack of capital, which is why the Army leaders are up in arms trying to explore new ways to manufacture thousands of these headsets while maintaining quality and affordability.

Officials indicated that the production phase could kick off as early as 2025. Versions 1.0 and 1.1 of the headset have been developed and procured by the Army for training and Doctrine Command. What's more, the branch signed off on the development of version 1.2 in January. The feedback the Army gets from putting versions 1.0 and 1.1 while performing various tasks will dictate the fate of version 1.2 and future iterations.

With the next phase of production approved, the team seeks to strike a balance between establishing affordability and ensuring that it is able to produce a substantial number of entries. Notably, it is expected to achieve these feats within 18 months, hoping to incorporate cloud computing capabilities into the entry to enhance its user experience.

The new entry will ship with many new features and improvements, building on the ones already available in previous versions. For instance, troops will be able to download and access "a host of job-assisting apps" from the store, thus allowing them to be better prepared for any situation that might arise while in battle.

What's more, the apps can be developed and tailored to achieve specific and defined tasks, including targeting assistance for grenadiers, terrain map construction, and more. The cloud capabilities are expected to ship to the devices over the next year.

The developers are trying new ways to enhance night vision technology on the entry but haven't made any headway because of its over-dependence on analog methods. Analog methods provide better vision. However, it impedes other salient features that are essential and crucial to the headset's functionality. The team also highlighted several setbacks while developing the entry including cabling and positioning. 

Analysis: The high cost of HoloLens and AR

At WWDC 2024, Apple unveiled the Apple Vision Pro VR, an augmented headset reality headset designed to enhance the visual experience for users while watching TV shows, playing games, movies, and more. 

The company announced that it will start shipping the device to the US in early 2024 at $3,499. The exorbitantly priced headset received positive and negative feedback in equal measure. But as it seems, Apple might not be able to live up to its one million Vision Pro shipments by early 2024 promise.

Reports indicate that Apple is making adjustments to the production roadmap for the VR headsets and is now aiming for less than 400,000 entries in 2024. Sources familiar with the matter indicate that the manufacturing process turned out to be far more sophisticated and complex than the company had initially anticipated. 

Apple is also reportedly working on developing later generations of the unit to provide users with an array of options, including a cheaper option. Granted, the market has shifted in the past couple of years. As such, it might be difficult to determine the adoption of this new technology prior to its official release. 

A new Microsoft patent for a new HoloLens device recently surfaced online, potentially indicating that the division could be back in full swing after a hiatus. Speculations indicated that the patent could belong to Microsoft's "canceled" HoloLens 3. Perhaps this could be Microsoft's way of making its way back to the metaverse, reclaiming its spot alongside its competitors, Apple and Meta. 

What you need to know

• Microsoft's mixed reality HoloLens line has been quiet recently, with little information on whether Microsoft will continue perusing the hardware. 
• Outside of a commitment to its military-grade HoloLens, there's little information on what could be next for metaversal style hardware, as Apple and Meta ramp up their efforts in the space. 
• Recently, a patent appeared that looks fairly familiar to HoloLens, complete with unique modularity that makes it look a little more consumer-friendly and wearable. 
• Read on for details. 

A new Microsoft patent could be our first glimpse at a new HoloLens device, after years of relative quiet from the division. 

HoloLens is Microsoft's mixed-reality solution, using a custom version of Windows to overlay hologrammatic apps in a real-world space. It's unique among Microsoft's competitors, most of whom use full-immersion displays that either take you out of the entire real world completely or use mounted cameras to feed the real world into the mix after the fact. It's that uncanny latency between the virtual world and the real world that often induces motion sickness, so Microsoft's novel solution of prismatic holograms is one of the few platforms that can solve that to some degree, although the firm has yet to really make HoloLens available to the masses at scale. 

Right now, most HoloLens applications revolve around high-end engineering projects that benefit from manipulating 3D objects in real-time, or military applications. Microsoft has a contract with hundreds of millions with the U.S. Department of Defense for HoloLens, although the earliest iterations of its devices have reportedly been unpopular with soldiers. 

With Apple and Meta continuing their own mixed reality and "metaverse" efforts, people often wonder if Microsoft is going to keep pushing into the space. The above patent drawings show off what could be a new HoloLens device in testing, with a modular form factor.

The patent description explains that one drawback of the current HoloLens model is that it cannot be specialized to specific user environments. Indeed, the current version of HoloLens 2 available to the public looks very different to the helmet-style version being tested in infantry combat scenarios. Developing a more modular headset style whose prismatic displays can be swapped into and out of different types of head strap styles could be a powerful solution. 

"The modular sensor and display module may include a standard interface for attachment to various fit systems, including, for example, headband, VR headset, glasses temples, helmet, and the like. In some embodiments, a further module, such as a rear-attachment module, may be provided that can provide auxiliary compute, storage, and power resources for the modular sensor and display module."

In the above example, Microsoft envisions a version of HoloLens that can perhaps ditch the battery pack and compute units baked into the headband on the current iteration. In this form, the lenses are swapped out of the headband for a more traditional glasses frame style. 

Reducing the compute overhead could be a way to bring down costs and make the basic HoloLens experience more affordable for general consumers, to speculate. Late last year, Microsoft said that its next iteration of HoloLens needs to be "meaningful," following previous reports that HoloLens "3" may have been canceled entirely. Switching HoloLens to a modular design is pretty much what I'd describe as meaningful, no?

Microsoft also recently patented some virtual keyboard attachment designs specifically for HoloLens and other similar augmented reality headsets. The patent revolves around placing a virtual keyboard on a table, allowing you to type more naturally while using hologrammatic windows. 

Microsoft's layoffs over the past year have heavily targeted its mixed reality and so-called "metaverse" efforts, with products like AltspaceVR completely shut down not too long after acquiring it. Microsoft claims that it's continuing to pursue the metaverse, with its Microsoft Mesh platform which combines Microsoft Teams and other 365 services in virtual mixed-reality environments. Microsoft is also working on updated versions of HoloLens for the military, to satisfy its contracts with the Department of Defense. This was after soldiers complained of motion sickness and general inoperability problems with the first iterations of the product. 

Microsoft debuted its HoloLens mixed reality platform far ahead of Apple, Meta, and other competitors in the space, but has yet to really make it affordable for regular consumers, or logical for the vast majority of business use cases. People have balked at Apple's Vision Pro headset, which costs an absurd $3500 dollars, and doesn't exactly push the envelope far beyond what HoloLens currently does. There were rumors that Meta had killed off its own Quest "Pro" range as part of cost-cutting measures, but the firm behind Facebook later denied these reports. 

As usual with patents, they could just be prototypes that never see the light of day. But hey, it's fun to dream, right?

What you need to know

• Microsoft will deliver a new version of its militarized HoloLens headset to the U.S. Army before the end of July.
• The refreshed Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS, will be "slimmer, lighter and more balanced," according to Microsoft.
• Previous versions of IVAS made soldiers feel sick, caused eye strain and headaches, and were considered bulky.

Microsoft's Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) is about to enter another round of testing with the U.S. Army. Version 1.2 of the militarized HoloLens headset will be "slimmer, lighter and more balanced," according to Microsoft. The company spoke with Engadget about the upcoming field tests and the Army spoke with Bloomberg about the headset.

IVAS has been in the works for years. The aim of the headset is to provide information to soldiers in real-time when in the field.

Earlier this year, it was shared that IVAS version 1.2 was 2.85 lbs, which is much lighter than the 3.4 lbs its predecessor weighed. The latest version of the device also has its computer on the back of the headset to improve balance.

20 IVAS prototypes will be delivered to the Army before the end of this month and testing in August. The viability of the device will be tested in several ways, including on if it makes soldiers ill, if it's comfortable, and if it works reliably.

The previous version of IVAS ran into several issues, including causing nausea, eye strain, and key features failing. The headset also emitted a glow from its display that could be used to locate a soldier at night.

The outcome of these tests could sway the fate of HoloLens dramatically. The deal could be worth up to $21.9 billion, but one has to wonder how long the military would accept unsatisfactory field tests.

It's important to note that many innovations that make their way into the field go through iterative improvements and several tests. The question with HoloLens is if the U.S. military views the project as a worthy investment that will bear fruit.

If testing goes well, the Army could purchase up to 121,000 IVAS units. Following earlier tests, the U.S. Congress chose to give Microsoft $40 million to fix the headset rather than make any further orders. That has resulted in the upcoming tests.

What you need to know

• Xbox Game Studios' director Matt Booty discussed virtual and augmented reality in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
• Booty said Microsoft would need to see more interest in VR and AR before expanding into that sphere.
• Xbox head Phil Spencer has been critical of VR gaming in the past, calling it "isolating."

Apple thrust virtual reality into the forefront this year with its announcement of the Vision Pro. That headset focuses on consuming media, such as watching a sporting event as if you were courtside, or computing with a virtual desktop. While productivity-focused VR has been around for years, the technology has arguably seen most of its success in the gaming space. But based on recent comments by Xbox Game Studios' director Matt Booty, Microsoft won't bring virtual reality to the Xbox platform any time soon.

Booty's interview with The Hollywood Reporter was mostly about video game franchises expanding into film and television, but it also included a noteworthy portion on virtual reality.

"I think for us, it’s just a bit of wait until there’s an audience there. We’re very fortunate that we have got these big IPs that have turned into ongoing franchises with big communities," said Booty.

"We have 10 games that have achieved over 10 million players life-to-date, which is a pretty big accomplishment, but that’s the kind of scale that we need to see success for the game and it’s just, it’s not quite there yet with AR, VR."

The potential number of users seems to be a determining factor on when, or if, Microsoft ventures into VR on Xbox. Sony's PlayStation VR2 sold 600,000 units in its first six weeks (via Engadget). That figure exceeded the sales of the first PlayStation VR's launch in the same time span, but it is likely far below the threshold Microsoft would want to see before expanding in that direction.

When Microsoft initially announced the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, the company said that the consoles would support virtual reality. It later backtracked on that and decided to launch them without VR support.

Xbox head Phil Spencer has spoken harshly about virtual reality before. Back in 2019, Spencer said that "nobody's asking for VR" on Xbox. "I have some issues with VR — it's isolating and I think of games as a communal, kind of together experience," he said at the time.

Between Booty's comments this week and Spencer's comments in the past, it seems unlikely that we'll see VR support on Xbox in the near future.

Apple loves to call itself the big innovator, even when the category it wants to thrive in is falling to pieces with dwindling interest. Virtual reality headsets are ultimately a fad that came and went, albeit with a little more staying power than 3D televisions. Still, your average second-hand store almost certainly has its fair share of previously lauded units on its shelves, whereas 3D glasses were almost exclusively reserved for landfill.

That's not to say I don't enjoy VR. I'd go head-to-head with anyone who denies Half-Life: Alyx as one of the most immersive gaming experiences of recent memory, but the list ends suddenly after that. VR only has a microscopic level of appeal to gamers with a treasure trove of high-quality gems, but not even Microsoft saw value in its Virtual, Mixed Reality, and HoloLens development from a business perspective.

Who cares about VR?

Convincing a world of youngsters and adults alike to shift to a bleak, lonely experience of wandering their empty houses as they take in a Black Mirror-level of media directly into the eyeballs is a hilariously difficult task, even for Apple — best of luck to them.

Don't worry; I understand that I'm not the target audience. I'm not deluding myself into thinking Apple ever expects me to pick up the Vision Pro (via iMore.) The clue is in the 'Pro' part of the name, seemingly aimed primarily at those working from home.

Still, the relentless footage of consumers enjoying a movie (no more than two hours long on the battery, though) or catching up with home memories muddies the early marketing somewhat.

I'm still sore about the mis sold wonders of augmented reality via Google Glass since I'm a glasses-wearing geek who loves biometrics and other trivial data. Part of me wants a video game HUD in front of my eyes displaying daily tasks and calories burned, like a bleak Pip-Boy unit from the Fallout games, and the other part still enjoys touching grass.

Experience max-quality VR gaming instead

I can see the 'it's not a gaming device' replies coming already, and it's okay; I agree with you. The Vision Pro isn't supposed to be for gamers. Still, I know how much value I could get from that $3500 with a gaming desktop, laptop, or even a standalone VR headset that offers just as much versatility with the right apps (especially if you include some less-official sources.)

For example, even the cheapest Meta Quest 2 can connect to any capable gaming PC with a compatible USB-C link cable or wirelessly via 5GHz Wi-Fi and play PC VR titles from Steam. It's exactly how I played Half-Life: Alyx the first time, and still my go-to setup for playing Beat Saber with community modifications. It's not the best for visual quality, but it works.

Since the Quest 2 retails for around $300 at the time of writing, that leaves us with $3,200 for either a pre-built gaming desktop PC, an equivalent laptop, or the budget to buy the parts separately. That's a pretty sizeable budget, and any custom builders would likely be more than happy to blow most of it on a graphics card.

There is a handful of bang-for-your-buck components, like the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor and its capability for high-end gaming, but there's no avoiding the sting of a GPU price tag. You can go lower but trying to squeeze value out of entry-level cards with only 8GB of VRAM, like the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, is no fun. You might as well pick up a pre-built gaming desktop.

Augmented reality isn't for gamers

Again, the main draw of the Apple Vision Pro is its mixture of augmented reality and fully-immersive virtual reality with a focus on working from home (or so it seems.) I don't doubt that Tim Cook and his talented developers can make the best device in the world for that category, but I find it hard to believe it'll last longer than a year. Mark Zuckerberg banked his entire company on the success of his 'Metaverse,' and that prospect is sinking like a cotton candy lifeboat.

I'm mostly joking, and this isn't an accurate comparison of two products, just a more versatile use of such a considerable amount of cash. It's not up to me to tell Apple fans what they should and shouldn't buy, but even some of the most die-hard believers aren't willing to live out their lives in a headset (via iMore.) Especially when it involves a pair of AI-generated eyes poking out from electronic ski goggles.

As I watched WWDC, a strange feeling overcame me. I hate the pretentious tone of some Apple enthusiasts. I love trolling Apple for "inventing" things. But during one part of the presentation, I forgot about all of that and just enjoyed technology being shown off. The Apple Vision Pro got me more excited about virtual reality and augmented reality than I have been in a long time.

I've covered virtual reality since the Samsung Gear VR. I've written guides on how to use the Oculus Go, reviewed the first Oculus Quest, and covered the launch of the Quest 2. On the mixed reality side of things, I've written dozens of stories about HoloLens and Windows Mixed Reality. At one point I interviewed a game developer in Australia as I virtually fought him in his own game even though he was thousands of miles away. But despite all that, Apple scratched my VR itch in a way that no other company has.

I don't think it's envy

I tried to come up with a single word to describe how I feel about Apple Vision Pro. I don't think it's envy, though that was the first thought that came to mind. It's not like I made HoloLens or Meta Quest. It would be reasonable for the companies behind competing VR and AR devices to be envious of Apple. After all, Apple's first-generation virtual reality headset is getting more buzz than even the refined versions of HoloLens and Quest. But I don't have a dog in the race. I could go out and buy an Apple Vision Pro if I wanted, though I'd probably have to use my house as collateral.

I believe the right word is frustrated. I'm frustrated that Apple could swoop into the VR game years late and deliver such a promising device. Oculus (now Meta), Microsoft, HTC, and Sony have all worked on virtual reality in some way or another over the past decade, yet it's Apple that showed off what I believe is the most promising — ahem — vision of mixed reality.

Apple Vision Pro isn't perfect

Before you write me off as someone with blinders on, I'm very aware that Apple Vision Pro VR has flaws. It looks ridiculous. It requires an external battery pack to get just 2 hours of battery life. Its $3,500 price tag makes it unattainable for almost any average person.

While virtual reality is still cool in my eyes, it's definitely lost some of its buzz. The metaverse came and flopped. Gaming in VR is probably the most successful implementation of the technology, but even that's niche.

On top of all that, Apple Vision Pro fails to overcome some of the inherent flaws of virtual reality. At the end of the day, you're still sticking a screen on your face that only you can see. There are some social experiences within VR, but at that point, you're talking about having to spend over $7,000 to get multiple headsets.

Our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino ran through the faults and follies of Apple Vision Pro and VR. I agree with pretty much everything he said. I'm just also excited to see what Apple will do with its headset.

So, what do I like?

With all those flaws and the fact that many of the concepts shown off by Apple have existed in other headsets, the natural question is what am I excited about? I think Apple's entry into VR looks like a more refined experience. It takes some of the best aspects of virtual reality, adds some Apple magic, and infuses them with a thriving ecosystem.

Marques Brownlee went hands-on with Apple Vision Pro, so he has a better gauge of the tech than I do. While he couldn't show any footage of him using the device, it's clear from his tone and recap that he's impressed by Apple's headset and the visionOS it runs.

A few elements of Apple Vision Pro stuck out to me. The displays look like they'll be among the best on the market. Eye tracking also seems to be quick and seamless. Brownlee discussed how looking at an object and clicking with his hand felt more natural than similar movements in other headsets.

Apple Vision Pro only has Apple's apps at this point, but I suspect that will change. Developers have a year to get their services onto the device. Apple has a track record of converting developers, so I don't think that will be an issue. Look at how many devs flocked to support Apple Silicon when the company started using its own chips in its Macs.

Apple also has spent a lot of money on media content. While Apple TV may be the main beneficiary, it looks like Apple Vision Pro will have some unique content. In addition to showing movies and other forms of media that you could watch on any device, the headset will have 3-D movies. It can even record 3-D videos, but it's quite awkward. As a quick aside, Apple needs to have a record mode that works without the headset on a person. That way, a person can record in 3-D while enjoying real life. They could then share the video and relive it later.

NextVR was purchased by Apple a while back, and I think that will help with Apple's push for media in VR. You can already watch NBA games through NextVR on other headsets, but I think Apple will optimize the experience for its VR headset.

Will Apple Vision Pro succeed?

I don't know Apple's metrics for the success of Apple Vision Pro. If the company's goal is to deliver the best consumer-facing virtual reality experience, I think that'll happen. The interface looks smooth, eye tracking and the displays of the device look top-notch, and developers love to optimize their apps and services for Apple hardware.

Becoming a commercial success could be a different matter. Apple enthusiasts are generally willing to spend a lot of money to be in the Apple ecosystem, but will they pay $3,500 to find out? I'm not sure, but I'm going to enjoy watching the reviews.

Apple today unveiled its long, long rumored Vision Pro with its virtual and mixed reality systems mashup into what it calls its spatial computer (a term first invented in 2003 and used by Microsoft and others since).

There’s no denying that a LOT of effort and technology went into the $3,500 headset, with Apple claiming it filed (though not granted) 5,000 patents related to the Vision Pro’s design stage. There’s also no denying that the quality of the experience is likely untouched by any other AR and VR system on the market today.

But will it work for Apple? Investors have put a lot of pressure on Apple CEO Tim Cook to deliver a new growth category as sales of Macs, iPhones, and tablets have mostly plateaued (there’s more growth with Apple Watch, financial services, and Apple TV, albeit slower).

However, at $3,500, the Apple Vision Pro is a big gamble, especially once it comes out in early 2024. Here’s why.

The market has shifted

It was only a few years ago when every tech news site you read was hyping the metaverse. Along with NFTs and Web3, many saw metaverse as the next big thing in tech. For example, in 2022, the investment bank Citi estimated that the metaverse represents a potential $8 trillion to $13 trillion opportunity by 2030. Indeed, Facebook famously changed its name to Meta because Mark Zuckerberg was convinced the metaverse was the future.

Call it burnout or just actual reality setting in, but the metaverse fizzled out as fast as it came. Every major tech company has pulled back on the concept, with headset prices slashed due to low demand. The reason? Most people didn’t seem keen on putting on a headset to go to work, nor did they want to spend large amounts of time in a virtual world (see iMore's take on this idea, which calls it "dystopian.")

Companies like Google and Samsung have no public plans for consumers in this space, although both are rumored to work on AR/VR products. Microsoft, of course, has HoloLens, which has had its ups (and many recent downs), but the company has smartly kept the tech away from the consumer market due to the lack of a strong use case.

Instead, in 2023, AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) are the big rage. But here’s the difference: This technology is now used by millions daily and has significantly impacted the entire tech world. AI went from buzzword to reality in just a few months, and it could upend the jobs market, help creatives, and cause problems for social networks. So AI seems to be much more than just a fad.

Meanwhile, Apple is here in 2023 to announce a VR/AR headset that costs $3,500 (The same price as Microsoft’s HoloLens 2) when the economy is slowing down. What did Apple not discuss at WWDC? Anything with AI, chatbots, or assistants. It did mention machine learning (ML) for adaptive sound in AirPods, but is there a plan to make Siri not terrible? What is Apple’s response to Microsoft and Google? So far, it has none. From an outside view, it appears Apple is jumping into a loss-leading category with the Vision Pro while it stays silent on what many consider to be the biggest tech story of the year: The rise of AI.

The problem with AR/VR was NEVER about quality

Apple did a lot of handwaving around how good its new headset is, and I won’t challenge them. I believe it. Sure, it has a weird, wired battery pack that you need to wear to deliver the 2 hours of usage, but I’m sure the experience will be unlike anything we’ve seen.

But the complaints about AR and VR, especially around low adoption rates (and low, consistent return usage), were never really about the quality or price. The problem, for many, with this entire genre is putting on a headset in the first place to do things you can already do without one.

And, lest we forget, Microsoft created a virtual version of the entire Windows OS in 2017 with $400 Windows Mixed Reality kits to let users do all sorts of things like play games, run UWP apps, and more. But, unfortunately, the whole thing fell flat, and considering this was 2017, it was not because the quality was poor. On the contrary, it was impressive for the time, but people did not want to use a PC that way because strapping a headset on wasn’t worth the effort.

Last I checked, you can watch movies, work on multiple displays, play games, and video conference without wearing a headset with 12 cameras, six microphones, and two hours of battery life, which costs $3,500.

There is something very isolated about putting on a headset to see things that other people around you cannot experience. Sure, Apple does an odd thing where it has a video projection of your eyes so other people can be tricked into “seeing” you, but that doesn’t solve everything. The idea of coming home after work to spend time with the wife and kids only to strap a TV to your head so you (and only you) can watch a movie or play a game seems f*cked up, especially when people feel more alone than ever before.

All Apple has done here is create the world’s best AR/VR headset. No small feat with some highly talented people behind it, but I’m not yet convinced that this category is something people want, at least for everyday use.

A wait-and-see approach?

Of course, the Apple fan always has the retort to all of this by citing how people underestimated the iPhone, AirPods, iPad, etc. All of that is true. Apple, despite some goofy names, really did take existing categories and made them more viable for consumers.

But a good track record is not an argument for the viability of its Vision Pro headset. Its price is out of reach for most people. Its use case is vaguely defined or, at the very least, very niche. And it doesn’t solve the biggest problem with this entire category, which is the self-isolating nature of putting on an eye mask with fans to experience something only you can see, pushing friends and family to the side for a single-person experience.

Will Apple Vision Pro be impressive? Absolutely. But Apple has a big hill to climb in what has proven to be a tough category. And one the consumer market has (largely) rejected.

Maybe this could be the first step towards something more significant. The same argument for AI was often made, people scoffed, and it finally had its day in 2023. So perhaps wearable spatial computers are the next big trend. Or, maybe, like Microsoft, such tech is better suited for professional work environments and away from mom and dad.