Apple Vision Pro gets upgraded to the new M5 chip

Apple announced on Wednesday a new, upgraded version of its headset, the Apple Vision Pro. Don’t expect major changes, however.

The biggest difference is that Apple swapped in its powerful M5 chip, which the company wrote in a press release would lead to “a leap forward in performance, improved display rendering, faster AI-powered workflows, and extended battery life.”

“With the breakthrough performance of M5, the latest Apple Vision Pro delivers faster performance, sharper details throughout the system, and even more battery life, setting a new standard for what’s possible in spatial computing,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of worldwide product marketing, in a press release.

In general, the new M5-powered Vision Pro promises smoother visuals, quicker load times, and, Apple hopes, an improved, more immersive experience. The company promised, for instance, that the M5 chip means the Vision Pro now “renders 10 percent more pixels on the custom micro-OLED displays compared to the previous generation, resulting in a sharper image with crisper text and more detailed visuals”

The company also introduced a new Dual Knit Band, which is aimed at improving comfort while wearing the headset. Instead of just one strap, it now has two, which fit snugly to the top and bottom of a user’s head. The idea is that a user can “make fine-tuned adjustments to achieve their ideal fit.” The Dual Knit Band can also be bought separately and fits with the previous generation of the Vision Pro.

The Apple Vision Pro with the M5 chip starts at $3,499, and is available with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities. It went on sale Wednesday in most markets, including the U.S. The Dual Knit Band is available to buy separately for $99.