Are There Cheaper Alternatives to Apple’s Vision Pro?

Back in February, the YouTube channel IFixit tore down Apple’s Vision Pro, a high-tech but costly approach to spatial computing. iFixit said the Vision Pro was loaded with high-quality cameras that produced some of the best video pass-through, but at a price of $3999 it was too costly for average users. iFixit decided to search for cheaper alternatives, and found the Vison SE headset on Ali Express. According to the video, the headset was listed at just $337.

Immediately, the reviewer found quirks in the Vision SE’s operation. He found some movement tracking, but menus could only be accessed by turning one’s head to view what one wants to look at. Selecting a function requires pressing buttons on the side of the headset. And, there are no pinch gestures; instead, the user interfaces with a clumsy controller that is tethered to the headset.

When the reviewer took apart the headset, he found some rather cheap parts, though was able to take the device apart relatively easily. One surprise was that the display was identical to that used in Meta’s Quest 2. Conclusion: the reviewer said the headset was e-waste, and suggested users buy a used Quest 2 if they want to save money.

You can view the video here.