The Vision Pro Is a Personal IMAX theatre. And That’s a Good Thing.
I recently spent an hour testing the Apple Vision Pro, and while I’ve used and created content for plenty of VR and AR devices over the years, this one caught me off guard.
Because honestly? I don’t think it’s really a VR device at all — it’s a personal IMAX theatre. And that might be great news for filmmakers.
A Cinematic Canvas
The first thing that hit me was the screen quality. It’s crisper and more vibrant than any headset I’ve tried — with resolution and colour accuracy that’s genuinely stunning. The image felt both intimate and expansive, like being alone in a giant, perfect cinema.
This fidelity is a game-changer. Being able to present a meticulously colour-graded image exactly as intended — with every nuance intact — is a dream. And the refresh rate holds up beautifully, even during fast-paced content, keeping the illusion of reality seamless and intact.
Stability in Motion
Head tracking was precise and natural. Movements felt immediate, and virtual elements stayed locked in place — no delay, no drifting, no motion sickness. The world felt stable, anchored, real.
The eye calibration process was quick, and it kept everything sharp and responsive throughout my session — even small movements were reflected accurately.
Gestural Interface: A Double-Edged Sword
Interaction with the AVP’s gestural controls was a mix of elegance and irritation. Eye-tracking and pinching gestures often felt intuitive and magical — but they weren’t flawless, and occasional unregistered inputs broke the immersion.
What stood out most was Apple’s design philosophy: they don’t want you moving around. This isn’t a Quest or Index. There are no thumbsticks, no built-in way to move your viewpoint through space. You’re meant to stay still — and have the content come to you.
Stationary, Yet Immersive
That was one of the biggest surprises. The Vision Pro actively encourages stillness. Instead of inviting you to explore a full 360° space, it leans into 180° 3D experiences — like a personal theatre screen wrapped gently around you.
The field of view isn’t wide, but it doesn’t need to be. It recreates the effect of a large cinema screen right in front of your eyes, and moving too much triggers passthrough — a quiet suggestion to sit back down and enjoy the show.
It’s tailor-made for long-form linear content — films, series, documentaries — anything that’s meant to hold your attention from one frame to the next.
A New Platform for Storytelling?
All of this makes me think the Vision Pro could finally be a meaningful platform for filmmakers. Traditional VR often struggles with cuts and transitions — but here, they work. I experienced content with rapid scene changes that still felt coherent and immersive.
That changes things.
It felt like being in a theatre, but more intimate. Spatial audio added even more depth — not just watching the story, but being quietly surrounded by it.
Final Thoughts
The Apple Vision Pro isn’t just another VR headset. It’s a personal IMAX — high fidelity, rock-solid, and built for still, immersive, cinematic experiences.
And that opens up exciting new ground for visual storytelling.
I’m hoping to shoot some content for the AVP in the coming months — more on that soon.