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Apple’s Vision Pro has had a mixed critical reception, and apparently, a below-par commercial one. But I am apparently the outlier. I purchased a Vision Pro for personal use and I really like it. I use it every day, and even after months of using it, sometimes I still find myself amazed at the immersion of having gigantic images and videos playing in front of my face. But I have one major gripe: it’s far too heavy at 1.4lbs. The weight is so significant that I use my Vision Pro almost exclusively when I am lying face up in bed or reclined on a sofa with a headrest. This sucks, of course, because I had really hoped to use the Vision Pro as a work device at the computer desk.
So, when I first tried on the just-announced MR headset from Shanghai-based firm Play For Dream (previously known as YVR), I was blown away. Despite looking very, very similar to the Vision Pro (and doing virtually the same things), the Play For Dream headset feels much lighter on my head. I thought for sure the headset was lighter, but it turns out that its weight is actually about the same as the Vision Pro. By implementing a small battery pack on the back side, the headset’s weight is evenly distributed between the front and back, instead of weighing down the front of my face like the Vision Pro does.
For optics, Play For Dream’s headset actually produces sharper, higher-resolution visuals than Apple’s headset. Oh, and did I mention it’s also cheaper? We are still months away from being able to purchase it though. Despite the copycat looks, which I admit will induce eye rolls, the Play For Dream MR looks like a very attractive alternative to the Vision Pro, and a great showing of the future of AR or MR headsets as envisioned by Qualcomm.
Hardware
Comfortable to wear, but unoriginal looks
Chinese tech brands often get mocked on social media by the average western techie for shamelessly copying Apple, an accusation I find overblown, but cannot deny. And so, when I saw Play For Dream’s headset, I let out a sigh. Why did the Shanghai firm have to make the hardware resemble the Vision Pro this much? From the overall shape of the outside-facing visor, to the mesh eyepiece, to the rotatable crown at the top right side, to the heat vents, the design looks straight out of Cupertino. I didn’t bring my Vision Pro for a side-by-side comparison, but the Play For Dream MR looks practically like a black-colored Vision Pro.
Like, come on, even the rotatable crown is in the exact same location.
The headset’s front piece is crafted out of aluminum which is just a bit lighter than the stainless steel used by the Vision Pro. The back head strap is made of plastic, with a small battery inside the back that allows the headset to be used for an hour completely wirelessly. There is an external battery pack just like the Vision Pro that provides additional time. It’s nice to have the option to go completely wireless though.
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The Play For Dream MR runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2, the six-month-old silicon designed to power MR/AR/XR devices. It’s a capable processor with support for up to 4.3K resolution per eye and up to 12 cameras. Play For Dream almost pushes this power to the max: it features 11 cameras and a pair of MicroOLED screens sourced from BOE that boasts 4K resolution per eye, for a total resolution of 8K.
The cameras, along with seven sensors and 22 LED lights, help map the space around the user, as well as track hand and eye movements —just like the Vision Pro.
I must point out that during my demo I was using a prototype that did not have eye or hand tracking, so I had to control it using controllers which the company says will be an optional purchase. The controllers are well-built, with an analog stick and pressure-sensitive triggers. The controllers basically serve as laser pointers, allowing me to navigate the UI.
Software
Immersive visuals and Android apps
The headset runs the company’s proprietary software based on Android 14, which means it will be able to run Android apps. It can also connect to a Windows computer to project a virtual desktop up to five windows. I didn’t get a chance to ask if it will support Mac.
During my demos, I was able to run a few windows off a Windows laptop, with three screens displayed floating in front of me wirelessly. I also played this boxing game in which I used the controllers to punch. But the most jaw dropping was watching a high-quality 8K spatial video (shot with a professional grade camera) that felt the most life-like I’ve ever seen — noticeably more so than on the Vision Pro. In the video, a woman is standing and blowing bubbles. The 8K resolution was sharp enough that she looked real for a second before my brain registered she wasn’t actually standing there. She looked life-sized, and because the spatial video was shot in the same room, the video blended into the room well.
I also consumed some VR content that was even more immersive, because instead of trying to feed me video of my surroundings, all the headset’s computing power just needed to play a 360-degree video. The Play For Dream MR does an impressive job of mapping the room, with things staying in place even as I moved around.
Early thoughts
I walked out of the demo room excited to get my hands on one. It’s basically the Vision Pro, but running Android, and feels lighter on my head, even though it really isn’t. I think the Vision Pro’s software is still more polished in terms of animations and transitions, but purely in terms of image sharpness, the Play For Dream headset is better.
The company has partnered with IMAX to provide IMAX content for the headset too. But I’m most excited about being able to take the headset to a coffee shop to do my work and save myself from laptop neck.
Unfortunately, the Play For Dream MR is not going on sale until October, with the first markets being China, Singapore, and Malaysia. The company said it will next roll out in Southeast Asia, likely Thailand and Vietnam. No word on U.S. or Europe availability yet. There is also no official pricing, with the company only promising that it will be under $2,000.