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- Issue #4: Maybe I was wrong about the Apple Vision Pro
Issue #4: Maybe I was wrong about the Apple Vision Pro
I've found the killer app, and it isn't what you think.
Oliver Haslam
November 25, 2025
đź“° 4 weeks with a spatial computer
There are a few perks that come with writing about technology and entertainment, one of which is access to some of the coolest toys on the planet. I put the Apple Vision Pro in that bracket, although until very recently, “cool” didn’t necessarily mean useful.
What changed? I got my hands on the new M5 Apple Vision Pro and I’ll be spending the next couple of months with it. I want to see what spatial computing actually means and, more importantly, what it’s actually for.
This is the first real time I’ve spent with an Apple Vision Pro. I spent some time in the local Apple Store trying the original headset earlier this year. But that’s a guided demo, with limited time. I wanted to spend some quality time with it, using my own apps, in the comfort of my own home.
That’s what I’ve been doing for the last week, and it’s been a hoot. I’ve watched some 3D content, enjoyed some Apple Immersive Video content, and played around with a 3D city building game. And it’s all great fun. But not for long.
I was expecting the novelty period to last longer than a couple of days. But what I wasn’t expecting was for that period to give way to a new one — a productive period.
I already knew that the Apple Vision Pro could be used as an external monitor of sorts. Mac Virtual Display, Apple calls it, and it’s incredibly good. “Game changer” is a term that gets thrown around too much, but it’s absolutely valid here.
Mac Virtual Display on the M5 Apple Vision Pro is a game changer.
A MacBook owner’s dream
Fortuitously, the Apple Vision Pro arrived at the perfect time for me.
I was already trying to spend less time in my makeshift office and more of it downstairs. My youngest and my wife are down there, so why not work from the dining room table instead of being isolated upstairs?
It’s also where the coffee is, though that’s obviously by the by.
The biggest issue with working downstairs, though, is the way I work. I always have two browser windows open side-by-side. I also have the macOS Stickies app open for taking notes and quick access to regularly-used information. And then there’s Slack. Who could forget Slack, the friend that just doesn’t know it’s time to leave.
Upstairs, I have a 49-inch ultrawide OLED monitor, and I adore it. But you get used to all of that desktop space. All of those apps and windows.
Downstairs, I have my 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro. And while, sure, it’s huge by laptop standards, its 16-inch display is considerably smaller than my 49-inch monitor.
Enter the Apple Vision Pro and its secret weapon: Mac Virtual Display.
With Mac Virtual Display, I can recreate my monitor anywhere. So long as I’m willing to wear the headset, that is. I haven’t quite built up the courage to wear it beyond the four walls of our house yet. Don’t expect to see me at the local coffee shop wearing this thing any time soon.
In fact, I’m writing this while wearing the Apple Vision Pro and using my MacBook Pro. Its 16-inch display exploded to a circa 50-inch wraparound display on our dining table.
The upshot? I’m just as productive as I would be upstairs without actually being upstairs. And I get to pretend I’m living the Minority Report dream, as I do it. And I haven’t even accidentally punched one of our dogs while doing it, so that’s a bonus.
The ÂŁ3,399/$3,699 floating monitor problem
All of that’s great, but it’s also something of a problem for Apple. I know it’s early days in my time with the M5 Apple Vision Pro, but I expect the next few months to be more of the same. The headset is my floating monitor that I can take anywhere. And yes, I can use some iPad apps and the odd visionOS-native app when the urge strikes me.
But the loaner I’m using isn’t cheap. Not by any stretch.
I’m using an M5 Apple Vision Pro with 512GB of storage, double that of the entry-level configuration. That means that it retails for £3,399 or $3,699, depending on which side of the Atlantic you happen to be when buying it.
That’s…. a lot of money.
Is it worth it? I’m not sure yet. But the fact that I haven’t said “no” outright speaks volumes.
I’m not going to suggest that everyone reading this rushes to their local Apple Store, credit card in hand.
But I’m really enjoying my time with the Apple Vision Pro right now. And I do have a nagging feeling that I’ve only scratched the surface of what visionOS is capable of. I plan on spending the next week or two getting my hands on as many native visionOS apps as possible, just to see what’s out there.
I’ll keep you posted.
🎮️ What I’ve been playing
After making a career out of doing something I enjoy (playing with new toys like the Apple Vision Pro) I recently decided to try that trick again. I’m hoping to do more gaming-related work, and that starts with Pixel Fun.
The “What I’ve been playing” section of the newsletter is going to be in something of a flux as a result. For now, it’s going to remain as-is which is to say a place for me to share the games I’m playing, big and small.
In the longer term, it might expand or morph into something new. But in the interim, I’m going to be sending out some “5-minute review” newsletters. I’ve spent the last few weeks playing a ton of games, and I want to share them with you.
But that’ll come in due course. For now, here are a couple of games I’ve been playing of late.
Absolum (PC, also on PS5 and Switch)
Absolum is a roguelite crossed with a side-scrolling beat-em-up that I’ve been playing for a good while now, although not as much as I’d like. You’ll get a good feel of what to expect from the trailer, but imagine a fantasy Streets of Rage with gorgeous visuals and the familiar roguelike loop, and you don’t be far off. Well worth checking out, especially if you can find it on sale.
Football Manager 26 (PC, also on console & mobile)
Si Games had something of a nightmare last year. A delayed Football Manager 25 turned into a canceled Football Manager 25. That then turned into Football Manager 26 which shipped at the beginning of November. And as semi-self-respecting football fan, I had to try it.
Thankfully, Football Manager 26 is on Xbox and PC Game Pass. But I didn’t want to have to play the watered-down FM 26 Console Edition experience, which presented a problem — you need Windows to play PC Game Pass games.
Ultimately, I wound up setting up a Windows 11 virtual machine using Parallels on my MacBook Pro. It works fine. If only the same could be said for the game.
A glance at Football Manager 26 page on Steam reveals a “Mostly Negative” response from over 5,700 reviews. Open Critic lists it with a “70” average critic rating. That equates to just 31% of critics recommending the title.
The issue? The game is riddled with bugs. Game-breaking bugs, some the likes of which are mind boggling. Regularly, the game failed to continue after a match reached half time. The players just stood there, looking at each other.
Si Games reckons it’s fixed that bug. The last time I played, it most definitely hadn’t.
I haven’t touched Football Manager 26 in weeks — I’ll likely return once (if) things settle down.
🗞️ What I’ve been reading
Man Alarmed to Discover His Smart Vacuum Was Broadcasting a Secret Map of His House | Futurism
Apple TV’s colorful new branding was built with glass and captured in-camera | Adage
Apple announces finalists for the 2025 App Store Awards | Apple Newsroom
✍️ What I’ve been writing
What Apple could buy, instead of spending $3.4 billion on tariffs in 2025 | AppleInsider
I took an iPhone Air on vacation to test its two biggest compromises — and came home surprised | AppleInsider
Where the rumored budget MacBook fits in Apple's laptop lineup | AppleInsider
💸 Deals you shouldn’t miss
Until next time!
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