Can Apple Vision Pro Replace A Laptop?

Apple’s first spatial computer is here! But can Apple Vision Pro replace a laptop?

Okay, you want to get an Apple Vision Pro but you, perhaps, want to go further. Let’s say you aren’t interested in just using the Apple Vision Pro to watch movies and do some work with on just some occasions. What if you want to use the Apple Vision Pro as your only, sole, computer?

Could the Apple Vision Pro replace your laptop–whether that’s a MacBook or Windows PC or Chromebook? It could, but it might not be the best idea–for now. Here’s what you need to know…

Can The Apple Vision Pro Replace My Laptop?

We know the Apple Vision Pro doesn’t require an iPhone. And we know the Apple Vision Pro doesn’t care if you use an Android device. But can the Apple Vision Pro replace your laptop?

Technically, yes the Apple Vision Pro can replace your laptop. It could be the ONLY computer you own – however, there are some big caveats with that.

As of right now, the Apple Vision Pro is a very new device. There are currently only about 600 apps for it. That sounds like a lot, but it pales in comparison to the number of apps available for Mac and PC.

However, the Apple Vision Pro does already have some powerful productivity apps, like Word and Excel. The Apple Vision Pro also has the Safari web browser.

That means if you just rely on Microsoft Office or online tools you can access in a web browser, the Apple Vision Pro could replace your laptop as your only computer.

However, if you are using very niche apps–say apps scientists use–or graphic or video editing apps, the Apple Vision Pro can’t really replace your laptop just yet. That’s because most of the developers of these apps haven’t made Apple Vision Pro apps yet, so far. For example, There’s no Adobe Photoshop for Apple Vision Pro yet.

What that means is that, unless your computer usage is limited to Microsoft Office and browser-based apps, then you’re still going to need a laptop. The Apple Vision Pro can not yet run all the apps that are available on your standard Mac or PC laptop.

Apple Vision Pro Ergonomic Limitations

But let’s say ALL the apps you use are already natively supported on the Apple Vision Pro. Then could you use the Apple Vision Pro as your only computer? Again, yes, but you might regret it.

That’s because the Apple Vision Pro needs to be worn to be used. It also has a miniscule 2-hour battery life. So unlike a laptop, you aren’t going to get a ton of portability out of the Apple Vision Pro. Anywhere you take it and want to use it for more than two hours, you’re gonna need to make sure a power outlet is handy.

This means the Apple Vision Pro isn’t going to last you multiple cups of coffee in that Starbucks around the corner. Also, unlike a laptop, you will always feel the weight of the Apple Vision Pro on your body. You have to wear it and so after an hour or so, the Apple Vision Pro could be a strain on your body.

Instead, Use The Apple Vision Pro WITH Your Laptop

Until Apple brings the weight and size of the Apple Vision Pro and finds a way to radically increase its battery life–and until most major productivity apps are available on the Apple Vision Pro–it’s unlikely that it could realistically be your sole computer.

However, you can certainly use the Apple Vision Pro to complement your existing computer–well, if the computer is a Mac. With the Apple Vision Pro you can mirror your Mac’s desktop so it becomes a virtual display you can see in visionOS.

And with the virtual Mac displayed in visionOS, you can interact with it with a wireless mouse and keyboard. And considering you can make the virtual Mac display look massive through your Apple Vision Pro, you may finally feel like you are working on that 36-inch MacBook you’ve always dreamed of.

So for now, the Apple Vision Pro is less of a laptop replacement and more of a device that can work well with your MacBook or Mac desktop computers. Just don’t ask the Apple Vision Pro to play nice with Windows PCs.