Former Quest Engineer Praises Vision Pro Imitation

So, is it true that the Apple Vision Pro isn’t available in black? That’s correct, but the Play For Dream MR headset, resembling an ‘Android Vision Pro,’ does come in that classic shade. This latest marvel from Play For Dream turned plenty of heads at CES 2025 last week, catching the eyes of tech enthusiasts and critics alike.

Originally making its debut in Asia last year, the China-based company Play For Dream set its sights on introducing this Vision Pro-inspired mixed reality headset to the Western market. They launched a Kickstarter campaign in September, successfully raising HKD 2,271,650 (about USD 292,000).

The Play For Dream MR is loaded with state-of-the-art XR features. It boasts a Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset running on Android 15, dual 3,840 × 3,552 micro-OLED displays operating at 90Hz, eye-tracking, automatic IPD adjustment, and wired as well as wireless PC streaming. Plus, it incorporates a rear-mounted battery reminiscent of the Quest Pro and Touch-style controllers.

In essence, this headset offers a comprehensive package—even featuring an interface akin to that of the Vision Pro.

Moving beyond its design inspirations, former Quest engineer Amanda Watson had the opportunity to try out the Play For Dream’s MR headset. She enthusiastically shared her experience on X, saying it was “absolutely the best all-around HMD demo I saw on the floor today.”

Watson, who departed from Meta in 2022, described it as a “literal ‘Android Apple Vision Pro’ with an impressive execution. The performance, optics, user interface, and media capture/playback features were top-notch.”

During her tenure at Meta, Watson was involved in various Quest-related projects, including developing tools like the tethered Link and Air Link for Wi-Fi streaming. At one point, she was the sole developer of Air Link for 13 months leading up to its release. So, her praises definitely carry weight.

Watson also highlighted that the USB and wireless PCVR streaming (she tested it via USB) seemed more like a work-in-progress regarding frame rate and latency compared to the other polished features, but noted it’s a recent addition. Fundamental aspects like controller motion were on point, and the resolution delivered nicely.

On top of that, Watson lauded the Touch-style controllers as “very good,” though the hand tracking feature wasn’t demonstrated. Importantly, she was impressed by the headset’s pancake lenses, which had “excellent distortion correction,” a detail she values greatly.

Founded in 2020 originally under the name YVR, Play For Dream has already released two generaations of standalone VR headsets, the YVR 1 and YVR 2, both launched in China in 2022.

There’s no confirmed release date or pricing for the Play For Dream MR just yet, but the company has indicated it will be priced under $2,000. Keep an eye on Play For Dream’s website for more details and ordering options when they become available.