Apple’s WWDC 2023 event kicked off on Monday, June 5, and with it revealed a long rumored product: a mixed reality headset, titled Apple Vision Pro. It looks neat! You can navigate the whole thing with your hands, eyes, and voice, and use Apple apps like FaceTime, with a collaboration being teased with Disney as well. They also revealed the price, and uh…
Yep! Apple’s new XR headset starts at $3499. I’m eager to see what “upgrades” they decide on to increase the price even further, somehow. I’m not writing this to just complain about the price, though. I’m here to help you, the consumer, decide where to put your money instead. With a budget of $3499, here’s what you should buy instead of the Apple Vision Pro.
Quest 2 ($299)
Look, the Quest 2 isn’t as impressive as the Vision Pro. Apple’s headset has a bunch of augmented reality content that is frankly just better than any other headset can currently accomplish. However, you’ll probably get a similar result. You open the headset, play Beat Saber, Resident Evil 4 VR, and maybe some other stuff for a few hours in the first month you get it. Then, you put it in a case or on a stand forever, doomed to pull it out only when you have company over. And now that they dropped the price again after raising it, for some reason, it’s only $300! Save about $3200 and buy a Quest 2 instead of Apple Vision Pro.
PlayStation 5 & A Couple of Games (~$637)
For some gaming that you’ll actually do regularly, you can buy yourself a PlayStation 5. It may look ugly as sin on your entertainment center, but it still won’t be nearly as ugly as that $3500+ charge would look on your credit card statement. Plus, it matches with your new Quest, so you’ll have some color coordination while that thing collects dust. Win win!
You can even use some money on new games for your new PlayStation. There might not be that many PS5 exclusives to choose from, but you could pick up Returnal and God of War Ragnarok and have a pretty good time.
A New UPLIFT Standing Desk ($599)
It’s about time you got something for your health on here. Sitting at a chair all day isn’t doing anyone any favors, and it’s about time that you got that UPLIFT standing desk that Keith won’t shut up about in the Slack chat. $599 is a pretty pricy investment, but when you look at it as “17% of the price of an Apple Vision Pro,” the steep price tag looks a bit more digestible.
In-State Tuition at City College of San Francisco ($1290)
Thought you were done after the desk? You still have around $1965 to spend! To keep up investing in yourself, if you live in California, you can afford tuition at the City College of San Francisco, according to communitycollegereview.com. You can get your associates’ and enter the workforce, or even transfer to a four-year university. You could even just stay there for 6 years while you try and figure some shit out, like the cast of Community. The possibilities are endless!
Just Put It In a Savings Account (the rest)
After all of these purchases, you still have about $675 to put in a savings account. This can come in handy as emergency rent money, a kickstart towards a vacation, or the next semester of tuition. Even if it just sits there, you’re still getting more value out of this money than you ever would out of the Apple Vision Pro!
