The Apple Vision Pro probably boasts greater memory and storage capacity than your MacBook

We are continually gathering information about Apple Vision Pro, which is set to be released on February 2nd (with pre-orders starting on January 19th). According to reports from MacRumors, reference information found in Xcode 15.2 (Apple’s application development toolkit) indicates that Vision Pro will be equipped with 16GB of memory—matching the memory amount in the developer kit (early versions of Apple Vision Pro sent to developers for app testing), as previously revealed in a report from last year. Interestingly, an earlier report from renowned Apple leaker Mark Gurman mentioned that the developer kit also came with 1TB of storage, while Apple announced Vision Pro with a starting 256GB SSD, suggesting the possibility of a configuration option with up to 1TB of storage.

Assuming Vision Pro does indeed come with 16GB of memory and up to 1TB of storage, these specifications, combined with the M2 chip and the new R1 chip (which will handle all the data from the headset’s 12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones), indicate that Apple is serious when it describes Vision Pro as a spatial computing device, not just a VR or AR headset (in fact, Apple has explicitly told developers working on Vision Pro apps not to mention virtual reality or augmented reality).

Clearly, Apple sees Vision Pro as an evolution of computing, rather than just an evolution of VR headsets like the Meta Quest 3. While I’m not completely convinced of this bold ambition at the moment (although that could change when I get to try Vision Pro), packing Vision Pro with a plethora of specs may delight those planning to purchase the headset, but it could also leave Mac and MacBook owners somewhat frustrated.

This is because Apple continues to sell base-level Mac devices with 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage, which is starting to look increasingly outdated for laptops in 2024. Apple has started making the argument, claiming that the 8GB unified memory in the $1599 MacBook Pro with the M3 chip can rival 16GB of memory in Windows PCs.

This suggestion was made by Apple’s VP of Worldwide Product Marketing, Bob Borchers, in an interview, and at the time, it sounded somewhat hollow—does Apple’s belief that Vision Pro doesn’t need 8GB of memory also signal a change in its perspective on new Macs and MacBooks? Given how challenging it is for users to upgrade their own Macs and MacBooks, I certainly hope so.