Play For Dream MR is an Android spatial computing headset in the Vision Pro Mold

Spatial computing glasses are all the rage these days, with Chinese brands such as XReal, Viture and Rokid emerging in the entry-level, relatively low-cost AR glasses market, while Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta’s Quest are major players in the high-end (expensive) headset segment.

Shanghai-based Play For Dream is becoming the first Chinese brand to enter a premium product line with a mixed reality spatial computing headset, simply named “MR,” which looks and functions very similarly to the Vision Pro.

Like Vision Pro, Play For Dream MR uses a forward-facing camera to capture the wearer’s environment and then projects that video into the wearer’s eyes. So, what the user sees when wearing the headset is not literally the real world, but a video version of it. MR headsets are called “mixed reality” because they can also project graphics and visuals that appear to be part of the real world.

The headset is equipped with 11 cameras, 22 LED lights, and seven types of sensors, and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 silicon to power all these features. In terms of software, the MR runs a proprietary launcher built by Play For Dream based on Android 14.

I tried out the headset for an hour at the Singapore launch and was very impressed. I own a Vision Pro and use it regularly, but for me, the Play For Dream headset feels better to wear. At first I thought the headset was lighter, but at 650g the MR headset is not that much lighter than the Vision Pro, and the better weight distribution makes it more comfortable to wear. Play For Dream designed the headset with a 3:2 weight ratio, so the weight is not concentrated at the front, pushing against your face like the Vision Pro.

Another advantage Play For Dream MR has over Vision Pro is that the MicroOLED screens offer 4K resolution per eye for a total of 8K output. During the demo, I watched a spatial video of a woman greeting me, standing in front of me at life-size, and the 8K resolution was sharp enough that I had to take a double take.

She looked very real to my eyes, and I recommend watching the video above to see how these sample videos really work.

Play For Dream says the final consumer version will use a combination of hand-eye tracking, similar to Vision Pro, to control the headset, but the prototype I tested required the use of two remote joystick controllers, which I didn’t mind, as the controller’s analog sticks and triggers offer a more tactile experience.

I was also able to mirror my Windows laptop screen onto the headset, projecting it at a larger size so it floats in front of my eyes. The prototype unit was able to open two windows, but I’ve been told the final version will be able to open five.

This headset is more comfortable to wear and I think I can use it for more productive tasks that the Vision Pro just can’t do.

And because the headset runs Android software, we’re also excited by the prospect of being able to run Android apps on the headset.

But here’s the thing: the entire look and feel of the Play For Dream MR is identical to the Vision Pro. From the button layout (including the rotary dial), to the mesh eyepiece, to the curved dome-shaped visor front, the headset is identical to the Vision Pro, but in a darker shade.

This is disappointing because there is a perception in the West (possibly even the world) that Chinese tech brands are just copying Apple, and this definitely makes things worse. The problem is that Play For Dream is using cutting edge technology to create a very good performing headset, yet most of the Western press coverage of the product seems to just look at the design and dismiss it as a “Vision Pro knockoff” or “Vision Pro clone.”

I wish this headset had a slightly different look, but in terms of how it feels on your head and how well it performs, I think Play For Dream did a great job.

The Play For Dream mixed reality headset will be available first in China, Singapore, and Malaysia in October, followed by other Asian regions. Retail price has yet to be determined, but the company promises it will be under $2,000.