2 Reasons to Pre-Order the Apple Vision Pro & 3 Reasons to Wait

There are some great reasons to pre-order the new Apple Vision Pro, but some shoppers might want to put the credit card away and wait.

Apple’s finally confirmed the key dates for the Apple Vision Pro launch and the company’s new spatial computer is set to go on sale for the first time later this week.

The long-awaited device will officially go up for pre-order at Apple on Friday, January 19th. Pre-orders start at 5AM Pacific which means you might need to wake up early to get an order in.

This is only for the United States. The device doesn’t have a release date in other regions though analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes it will launch internationally before WWDC 2024 in June.

Kuo says Apple is starting in the United States for three reasons: the limited initial supply of Vision Pro, it wants to ensure the sales process in the U.S. market goes smoothly and it needs time “to modify the algorithms to comply with regulations in other countries.”

The Apple Vision Pro is a brand new product which means there’s a ton of excitement around its arrival. The excitement, and potential shipping delays, are among the reasons why you might want to pre-order the device as soon as it goes on sale.

If you can’t or simply don’t want to pre-order, the Apple Vision Pro will land in physical Apple Store locations in early February. The device’s release date is set for February 2nd.

Buying the Apple Vision Pro right away might be tempting, but spending $3,499 (or more if Apple confirms additional storage options) on a first-generation device and a product you haven’t had a chance to try in person makes it a pretty tough decision.

In this guide, we’ll help you decide if you should pre-order the Apple Vision Pro or wait until the dust settles.

Pre-Order If You Want It ASAP

Simply put, if you want the Apple Vision Pro as soon as possible, you’ll want to put in a pre-order when they open up on the 19th.

We could see supply constraints impact Apple’s new device in the early going. Don’t be surprised if the shipping date gets pushed back relatively quickly after pre-orders open up.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has solid supply chain sources, believes this will indeed be the case.

Kuo says thanks “to the demand from Apple’s core fans and heavy users, the Vision Pro should sell out soon after it is available for pre-order or sale, resulting in a longer shipping time.”

In a follow-up, Kuo says he thinks “Apple will produce 60,000 to 80,000 units of Vision Pro for the February 2 release” and that it will “will sell out soon after the release.”

If you want a guaranteed delivery on or around February 2nd, you’ll want to put in a pre-order through Apple shortly after pre-orders open up.

If you don’t, and shipping times start to slip (or vanish completely), you’ll have to go into a store or wait.

Pre-Order to Avoid Stores

If you pass on a pre-order, but still want the Apple Vision Pro in your hands on or around February 2nd, you’ll need to head into a physical Apple Store location.

We don’t expect lines wrap around entire city blocks, but we could see quite a bit of foot traffic at some locations, especially if the device sells out during the pre-order period.

It’s also unclear how much Apple Vision Pro stock Apple Stores will have on February 2nd.

If you want to avoid crowds, potential stock issues, or if the nearest store is far from your house, you’ll want to buy the device online.

Wait for Apple Vision Pro Reviews

If you’re on the fence about buying the Apple Vision Pro, you might want to hold off on a pre-order until you can dig into reviews from critics and early adopters.

Apple Vision Pro reviews aren’t live yet, but we expect them to start trickling out a few days before the device arrives on shelves in February. We have seen some pre-reviews go live, from sites like The Verge and Engadget, but we’ll have to wait for additional feedback.

Given that this is a first-generation product, and given its expensive price point, a lot of potential buyers should wait for Apple Vision Pro reviews, long-term feedback, and/or the ability to go hands-on with the device before making a decision to buy one or skip it.

Apple will start offering Apple Vision Pro demos in stores on February 2nd.

Wait If You Aren’t Prepared

If you aren’t fully prepared to buy the Apple Vision Pro, you’ll want to hold off on a pre-order until you are.

Before you invest in the device you’ll want to spend some time prepping. Individual needs will vary, but here are a few things to consider.

First, determine if this is a device you’ll actually use. You don’t want to have buyer’s remorse months down the road. Again, the Apple Vision Pro isn’t cheap.

This ties into reviews, but you’ll also want to take in as much information about the device as possible, starting with Apple’s rundown of the specs and features.

You’ll also want to take a long look at the top Apple Vision Pro competitors. Apple’s headset is a very unique product, but you might find another device that better suits your needs or budget.

Potential alternatives include the Meta Quest Pro, Valve Index, and the Sony PlayStation VR2.

Wait if You’re Worried About Problems

If you’re concerned about hardware or software problems, you might want to wait a few weeks before buying the Apple Vision Pro.

First-generation products often go through growing pains post-launch and we expect to see various issue plague the device out of the gate.

Apple will improve the Vision Pro’s visionOS operating system over time. If you’re the type of person who can’t stand bugs and performance issues, you might want to wait for software updates to correct some of the initial issues.