Vision Pro: Two features from visionOS 27 only for the M5 model
So far, there have been only minor differences between Vision Pro M2 and M5. With visionOS 27, Apple is starting to differentiate the two models.
User with Vision Pro.
(Image: Apple)
Apple's mixed-reality headset Vision Pro is, as is well known, anything but cheap. For the M2 model, you paid at least 3999 euros at market launch; for the M5 variant that appeared in autumn 2025, a minimum of 3699 euros is now due. Since the devices are officially only distributed by Apple, you can't save money in retail either. All the more annoying is a piece of news concerning visionOS 27: In addition to many small improvements, as with iOS 27 and macOS 27, there is also Siri AI, but this will only be fully available on the Vision Pro M5. This is confirmed by Apple's statements in the fine print on its website.
Voice and improved local model
The Vision Pro M2, just like iPhones before the iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max, and Air, will not receive two features of Siri AI. The first omission concerns the new Siri voices, which are generated on the device and are said to sound significantly more natural than the current ones. They also allow various configuration options to be used, including the expressiveness of the voice and the tempo.
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The second omission is more significant: The Vision Pro M2 cannot run Apple's new local AI model, AFM 3 Core Advanced. Only the standard version of AFM 3 Core runs. What this means in practice remains to be seen. However, it is conceivable that the Vision Pro M2 will have to seek help from the cloud more often than would be the case with the M5 model. visionOS 27 is expected in the fall, probably in September. A public beta phase starts in July.
Mac and iPhone also affected
With these omissions, Apple is continuing a strategy that is already being used with the iPhone: not all Apple phones capable of Apple Intelligence will get the full Siri AI experience. Apple justifies this with, among other things, too little RAM (8 instead of 12 GByte). However, this does not actually apply to the Vision Pro with M2 and M5: both models have 16 GByte RAM internally.
However, Apple also partially restricts Siri AI on the Mac if it does not have at least an M3 chip – 12 GByte is not sufficient there with an M2 either. It is also conceivable that the integrated AI accelerator Neural Engine in the older chips is not fast enough or does not have all the necessary functions. However, this has not yet been definitively clarified.
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