Play For Dream MR’s hardware and software design is definitely heavily inspired by Apple Vision Pro, and a representative admitted as much to me. But unlike the cheap Chinese knockoff we saw at last year’s CES, Play For Dream MR actually has high-end specs, including the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset and 4K micro-OLED displays. And after trying it, I found Play For Dream MR to be the most impressive XR hardware of any kind at CES 2025.

Play For Dream MR is a kind of crossover between a Vision Pro and Quest Pro, with an Apple-inspired plastic outer shell sporting a glossy black exterior and a Quest Pro style rear battery for a balanced weight distribution.

Putting on the headset for the first time, I was presented with a comfortable and well-balanced piece of wearable tech that I suspect could be used for several hours without much discomfort. The built-in eye tracking scanned and set my IPD automatically, and afterwards I immediately saw a clear and sharp image from edge to edge. While streaming up my favorite game to test VR headsets with from a gaming PC, Half Life: Alyx, I strained as I looked for any sort of distortion or edge-blurring in the periphery, but I just couldn’t see any, if it was there at all. Textures popped and appeared crisp with colors that were vibrant, giving me a visual experience that was better than any headset I currently own.