Mixed Reality vs Augmented Reality vs Virtual Reality — what’s the difference?
With the release of the Meta Quest Pro, the term mixed reality has started to take over the virtual reality space. Both the Meta Quest 2 and the PICO 4 have some mixed reality capabilities with cameras occasionally allowing for the real world to pass through into your VR headset. And technically, the Microsoft Hololens 2 and its $3,500 price tag beat the Quest Pro to market. But for the most part, the Quest Pro represents the first attempt to bring mixed reality to the mainstream.
But what is mixed reality? And how is it different from virtual reality or augmented reality? To answer that, we looked at Microsoft, Apple and Meta’s plans for the future to see how they view mixed reality and its place in the digital world.
Mixed Reality vs Augmented Reality vs Virtual Reality
(Image credit: Microsoft)
First, let’s start with virtual reality. Virtual reality (VR) is a fully immersive world that is created by hardware that does not bring in elements of the real world. Or as Meta describes it (opens in new tab), VR “creates a computer-simulated environment where you aren’t just a passive participant, but a co-conspirator.”
Augmented reality, meanwhile, is the other end of the spectrum — which Microsoft refers to as the mixed reality spectrum (opens in new tab). Augmented reality (AR) basically adds digital overlays to the existing real world. Despite how increasingly mainstream VR has become, you actually probably use AR the most.
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Ever used Snapchat filters? Those are AR filters. And don’t forget Pokemon Go, the AR mobile game that took the world by storm a few years back. That game used AR to place Pokemon in the real world using the processing power and cameras of your smartphone.
