Repairing Apple's Vision Pro headset will cost almost as much as a new unit – unless you do this

Apple Vision Pro VR headset on a man who is using it as a camera

(Image credit: Apple)

Pre-orders for Apple’s Vision Pro have officially opened, and with it, the company has released information on how much it’ll cost to repair the headset.

Be prepared to shell a ton out of pocket because prices are astronomical if you don’t have an AppleCare Plus insurance plan. According to the official support page, repairs fall under two categories: “Cracked Cover Glass” and “Other Damage”. The former will have an estimated cost of $799 while the latter will run you a whopping $2,399. As AppleInsider points out, that’s about “70 percent of the price of a new [unit].” Keep in mind that the price tags listed here don’t include shipping or taxes so expect them to be even higher. Additionally, Apple will not fix the cover glass even if the damage was done accidentally. It appears the only damage they'll repair for uninsured owners is manufacturing defects.

Batteries can be serviced too but Apple doesn’t say how much it’ll cost. The only thing they say is that a technician will fix it “for a fee”. Also, it won’t replace a battery worn down from normal use as that type of degradation is not covered by the warranty.

Hope you have insurance

If you have AppleCare Plus for the Vision Pro, costs go down considerably, hardware coverage expands, and you’ll be given access to company experts.

Instead of paying $800 for glass repair, insured users will only have to pay $300. This covers accidental damage, as well. The same goes for other types of damages. Rather than paying a $2,400 bill, the price will drop down to $300. Battery service is considerably better under AppleCare Plus. Replacing the power supply will be free, but the battery must hold “less than 80 percent of its original capacity” otherwise the company will refuse.

As for the expanded hardware coverage, authorized technicians will repair accidental damage done to the headset an unlimited number of times, however, it will cost you $300 each time. What’s more, technicians will fix damaged accessories like the charging cable for an extra $30.

When it comes to the aforementioned experts, they will help you address any issues with the device's software. They’ll answer questions you may have on navigating visionOS, how to connect to Wi-Fi, and help you resolve issues relating to first-party apps.

Expensive endeavor

AppleCare Plus for the Vision Pro is available as two separate plans: monthly and fixed term. The monthly plan costs you $24.99 while the fixed option will run you $499 for two whole years. If you plan on getting insurance, you can buy it with the headset at checkout or within 60 days after purchasing it online. So, there is a weird time limit to getting AppleCare Plus, but considering you may be looking at a $2,400 bill without insurance, you may be better off opting for it.

The Vision Pro is proving itself to be an expensive endeavor; not just because of repairs, but also due to the multitude of accessories. Extra batteries cost $200, travel cases are another $200, Zeiss Optical lens inserts start at $99, and the list goes on. A holder for the battery made entirely out of plastic is $50. Interested customers will need to make sure their wallets can handle such an investment or buckle under it.

If you’re looking for a cheaper VR headset, check out TechRadar’s list of the best VR headset deals for January 2024.

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Cesar Cadenas has been writing about the tech industry for several years now specializing in consumer electronics, entertainment devices, Windows, and the gaming industry. But he’s also passionate about smartphones, GPUs, and cybersecurity.