Surreal touch: SteamVR on Vision Pro with Mixed Results
The Apple Vision Pro is finally here, and with it comes a wave of innovative accessories.One of the first to hit the scene is Surreal Touch, a Kickstarter-backed third-party motion controller promising a tether-free PC VR experience on the Vision Pro. Shipping began in December 2025,and early impressions,like that of XR industry veteran Nima Zeighami, offer a mixed bag.
Impressive software, Questionable Tracking
Zeighami, creator of the Vision Pro Owners Club on Twitter and an early backer of the Surreal Touch Kickstarter, was particularly impressed with the seamless integration with PC VR via Surreal’s streaming software. the Surreal Link app (for Vision Pro) and Surreal Streamer app (for PC) allowed him to jump into SteamVR games within minutes.
“Surreal Link is maybe the best and lowest friction experience I’ve ever had with wireless VR,” Zeighami stated, emphasizing the fluidity and ease of use. The software experience truly shines.
However, the tracking accuracy of the controllers presented a significant challenge. While Zeighami noted satisfactory latency, the positional accuracy proved to be inconsistent. He described frequent instances where the controller position deviated from the actual position, sometimes by as much as 10 centimeters. This primarily occurred in scenarios where the controllers were pointed at featureless surfaces or when the onboard cameras were obstructed.
Comparison to Magic Leap 1
Zeighami compared the tracking performance to that of the original Magic Leap 1 controller, stating “Surreal Touch feels reminds me of Magic Leap 1’s controller. It effectively works fine in most scenarios, but you can see it jitter and drift to an offset of a few centimeters pretty constantly.It’s perfectly fine for most apps and games but makes competitive games unplayable and professional creative tools unusable.”
You can see Surreal Touch in action on the YouTube video where Zeighami plays Vertigo 2 on SteamVR.
Ultimately,while the Surreal Touch controllers offer a glimpse into the future of PC VR on the Vision Pro,they highlight the ongoing challenges of achieving reliable and accurate tracking.
Surreal Touch Controllers: A Deep Dive into PC VR and Vision Pro Compatibility
Surreal Touch controllers burst onto the scene,boasting compatibility with both PC VR headsets via SteamVR and Apple’s Vision Pro. While their arrival was on schedule, a recent assessment suggests a mixed bag of experiences, particularly when it comes to Vision Pro integration.
PC VR Performance: A Tale of Two Speeds
For games with slower hand movements, [Zeighami](https://roadtovr.com/) found the Surreal Touch controllers perform well.However, action-packed titles with rapid hand movements presented a challenge, leading to frustrating positional tracking issues and drift. Even a popular title like [Beat Saber](https://beatsaber.com/) proved nearly unplayable due to tracking hiccups.
despite the tracking challenges, the controllers themselves garnered praise for their build quality and comfortable feel. Zeighami highlighted their lightweight design and responsive joystick, buttons, and triggers. however, minor design flaws, such as misaligned plastic and creaking grip triggers, slightly tarnished the overall experience.
Another notable omission is the lack of capacitive sensing, wich would allow the controllers to detect which buttons or sticks the user is touching. However, this feature remains underutilized even in controllers that do support it.
Vision Pro Integration: A Work in progress
While Surreal Touch controllers are capable of streaming PC VR content to Vision Pro, native integration with Apple’s platform paints a different picture.
While a “cursor mode” allows you to control the Vision Pro interface with the controllers, the implementation feels more like a connected mouse than a traditional VR laser pointer. The rotation of the controller dictates the cursor’s direction, a departure from the more intuitive laser pointer approach.
The controllers also lack the ability to trigger Vision Pro’s “Home” action. This forces users to physically reach for the headset’s top button or dangle the controller from its wrist strap and perform a hand gesture.
Adding to the challenge, there aren’t any native VisionOS apps that support the Surreal Touch controllers. Zeighami doesn’t anticipate this changing anytime soon, stating: “Almost no developers on Vision Pro will support the Surreal SDK because owners of Vision pro with Surreal Touch are a tiny niche within a tiny niche. SteamVR is really the reason this exists, so don’t buy these controllers expecting all the best Vision Pro games to start supporting Surreal Touch,”
A potential Future as Open-Source Controllers?
Looking ahead, Surreal Touch controllers hold the potential to become the “open” third-party motion controller for a multitude of VR headsets. Their self-tracking capabilities via onboard cameras eliminate the need for proprietary algorithms that often tie controllers to specific headsets.
However, this potential remains unrealized due to the absence of a public native SDK.in the meantime, the controllers’ on-time delivery stands out as a commendable achievement, demonstrating solid execution from a first-time product launch.
Surreal Touch controllers for the Apple Vision Pro. While the controllers retail for $300, Zeighami believes they’re a worthwhile purchase for a specific type of VR enthusiast.
Is $300 Worth It for PC VR on Vision Pro?
Zeighami tackled the big question head-on: are the Surreal Touch controllers worth the price tag for playing SteamVR games on the vision Pro? His answer is a resounding yes.
He emphasizes that this is largely due to the impressive capabilities of the Vision Pro itself, which elevates the visual quality of even older steamvr games to levels surpassing most Quest 3 titles.
Surreal Touch: A Must-Buy for Dedicated PC VR Gamers?
“If you’re someone who opted for the Vision Pro over the Quest,or own both headsets and crave immersive PC VR experiences,then Surreal Touch is the clear choice,” zeighami states. he highlights the superior versions of popular titles like VRChat, Half-Life: Alyx, Resonite, Boneworks, Skyrim VR, and Fallout 4 VR available through SteamVR.
While acknowledging that the Surreal Touch controllers aren’t perfect, with tracking quality below industry leaders and room for overall improvement, Zeighami maintains that they still deliver a great experience. he confidently asserts that they are a must-buy for anyone eager to explore the full potential of the SteamVR ecosystem on their Apple Vision Pro.
1 comment
Hello Alexandra,
“Shipping began in December 2025,and early impressions,like that of XR industry veteran Nima Zeighami, offer a mixed bag.”
2024 rather, me thinks. 🙂