The things the Apple Vision Pro does best can be rather painful to experience. That it gouges the cheeks while delighting the eyes feels like a trade-off you’d find in something by Aesop. There’s a whiff of moral math tempering all that technology. Every new pleasure exacts a price.

Praised by most reviewers for its impressive optics and exciting possibilities, the device became the subject of numerous viral videos. However, enthusiasm for the headset has seemed to flag a little since its Feb. 2 release, amid reports of shipments being cut and devices returned.