Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) may sound similar, but they offer very different experiences.
Virtual reality transports you to a completely digital world. When you wear a VR headset, you’re cut off from the real world and immersed in a 360-degree virtual environment — whether it’s a game, a museum, or even outer space. Everything you see and hear is computer-generated, designed to make you feel like you’re somewhere else entirely.
Augmented reality, on the other hand, adds digital elements to your real surroundings. You’re still in your room or classroom, but digital images or data appear over the real world. Think of Pokémon GO, where characters pop up on your phone screen as if they’re part of the street you’re walking on. Or Google Lens, which overlays information about what you’re pointing your camera at.
The key difference? VR replaces your world. AR enhances it.
VR often requires special headsets like Oculus or PlayStation VR. AR can work on regular smartphones or smart glasses.
Both technologies are used in gaming, education, design, and medicine. But while VR is ideal for full immersion (like training pilots or exploring history), AR is better for blending learning with the real world (like viewing anatomy on a living body).
In short, VR takes you out. AR brings digital in.