Reviewers keep mentioning how heavy the Vision Pro feels. Apple execs say there was no way to make it lighter.

• Some reviewers and users say the Vision Pro's weight makes it uncomfortable to wear after a while.
• Apple execs told Vanity Fair that they couldn't possibly have made it any lighter.

The Apple Vision Pro can feel uncomfortably heavy after a while, but Apple execs say it's as light as they could have made it.

In a Vanity Fair interview published Thursday, two company execs discussed the size and weight of the mixed-reality headset, which is made from magnesium, carbon fiber, and aluminum.

Richard Howarth, Apple's vice president of industrial design, told Vanity Fair, "There's nothing we could have done to make it lighter or smaller."

Meanwhile, Mike Rockwell, vice president of Apple's Vision Products Group, said, "We packed just about as much technology as you could possibly pack into that small of a form factor."

Apple's chief exec, Tim Cook, also told the magazine that the Vision Pro we see today has come a long way in terms of its size, saying it used to be a "monster."

"You weren't really wearing it at that time," he said. "It wasn't wearable by any means of the imagination."

The Vision Pro launched in the US on Friday. The device weighs between 21.2 and 22.9 ounces, depending on the wearer's use of light seals and choice of the solo knit or dual loop headband.

One common gripe from journalists and tech enthusiasts reviewing the device is that it can be uncomfortable to wear for a period of time.

Mark Spoonauer of Tom's Guide felt it "weighing on my cheeks" after just half an hour. The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern called the feeling "face crush."