Chinese language firm Play for Dream launched a Kickstarter to carry its upcoming Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 headset to the west, together with the US.
Play For Dream MR was introduced again in June, however on the time the corporate solely confirmed it was launching in China quickly, Singapore and Malaysia in October, after which Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Japan someday in 2025.
New Chinese language Headset Is An Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional & Quest Professional Crossover
This Chinese language firm’s newest headset is a blatant Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional clone however with a Quest Professional type rear battery, powered by Qualcomm’s XR2+ Gen 2 chipset.
Now, the corporate plans to carry the headset to “anyplace on this planet” by way of Kickstarter. Play For Dream was previously referred to as YVR and is a longtime headset firm in China.The marketing campaign purpose is about to the equal of round simply $5000 and affords important reductions on the headset, suggesting Kickstarter is not getting used to fund the headset’s improvement, however as a substitute as a advertising and gross sales channel.
The marketing campaign reveals the headset may have a retail value of $2000 for the 512GB mannequin and $2300 for the 1TB mannequin. However the firm is providing backers important reductions based mostly on how early they again, bringing the headset’s value to as little as $1200.
We must always word that Kickstarter pledges aren’t preorders, and the corporate technically has no obligation to offer you the product.
Play For Dream claims the primary international models will begin delivery in December, and that each one headsets needs to be shipped inside the first weeks of 2025.
Play For Dream MR Specs & Particulars
Play For Dream MR’s design is clearly closely “impressed” by Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional. However in contrast to a budget Chinese language knockoff we tried at CES in January, this new headset really has the specs (although possible not the software program) to rival Apple.
Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 Introduced For Samsung Headset & Extra
Qualcomm simply introduced Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2, a higher-end variant of the chipset utilized in Quest 3.
The XR2+ Gen 2 chipset, Qualcomm’s strongest XR chip but, is paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and both 512GB or 1TB of UFS 3.1 storage, relying on the mannequin you purchase.
The headset options twin 3840×3552 micro-OLED shows from BOE, increased decision than Imaginative and prescient Professional’s Sony panels, with a refresh price of 90Hz and 92% DCI-P3 colour gamut, the identical as Imaginative and prescient Professional.
Its pancake lenses supply a claimed area of view of 103°, and the headset has eye monitoring for computerized IPD adjustment and foveated rendering.
Along with eye monitoring, the headset options high-resolution colour passthrough with claimed latency of 14 milliseconds, a depth sensor, hand monitoring, and Contact Plus-like ringless tracked controllers.
The headset’s complete weight is strictly the identical as Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, 650 grams, however the distribution of this weight is vastly completely different. A curved battery is constructed into the again of the strap, much like the strategy Meta Quest Professional took.
Play For Dream MR claims the visor itself, stripped of any strap or face cowl, weighs simply 288 grams. That compares to 478 grams for Imaginative and prescient Professional.
Picture from Malaysian outlet Gamer Santai.
The battery on the rear of the strap can energy the headset for simply over 1 hour, and an included tethered exterior battery provides 2.5 hours for a complete of three.5 hours utilization.
All in all, Play For Dream MR’s specs and design are what we would have anticipated from the reportedly canceled 2024 Quest Professional 2. Meta reportedly just lately canceled even its 2027 Quest Professional 2 in favor of an ultralight headset with a tethered compute puck.
Play For Dream MR would not run Horizon OS, and even Pico OS or Google’s upcoming Android XR. It runs Play For Dream’s personal Android-based platform, and in addition helps SteamVR streaming by way of your house Wi-Fi community (much like Digital Desktop, Steam Hyperlink, and Air Hyperlink on Quest).
