Somnium Area, the Prague, Czechia-based social platform creator, has formally begun launching its PC VR headset, Somnium VR1, within the US. Moreover, the corporate introduced its streamlining the variety of obtainable variants, bringing it to only three consumer-focused variations, and in addition rising costs quickly on its higher-end items.
The corporate says it’s now discontinuing a lot of beforehand supplied configurations of Somnium VR1, together with Striker Version, Traditional Version, Specter Version, and Translucent Version.
The Traditional Version was beforehand its entry degree, priced at €1,900 (~$1,980 USD), which didn’t embrace eye-tracking. Now the corporate’s most cost-effective VR1 is the Visionary Version, which does embrace eye-tracking, and is priced at €2,499 (~$2,600 USD). Notably, these costs don’t embrace native tax.
“For many who have already bought these discontinued editions — don’t fear, your orders are protected, and you’ll obtain them as deliberate,” the corporate says in a brand new announcement. “In actual fact, proudly owning one among these variants will make your headset much more unique and distinctive.”
Persevering with, the corporate outlines the reasoning behind discontinuing these variations:
“This choice permits us to focus our efforts on delivering the Visionary, Final, and Titan Editions sooner and extra effectively, whereas persevering with to fulfill the very best requirements of high quality you anticipate from us.”
Somnium Area can be rising costs of its Visionary, Final, and Titan Editions. For now, it’s unclear what these new costs can be. The corporate says it’s retaining present costs till January sixteenth, 2025. Thereafter, new pricing can be introduced and grow to be efficient on January sixteenth, 2025, the corporate says.
Right here’s a recap of its variants and pricing construction because it stands at the moment (tax not included):
- Visionary Version (VR, eye-tracking): €2,499 (~$2,600 USD)
- Titan Version (VR, eye-tracking, hand-tracking): €2,899 (~$3,020 USD)
- Final Version (VR, eye-tracking, hand-tracking, MR passthrough): €3,499 (~$3,659 USD)
- Navy Version (VR, eye-tracking, hand-tracking, MR passthrough): ???
“Whereas we attempt to make Somnium VR1 as reasonably priced as doable, we additionally refuse to compromise on high quality. The manufacturing course of for these headsets has turned out to be much more advanced than initially anticipated. Because of this, we can be rising costs for the Visionary, Final, and Titan Editions,” the corporate says.
Somnium Area maintains orders made at the moment are at present estimated to reach in February – March 2025, with delivery areas together with most of Europe, the UK and US.
Shifting ahead into 2025, the Somnium Area says it plans to ultimately promote spare elements for the Somnium VR1, together with gadgets resembling optical modules, fundamental boards, electronics, cables, screens, and extra.
Somnium VR1 Specs
- Show: QLED Mini-Led Quick LCD – 2,880 × 2,880 per-eye
- Area of view: 130° horizontal, 105° vertical. The VR1 can render as much as 140° horizontally, although the precise FOV might differ barely relying on face and eye form.
- Refresh charge: 72 Hz, 90 Hz, upgradeable to 120 and 144 Hz (experimental)
- Native dimming zones: 576 per eye
- Eye monitoring: 120 Hz, with an open-sourced algorithm that can be utilized and modified for any use case
- Connectivity: USB-C, DisplayPort 1.4, 3.5mm audio jack
- IPD Vary: 57 to 76 mm
Searching for a extra in-depth take a look at Somnium VR1? Take a look at our hands-on from July 2024 to listen to our impressions.
