OSVR introduces second devkit of its VR glasses for $399

OSVR, the open virtual reality platform set up by Razer and Sensics, comes with a second devkit of its VR goggles. The Hacker Development Kit 2, or HDK2, features two screens and costs $399. The glasses will be available from July.

The previous variant of the glasses used a single screen with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. The second version of the devkit is equipped with two OLED screens, which are good for a resolution of 2160×1200 pixels and a refresh rate of 90Hz. This matches the specs of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, which cost $599 and $799 respectively. In addition, the glasses have a fov of 110 degrees.

Another improvement over the previous version is the integration of a 100Hz infrared camera for motion tracking. No standard controller is included with the glasses, users can choose a gamepad or another control method. The glasses are not equipped with an integrated audio system, like that of the Rift.

OSVR has also announced a $5 million developer fund to support developers. If software provides support for OSVR, then the developer in question can receive money from that fund because OSVR purchases a large amount of keys from the software.

OSVR says it will continue to sell its first devkit, which is currently priced at €349.99. It is not known what euro price the new devkit will have. The goal of OSVR is to create an ‘open source ecosystem’, which offers the freedom to use VR techniques in combination with different brands and products.