Varjo will release VR headset with mini LED screens at the end of this year for 2408 euros
Varjo will launch VR glasses for ‘high-end virtual reality enthusiasts’ at the end of this year. The headset, called Varjo Aero, offers a resolution of 2880×2720 pixels per eye and has a field of view of 115 degrees. The Varjo Aero costs about 2408 euros.
Varjo reports that the headset contains aspherical lenses, which should provide a much sharper image than the Fresnel lenses used in consumer VR headsets. The sharpness is highest in the center of the lenses; good for a peak fidelity of 35 pixels per degree, according to the manufacturer. The mini LED LCDs with a resolution of 2880×2720 pixels per eye have a refresh rate of 90Hz and are calibrated at a brightness of 150cd/m².
The device supports SteamVR and works on computers with at least an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 video card, unlike Varjo’s other goggles, which require at least a GeForce RTX 2080. It should also be possible to fine-tune the image by adjusting brightness, colors and contrast.
The VR glasses weigh 487 grams, making them Varjo’s lightest headset. Last year’s Varjo XR-3, for example, weighs three hundred grams more. That model, aimed at companies, is also much more expensive. The XR-3 costs 5495 euros excluding VAT and an annual software subscription of 1495 euros must be purchased. This is not necessary with the Varjo Aero and the price is 1990 euros excluding VAT. That equates to 2408 euros for consumers.
The Aero has the same resolution, field of view and refresh rate as the more expensive model. The XR-3 does contain mixed reality options that the Aero does not have. For example, the cheaper model does not offer AR functionality. The Aero will be Varjo’s entry-level model and according to the Finnish company, the headset is not aimed at professionals, but at consumers who want a high-end VR experience.
The Aero will be compatible with Varjo’s newly announced Reality Cloud platform. Through this platform, a real-world location can be scanned by a user through the headset and then stored online. Then others can live ‘project’ one person’s digitized space into their own space via their Varjo headset. This should make it possible for a group of people to be virtually together at a scanned location from the real world and to interact with each other. With this platform, which is still under development, Varjo says he wants to create his own metaverse.