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Varjo today announced its latest high-end helmets, the XR-3 and VR-3, with a range of improvements including an expanded field of view, reverse tracking and a redesigned shoulder strap. While still expensive and aimed at larger companies, the new headsets also benefit from a significant price reduction compared to previous models.
When it comes to XR helmets, the Varjo are quite unique. The company’s helmets use two screens for each eye: a high-density “focus” screen in the center and a larger “pop-up” screen to fill the field of view to immersive levels. The two screens are blended almost seamlessly, allowing the very center of the field of view to achieve retina resolution unmatched by any other headset on the market.
The company’s new XR-3 and VR-3 headsets – available to order today and scheduled for delivery in January – are based on the same concept, but take it even further by expanding the field of view of focus screen (so that a larger area of the screen is retina resolution) and context display (for a wider peripheral field of view). Along with the widening of the field of view, the company has also increased the pixels per degree at all levels.
Improved field of view and resolution
Compared to the company’s previous headsets, the XR-3 and VR-3 extend the focus screen FoV (retinal resolution area) by 26 ° × 16 ° (30.5 ° diagonally) at 27 ° × 27 ° (38 ° diagonal). At the same time, the resolution of the focus screen drops from 62 pixels per degree to 71 pixels per degree, providing even finer resolving power (assuming your vision is sharp enough to appreciate it). From a resolution standpoint, the focus display is 1920 × 1920 at 90Hz (compared to 1920 × 1080 previously).
When it comes to displaying the context in the periphery, the field of view goes from 87 ° horizontally on older Varjo helmets to 115 ° horizontal, the company says. And while the context display has not yet crossed the retinal resolution threshold of 60 PPD, it does get its own significant increase from 14 PPD to ~ 30 PPD. In terms of resolution, this is an upgrade from 1440 × 1600 to 2880 × 2720 (both at 90Hz).
If you haven’t had a chance to browse Varjo’s helmets, it’s hard to understand what all those numbers mean. For a rough idea of the relative resolving power, we can consider the megapixels of screens versus mainstream headsets:
| Helmet | Megapixels per eye |
| Rift DK1 | 0.5 |
| Rift DK2 | 1.0 |
| Rift CV1 | 1.3 |
| Long live Pro | 2.3 |
| Rift S | 1.8 |
| Quest | 2.3 |
| Index | 2.3 |
| Quest 2 | 3.5 |
| G2 reverb | 4.7 |
| Shadow XR-3 / VR-3 | 9.7 |
That is to say: these are the Varjo helmets that go far beyond anything in the field of consumers. And of course, we hope so … given what they cost.
Lower price (but still expensive)
While Varjo’s new helmets are by no means cheap, the company has managed to cut the price down significantly despite improved specs. Here is the breakdown:
| Helmet | Shadow VR-2 Pro | Shadow VR-3 | Shadow XR-1 | Shadow XR-3 |
| Purchase price | $ 6,000 | $ 3,200 | $ 10,000 | $ 5,500 |
| Support (annual, mandatory) | $ 1,000 | $ 800 | $ 1,000 | $ 1,500 |
| Total | $ 7,000 | $ 4000 | $ 11,000 | $ 7,000 |
Both headsets are available to order starting today, with deliveries expected to begin in January.
Eye-tracking, automatic IPD, etc.
There is no doubt that these headsets are expensive, but Varjo loads them full of premium features.
Like the company’s previous headsets, the XR-3 and VR-3 both feature in-house developed 200 Hz eye-tracking technology, which the company claims is the “most powerful integrated eye-tracking solution. fastest and most accurate in the world ”. Eye tracking is also used for fové rendering and automatic IPD adjustment, allowing bi-convex (no fresnel) lenses to line up with the user’s eyes for optimal clarity and comfort. Both headsets also include Ultraleap’s manual tracking.
XR-3 and VR-3 see a whole new industrial and ergonomic design, reducing weight by 40%, according to Varjo. The new headband uses a halo-shaped design with tightening dials on both the back and top strap.
The screens on both headsets also offer professional-level color reproduction with a 99% sRGB and 93% DCI-P3 color gamut.
Continue to page 2: XR-3 is designed for high quality mixed reality ”
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