Somnium VR1 Price Hike Raises Base Model to €3000

Somnium, a promising startup from the Czech Republic, once dedicated its efforts entirely to its social VR platform, Somnium Space. However, in late 2021, the company shifted gears by unveiling the Somnium VR1 headset, boasting an impressive set of specifications for its time. Collaborating with VRgineers, known for their top-tier XTAL headsets aimed at enterprise use, Somnium initially conceived the VR1 as a hybrid headset with standalone capabilities, powered by an onboard Snapdragon XR2 chipset. Yet, in 2022, the company decided to streamline its focus, transforming the device into a strictly PC VR headset.

The VR1 is equipped with the same 2880×2880 QD-LCD panels featuring Mini-LED technology that you’ll find in the Pimax Crystal. These displays provide a striking 20,000:1 contrast ratio through local dimming, cover 100% of the NTSC color gamut, and support multiple refresh rates of 72Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz, with an “experimental” mode reaching up to 144Hz. Delivering an output brightness to your eyes at 210 nits, the VR1 is about twice as bright as the Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro.

This spectacular visual experience is enhanced by the large dual-element aspheric lenses that Somnium promises will offer a field of view around 130° horizontally and 105° vertically, setting a new bar wider than what any current VR headset offers. While Pimax’s “5K” and “8K” models had wider views, they are no longer in production and were plagued with peripheral distortion.

The expansive field of view comes at a cost, making the Somnium VR1 decidedly bulkier in an era where manufacturers are gravitating towards sleek pancake lenses.