Somnium Space, a company hailing from Czechia, has recently upped the ante on their high-end PC VR headset, the Somnium VR1. This decision, they claim, was necessary to uphold their commitment to “maintain the highest quality standards.”
Last month, Somnium Space made an announcement about cutting down the number of Somnium VR1 configurations offered. Alongside this announcement, they shared that as of January 16th, 2025, they would be bumping up the prices for the remaining three variants. However, they left us hanging on just how much more customers will need to pay.
Now, they’ve finally unveiled those new prices, and it’s a substantial increase between €500 and €700, depending on the model. Here’s the breakdown:
- Visionary Edition: Comes with VR and eye-tracking. Previously, it was priced at €2,499 (~$2,600), but now it’s set at €2,999 (~$3,090).
- Titan Edition: Offers VR, eye-tracking, and hand-tracking features. It previously cost €2,899 (~$3,020), and has now risen to €3,399 (~$3,500).
- Ultimate Edition: The most comprehensive model, featuring VR, eye-tracking, hand-tracking, and MR passthrough. It has jumped from €3,499 (~$3,659) to €4,299 (~$4,425).
The company explained in a blog post that the price adjustment is largely due to the intricate production demands they face. They’ve stressed that their focus on high-end materials, complex designs, and strict quality controls leads to increased costs, especially since some parts get scrapped to meet their high standards. Their goal? To ensure that each Somnium VR1 headset is a masterpiece, poised to awe its users.
Initially, Somnium Space launched with seven consumer variants, but they’ve since streamlined down, removing models like the Classic Edition, Striker Edition, Specter Edition, and Translucent Edition. These changes seem to indicate a push to trim down production overheads as well.
The Classic Edition used to be their entry-level offer. It was a no-frills PC VR headset without eye-tracking, priced at €1,900 (~$1,980 USD). As with the updated prices above, this didn’t include local taxes.
To keep up with demand, Somnium Space is tweaking their delivery timeline for the VR1. New orders are expected for delivery between March and April of 2025. They aim to further narrow this down to just two weeks from order to shipment by mid-2025 for regions like Europe, the UK, and the US.
Curious about the Somnium VR1’s latest features? We’ve got a hands-on review from Somnium Connect’s event last July that dives deeper into the experience.
Somnium VR1 Specifications
- Display: Boasts a QLED Mini-Led Fast LCD, with a resolution of 2,880 × 2,880 per eye.
- Field of View: Offers a 130° horizontal and 105° vertical range, though it can stretch to a 140° horizontal view, subject to face and eye anatomy.
- Refresh Rate: Operates at 72 Hz or 90 Hz, with options to boost it to 120 and 144 Hz (experimental phase).
- Local Dimming Zones: Features 576 zones per eye.
- Eye Tracking: Runs at 120 Hz and supports an open-sourced algorithm, flexible for varied uses.
- Connectivity Options: Includes USB-C, DisplayPort 1.4, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
- IPD Range: Accommodates between 57 to 76 mm.
If you’re someone who keeps a keen eye on VR advancements, this is one development worth keeping tabs on.
