Somnium, a startup hailing from the Czech Republic, initially dedicated its efforts to its social VR platform known as Somnium Space. However, late in 2021, the company broadened its horizon by unveiling the Somnium VR1 headset, boasting an impressive array of specifications for its time. This venture was in collaboration with VRgineers, a company renowned for crafting ultra-high-end XTAL headsets aimed at enterprise use. Initially, the Somnium VR1 was planned as a hybrid headset, capable of standalone operation thanks to an onboard Snapdragon XR2 chipset. Yet, as 2022 unfolded, the focus shifted, steering away from the standalone capability to hone in on becoming a dedicated PC VR headset.
The VR1 is equipped with the same 2880×2880 QD-LCD displays featuring Mini-LED technology that Pimax’s Crystal model uses. These displays offer local dimming, achieving a stellar contrast ratio of 20,000:1 and full coverage of the NTSC color gamut. They support refresh rates of 72Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz, with an “experimental” option to push it up to 144Hz. The brightness output for the user clocks in at 210 nits, roughly twice as bright as what you’ll find in the Meta Quest 3 or the Apple Vision Pro.
Paired with these displays are large dual-element aspheric lenses. According to Somnium, these lenses provide an impressive field of view, measuring around 130 degrees horizontally and 105 degrees vertically, which is notably wider than any other VR headset currently available. While Pimax’s “5K” and “8K” models offered even broader views, they are no longer being produced and were plagued by substantial distortion around the edges.
This commitment to delivering an extended field of view is a key reason why the Somnium VR1 is more substantial in size, especially in a market that’s moving towards sleeker, pancake lens-style headsets.
