Somnium, a Czech startup best known for its social VR platform Somnium Space, made an intriguing shift in late 2021. They teamed up with VRgineers—renowned for their ultra-premium XTAL headsets catering to enterprises—to announce the Somnium VR1 headset. At that time, the VR1 promised jaw-dropping specifications. Initially, it was conceived as a hybrid headset with the capability to operate independently, powered by a built-in Snapdragon XR2 chipset. However, by 2022, Somnium pivoted to make it exclusively a PC VR headset, shelving the standalone concept.
The VR1 incorporates the same top-notch 2880×2880 QD-LCD with Mini-LED panels found in the Pimax Crystal. These displays boast impressive features like a 20000:1 contrast ratio through local dimming, a full 100% NTSC color range, and adjustable refresh rates of 72Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz, with an experimental 144Hz mode thrown in for good measure. With an output brightness of 210 nits, the VR1 easily outshines both the Meta Quest 3 and the Apple Vision Pro, literally doubling their display brightness.
Somnium pairs these stellar displays with large dual-element aspheric lenses that they claim offer a field of view of about 130° horizontally and 105° vertically. This makes it the widest available on the market, surpassing other VR headsets. While the earlier Pimax “5K” and “8K” models were wider, they suffered from significant distortion issues at the edges and are no longer being manufactured.
The focus on providing an expansive field of view is precisely why the Somnium VR1 appears bulkier compared to the newer, sleeker headsets sporting pancake lenses. Despite its size, Somnium’s dedication to a broader visual experience gives it a distinctive edge in the VR landscape.
