Upcoming VR Headsets to look out for in 2023
FreepikA woman wearing a VR headset on a dark bacground
Excited for the next generation of virtual reality headsets? 2023 is set to be huge for the VR industry. Let’s preview the top new VR/MR devices worth watching.
Virtual reality (VR) headsets have come a long way since the Oculus Rift, which debuted 6 years ago. Meta itself has launched many new products, with the Meta Quest 3 being the latest.
Apple also threw its hat in the ring with its much-anticipated mixed-reality headset, the Vision Pro. Promising unparalleled immersion with revolutionary optics, it’s set to be a game-changer, albeit with a hefty price tag.
The iPhone maker might not be the only big player in the VR industry for much longer. Google and Samsung are rumored to be joining forces to take on Apple’s dominance.
In the gaming world, Sony is hot on Apple’s heels. They’ve released a VR headset called the PS VR2 that’s specifically designed for the PS5. It’s a shame it’s only available for PlayStation consoles, given how well it performs. Below, we go over the biggest VR headsets that you need to keep your eye on in 2023.
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Upcoming Virtual Reality headsets
Bigscreen Beyond VR headset
BigscreenBigscreen Beyond VR headset results from a virtual reality software maker dabbling into hardware. The headset was showcased earlier this year, confirming the price, design, specifications, and critical features. It is expected to start shipping in Q3 this year.
This virtual reality headset comes with OLED displays with a resolution of 2560 x 2560 pixels per eye with up to 90Hz refresh rate. Weighing just 127 grams, it is highly compact and will cost $999.
Once you pre-order the headset, the company will reach out for a 3D scan of your face. This is used to custom-build the face cushion according to the user’s shape. The headset will be shipped directly to the user once it enters the shipment stage.
The headset comes with pancake lenses that help keep it compact and light in weight. It features a 90-degree field of view and fully supports VR games on Steam. You can also enjoy movies, play games, and hang out with friends in VR using Bigscreen’s app.
Valve VR headset
DexertoThe makers of Steam Deck are working on a Valve Index successor. The company has confirmed that it is developing a second-gen VR headset but hasn’t revealed any specifics yet.
The company feels confident about virtual reality as it has the required experience to build new hardware and a library of games to utilize the prowess of the upcoming headset.
Valve’s game library and aggressive pricing is also the reason behind the success of the Valve handheld gaming console. The Valve Index headset, on the other hand, was released in 2019 and, despite being priced at $1000 for the complete kit, is doing decently well.
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The upcoming VR headset from Valve could be an exciting gadget that could take on the headsets of Bigscreen, which look to benefit from Valve’s game library.
Apple Vision Pro
Twitter: MarkGurmanApple’s Vision Pro has been a talking point since 2016. However, the company only showcased its maiden mixed-reality headset at the WWDC.
It has been not only one of the most secretive projects of Apple recently but is one of the most important products to be announced under Tim Cook.
The Vision Pro will cost $3499 and start retailing around the end of the year. While we don’t have an in-depth spec sheet for the Vision Pro just yet, the Vision Pro displays 23 million pixels on each lens, bringing the Pixel Density quality above a 4K TV on both of the three-element lenses.
It also has Ambient Spatial Audio, which should give users some of the highest-quality sound ever experienced in a VR headset when paired with audio raytracing.
Project Moohan by Samsung and Google
AI image by MicrosoftVarious reports hint that Samsung and Google, already collaborating on Android and Wear OS, are coming together to counter Apple. The result of the joint effort could be a powerful XR headset called Project Moohan.
Reports suggest that this Extended Reality (XR) headset might carry Samsung’s hardware (and branding) while Google is prepping up Android XR software to power the headset. Both companies want to make an impressive headset that would take on Apple’s Vision Pro.
However, the teams of these two tech giants are reportedly frustrated over the delays and fear of making an inferior product.
On the hardware side, Google has a long list of failed AR-related products, including Google Glass, Cardboard, Daydream, Tango, and Iris, apart from software like ARCore, Tilt Brush, and several AR Google Maps features. This is why Samsung seems keen on taking control of the project and wants to ensure it sees the light of day.
The launch date of the Project Moohan is anyone’s guess at the moment. However, a Korean newspaper recently reported Samsung and Google have hit the reset button on their project and delayed the launch.
As per the outlet, Samsung is now planning to use higher resolution screens for its XR headset to match the 4K-in-each-eye (8K) displays offered by the Apple Vision Pro. This might push the headset’s launch to mid-2024.