Somnium VR1 is a new PC VR headset that delivers an impressive field-of-view (FOV) and high-resolution displays, ideally appealing to enthusiasts already in the SteamVR tracking ecosystem looking for an upgrade, or businesses with the cash to splash. I got a chance to go hands-on at the company’s Somnium Connect event held in Prague, Czechia over the weekend, giving me my first look at the version heading out to customers that’s said to start shipping sometime this month.

The Prague-based company behind VR1 is best known for its metaverse platform Somnium Spacemaking it the first in what promises to be a series of large FOV headsets. It’s very well refined for a first device, owing to the company’s close partnership with Vrgineers, the Czech hardware manufacturer behind a series of high-resolution, high FOV enterprise XR headsets.

Image courtesy Somnium Space

Providing premium features whilst being manufactured in Europe and boasting intensive QA testing though comes with a steep price point over its main competitors, Pimax Cystal ($1,600 USD) and the new Crystal Light ($900 USD), making price the biggest sticking point overall. Somnium’s cheapest ‘Classic Edition’ comes in at €1,900 (~$2,060 USD), which only includes VR and not passthrough mixed reality, eye-tracking or hand-tracking. Spring for the Ultimate Edition, which is the focus of the hands-on, and you’re looking at somewhere north of €3,500 (~$3,820 USD). This notably doesn’t include shipping or local taxes, or the required SteamVR base stations or optional controllers.

My accumulative 30 minutes across three simulator-focused demos suggest VR1 definitely delivers the bulk of what’s promised, albeit with a few caveats (and features) that will probably push many towards the lower-priced alternative… but not everyone. Read more to find out why.

Optics & Display

VR optics always require a balancing act. Do you trade weight for clarity? A slim profile for better light transmission? Conventional lenses for a wider FOV? Many of these trade-offs are on display with VR1’s dual-element aspheric lenses, which have a lot going for them, but a few notable drawbacks.

VR1’s lenses provide remarkable clarity and excellent light transmission, notably featuring a very large ‘sweet spot’ in the process, which is the optimal area within which the viewer’s eyes can move while maintaining a clear and consistent view. VR1 also accommodates a wide range of interpupillary distances (IPDs) of 58 mm – 76 mm thanks to manual IPD adjustment.

Such a large FOV requires significant attention to distortion-correction—a battle that isn’t entirely won just yet. During my demo, I noticed some wobbliness in the optic’s periphery, although it’s definitely on the acceptable end of the spectrum since it didn’t cause me any discomfort. Chromatic aberration was thankfully a non-issue, the result of the production version’s latest update.

The headlining feature undoubtedly though is its large FOV—130° horizontal and 105° vertical—which was perfect for the fully-kitted flight simulator I played, which is basically the only thing missing in my life right now. Coupled with the display’s brightness (more on that below), the large FOV is something I hope all headsets, standalone included, should aim to achieve one day.

Image captured by Tyriel Wood

Okay, I also want the driving simulator I saw there too, but the flight sim really shows of the full-fat experience of what VR1 has to offer, showcasing its mixed reality passthrough masked perfectly so I could see the flight stick and instrument cluster while having the virtual world of DCS whizzing past me. This is done through dual 12MP 4,056 × 3,040 RGB passthrough cameras that worked very well in the flight simulator, which notably was illuminated with an overhead light to offset the demo area’s dark, moody lighting.

Somnium Connect was technically a public event open to anyone who bought a ticket. A few of the people I spoke to while waiting in line were local and looking to try out the headset for fun, while some hardcore simmers were looking for conclusive proof that it was worth buying. While some likely walked away with a clear decision either way, VR1 is also targeting companies like flight schools, which spend significantly more on motion platforms and real-world flight expenses related to maintenance and gads of costly fuel. Because PC VR lacks mixed reality content, it’s probably only going to be used for these sorts of passthrough cases, which is easily togglable by hitting a button on the top of the device.

While I didn’t get to see the full field of view of the passthrough, it seems it’s calibrated to make objects appear only slightly farther away than they really were, however distortion of near-field objects was minimal, and sharp enough to see individual text on the instrument cluster. I imagine it will be good enough for more simple tasks like looking at your phone, or enabling passthrough for when someone needs your attention.

Image captured by Road to VR

Another clear win is VR1’s display, which is very bright—a reported 210 nits and the highest I’ve seen in a production headset. It’s also notably the exact same QLED mini-LED fast LCD with local dimming you’ll find in Pimax Crystal and Pimax Crystal Light, providing 35PPD via its dual 8.3MP (2,880 × 2,880) per-eye displays, clocked at 90Hz, but with 120Hz and 144Hz modes planned to arrive at some point. Here, the screen door effect feels essentially non-existent.

I’m not particularly sensitive to mura, however I noticed no appreciable irregularities or non-uniformities in the brightness or color of the display. Some of this, I was told, is owed to the company’s rigorous quality assurance (QA), which seems to be one of the headset’s biggest selling points. Somnium invested in what is surely a very expensive display inspection system which can detect dead pixels, mura, and other defects, leading to what company CEO Artur Sychov called a regrettable pile of trashed displays that didn’t make the grade.

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Audio & Material Quality

At this price, you’d expect built-in audio, but that’s simply not the case here, as you’ll need to either jack into a 3.5mm headphone port on either side, or go the wireless route with a USB-C dongle, like you might find on the Razer Hammerhead HyperSpeed earbuds.

Maybe no audio is better than bad audio, but it still feels like you should get something on par with Valve Index’s off-ear speakers for the price. Like with all hard straps, using your favorite cans may be problematic since the hinge sits so close to your ear.

Image courtesy Somnium Space

Another thing you’d expect is exceptional build quality, which is thankfully mostly here. I suspect a thinner plastic was used in effort to lighten the overall weight of the headset, lending it a creaky feeling when specifically squeezed.

This is likely due to the company offering eight different variants based on the same platform that mix and match faceplates integrating UltraLeap hand-tracking (which I didn’t try, but is recognized as class-leading) and passthrough cameras. It’s possible a tighter fit where the faceplate meets the shell of the headset would have solved this, or possibly more robust (and heavy) plastic—but it’s far from cheap-feeling or delicate.

Ergonomics

Somnium VR1 is decidedly front-heavy, but not nearly as bulky as some photos may suggest. I didn’t get a chance to try the barebones Classic Edition without all of the bells and whistles to compare, however much of the platform’s front-heaviness is undoubtedly owed to its optical stack; the Classic Edition (with headstrap) comes in only 100 g lighter than its Ultimate Edition big brother.

Image courtesy Somnium Space

My accumulative 30 minutes in the headset wasn’t particularly telling of long-term comfort for the average user, but knowing my limits, I can imagine an hour is around the most I can do before needing a break. I don’t hold it against the headstrap either, which places the hinge farther from the temple and closer to your ear allowing for a good fit that cups the back of your head.

Additionally—and this may seem fairly obvious—but because of the added bulk, you’ll  need to crank it down so the inertia of moving your head doesn’t noticeably shift the displays around, which can cause added discomfort. At first, I thought there was tracking and/or rendering latency in the flight simulator simply because I didn’t properly clamp it to my head.

That said, my daily driver is Meta Quest 3 with the optional Battery Strap (don’t @ me, bro), so moving back to an 850 g PC VR headset tethered with not one, but two cables felt like a bit like stepping back in time to the days of the original HTC Vive.

– – — – –

By now, it’s pretty clear: Somnium VR1 is basically only for users who are already in the SteamVR tracking ecosystem, or don’t mind shelling out the thousands for all of the required kit. That includes SteamVR 2.0 base stations direct from Valve or HTC, various controllers, and a PC capable of running these high-resolution displays.

The flight sim rig in particular was sporting a RTX 4070Ti and some flavor of Intel Core i7, however it was making use of foveated rendering thanks to the Ultimate Edition’s eye-tracking, meaning only businesses and the most enthused of enthusiasts with enough PC horsepower should apply.

Being based in Europe is a blessing and a curse. Startup money there is more sparse, as Lynx CEO Stan Larroque recently attested, leaving few with the resources to produce quality devices at competitive prices. And Somnium VR1 is a solid offering, but I’m afraid it’s simply too expensive for the average Valve Index user to consider a ‘no-brainer’ upgrade relative to Pimax’s upcoming Crystal Light headset, which is notably less half the price of the base Classic Edition.


Disclosure: Somnium Space covered travel and lodging expenses for one Road to VR writer to attend Somnium Connect 2024.

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Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • ViRGiN

    I already said sponsorship is coming from somnium.
    stopped reading at "got a chance to go hands-on at the company’s Somnium Connect event held in Prague". No, you didn't get a chance, you got paid to do so, just like tons of other shill people in vr space.

    you do say that at the bottom of article, but as per rule of thumb, you don't even say that somnium space which you claim they are best known for has been completly dead for years.

    • Ben Lang

      We make these disclosures voluntarily because we think transparency is important—not everyone does the same. So while you may see it as us being a "shills," we're very happy that 99.9% of our articles don't need disclosures like this, because we actively avoid conflicts of interest as often as possible.

      • ViRGiN

        Not mentioning how dead their metaverse is strains a bit from being “transparent”. Like, how can you mention this is what they are known for, without mentioning how irrelevant somnium space has been since inception.

        I saw the event on a different YouTube channel, and Arthur still comes off as crypto scammer.

        • Ben Lang

          Unfortunately any single article or headline can never be 100% comprehensive. Stay tuned for more coverage.

          • ViRGiN

            I’ve been pointing it out multiple times, I think under every mention of “Somnium VR1” this year.
            Noone ever wants to say that, because this is business opportunity. If not outright website advertisment, then at least you get to travel for free.

            If you were to say Somnium Space has been averaging 0.5 people the last 36 months, that would be seen negatively by Arthur, and you would never be invited again.

            Just like YouTuber and tech analyst Brad “SadlyItsBradley” Lynch, who only nodded to everything Arthur was telling him, never questioning him about anything. Since he got his AVP, that was 100% of his focus, and he didn’t even get invited again, when it was promised he will get to test updated headsets as they come closer to production lmao.

            “Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by neglect”, but in this case, it’s 100% malice, not neglect.

          • VRDeveloper

            Relax, man. The market is too small for someone to pay over a thousand dollars for something without researching it thoroughly. The guy is just doing his job.

          • NicoleJsd

            Pay no mind, that guy is chronically skipping his meds

          • Jeff

            You make some extremely valid points that are obviously true. It's such a scourge in the entire tech journalism biz, and far too many are more concerned with protecting their own interests instead of painting an accurate picture for the consumer that they pretend to advocate for. They didn't even give a good answer when called out – just saying that every article can't be 100% comprehensive does not excuse the obvious boosterism and neglect of the obvious elephants in the room.

    • Arno van Wingerde

      Come on, ViRGiN! Since these things are not sold yet, the only other way ben could have gotten hold of one would be breaking and entering. Also, buying a fairly niche product for the sake of reviewing that is pushing things a bit and as Ben wrote he fully disclosed his visit.

      • ViRGiN

        There is no need to purchase it, cause there is nothing significant about it, and naturally it doesn’t have place in the market, like the pimax headsets which struggled to capture 1% of steamvr market.

        As you might have noticed, the event was open to public. Buying a plane ticket and hotel for a night or two sounds doable don’t you think? In controlled environment there is not much to test, but only pressure to say “yes it looks clear”.

        If we have to rely on sponsorships, then what’s the point of journalism? Independence is gone at that moment, and so is trust.

        Arthur is a very shady character.

        • VRDeveloper

          Journalism died when it stopped being printed. If you want journalism, you'll have to look for it in renowned global magazines. It doesn't work like that here on the internet, man; it's all about money. Anyway, the guy is just trying to work; it's part of it.

          • ViRGiN

            Paper press is still a thing, and I’d trust that even less lol.

            RVR did not get sponsored by Apple and yet they got the AVP which is more expensive, or about the same price, depending on the version.

            I can’t find a single article about DPVR E4 for example – so it’s not like they cover each and every headset. There was absolutetly zero need for coverage of Somnium, but when they actually did, they did not bother to mention how Somnium built their “little empire” through bitcoins, NFTs, parcels etc, and that their metaverse is completly dead.

            This just reads like an advertsiment, not a report. Plus that “enthusiast level”, like the potential customers of this/pimax REALLY need to separate themselves from the peasant. If you use VR, you are an enthusiast. Even if it’s Oculus GO.

          • VRDeveloper

            I don't trust almost any media nowadays. Someone graduates in journalism today and thinks they've become Martin Luther King, but none of these people read books or study like Martin.. if you understand what I mean. They feed ideologies and lie a lot to their users. I know all this, but hey, that's life, man. That's all I meant. It's like going to a place where you know they're paid to lie and say:'Hey, you're lying.' Of course, they paid the guy to post something.. its he's job.

          • Jeff

            "Just trying to work" is a pretty terrible excuse for these types of scenarios. If your work involves deceipt (I know this is a strong word, and not like this is an outright con) of people you pretend to advocate for, then you need to be OK with the rightful backlash you're going to get. Or work in a different industry that isn't structured in a way allows you to behave with more integrity.

          • VRDeveloper

            I'm not trying to defend dishonesty, I just wanted to say that although I also feel sad about the 'end of serious journalism,' I understand that you can't trust sources like that and YouTube. It's funny, you come here looking for journalism; these people live off advertising lol, that's life, things work that way, love doesn't pay the bills. I just wanted to bring a bit of reality to you all. Anyway, I'm also sad about the decline of journalism, but that's life; get your information from better sources and you won't have any problems.

          • Jeff

            I'm glad you agree, but I'm also very aware of the "realities" of the industry, and I'm not going to just be quiet and go somewhere else. They have comments here for feedback, and we are allowed to hold them accountable unless they want to shut that down.

          • VRDeveloper

            Got it.. you are right.

  • Nice review, Scott! I should write mine in a couple of days!

    • ViRGiN

      Aand its propaganda piece. You're saying no compromise, yet it doesn't have audio.

      you call it modular, yet you can't even add eye tracking. Every version is assembled differently.

      you didn't mention you got your visit sponsored either.
      not mentioning that their metaverse has 0 users.

      calling ultraleap as gold standard in industry, yet nobody is ever developing for it.

      they didn't have demo highlighting eye tracking? That's exactly the nature of what they call "open source" – code everything yourself.

      not surprised at all

      • Jeff

        Thanks for calling these issues to attention. I think most people are getting very sick of the lack of integrity in the "review" an influencer space.

  • polysix

    LCD = no go. Even with local dimming (my EX quest pro albeit with far few dimming zones proved this) VS OLED I ain't doing LCD ANYMORE in VR. I want proper blacks (even I have mura) and per pixel contrast, no LD bloom etc.

    PSVR2 remains the best all rounder for me currently (esp with PC adapter next month) for 1/4 of the price. Proper blacks, haptics, HDR, Eye tracking, awesome controllers.. you could buy PSVR2 a PS5 for those features and even a cheap PC for the same price as the top end somnium LMAO… and you'd have far better REAL immersion with proper blacks, HDR and haptics.

  • ViRGiN

    first look at the version heading out to customers that’s said to start shipping sometime this month.

    It still has not shipped as of October 2024.