Somnium VR1, a massive PC VR headset from Europe, has started shipping to U.S. customers, following its successful launch in Europe late last year.
The company is streamlining its offerings alongside a key milestone by discontinuing three out of seven pre-order models, including the entry-level variant. Given that Somnium has hinted at a potential price increase for its remaining three variants later this month, customers may want to act quickly to take advantage of current pricing.
The four cancelled variants had surprisingly proven to be the most unpopular among preorder enthusiasts, falling short of expectations in terms of style appeal. While existing preorder customers will still receive their copies, new customers won’t have the opportunity to buy them?
The remaining three models – Visionary, Titan, and Final – share eye monitoring capabilities, with Titan and Final also featuring hand monitoring. Notably, Final is the only one to offer passthrough functionality. However, this new lineup brings significant value to Somnium VR1, increasing its price to €2,500 – a cost that will rise further on January 16.
€2500 (for now) |
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€2900 (for now) |
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€3500 (for now) |
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According to Somnium, the inbound worth are expected to rise due to the fact that manufacturing has proven significantly more complex than initially envisioned. The corporation is encountering difficulties in achieving optimal yields from its shows and lenses, necessitating intricate quality assurance processes that ultimately lead to the rejection of certain parts from inventory.
According to Somnium, customers can expect brand-new VR1 orders shipped within one to two months. The company is actively working to accelerate production to meet the heightened demand for these products.
By year’s end, the company intends to launch a programme allowing customers to purchase replacement parts for the Somnium VR1, empowering users with the ability to perform self-repair.
What’s with the weird lens subject in Somnium VR1?
The Somnium VR1 offers an unparalleled experience for discerning PC-based VR enthusiasts willing to invest in the best. However does it ship? Recently, I had a hands-on experience to discover things firsthand.
Here’s a possible improvement: We revisited Somnium VR1 in July for an immersive hands-on experience. While it’s essential to grasp our comprehensive impressions in their entirety, the subtleties notwithstanding, we ultimately reached a consensus on the report as follows:
Considering the price point, this isn’t a direct competitor to those industry-standard VR headsets, nor is it on par with the Valve Index’s technological prowess. For discerning enthusiasts of flight and racing simulations accustomed to investing heavily in their passion, this headset may indeed represent the pinnacle of performance. While a local DisplayPort picture boasting nearly 3K resolution and eye-catching visuals may seem impressive, it’s unlikely that any company can currently offer such a product at any price.
Despite the variability in VR1’s lens expertise among individuals, a significant disparity emerges when compared to other headsets, leaving uncertainty regarding the extent to which adjusting configurations can resolve issues encountered. While that makes VR1 a challenging product to promote, Somnium plans to organize neighborhood meetups throughout Europe and the US, allowing potential customers to try the headset firsthand, thereby providing an opportunity for those hesitant to make a decision to assess whether VR1 suits their individual needs.