Varjo has been promising a VR headset for all—and here it is
Quick read
➨ Varjo Aero is very much a high-end device, costing $1,990 or €1,990 and shipping by the end of 2021
➨ The company is marketing Aero as an expansion of its reach beyond its traditional enterprise customer base, to VR enthusiasts such as regular professional users, creators, even gamers
➨ The headlines are a resolution of 35px per degree (115° field of view), advanced ergonomics and significantly reduced weight, and professional-grade mini LED displays
➨ In addition, Aero comes with built-in eye tracking and foveated rendering, as well as lower PC hardware requirements compared to Varjo’s other headsets
The story
In between HTC Vive’s unexpected virtual reality (VR) glasses and the anticipated Oculus Quest 2 Pro announcement next week, Varjo has revealed its new headset, Aero. Aimed at professional users, it is also the company’s first device that is open to the consumer market.
Varjo Aero, the latest headset in the Finland-headquartered company’s portfolio after the release of VR-3 and XR-3 earlier this year, is, like its predecessors, still very much a high-end device, costing $1,990 or €1,990 and shipping by the end of 2021.
The company is marketing Aero as an expansion of its reach beyond its traditional enterprise customer base, to VR enthusiasts such as regular professional users, creators, even gamers.
 100vw, 600px” data-recalc-dims=”1″><figcaption><strong><em>Varjo Aero</em></strong></figcaption></figure>
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<p>Urho Konttori, founder and chief technology officer at Varjo, says: “We’ve heard the demand from leading-edge VR users such as aviators, creators and racing simulation enthusiasts to bring our highest-fidelity devices to everyone, not just enterprises.”</p>
<p> “As a result, we are proud to bring to market Varjo Aero, the best VR headset that anyone can get. This device, together with our Reality Cloud platform, continues our mission to make a true-to-life metaverse accessible for all.”</p>
<p>Compared to the prices of its other headsets ($3,195, VR-3, and $5,495, XR-3), Aero is a sign that Varjo is striving to make its hardware more accessible to a wider user base, a step the company also took with the release of VR-3 and XR-3.</p>
<p>What Varjo has delivered is a headset that sounds highly capable and quite possibly a challenger to other leading PC VR headsets on the market.</p>
<div class=)
 100vw, 600px” data-recalc-dims=”1″><figcaption><strong><em>Varjo Aero v Valve Index</em></strong></figcaption></figure>
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<div class=)
 100vw, 600px” data-recalc-dims=”1″><figcaption><strong><em>Varjo Aero v HP Reverb G2</em></strong></figcaption></figure>
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<p>The headlines are a resolution of 35px per degree (115° field of view), advanced ergonomics and significantly reduced weight, and professional-grade mini LED displays.</p>
<p>In addition, Aero comes with built-in eye tracking and foveated rendering, as well as lower PC hardware requirements compared to Varjo’s other headsets, making it all the more accessible. Read the full specs for Aero below.</p>
<h4>Full specs</h4>
<div class=)
 100vw, 600px” data-recalc-dims=”1″><figcaption><strong><em>Varjo Aero front and back views</em></strong></figcaption></figure>
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<p><strong>Displays</strong></p>
<p>Dual Mini LED LCD; 2880 x 2720px per eye</p>
<p>Brightness: Calibrated to 150 NIT </p>
<p>Colours: Calibrated with coverage of 99% sRGB, 95% DCI-P3</p>
<p>Refresh rate: 90Hz</p>
<p><strong>Optics</strong></p>
<p>Custom-made variable resolution aspheric lenses with 35 PPD peak fidelity</p>
<p>Edge-to-edge clarity; no reflections, no ghost rays</p>
<p><strong>Field of view</strong></p>
<p>Horizontal: 115°</p>
<p>Diagonal: 134° at 12mm eye relief</p>
<p>Interpupillary Distance</p>
<p>Automatic IPD adjustment with motor</p>
<p>Supported IPD range: 57–73mm</p>
<p><strong>Audio</strong></p>
<p>3.5mm audio jack</p>
<p>In-ear headphones with mic in-box</p>
<p><strong>Weight</strong></p>
<p>487 g + headband 230 g (including counterweight)</p>
<p><strong>Dimensions</strong></p>
<p>Width 200mm, height 170mm, length 300mm</p>
<p><strong>Connectivity</strong></p>
<p>Headset adapter and USB-C cable (5m) in-box</p>
<p>PC connections: DisplayPort and USB-A 3.0</p>
<p><strong>Positional tracking</strong></p>
<p>SteamVR 2.0/1.0</p>
<p><strong>Eye tracking</strong></p>
<p>200Hz with sub-degree accuracy; 1-dot calibration for foveated rendering</p>
<p><strong>Comfort and wearability</strong></p>
<p>3-point precision fit headband</p>
<p>Replaceable, easy-to-clean polyurethane face cushions</p>
<p>Active cooling</p>
<p>Aero will also integrate with the <a href=)
recently launched Varjo Reality Cloud service and fully support virtual collaboration immediately with early access to the platform’s VR teleportation software.
Additional functionality, such as content streaming from the cloud, will be supported in steps when Varjo Reality Cloud becomes generally available.
Find out more about Varjo Aero at the company’s launch event later today. Sign up for a spot here.
Let VRWorldTech know what you think via Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or editor@vrworldtech.com.
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Images: Varjo
Source: https://vrworldtech.com/2021/10/21/varjo-aero-aims-to-bring-high-end-vr-to-the-masses/
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