Somnium, a Czech startup originally dedicated to its social VR platform, Somnium Space, made waves in late 2021 with the announcement of the Somnium VR1 headset. This device boasted an impressive spec sheet in collaboration with VRgineers, a company renowned for its high-end XTAL headsets aimed at enterprise users. Initially, the Somnium VR1 was envisioned as a versatile hybrid headset equipped with standalone capabilities, courtesy of the onboard Snapdragon XR2 chipset. However, by 2022, the focus shifted entirely, honing in on making it a PC VR headset instead.
The VR1 showcases the same 2880×2880 QD-LCD with Mini-LED panels featured in the Pimax Crystal. These displays deliver a rich contrast ratio of 20000:1 through local dimming, cover the entire NTSC color gamut, and support a range of refresh rates: 72Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz, along with an “experimental” 144Hz mode for those pushing the envelope. The brightness output reaches 210 nits, which is roughly twice that of the Meta Quest 3 and the Apple Vision Pro.
Complementing these impressive screens are large, dual-element aspheric lenses, which Somnium claims offer a field of view approximately 130° horizontally and 105° vertically. This range surpasses any other VR headset currently available. While Pimax’s “5K” and “8K” series once offered a broader view, those models are no longer in production and were often criticized for peripheral distortion.
The emphasis on achieving a wide field of view explains why the Somnium VR1 remains noticeably bulkier compared to today’s sleeker designs featuring pancake lenses.
