Somnium VR1 hands-on: a high-res headset for simulators

Customizability is among the predominant options of the system and it influenced its full design: as an example, there are 4 anchor factors the place 3D-printed equipment will be hooked up to the headset. To permit for simpler creation of those equipment, the headset doesn’t cover, however explicitly reveals the place there are the SteamVR sensors, so equipment designers have a better life in verifying they aren’t occluding them.

Modularity can also be what permits the corporate to promote 8 variants of the headset with out making a large number: because the headset is believed because the starting to be modular and customizable, the 8 variants are simply the identical headset with some modules added or eliminated.

This headset is so very “sensible” and geared toward an viewers of “{hardware} hackers”. Its visible design displays this perspective: the headset could be very squared, doesn’t shine away from exhibiting its screws, and has a really techie look. You possibly can see this within the footage I took of it from all sides (sorry for the low lighting, the occasion venue was fairly darkish; and sorry if the pictures are associated to 2 completely different headsets):

The visible design that Somnium selected for this headset is coherent with its goal market, so it is smart. But when I’ve to precise an opinion primarily based on my private style, I’m not an enormous fan of it. The headset seems a bit cumbersome (the shoebox design is again) and a bit tough, and it doesn’t make you look very cool whereas sporting it. It appears to me extra like a little bit of a return to the previous, wish to the HTC Vive, than a peek right into a future the place headsets are small and really feel like items of attire we put on on the face. I’m extra of a fan of curvy and small headsets… however once more, that is my private style.

Visuals

Visuals are crucial issues to speak about, contemplating the aim of this headset.

I’ll begin talking in regards to the good facet: the show panels are loopy good. Once I placed on the headset and tried the simulators, I used to be instantly positively stunned by the excessive definition of all the things. The decision was nice, and the colours and brightness have been additionally excellent. I attempted in each potential method to see the pixels, however I wasn’t in a position to try this: provided that I centered on some white areas surrounded by coloured areas and put my eyes below heavy pressure to see the pixels, I may see a “disturbance” within the colour brought on by the pixel grid… however I’ve by no means been capable of see the grid itself. Because of this the screen-door impact has gone away and that is good.

The FOV was giant and immersive, too. Getting used to my Quest 3, the visuals on the Somnium VR1 felt “bigger” and extra immersive because of the extra out there peripheral imaginative and prescient. I’ve to say that the FOV didn’t blow my thoughts: having tried in my life very giant FOVs just like the considered one of XTAL-3, I’m used to seeing much more. However nonetheless, it’s giant sufficient to make all the things extra immersive than the most well-liked headsets available on the market.

As I’ve mentioned earlier than, Somnium House has put numerous consideration on the shows and this paid off: they’re merely lovely.

However shows should not the one factor that counts in an optical system: the lenses are a really related element as effectively. And the aspherical lenses of Somnium VR1 have some execs and a few cons.

On the professional facet I can for certain point out the standard and the definition: the lenses can protect the excessive definition of the screens, and in accordance with Somnium, they may additionally help higher-definition screens (as much as 4x the present decision). In addition they function a reasonably beneficiant eye-box: which means even after I’ve not worn the headset completely, like throughout my first demo, I may nonetheless see the VR visuals with wonderful definition.

However on the con facet, I’d point out some artifacts that they had on the visuals. Initially, the very far peripheral of the imaginative and prescient on the left and the proper is affected by chromatic and spherical aberrations that are very seen. Fortunately this solely impacts the very far peripheral imaginative and prescient, so it doesn’t disturb you a lot when you play. However then I additionally had some “bizarre visible results”. I had the feeling that each one the visuals had like a really delicate warping, which gave me some bizarre vibes whereas I used to be rotating my head. Plus in some moments I felt like taking a look at particular factors within the scene, these elements had like a slight blur, which put my eyes at pressure making an attempt to focus extra on them. I believed I used to be loopy to see this, however then one other technical man who tried the headset mentioned to have the identical sensation as me (whereas others claimed to not have seen this).

When discussing these drawbacks with Artur and with different reviewers (e.g. Tyriell Wooden, Scott Hayden, and so on…), they instructed me it might be an issue with the aspherical lenses. Aspherical lenses in VR headsets have many benefits but in addition some bizarre behaviors. Artur instructed me you want a few days to get used to them: after this coaching interval, you may get pleasure from all some great benefits of them, however earlier than, you might even see some artifacts in your imaginative and prescient. Because the predominant headset I’m utilizing now’s a Quest 3, which makes use of pancake lenses, I’m not “skilled” sufficient to make use of the Somnium VR-1 at its greatest. The one factor I can do for the sake of this evaluate is report what I noticed with my eyes and what is usually a potential rationalization for my considerations.

Consolation

Somnium VR1 was fairly snug to me, even whether it is onerous to precise a full opinion on consolation when 3 out of 4 demos have been on simulators the place I simply sat down on a chair.

The headset felt fairly balanced on my head, perhaps a bit front-heavy, however not as a lot as it will appear by taking a look at an image of it. The issue is that at 700-850g it’s fairly heavy by itself, so even whether it is balanced, your neck feels the burden of it. For enjoying simulators, it needs to be advantageous, however I suppose that in the event you needed to play an motion sport with many quick physique actions, you would want common breaks to make your neck relaxation between the varied gaming classes.

The becoming mechanism is identical as many different headsets: there’s a high strap that it’s important to modify to the scale of your head and a lateral strap with a knob on the again that it’s important to rotate to tighten the HMD round your head. To stability the headset at its greatest, I recommend you’ve the rear half with the knob on the decrease a part of your nape. The padding on the facemask and the nape have been ok that I didn’t really feel any discomfort on my pores and skin.

The headset options no eye reduction knob, nevertheless it options mechanical IPD adjustment and the lenses have a really beneficiant eye field: this ensures that most individuals ought to have a snug visible expertise with it.

Monitoring

Somnium VR1 makes use of SteamVR for positional monitoring and it really works very effectively, as typical. I attempted the demo of Half-Life: Alyx with Index Controllers and I had zero points.

Hand monitoring is supplied by Ultraleap, which is the gold commonplace within the business.

Eye monitoring is developed in-house by Somnium House, however I can’t discuss the way it works, as a result of there was no demo highlighting it.

Audio

The headset encompasses a 3.5mm jack or a USB-C port to your headphones and two built-in microphones. The demo setting was not the most effective for evaluating audio high quality, however anyway, after I was supplied headphones, the audio appeared good to me.

I’m very stunned this system doesn’t supply built-in audio audio system. Contemplating its goal market, I’d have imagined Somnium supplied over-the-year audio system a la Valve Index. I significantly assume that Somnium ought to work on offering a “Deluxe Audio Strap” for this headset (like Bigscreen is doing with its Past headset) as a result of it’s bizarre to me to see a VR HMD in 2024 with out built-in audio.

Enter

Somnium VR1 is to be hooked up to your PC, so you should use each enter peripheral in your PC (e.g. mouse and keyboard) to work together along with your VR content material. Plus, being a SteamVR headset, it might probably work along with all SteamVR equipment and controllers.

Inputwise, there may be any manner just a little cool function that I need to spotlight: on the highest of the headset there are 4 buttons which might be totally customizable in accordance with your wants. You should utilize them as shortcuts to activate one thing: as an example, within the demos on the occasion, the primary button on the left was used to activate/deactivate the passthrough. I really like this concept, however these buttons have just a little drawback: they’re fairly delicate. When on the occasion I attempted to make use of my fingers to regulate the headset, generally I ended up activating the passthrough as a result of my index finger was touching the primary button. You may have so to be a bit cautious about them to not set off undesirable issues when you’re simply touching the system or placing it on.

Passthrough

With a lot respect with Somnium and the trouble it carried on to arrange this occasion, I’ve to say that the circumstances to attempt the passthrough have been actually dangerous. The room of the occasion was fairly darkish, so it was difficult to get pleasure from all the fantastic thing about such a high-definition passthrough. Solely one of many demos supplied the passthrough and was the aircraft simulator operating DCS (Digital Fight Simulator), a software program that’s so resource-hungry that in all probability would run uneven additionally on an NVIDIA RTX8090Ti, and for certain this wasn’t useful for the passthrough showcase both.

Anyway, making an attempt to summary away all the problems of the presentation, I can reliably say that the definition of the passthrough is as excellent as marketed. Within the demo, I may see myself flying on a aircraft in VR, however the bodily cockpit was proven to me in combined actuality. I used to be capable of see very effectively even all of the little writings in entrance of me. I cherished it. However to ensure such a excessive definition, which is essential for the simulator use case, Somnium just isn’t making use of any depth reconstruction (a la Quest 3), so the passthrough components seem barely out of scale when in comparison with their bodily counterpart. For example, my hand appeared barely smaller to me, and likewise it appeared to deform a really tiny bit whereas I used to be transferring it backwards and forwards from my eyes.

I additionally had the feeling that there was a little or no lag from after I moved my hand to a spot to after I noticed the hand in that place. It was a really brief and delicate lag, however my mind may understand it. It appears nobody else within the room had the identical sensation, although. I wish to attempt the passthrough of the headset in higher circumstances to see if I’d nonetheless see that.

Different options

Another attention-grabbing random information:

• Somnium VR1 has reportedly a setup program that installs all the things you might want to use the headset (e.g. when you’ve got the model with hand monitoring it installs you the Ultraleap runtime)
• All the info of this headset is open: the builders have full entry to the passthrough digicam stream and eye-tracking knowledge
• Eye monitoring has been developed in home and the code has been open-sourced
• The quilt of the cable is on a particular materials that makes it tougher for it to get tangled

Value and availability

Somnium VR1 is a tool available on the market, and you should buy it on the Somnium House web site. On the time of writing, the anticipated transport time for an order positioned at the moment is October. The headset is available in 8 variants (the next record courtesy of Mixed):

• Somnium VR1 – Traditional Version | VR solely – €1,900
• Somnium VR1 – Striker Version | VR & hand monitoring – €2,300
• Somnium VR1 – Visionary Version | VR & eye monitoring – €2,500
• Somnium VR1 – Titan Version | VR, eye monitoring & hand monitoring – €2,900
• Somnium VR1 – Specter Version | VR, hand monitoring & passthrough – €3,100
• Somnium VR1 – Final Version | VR, eye monitoring, hand monitoring & passthrough – €3,500
• Somnium VR1 – Translucent Restricted Version | Final Version with a clear look – €3,900
• Somnium VR1 – Army Version | VR, eye monitoring, hand monitoring & passthrough (TAA-compliant) – value unknown

The truth that you may customise the headset in accordance with your wants could be very cool and it is among the sturdy factors of this product. You should purchase Somnium VR1 in all these variants on Somnium Space’s official shop.

The value for such a tool could be very excessive as a result of it’s a headset for a really small area of interest which desires very excessive performances. So it’s a premium headset offered at a premium value. I believe the worth is a bit too excessive even to be a premium headset, however I suppose there are some enterprise causes behind it: the smaller the market, the upper needs to be the worth to make the enterprise sustainable.

Remaining concerns

I may spend solely round half-hour with the Somnium VR1, so I can’t reliably say if that is the perfect headset for you or not. And my opinion turns into much more sophisticated to precise contemplating that I had not sufficient time to get used to the aspherical lenses. However from what I noticed, I believe that Somnium VR1 is a good headset for use in simulators.

What counts in simulator video games is particularly a excessive decision and a large FOV, and Somnium VR1 delivers them very effectively. For enterprise makes use of, it’s also necessary a high-definition passthrough and likewise that one is included within the package deal. In my view, each prosumers with an enormous ardour for simulators and racing video games or enterprises (or army teams) that want to coach their pilots may discover nice worth on this headset. Additionally, prosumers and firms that want a extremely customizable PCVR system might like it.

Relating to the final VR viewers, I don’t assume that is the headset common individuals ought to search for: it’s too costly, heavy, and technical. Quest 3 is the most effective headset for these individuals. And normal PCVR individuals could also be glad to purchase a less expensive Bigscreen Past or Pimax Crystal Mild. That is extra of a headset for those that are able to spend some huge cash to have the best readability potential.

On this present stage of VR (after ten years within the discipline, I’ve to confess we’re nonetheless within the “early days”), no headset is ideal. And Somnium VR1 has its defects as effectively: it’s heavy, it has some visible distortions, it has no built-in audio, and the passthrough just isn’t depth-corrected. However however this, I left with an excellent impression of it, as a result of it’s a headset that’s constructed with good high quality, and delivers spectacular readability each in VR and in MR. It has been constructed with a transparent function and delivers for that function. And I really like its openness and customizability. So if that is what you might be searching for and you’ve got a finances to spend, go purchase it. In any other case, think about the opposite choices out there.

As typical, my feedback part is open to any questions you could have on this headset. And if you wish to make me a bit happier, think about registering for my newsletter or donating to my Patreon!

(Header picture by Tyriell Wooden)

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