Somnium Launches Shipping of VR1 PC VR Headset in the US, Plans Imminent Price Increase

Based in Prague, Somnium Space, a prominent social platform creator, has officially rolled out its PC VR headset, the Somnium VR1, in the United States. Excitingly, the company has also announced a simplification of its product lineup, narrowing it down to three versions focused on consumers, with plans to hike prices on their more premium units soon.

In a move to streamline their offerings, Somnium Space is phasing out several existing configurations, such as the Striker Edition, Classic Edition, Specter Edition, and Translucent Edition. Previously, the Classic Edition acted as the entry-level option, coming in at €1,900 (approximately $1,980 USD) but lacked eye-tracking features. From now on, the most affordable model is the Visionary Edition, equipped with eye-tracking, priced at €2,499 (around $2,600 USD), and it’s worth noting that these figures do not include local taxes.

For those who have already purchased one of the discontinued models, Somnium Space assures that there’s no cause for concern. Orders for these editions are on track and will be fulfilled as planned. Moreover, these editions will now have an added layer of exclusivity and uniqueness due to their discontinuation.

Explaining their decision, the company states that by retiring these versions, they can concentrate more effectively on delivering the Visionary, Ultimate, and Titan Editions more swiftly and efficiently while maintaining the high-quality standards their customers expect.

Additionally, Somnium Space is raising the prices of its Visionary, Ultimate, and Titan models, though the new prices remain under wraps for now. Existing prices will stay in place until January 16th, 2025, at which point the updated pricing will be revealed and take effect.

Here’s the current lineup and pricing before taxes:

– Visionary Edition (VR with eye-tracking): €2,499 (~$2,600 USD)
– Titan Edition (VR with eye-tracking and hand-tracking): €2,899 (~$3,020 USD)
– Ultimate Edition (VR featuring eye-tracking, hand-tracking, and MR passthrough): €3,499 (~$3,659 USD)
– Military Edition (details forthcoming)

Somnium Space emphasizes its commitment to maintaining high-quality standards while striving to keep the Somnium VR1 as affordable as possible. However, the complex production process has necessitated price increases for the Visionary, Ultimate, and Titan Editions.

Currently, orders placed can expect delivery between February and March 2025, with availability for shipping throughout most of Europe, the UK, and the US. Looking ahead, the company plans to eventually offer spare parts for the Somnium VR1, including optical modules, main boards, electronics, cables, screens, and more.

Somnium VR1 Specs include:

– Display: QLED Mini-Led Fast LCD – 2,880 × 2,880 per eye
– Field of view: 130° horizontal, 105° vertical, capable of rendering up to 140° horizontally (actual FOV may vary)
– Refresh rate: 72 Hz, 90 Hz, upgradeable to 120 and 144 Hz (experimental)
– Local dimming zones: 576 per eye
– Eye tracking: 120 Hz, featuring an open-sourced algorithm
– Connectivity: USB-C, DisplayPort 1.4, 3.5mm audio jack
– IPD Range: 57 to 76 mm

For those interested, we delved into our hands-on experience with the Somnium VR1 back in July 2024, offering detailed impressions that you might find insightful.