Somnium VR1 - It's time to tell you EVERYTHING! Pre-REVIEW & FULL OPINION (so far) MSFS & DCS WORLD
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- Опубліковано 18 тра 2024
- Having used the Somnium VR1 for well over a month, it's time to give you my full, comprehensive verdict so far, on how things are shaping up for the final release. Is this my new daily driver? Could this be your next VR headset? Tune in to find out... as you may be surprised with what I have to say...
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MORE of my Somnium VR1 content BELOW:
Somnium VR-1 IN DEPTH: ALL you NEED to know! MSFS & DCS World | IS MIXED REALITY the FUTURE? • Somnium VR-1 IN DEPTH:...
SOMNIUM VR1 or PIMAX Crystal? Which is BEST for FLIGHT SIMULATION? MSFS
• SOMNIUM VR1 or PIMAX C...
SOMNIUM VR1 DCS WORLD TEST! NATIVE FOVEATED RENDERING | HIGH END VR HEADSET
• SOMNIUM VR1 DCS WORLD ...
Somnium VR1 THROUGH THE LENS! Microsoft Flight Simulator
• Somnium VR1 THROUGH TH...
Somnium VR1 - Just Flight Tomahawk FULL PREVIEW | Microsoft Flight Simulator
• Somnium VR1 - TOTAL RE...
Somnium VR1 - The GOOD & BAD! 2 Weeks LATER, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020
• Somnium VR1 - The GOOD...
Somnium VR1 VS Pimax Crystal - Through the LENS! Is it REALLY SHARPER? But HOW?! Let's DISCUSS! MSFS
• Somnium VR1 VS Pimax C...
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Phenomenal video and exceptional summary. Well done mate!
Thankyou so much! I made this video at 2am last night too :D So I really appreciate your support.
@@VRFlightSimGuy hey Steve, are you doing a video covering the models just announced? I’m scratching my head what would be best for MSFS with all the options….
Somnium VR1 - Classic Edition | 🥽 |
Somnium VR1 - Visionary Edition | 🥽 | 👁️
Somnium VR1 - Striker Edition | 🥽 | ☝️
Somnium VR1 - Titan Edition | 🥽 | 👁️ | ☝️
Somnium VR1 - Specter Edition | 🥽 | ☝️ | 🎥
Somnium VR1 - Ultimate Edition | 🥽 | 👁️ | 🎥 | ☝️
🥽- Virtual Reality |👁️- Eye Tracking | ☝️- Hand Tracking | 🎥- Mixed Reality Cameras
@@uruwashii5231 Not planned at the moment sorry. I'm also scratching my head lol
I'm just glad that there are companies out there pushing this tech to is limits.
Since you asked, I’m one of those VR simmer that doesn’t care about integrated audio and mic solutions.
I love my headphones for many different reasons and I have an external mic attached to my rig that works beautifully!
If anything I prefer when a VR headset comes none equipped with those audio solutions, but that’s just me : )
As always a very pleasurable video to watch, thank you!
Excellent, I love to hear a counter argument like this. Really appreciate the kind comments too. Cheers :)
Same hear. I use my home stereo for audio to save my hearing. Hate headphones/earphones
I am glad to hear about the functioning software and the MR portion with the masking and that was nice to see!!
VR + zero G (space travel) will be a great combo because the weight of the headset won't really matter too much
Thanks for the video Steve! Just to clarify few things: CA has been almost fully eliminated and improved by new warping profile which Steve has, Strap has been improved for better comfort and while it is NOT a small headset it is not a brick. If you are used to Index you will be fine. There is no in-built audio but there are two stereo microphones included with amazing quality & there is headphone jack and 3 fast usb c ports. At start of order shipments in June there will be 72Hz and 90 Hz available.
Could VR1 technically get up to 144hz but with lower resolution (knock down resolution by some percentage) + upscaling? do to DP 1.4 bandwith limitations.
Reason I ask is because we could take advantage of less graphically demanding games were resolution is not really an issue and run them fluidly at 144hz (because they play better in that way) example beatsaber, pistol whip, vr table tennis, ancient dungeon vr, compound, super hot etc..
this will make this vr headset even more versatile (the one that can do it all) and appeal to a larger set of users.
Will motion reprojection work on 72hz mode? (36fps). Would also be great to see more levels, ie for 90hz, dropping down to not only 45 but 30fps for transient excess performance demand. As well, I think many of us are curious to see the quality of the reprojection algorithim, in my experience Meta is still the best, WMR was not very good, etc. Hopefully a nice algorithim with good prediction and minimal artifacting, especially when things get hairy dropping down to 36fps on a 72hz mode - something many of us flight sim enthusiasts will be relying on with a headset this performance hungry. Anyway, regards on a very nice looking product! Looking forward to seeing more!
I run Valve Index with 120Hz in X-plane and I usually get 27-40 FPS (170% Super Sample), slightly better than with 90Hz.
Do you have an idea yet of when the final version will be made available to reviewers? Is it around the same timeframe of later in June?
When is 120 or 144hz coming?
Sick video m8, you're STILL getting better =)
Really nice rounded, In-depth commentary!
Comments like this keep me going. Thanks so much buddy.
I’m still using my Reverb G2 for sim racing and DCS. It’s light weight, comfortable, And I can run the games im playing at 90fps. It’s very hard for me to stomach the idea of spending this kind of money for a headset that’s heavy and uncomfortable. And also likely not be able to reach 90fps. Sure, I probably will be able to with future hardware, but by that time I would imagine there will be newer and hopefully lighter headsets. I was originally excited for this headset. But ultimately I think this is going to be a pass for me. Comfort and performance is the 2 most important things, for me personally, in a VR headset. And compared to my G2, this is taking a step backwards for both of those.
Sounds like BigScreen Beyond could be something for you, but it can be quite costly if you don't already have base stations and controllers compatible with them.
Very informative video. Thank you Steve! Can't wait for your review of Varjo's XR-4 now that we know what Somnium VR1 (MR version) has to offer and its limitations - with comfort being the #1 limitation in my book.
Thanks buddy 👍
Thanks Steve!!! Another amazing video! I like all the points you made and how the developer is actually listening to your critique and making improvements, that shows some real care about their product. As you mentioned, I am a bit disappointed in the lack of audio, as I think that completes the immersion but using a separate option that suits an individual better, is intriguing. I really appreciate all the information you have provided. I'm very interested to see how they price each level of this headset and completely understand the expected high price point. Thanks again!!!
Thanks mate much appreciated!
So tempted to reserve the somnium vr1 however looking forward to your review on Vario xr4 before making a decision
Cheers mate
Excellent video, Steve. Plenty of food for thought with this one.
Thanks mate I really appreciate it!
Thanks mate! Informative as always.
Thanks for the preview! I find the quality control compelling as I’ve seen dead pixels even with Varjo. For me, it’s this or the XR4. Hopefully you really are testing that now as you hoped!
Thanks Ben! I'm hoping to get some XR-4 content out by the end of next week 😊
Yeah I have a Varjo Aero with 1 dead pixel
cannot wait to get my vr1 in, decided on the middle ground, eye tracking but no MR, mostly do racing in VR, also a bit of DCS for fun. currently on the well known valve index, but my headset has thousands of hours on it in the 5 years i've owned it now. it's time for an upgrade.
An astounding video! Kudos to you and your production team, sir. I hope this headset gains traction. This is the direction the industry needs to go.
On another note, I would like to say that it was rather interesting to watch your YT video of you in VR while in in VR myself...grin...
Production team? 😅
Hahaha thanks so much for your kind words. It means so much, especially when I'm working so hard at the moment. Best wishes.
@@lurchilurch5507 I see at least three people in the making of the video. More than one constitutes a team where I come from... 🙂
@@danidavis7912 and who would those be apart from Steve? Also, just because someone is in a video doesn't mean they are part of any production team..?
@@lurchilurch5507 wow. Get a life. Hahaha
I’d like to hear a little more detail on the software reliability - I was a little surprised (but that’s why I like your reviews) to hear the Somnium software seems better than ‘most other headsets’ already
I appreciate the reviewer's comment about it just feeling 'right' (i.e. more realistic), so it's clear that this will be an amazing headset. But even if there's a consensus that it's better than the Crystal/ Crystal Light (value notwithstanding), I wonder how it would compare to a Crystal Super? PS. The mixed VR seen in this vid looks like it would make for a fantastic experience, whatever the headset.
By the time this headset is released, the Pimax Crystal Super will be out. They are already nearly 2 years late from when they originally said the Somnium VR1 would be delivered.
thank you very much for this great video and review of this very interesting headset. My ears and eyes been wide open when you said “..I didn’t had even one issue..” When this really happens and works so well, than its time to have a look on these developers. I love my pimax and my aero, but from hundreds of hours using these headsets, I spent a lot of lost time for solving issues, problems and settings that give me sometimes a lot of frustration. I dream of a headset, just clicking on pc, start the game and have fun (not thinking on battery power, cable problems, new updates and conflicts, lighthouse issues or dead pixels…). I am looking forward to see your videos about the final version. happy flights ✌️🛫
Thanks for the video Steve! I suspected comfort would be what you were unhappy about. which to me is not a deal breaker as hopefully, modularity allows to get a comfortable strap eventually.
The other concern is openxr performance which I rely on 100%
Hey buddy, yes I'm really hoping the final strap and facial interface, plus the counter balance at the back will help. I do remember the XR-3 was also very front heavy, it's something of a trade-off in having all those fancy cameras. Appreciate all your amazing support mate. Enjoy your evening.
Thanks Steve for another great video. I kinda felt before watching that the Pimax Crystal *Super* will be a no-brainer compared to this at this price point. In fact, it seems that even the Varjo XR-4 would be more tempting (especially since Varjo has been a pioneer in the VR flight sim field).
One thing for sure is that it's a great time for high-end VR with the crazy competition out there, fuelled -of course- by Pimax and their competitive pricing.
15:02 I 100% agree that this, and every, VR headset absolutely should include amazing integrated off-ear audio like the Valve Index and HP Reverb!
If people don't want to pay for it, then have an option (SKU) without it.
This is the #1 thing that causes me pause when considering whether or not to pay such a large amount of money for a VR1.
Though the visual experience would be massively better than my Index, the complete lack of that audio solution would be a (and I cannot emphasize this enough) MASSIVE disappointment, inconvenience, and all-around failure of the product.
Hopefully Somnium will add integrated audio as an option very soon after the initial launch, because it's just not right to leave it up to the customer to go get something else to blindly mess with.
17:20 I thought Artur had confirmed that the VR1 does not have adjustable eye relief, but you are saying here that you can configure the lens to eye distance in their software?
Certainly is one heck of a headset.
I'm interested in where you flew for this video, it's very scenic.
Hey Paul, this will be featured in separate video coming soon, flying in the Alps with the Piston Duke 👍
It sounds like this headset is awesome and is only going to get better. It also sounds like the few cons can be resolved. Integrated audio+mic would be nice as I prefer not needing any extra cables, but it's not a show stopper. The limited 100-ish degrees fov of my current headset causes me to have to twist my head a lot more than I should during dog fights in DCS and IL-2, so 120 degrees with a large sweet spot sounds _very_ appealing. Software stability is an important plus. I don't have a lot of time for my hobbies so I don't want to spend it debugging problems.
Yours opinion is my favorite and I think your channel is great 👍.
I appreciate that! Really. Thankyou 😊
Great video and thanks for taking the time to share. Got a question though. Does the VR1 have a similar function to switch from your current VR to the Windows desktop? Similar to the Varjo Aero. Very curious as its a killer feature.
Sorry, couldn't wait any longer. Purchased Pimax Light ;].
let me know how it goes, maybe pimax light 2 will be out in 6 months to make yours obsolete hehe
@@elmalloc With Light's 1 and my 4090 I should be happy for at least few years :)
I don’t understand why pimax users feel the urge to hurt everyone’s else feelings when it comes to headsets other than pimax, y’all been whinning about vr1 that doesn’t actually exist for years, after proving that everything is real, you started pinpointing every possible issue that in the mind of pimax users might be present, now when everything is done and orders are open in June - you’re down to your last resort, saying that you bought pimax because “uhh I couldn’t wait any longer ahh”, I mean, literally, who asked? Just enjoy the technology, admire how cool it is that other companies still try to do their best to deliver and go with it
@@heartbroken3344 wut?! 😅
No need to apologise, the Crystal Light is a different headset. Videos coming soon.
It will probably be cheaper than a month of flight school or track days..
Sure wish there was some VR1 testing with virtual monitor overlays
and e.g. video editing usage.
Great and informative video. About MR: Is this feature easy to turn on/off while inflight? I guess I would prefer to switch it on in DCS only when I’m manipulating the monitors of my cockpit, but switch it off when my hands are on my Hotas. I really would like to see a video how to set up your cockpit environment (borders) for Mixed reality. Thank you
Looking forward to your review on the xr4.
Coming soon! Cheers Julian
Hard to look past the lack of audio.
we have to skip it sorry
More harder to look past the (un)comfort level. 😮💨
100% agree. My 5 year old Index still has the absolute best audio solution in VR yet a $2000+ HMD has nothing? Definitely a disappointment that it doesn't have an integrated audio strap as an option.
Would've been nice if you'd mentioned what that "80% resolution" equates to in terms of actual pixels! Also, are you running Turbo mode in OXRTK?
How is the Steam integration? What I like about the Index is that its just Steam. Nothing else. Press of a button and it switches to VR and loads Valve's environment with the room and sitting settings.
The Aero was more bothersome with its own software. How does the VR1 do this?
Needs at least Quest 3 type audio with an option for Reverb g2 type audio. Its an audio visual experience not a visual only! I have been using the Areo and recently got a quest 3 and its made a huge difference not having to use over the head earphones, much less weight on your head and cooler experience, Audio is really important and it seems like the top end manufactures concentrate on visuals only and forget about the complete package. The Ideal headset would be a non-standalone version of the Quest 3 with Aero resolution!
I really hope they can solve the comfort, other than that it seems brilliant.
11:03 - Can't upscaling to that res work, kinda how Pimax made the 8K (non-X) work? Or is that not feasible?
Another great video- ty ! Do you know, or can you confirm are there any companies that make prescription lens inserts for the Somnium VR1 headset and the upcoming Varjo XR4- as I have been struggling to find anyone for these two newcomers- and that will def be a concideration for me !
Thanks Mark much appreciated. I'm not sure about the XR-4 yet, but I believe VR opticians are partnering with Somnium. They also happen to be my favourite lens insert provider too.
You mention that the runtime performance is not too great. So do you think the Aero runtime is better performing at equivalent resolutions?
Thank you very much for all these information!!! Do you know if OpenXR toolkit will/can support this headset/software?
My pleasure. I've mentioned the use of the Open XR Toolkit in various videos with the VR1, it does work for the most part. Cheers!
Have you been able to do a comparison against the Varjo XR-4 ?
** Just heard you say you are in the process of doing that at the end of your video.
Coming soon!
Hello Steve .👍🏻👍🏻😇
Thank you so much from France 🇫🇷with this excellent test .
I hope a day who test :
-VR-1 Vs Crystal Light
-VR-1 Vs Varjo XR-4
Bye bye Steve and thank you so much for all .
Aplushhss /Laurent 🇫🇷
Thankyou so much 😊 XR-4 and Crystal Light will be next. Best wishes.
Great review. Thank you! I am one who prefers an integrated audio option and not having one might be a deal breaker for me.
Question: does this thing need a base station with DCS?
Thankyou :) Yes, ideally two base stations
I know you said it's heavy, but how does the inertia feel of turning your head quickly compare to a Pimax Crystal? With how far it sticks out I'm wondering how the VR1 would fair if you wanted to use it in other scenarios including stand up VR.
It's a shame about the comfort. The comfort strap is almost a requirement for the Pimax Crystal in helping to support the headset and reduce pressure on your face. The Crystal can also benefit greatly, depending on your head size/shape, from adding padding behind the foam around the sides to provide more stability when turning your head. Hopefully the final version of the VR1 fairs better. If not, maybe a cheap solution will make the VR1 more bearable. At the price they're looking to charge for this headset though, it should be reasonably comfortable.
Seeing the number of pixels per eye being rendered at full res does help explain the performance difference. The Pimax Crystal at 100% is I believe 4312 x 5104 (22M pixels) per eye. That first 130 FOV profile of 6485 x 5375 (34.85M pixels) is a 58% increase in the number of pixels being rendered. 120 FOV at 5634 x 4581 (25.8M pixels) is only a 17% bump so that helps but it's still going to lag behind a bit. If you compare Pimax's wide FOV lenses at 100% resolution per your reporting of 4672 x 5182 (24.2M pixels) per eye then the gap narrows to just 6.6% more and you're getting ~10 degrees more horizontal FOV on the VR1. Hopefully mbucchia adds support for the VR1 to Quad-Views foveated rendering for DCS users. That may help further squeeze better performance out there.
It would have been nice if the vertical FOV was at least the same as the Crystal but I suppose you can't have everything.
I'm torn on the mixed reality feature. The potential for extra immersion of seeing your arms/hands/legs displayed does sound nice. If you put in the work on the masking or setting up your cockpit for chroma key that could be really neat. Also there's the convenience of being able to more easily use sophisticated controls with lots of switches/knobs/buttons like a VKB STECS throttle for example. On the other hand though you're adding more weight on the end of what already sounds like a front-heavy headset. And then there's the added price. While we don't know the exact figure yet, from what I remember Artur mentioning in a previous interview he said it wasn't going to be cheap.
Hello Steve .
Sorry a other question with Somnium VR-1 .
Eyetracking?
Somnium is working on its eyetracking and what are the gains in our simulators
IRacing ,Mfs 2020,DCS WOLRD ,Il2 Bob .
Thank you so much .
Aplushhss /Laurent 🇫🇷
This will most likely be my next headset (once my Varjo Aero gives up the ghost). I do hope Somnium will offer attachable mic and headphones, because I started flying with ATC, so audio and mic are mandatory. I would hate if I need to go thru the same process as I did with my Aero: 3D print headphone adapters, glue a mic to the front, etc. (my Varjo now looks like a Frankenstein device :-) )
Dual stereo microphones are inbuilt into headset already.
The clearer picture and higher FOV is pretty cool.
Needs 120hz at minimum or 144hz
Only the horizontal is higher. The vertical FOV is lower than the Pimax Crystal.
@dtz1000 I see !
I hope on the next headset, we get a lot more horizontal and vertical!
Hello! I don't think you mentioned lens glare when you were discussing the optics; how has that been on the aspherics compared to the Index, Beyond, etc? :)
It's excellent :)
4:47 - Speaking of Quest... its too bad about Somnium and Pimax not aiming for adding standalone as an 'option' available at these prices, I guess that also goes for the "fully loaded" tiers, and Pimax's Crystal SUPER, 12K QLED, and probably now Pimax Portal (it hasn't had a restock of their VR attachment 'View' in a while.)
Valuable feedback
Teaming the Somnium VR1 (or Varjo XR4), the DOF Reality H3, and the recently announced Flitesim FC-50 console should check all the boxes for a state-of-the-art simulator. The DOF Reality steering wheel platform and foundation, however, appears to be inadequate for the task of supporting the 40 pound, 27-inch-wide console. Can the DOF Reality H3 platform be modified to support the heavy Flitesim FC-50 console?
I love how transparent Artur is, and i want this headset to succeed. But they need to accept its not going to be perfect, and release it.
Im willing to drop another grand over the Pimax on this for the fov and lighter weight, but its getting harder by the day
For me one thing i dont like in me Q2 headset is that its hard to put my headphones,and they are quite good.
Also earbuds hurt my ears for some reason.Its a external body that needs to be very clean to put in in my ears.
Also with such open headphones like the index everyone can hear what you hear and sometimes you dont want to.
I think its nice to pick your audio especially with seated sims.Someone who has the budget for a high end headsets can get the best audio with it and also use it for music,gaming,movies and such
Do they have any plans at all for off-ear audio speakers addon? No audio is a dealbreaker for me, audio is 50% of the immerssion, having to use clonky audio headset ontop is not a good sollution.
Is there any word on when this will actually be available? I was on the list early, and I can't seem to find anything online other than initial shipments and manufacturing ramp-up Feb-Apr 2024. From what I can gather, that has not happened. But, I just can't seem to find anything, and I am ready to sign on the line which is dotted.
Hi mate. great video. Can I get your views on Infuse VR? They have models for most yokes / joysticks / throttles, and keen to give it a try. Cheers!
Thankyou. I've been meaning to try it for a while. I am on the beta, but I've had some issues with it.
@@VRFlightSimGuy same here, mainly around the connection to my headset as it doesn’t see the headset. Will keep trying… looking forward to more of your content!
Perhaps it is a stupid question, but please help me understand. So the native resolution of VR1 is 2880x2880. Then at 12:47 how can you have 6485x5375 resolution per eye? VR1 uses a DP 1.4 connection right? Or you did not run it on full native res and used some kind of software upscaling instead? Can a 4090 even run this thing will full native resolution on 90Hz?
Due to barrel distortion correction and the extra FOV.
2880x2880 is what's actually being carried over DisplayPort. 6485x5375 is the rendering resolution. This is much higher due to super sampling. Barrel distortion correction is applied at the GPU before sending the video images to display.
Would you say the FOV is more than the Index?
I would expect it for the Horizontal, but vertical?
Horizontal FOV is up to 140. I get 136, and Index is about 110. So yes, it is much more.
@@artursychov But.. vertical :D?
So far the headset really looks like my next from what I've seen. The Price will really hurt, but my own Index is starting to die after all those years.
It is the only true replacement with eyetracking so far (beside the pimax crystal).
How is it compared to Reverb G2?
So the headset runs at an extreme resolution/super-sampling and it's a much sharper image. What's it like when running comparable rendering resolution to what an Aero or Crystal runs? I always thought my Aero looked less sharp than a Crystal until I matched the resolutions and it turned out they're pretty much the same.
No, VR1 does not run extreme resolution or super-sampling. It runs its native resolution and has sharpening algorithms which you can turn on and off and still get extremely sharp and bright image.
@@artursychov it shows in the video @12:49 that to achieve 100% resolution scale 35PPD you need to render 6485x5375 per eye, so that means it was being run at over double the panel resolution.
A Varjo Aero requires 4300x3500 for 100% scaling 35PPD and a Pimax Crystal is 4300x5100 for 100% scaling 35PPD.
The point was towards the claim that the VR1 headset is ultra sharp - surely this will be partly due to rendering 6485x5375 resolution.
My question was when it runs at the same rendering resolution per eye as other headsets is the image quality then comparable?
@@wickfut8917 You bring up a good point. Scaling up the resolution on the Crystal would be an interesting experiment to try. I'd be curious to see how the lenses and sharpening would look then side-by-side. It'd also be interesting to switch things around and test the VR1 at the same render resolution as the Crystal. See how much the sharpening helps out image quality at lower resolutions.
Have you tried with DLSS? Should be much easier to hit 45fps locked. Yes I know it's not quite as sharp but it's worth it on the Aero IMO, supersampled to 5300*XXXX
Looks great but I am going with the Pimax Crystal Super with 50-57 ppd and 3840x3840 resolution. Out in Q4 and you can reserve your spot in line for a dollar. However, the passthrough view should become a standard.
No interest in the 12K QLED?? (They seem kinda close in price.)
It certainly looks good on paper. Pimax has a habit of delaying pretty much every product they launch. I would guess the actual release date is probably sometime in 2025. Also you might want to wait and see what actually gets delivered first before making the purchase. Pimax has fallen short on promises/claims before.
The sharpness and FOV are the reasons why I would prefer this headset than Pimax Crystal. But I suppose the sharpness will be better only with nVidia GPU, when it is with help of its software.
Does is support SteamVR? With Valve Index I am used to SteamVR in X-Plane, where I mainly use VR and maybe it would run better. But I have a little experience with OpenXR.
Yes Steam VR works, as mentioned in the video. Cheers
We do have AMD sharpening algorithms as well
@@artursychov I tend to forget about AMD. oops 😆
It’s the leader for a next HMD for me right now.
Steve you're scaring the hell out of me about the weight of this headset. I want the basic headset but I would like the pass through cameras. Do I have to buy the bad boy to get all that or is there a way to go a little lighter weight and still get that? As far as audio goes I'm going to try and mount my crystal Dmas audio system on the VR1 😄
If you are fine with Index weight and size you will be fine with VR1
Do we have to wait for the review to get your discount purchase link?
I do not have any discount codes for the Somnium VR1
😢
For the price pimax crystal super is the better buy imo
@@Tom-van-Rijnn yes. I give the vr1 one credit. The pass through.
It definitely looks promising on paper. But do keep in mind Pimax has made promises/claims before and not delivered. Most notably of late being the FOV on the original Crystal. Up until not too long ago, you could still find the horizontal FOV listed as 125 degrees under the specs portion of the Crystal product page on Pimax's website when in reality it's around 102-105 for most people.
I hope Pimax is able to pull it off as it sounds like a fantastic headset. But I agree, definitely wait and see what actually gets delivered. My main concern with that headset is can Pimax deliver lenses of sufficient quality to resolve that many pixels clearly or will it have distortion issues.
The VR1 seems to be a good example of the difference optics can make. But of course the same goes for that as well. We'll have to wait and see how the final version turns out.
It is disappointing that a base station and controllers are required. It might be worth considering more affordable options with comparable image quality, such as the Pimax Crystal Light, which includes local dimming and controllers. Thank you as always.
Yeah, the older Valve Lighthouse system adds a lot of cost, especially those premium priced Index Controllers even used... wonder why they didn't do controllers like Pimax Light (which isn't standalone & no XR chip)??
Im especially happy it is lighthouse tracking for its precision.
Controller wise I feel like there is still nothing that beats the Index Knuckle controllers too yet... :/
But sadly those are Glass Cannons
If money weren't an issue, would you go with the Somnium VR1 or Varjo XR4 for MSFS?
I'll let you know soon as the XR-4 is being delivered today :)
Looks like an rtx5090 will be needed to get the full potential of this
Somnium is a heavy headset?
PiMax: Hold my beer!
Steve does find the Crystal more comfortable though, weight isn't everything the distribution and leverage (distance from face) matters massively also.
Thanks for the video, Steve. It's a really good summary, covering all the things that are important to us simmers. Your through the lens shots clearly show how bad the CA is in the Crystal. That was one reason why I returned mine. Interestingly it seems that CA is a big factor in the lack of sharpness compared to the VR1, which seems to control it's CA really well.
Thanks buddy
Does simmers usually also include racers? Or is that separate?
@@paulct91 I'm a flight simmer and a racing simmer, for me it applies to both but your mileage may vary.
Is the slight warping worse than in the Aero? Guessing not?
Yes
This last point will be fixed in the upcoming warping update.
Sorry I had laughed when you said this may be your go to headset for many many years into the future. So many headsets are coming out, that are going to be one-upping each other. Within a year a better headset will probably come, and we know you'll have your hands on it lol. Varjo Aero-pimax crystal-VR1-crystal super...
Aero was leader for over two years, Crystal Super well, I believe it when I see it. But I get what you mean. I doubt we will see another VR1 though. It's rather unique. Thanks for watchin'.
Very few headsets one up each other.
Most of them have compromises and don't appeal to everyone
What are all these amazing HMDs that are coming apart from the Pimax Super and possibly, at some point, 12k?
I am 6' 5" and have had issues with VR headsets before. For instance, the Pimax headsets fit me just fine. Whereas the Index is right on the border of possibly being "too tight" but I can still wear it for hours on end without any issues. However, those HTC Vive headsets and both the Quest 2 and Quest 3 are too narrow and cause major discomfort to my head/face.
My question is... how is this Somnium VR1? I realize the stap you used is not that great... but what about the headset itself (how it fits your face)? Considering the cost, I'd hate to order one and it end up not working out. This is a potential issue considering I am in the US and will not be able to return it.
The headset itself fits great, but the strap needs some work. Thankfully, you can change it to something else, like a Bobo VR for example.
It's a shame that mixed reality is only available for the full packed version of it. I don't necessarily need or want hand tracking or eye tracking, but I do want Mixed Reality. You can choose whether you want without all of those, but you can't choose to have Mixed Reality without hand and eye tracking which cranks up the price and weight. For a headset that is supposed to be modular I find this a bit odd. Still looks very premium though. Though, it is a very premium pricetag.
It really is odd though, quite a few $1,000 & $2,000+ headsets don't even have a standalone mode even as an added option whereas the 'cheapo' Quest line always has that even though it clearly adds complexity and cost. Higher end HMDs really should at least consider a general XR OS like Google/Samsung, Meta Horizon OS, or whatever becomes an 'open' XR OS.
This thing could finally compete with the Pico 4 as an overall package
"compete" lol?
In terms of quality, the Pico was already blown out of the water by the Aero.
In terms of pricing, the Pico and the VR1 are not even in the same category.
In terms of comfort the Pico 4 blows out the aero and every other headset.
@@JDVVV378 Maybe for you. I don't think so and I've had both
@@lurchilurch5507 the Aero has a very low contrast screen, thats a big flaw and disqualifies it from the group of "good headsets" in my book by now a Pimax would allways outperform a Aero visually, but Pimax has downsides, too.
The Pico 4 imo is what the Index was for it's generation of HMDs, it just works, has no fudge ups and allways delivers. It's worth it's price and more, and thats what SomniumVR1 also starts to look like, a solid choice even if it's in the diffrent price range.
16:54 - Really...? The Pimax entire line-up is quite extraordinary in 'that', please don't use Pimax as an 'average' HMDs they couldn't even fulfill the simple promise of we're better now, we've learned our lesson... the proof being the sheer number of devices released incomplete states, buggy launch software, missing working standalone (Crystal OG at launch), and removal of hyped features Portal's "View" (VR attachment), 12K QLED no longer really being discussed... and no longer even having the option of standalone for those who want it.
go go
Thanks
Thankyou Barry much appreciated! :)
4:20 - "Consumer-grade headset"? Are you sure Somnium VR1 counts as a consumer headset at that starting price?
12:06 - If possible could you try either Forza 4/5 Horizon in VR (neither has native VR support but, mods will enable it), if trying this please buy through Steam or you probably won't be able to mod it, if bought through Microsoft Store (Forza 4 Horizon, can't be modded in the Microsoft Store version, stupidly.)
How are the visuals in this headset compared to the Pimax Crystal…? 🤔 🧐
I literally talk about this in the video, including a through the lens comparison.
@@VRFlightSimGuyAww, I stopped and wrote this comment to early. 🤷🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️ I continued watching and learned you think this is better than the Pimax Crystal due to the lenses. 4:35 👌😉
After the bad experience I had with Pimax Bulky and heavy Crystal I won’t do the same mistake again. It’s so frustrating seeing this technology going to the opposite direction. The first oculus rift was small and comfortable even the oculus S was quite light and comfortable and I was expecting that the technology will progress and we would have smaller headsets but sadly now almost the most advanced headsets are bulky and ugly ( except the Big Screen) . Add to that it won’t support outside inside tracking so I have to buy the base stations plus controllers so extra 400$! No please
Just because something is big doesn't make it uncomfortable. Also it is VERY expensive to add advanced cutting edge features in a very compact form factor even Apple is struggling to make a 'real' consumer headset, they KNOW there is a market... yet the Apple Vision Pro at that price... and a closed ecosystem, plus the aversion 'some' VR lovers have against HMDs without controllers is kinda tough to appease, let alone the ones complaining about HMDs that 'add' standalone having a higher price point (while also being usable outside of the range of a computer.)
Would have it if it had good audio. Just got an Varjo XR4 and it's going back... impossible to connect to Steam VR, the mixed reality cameras are utterly dreadful, the virtual desktop is completely bleached out and you cannot adjust contrast, full of firmware bugs to the point where I had to underclock my RAM so that the Headset could better power manage and to boot... the onboard audio is a joke. Has as much volume and dynamic range as a dead parrot. So does this have better audio? something akin to PImax 8K X DMAS or HTC Vive 2 Pro?
not having integrated audio is definitely a big downside for me
Good vid
But too big, too heavy -not the HMD I will be going for.
Thanks for watching!
15:39 - At minimum a headphone jack, and even better at least ear buds, some people live with other people who complain, a LOT... 😅
1900 Euro for the basic version without eye tracking. I guess this isn't for me.
They could probably save some money by not having it in it's own case - it's nice but not necessary as a default.
Maybe, but it sure helps give you the quality experience :)
They claim it barely costs more than cardboard while giving the customer something reusable. 🤷♂
I also assume it was an unnecessary cost that must be passed on to the consumer. It'd be going into my closet collecting dust if I bought one. A Lighthouse tracked HMD isn't exactly portable. lol
@@VRFlightSimGuy case is functional, it costs only slightly more than a one time disposable cardboard box. So we opted to give users something useful and something which will protect their VR1 and allow them to carry it safely.
"best visuals in a consumer-grade headset I've seen" - What was the non-consumer one that was better?
That's a secret sorry!
My biggest concerns for this headset are: #1 Audio is an afterthought #2 Strap is an afterthought #3 Made by a crypto company. I'm willing to pay premium for the best VR headset available, but for that I want the whole experience not just a focus on visuals alone and sub-par everything else.
hello Steve .
I see That in your vidéo :
6500x5700 by eye ?
2880x2800 native résolution bye eye no ?
It’s Amazing ?
I don’t understand.
My Pimax Crystal have the same display 2880x2880 Fov H = 105/Fov V= 105
And I’ve 3500x4200 bye eye and my RTX 4090 with my PERSONAL Ss 😢crying in iracing /Dcs World /Mfs 2020 = 3500x8400= 29,4 millions pixels .
The RTX 4090 Max résolution is 33 millions pixels .
The VR-1 = Fov 120= 5634x4581 by eye 😳
= 11268x4581= 51 million pixels 😮
It’s amazing this résolution bye eye .
For VR-1 it’s not a RTX 4090 or 5090 to run ,but a RTX 6090 in 2026/27 😳😳
10:02 Another headset being described as "wide field of view" at 120 degrees horizontal? Sigh.
Wake me up when it's 210 degrees.
Pretty sure I didn't say 'wide field of view', especially in the context you are referring. However, against the competition, this is wider.
Unlike other headsets that are marketed as having a wider FOV than they actually have, this one can at least achieve the FOV that is written on the tin. There aren't many headsets that have a wider "real" FOV than the VR1
@@joedunleavy841 thanks you. So true.
@@joedunleavy841 I know, I've been waiting for the 12K QLED for what seems like years now!
I'm not buying the Crystal/crystal light/crystal max on general principle, because I don't want to encourage pimax to think I want narrow field of view.
@@CorporateZombi Waiting for the 12K QLED doesn't just _seem_ like years. It was supposed to release back in 2022. And now Pimax has inserted _TWO_ new headsets in front of it. The 12K is no longer part of my future planning or expectations. I've written it off.
I could not believe the size. As a Senior citizen, the VR1 would break my neck as well as my budget. I will stay with my Beyond thank you.
So we have a very expensive, very heavy lump of iron hanging off our face here, that can only run at 75-80% with a 4090, has a poor-functioning xr runtime, which doesn't work great with steam VR, and doesn't work well in motion repro mode. And even with that..... all said and done..... its still struggling to hit 45fps in MSFS.
At this point, this headset is not looking juicy for flight simmers.
dang thats expensive!
£1800 worth it? With that price and the other headsets this will be competing against this seems DOA
Only you can answer that based on your financial situation. What other headsets are competing against this for everything that it offers? I'm curious to know your thoughts. Love what you are doing btw in MSFS. Keep up the great work.
@@VRFlightSimGuy It's competing against the Pimax Crystal Super because by the time it's released the Super will probably be out. They are already nearly 2 years late from when they originally said the Somnium VR1 would be delivered.
Who wanna pay €1900 for a VR headset when there are avordable headsets like the Q3 P4 that do the thing.
thousands and thousands of people
It's a shame. I stopped watching after hearing that it's "an incredibly heavy headset to use, especially because of balance". My poor neck can hardly cope with G2's front-heaviness🤕
Shame, at the end I said I was joking about the weight ;)