It might torture your wallet, though.
Bigscreen VR is best known for its “virtual living room” software, but the company could make waves with its first virtual reality headset. Somewhat ironically, the Bigscreen Beyond is the “world’s smallest” VR headset, prioritizing comfort and a bespoke design—yes, it’s customized for each customer.
While other VR headsets are bulky and monstrous, the Bigscreen Beyond looks more like a pair of ski goggles. It weighs just under 6oz (about 0.3 pounds) with a strap, uses ultra-thin pancake lenses, and can be customized to your face if you own a Face ID-enabled iPhone. Just provide a scan of your face during checkout. (Those with bad eyesight also need to pay for prescription lenses. Astigmatism correction is included, depending on your prescription.)
Of course, this bespoke design helps Bigscreen achieve a smaller form factor. Instead of plastering its headset with knobs and other adjustable doodads, Beyond is fine-tuning each headset to the user. The drawback is that any friends or family who try your Bigscreen Beyond headset may not have the best experience, especially if you require a prescription. That said, you can order multiple head cushions and prescription lenses, as they’re hot-swappable.
Interestingly, the Bigscreen Beyond doesn’t make too many compromises. It uses a pair of 5K 90Hz OLED displays, offers a 93-degree horizontal FOV (which is decent), and tracks movement with six degrees of freedom. Beyond VR promises that this device’s three-element pancake lenses will eliminate the screen-door effect, which is something that we’ll have to test in person. (We’ve heard this promise too many times, and it’s never true.)
Of course, this isn’t an all-in-one VR headset. It needs to connect with a gaming PC (via a link box), and it supports the SteamVR platform. So, the Bigscreen Beyond isn’t a replacement for the Meta Quest, but it could compete with the HTC Vive or Valve Index.
Pre-orders for the Bigscreen Beyond start at $999. But here’s the catch; it doesn’t include any controllers, or a full-body tracker, or even a SteamVR base station. You have to order these components separately—that said, Bigscreen Beyond supports Valve Index and HTC Vive controllers, along with HTC’s full-body trackers.
Bigscreen Beyond VR Headset
The world’s smallest VR headset offers a lightweight and bespoke design, plus two 5K 90Hz OLED displays. Pre-order it today!
Source: Bigscreen VR
