We love VR (obviously) but have often bemoaned the niggling issues that can break immersion. The ‘screen door’ effect is particularly problematic; being able to distinguish individual pixels reminds you that you’re looking at a screen.
Although the HTC Vive and HTC Vive Pro are the best commercially available headsets we’ve seen, they’re still far from perfect. Thankfully, there is a new generation of headsets on the horizon, promising wider fields of vision and better visual fidelity. One such new arrival is the StarVR One. In this post, we take a look at what the promising VR headset has in store.
What is the StarVR One?
The StarVR One, StarVR One XT are VR headsets born out of a joint venture between tech giants Acer and Starbreeze. These virtual reality headsets recently launched for business customers, and they boast the most impressive specs we’ve seen from any VR device currently on the market.
On the surface, the StarVR One headsets look very similar to any other available device, but it’s the quality of the screen and some other innovative technologies that really make it stand out. With a wider viewing angle and higher resolution than the HTC Vive Pro, it’s a device that immediately caught our attention upon its release.
The StarVR One and One XT work with SteamVR Tracking 2.0, creating a range of opportunities for immersive VR gaming.
StarVR One: Under the Hood
Let’s get into the specs of this beast. It boasts two 4.77” AMOLED panes that each produces a resolution of 1,830 x 1,464. This gives it a total resolution of 1,830 x 2,928. It also has a 90Hz refresh rate and an insane 210-degree field of view, which extends 130-degrees vertically. It’s this impressive field of view and high resolution that makes the StarVR One a game changer.
The headset also features Tobii eye-tracking technology, which is something we’re incredibly excited about. Essentially, this system tracks the user’s eye movements and renders content accordingly. This feature, in addition to the wide FOV, should make virtual reality gaming better than ever before. It means that higher-quality graphics can be rendered directly in the area the user is looking.
The StarVR One XT has the same features, but also offers an improved and integrated tracking system. Impressive.
Where Can I Buy the StarVR One?
Unfortunately for the vast majority of us, the StarVR One and XT are currently only available for businesses. As such, there are no details on pricing and availability. It’s clear that the device isn’t for the general consumer at this point. This is just as well, seeing as it requires at least an Intel Core i7-7700 and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 to power it.
Despite the exclusivity of the headset, we’re hopeful that the quality and innovations it brings will eventually filter down to the consumer market. Until then, we’ll continue dreaming of the possibilities.
