Somnium, a startup hailing from the Czech Republic, originally made its name through the social VR platform Somnium Space. However, in late 2021, they switched gears and unveiled the Somnium VR1 headset, boasting impressive specifications for that time. To bring this ambitious project to life, they teamed up with VRgineers, a company recognized for its high-performance XTAL headsets targeted at enterprise users. Initially, the Somnium VR1 was introduced as a hybrid device that could function independently, thanks to an onboard Snapdragon XR2 chipset. But by 2022, they decided to drop that idea and focus entirely on developing it as a PC VR headset.
The VR1 headset incorporates the same 2880×2880 QD-LCD panels with Mini-LED backlighting found in the Pimax Crystal. These displays offer a fantastic 20,000:1 contrast ratio via local dimming, cover 100% of the NTSC color gamut, and operate at several refresh rates—72Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz, with an “experimental” mode at 144Hz for those looking to push the boundaries. And with brightness reaching 210 nits to your eyes, the clarity is remarkable—almost twice as bright as the Meta Quest 3 and the Apple Vision Pro.
Complementing these cutting-edge screens are large dual-element aspheric lenses that Somnium touts will provide a field of view of around 130° horizontal and 105° vertical. This gives it a significant edge, as no other VR headset presently on the market offers such a wide view. Although the Pimax “5K” and “8K” models had a broader perspective, they’ve since been phased out due to substantial distortion issues at the edges.
This quest to deliver an expansive field of view does result in the Somnium VR1 being bulkier compared to the more streamlined pancake lens headsets that have become prevalent recently. But for those who prioritize immersion, this trade-off might be worth it.
