Very nice headset but it's certainly not without some rather considerable drawbacks here and there - less fov than index, no audio, no reprojection, requires 2 DP ports, prevents use of 2 monitors with your PC, puts out a lot of heat, $3200+$800 annual fee is 8 times the price of an index and the fee ~1.5 index's per year forever.
A subscription isn't that bad either. I mean, you probably already have other subscriptions as well, like cable tv, internet, health insurance, you name it. For example, what if the headset would be 1000 once, plus 200 per year subscription? I would buy it instantly. But it would be good to know what you get in return for the subscription. Insurance? Warranty? Support?
The "problem" with this headset is that I now know this is possible. No way will I be buying a new VR headset before it matches this. Would happily pay 2k Euro for this with tracking and a few index controllers! The enthusiast market is thirsting for some proper high end hardware now!
@@IamtheWV17 Indeed, and my Quest 2, while not perfect (and sadly a facebook product!) will just have to do until something properly high end comes out!
Varjo are you listening? You want to earn some serious money? How many Companies are out there that NEED a VR headset, and how many gamers are out there that WANT a fantastic VR headset? Get rid of the subscription and do the math... We NEED a consumer Version! (All the automated eye adjustments can be done Mechanically by hand for example to save cost on the Varjo VR-3C for the consumer ["C" for consumer]. Keep the current automated one without the subscription for a consumer deluxe version [Varjo VR-3CD, VR-3C+ or VR-3CPRO]...)
As someone who works in a different industry (drone design), but with a similar product and client base (high end drone with subscription model for companies), I can say that you can't downsell a high end product like this at a lower price without subscription to individuals and still make money. Doing so will lower your brand status in the face of businesses, who are your real money bringers, and you'll get less money in sales overall. Additionally, Companies aren't stupid and are just like individual consumers. If they can save money for a few minor features, then they will save that money and they won't buy the subscription model. On top of it, lowering specs on your product on purpose to sell a washed down version doesn't really save you money, since tech companies like this have most of their costs on R&D for their product, not component costs. You'd be cannibalizing your own business market with a product that doesn't cost you almost anything less in comparison, and has a way lower profit margin. While what you propose would be great for wealthy individual consumers, that market is simply too small to implement such a business strategy. Most individual consumers will still buy the cheapest VR headset, or even TrackIR or stick to no head tracking at all. The only companies who can do something like this and appeal to both markets at the same time are well established companies with broad recognition and status (Samsung, Microsoft or Apple level) who are big enough to not have to depend on a small line of products to make money on the short term.
@@oneicarus You have points... That said, I recall a time when software companies thought making video games for PCs were a cute little hobby but they'd never make real money. If you'd have told someone they would hold a computer the size of today's smart phones in their hand and it would be more powerful than any computer in existence at that time... you'd be locked up in a nut house. I recommend you inject a little forward thinking into your certainty for what an industry can/can't do or should.
@@machinech183 No you wouldn't have been locked up in a nut house. Moore's Law was observed in 1965, long before PCs, and it was still going strong at that time. Everyone knew the pace of performance increases in computers. Also, it took a company the size of IBM to make the PC a viable platform, not one the size of Varjo. Your example shows nothing relevant.
@@davidste60 You clearly want to argue for the sake of argument. That or you have reading comprehension issues. Either way I wish you well winning the internet. Talk about nothing relevant.
@@machinech183 No there is no argument here. You tried to give advice to someone who made their points using a comparable product, market, company and era. But your counter argument relied on the early PC software market and completely misrepresented it. There are indeed some reading comprehension issues here, but not mine.
As someone who's never used VR at all, seeing enthusiasts react like this gets me interested in the future of the Tech. I've been really getting into flight sim
The story I always tell regarding this, is that it took me three years to justify the price of a Vive at $500, and I considered it a difficult purchase decision. Took me less than one year to upgrade to an Index when it released at $1000, and I considered it an easy purchase. Just if you do, be sure to get a "6DoF" headset, not a 3DoF. Totally different things despite both being marketed as "VR". It's kind of like if both cars and helicopters looked identical, were invented only years apart, were sold side by side, and simply marketed as "transports". Also imagine that no one has ever flown before. The majority of people bought "cars", said they couldn't understand the hype, and ended up calling VR a gimmick as a result of this confusion. I figure that a flight sim guy would get this weird metaphor. ^ ^;
Enthusiasm that has been bought for, no way he could afford that, if he could his production would be much better and so would his environment and appearance, he got this for free to spunk all over it to entice fuckers like us to spend way too much to buy them!
@@lraiden7 I think you might be miss informed. This headset was NOT made for consumers. It was meant for corporations, like NASA + Military + Car Companies - that use this high fidelity headset for professional purpose. Varjo created a product that speaks directly to those HIGH END MARKETS (not us) we also benefit. To say they have their head up their rear makes no sense. Steve is merely showing us what this headset is capable of especially for us VR Flight Simmers! We have a dozen companies making screen door loving, fresnel lens headsets at a consumer price. As this company has created quality "next gen" VR headets we all benefit because either the technology will trickle down to use or they HOPEFULLY will listen and create product users can afford. But you can't expect a product that has such HIGH resolution, Active FOV tracking, etc etc etc etc etc to be $600. That market is IMO saturated with the G2 being IMO, the best bang for buck model, but as any tech, us consumers, myself included want MORE clarity, and this looks to be it.
Steve btw you HAVE to try HL alyx with the vr3. Use 140% in VB, 100% in steamvr and high settings. HL Alyx looks absolutely incredible in the vr3, it's just mind blowingly real at times!
If Varjo doesn’t jump on this FS VR new market, many others will and are. For Varjo it’s just a scale down affair. All the others are constantly trying to improve moving up to that level. Should be an interesting year ahead in VR 👍
I have watched your videos and you made me buy a quest 2. I then watched another and you made be buy a reverb g2. I have know hopefully watched the last video and will now have to get the varjo. This game is never ending!!!!
If Pimax, HP, and Oculus (or an enterprising individual) would make some aspheric lenses to replace the standard Fresnel lenses that come with the headsets, I think that 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 would go long way towards substantially increasing the fidelity of those headsets.
If Valve ever come out with a headset with the Varifocal lenses they just patented, this could be something extraordinary, no more god rays, no more glare, wear glasses, no need for prescription inserts, just type in your prescription into the software and bang, varifocal lenses adapt to your eye prescription! They can't release this soon enough for me! :)
@@testales The problem with that mod is it changes the lens housing, so anyone using prescription lens inserts would not be able to use them after the mod. :( I sold my Vive a long time ago, but even if I still had it, I wouldn't be able to do this mod since I do use prescription lense inserts in my VR headsets.
Right, I can absolutely consider spending (not blowing) over 1500 USD on something like this without it feeling like a novelty. Others will spend so much more. That's 2021-2022 however, in time the incentive to purchase this tech will diminish via newer, more optimized, accessible and streamlined headsets of the competition with far more funding and appeal absent VARJO's 'Steve Jobs' subscription approach.
They're utterly shooting themselves in the foot, it's a bit aspy of them to go this route I bet they're a Finnish company, all about the tech with no idea about how to make it a highly saleable consumer product. I swear i just went and checked up on the company and they ARE Finnish 🤣🤣🤣
@@Veldtian1 They're a surprisingly tiny (if highly professional) company who didn't have the production capacity to create a consumer product anywhere near this level. They're not Facebook with endless funding and ability to source huge manufacturing contracts in a short period of time. Even if they could sell a similar headset it for a more consumer friendly price, they wouldn't be able to produce enough to meet demand. They used the key asset which they do have, which was technical expertise. Mass produced consumer tech products always follow behind the more experimental advancements that businesses are willing to pay for. Someone (whether Varjo or another) will match this headset sooner or later. Just gotta be patient.
Ditch all the stuff we don't need, the central display, eye tracking, auto IPD, etc, and the subscription... There's a consumer headset in there waiting to come out!
Eyetracking would probably be a benefit for the consumer marketing, because it allows for foveated rendering, which will help performance when rendering at such high resolutions.
Thank you. Hearing and seeing your reaction to this has made me decide to return my 3 day old HP G2 VR. All of my complaints are resolved with this headset - and although it isn't feasible to own the VR-3 right now it lets me know the tech I need to be in one exists right now. It's only a matter of time before a high-end consumer piece hits the market with it - No sweet spot concerns at all, high res clarity, no god rays, great wide FOV, and an OLED display for perfect blacks and color contrast. I can wait.
It's still missing a fair amount. It has higher resolution than a G2 but less fov than an index. It's not OLED btw, only the middle spot is which doesn't show most of the time in steam. But yeah somebody will probably release a headset that checks all of the right boxes some day, just not today.
Hello Steve, I'm really looking forward to hearing your impressions. I think the Varjo will perform excellently in terms of optics. Especially with the automatic IPD adjustment. If only the price wasn't so high and the annual subscription wasn't. But I think this headset will set the trend for the VR market. Let's face it. The entry into our hobby is more likely to take place via a Quest2 or similar headset. We can be thankful that there is a Quest2 or G2 and the Msfs2020 on the market. This is a chance for the industry to boost sales. Because only when VR becomes more suitable for the masses do we have a chance to get higher-quality VR headsets at a reasonable price. At the current price, the Varjo-3 remains affordable only for a few enthusiasts. But I think it clearly shows what is technically possible today. Future headsets will have to measure up to that.
I only fly MSFS in VR. It beats screens hands down. Looking for the ultimate headset. Sounds like it's so near, yet so far. Going to the public gets my vote!
same here only VR for MSFS, on my 4k 55" or my 4k Projector MSFS looks pretty good, but you dont get the true feeling of sitting in a cockpit and flying like in VR (especially the feeling for height and distance when landing), you still feel sitting in your room watching a TV :D
Me as well. VR flight sim. Even with a low graphics setting. Beats the computer monitor experience hands down. There’s simply NO COMPARISON. I don’t care if it’s a 4K Curved Monitor running extreme graphics. With VR. You’re not outside looking in. You’re inside looking out.
I agree. If it requires a subscription you really don’t own the product you bought. They can brick your headset whenever you won’t pay whatever outrageous sub cost THEY get to arbitrarily decide. Sounds more like a hostage situation to me 😀
Come on Varjo, we need this kind of quality for consumers. Just think of the guys who spent 20000 eur building an home cockpit, the market segment is there.
Varjo, we like to experience like VR Flight Sim Guy this wow factor. we hope we can get a consumer version headset and experience the Varjo wow factor too!
Consumer version, -no eye tracking, no auto-IPD adjust, no bionic display (no small high PPD OLED panel since it isn't being used anyway). That should shave a ton off of the price tag..
Amazing. Did you mention about the wider FOV? Maybe I missed it, or is it not functioning properly yet due to lack of support from SteamVR? C'mon Varjo, please please find a way to make something like this available to consumers. This, coupled with the next gen or 2 of new processors....that's it, we've reached VR nirvana. Amazing the tech is arriving that quickly we can say that!
You looked like you were going to burst into song any minute there Steve. "I'm so excited I just cant hide it I know I know I know I know I want one want one."
Awesome video, Steve! Wow we definitely need a consumer version! Thanks for doing this video! What a fantastic time to be in flight simulation! Your excitement speaks for itself!
I'm absolutely ready to buy a consumer version of this, if that's what Varjo are thinking about. Maybe without the central display part, but I'd like the OLED display. Oh, and I love the hand tracking! Imagine that rendered in the simulator, and able to interact with switches and everything...
OLED is the opposite direction for display tech for something like VR though. Inherent high latency pixel response and refresh is really bad for VR. I'd say wait for a VR HMD with MicroLED.
Stunning. I'd be willing to fork out 1500.00 for a consumer version. It's a dream machine. Well worth it if you could play all your games on it via Steam VR.
If I’m not mistaken this headset has only a 115 degree fov? If that is the case why is this so great? Pimax 8kx has an fov of 200. The result is that I find the Pimax View is similar to the view I get looking through a motor sports racing helmet. The other headsets I’ve used the fov is too narrow. Feels like I’m looking through a shoe box length wise. Even if the clarity is better it’s an immersion killer. The future of VR for flight sims is better fov AND clarity. The varjo isn’t delivering that. I can however see how the varjo is good for industrial applications like virtualizing automobile design. However that is a different use case.
Because the whole lense is crystal clear . That makes your brain think the fov is way way higher than the traditional 115° . And not like with the other hmds where you looking through a lense , the varjo feels like you are looking with your own eyes on a object with human Vision resolution and no eye strain, no fogging , no godrays . The 3D depth is also way way higher !
because clarity is the most important factor for immersion and realism. Even though FOV increases immersion and makes you feel more in that world, if it's a comparatively fuzzy image the realism is way less than ultra clear
More then that it has some distortions(see other reviews) And yes FOV is very small,it is similar to the Quest 2. Steve is very impressionable. I wd not take his first impressions very seriosly.
115° FOV is pretty decent but definitely not the widest. The Pimax headsets have significantly wider FOV. It's my understanding though that Pimax achieves their extra wide FOV by angling the screens for each eye, rather than having them in line. I don't know how or if that affects the view in the Pimax sets when looking dead ahead.
We have lost Steve! Varjo has teleported him to aspherical heaven with their headset! So, Varjo Management, please hear our polite but shouted message. OUR FLIGHT SIMULATOR COMMUNITY WANTS YOUR ASPHERICAL LENS TECHNOLOGY IN S CONSUMMER HEADSET!! We wanted it yesterday! There are sales and profits to make in our niche simulation market! WE NEED YOU! (How else can we get our brother Steve back since you have stolen his heart with your amazing device!). HELP US VARJO!
Even though these headsets seem to be evenly weight distributed it absolutely has an effect and impact on a person neck..that extra weight on the front of your face after time will cause neck problems and bad posture..you need to be conscious of it and maintain a good posture
I'm waiting for Pimax to do 3 major things to their headset. 1. Change their Fresnel lenses to lenses like this type of lens. 2. Improve their software to get rid of the stretching of the picture around the edges, and lastly to substantially lower their price. Until these three things happen I'll just have to be a spectator.
Interested to hear your impressions on the outer edge warping and distortion, and how bad it is. Would be good if you could try and capture it through the lens
Tell us Steve, what res are you actually seeing? As Steam can't send super res to inner panel and normal res to outer panel, what pixels are actually being sent to the headset.
I have an aeroplane and it’s based at Bodmin. I fly out of there a couple of times a month and even I’m thinking I want this! The scenery was very good and all the prominent visual references points were there. Only the trees were a bit too ‘Alpine’ for true realism but other than that… fantastic. Loved the fact there was a corporate bizjet parked on the grass 😆 (which looked in dire need of cutting)
It gives you a glimpse of the future for sure. I would say give it 5 years and we'll have consumer level VR headsets at around the VR-3 level of clarity, and just as importantly PC hardware capable of running them at acceptable frame rates with the sim. It may even be sooner than 5 years. The tech is moving so incredibly fast now.
I didn't realize it had hand tracking and eye tracking built in. Makes significantly more sense why it costs so much. That... honestly could be worth it if it weren't for the asinine subscription fee. I wonder what something like DLSS + interpolation could do. Could upscale to look near the same, run much faster, and probably get a high enough framerate to have solid interpolation. This is likely the best situation where DLSS could significantly help.
Seems the VR space is getting epic but even RTX3090s are unable to be plug and play. I get massive headache if there is any "screen tearing" in VR. Let's hope when and if DX12 comes along we will score some VR performance in FS.
If they work with Valve to get it working with steam and release a consumer version, there will be plenty of buyers, even if they can get a £2000 price tag for all the tech involved, I'd imagine they could make a profit from the numbers that could be sold, VR is growing and people are still looking for the headset that has everything, Valve Index gets a lot right, but also plenty of room for improvement. Eye tracking with foveated rendering could be a game changer if it reduces performance needed to run more intense VR applications at higher settings and people will pay extra for that if it means they can save on buying a better gfx card for example.
Three things to ask you 1- could you possibly do a through the lens video so we could get a better idea of the actual Rez of the headset 2- I assume hand tracking would have to be implemented in the sim to use it… and MSFS can’t even seem to figure our hand controller support yet 3- you mention subscription but their website requires an account log on to even see the costs… you have any idea? If history predicts the future this tech will be under $1000 in a few years….hopefully
The best marketing move in history, launch for business first on subscription. I suspect they are ramping production now, they will make a mint and they know it. They could sell them at a premium and out pace their business only model.
After 30 odd years as a flightsim enthusiast, I am new to the world of VR in Flightsim and I am amazed by the experience (purchased my Reverb G2 last week!) This headset would be the logical upgrade for me providing it was priced to match for the consumer market. Well done on your informative review and thanks for letting the manufacturer know that we need this. #VARJO_PLEASE
Please talk more about the base stations and hand tracking. 1: Are those two ‘break-out’ boxes you mentioned the base stations? 2: Can you accurately flip switches and turn rotary encoders with hand tracking alone? Also, there was quite a bit of shaking in the video recording, is that present in the headset? Thank you for sharing this!
Hi thanks for your comments! You need at least one base stations (the break out boxes are for power), hand tracking while amazing, isn't supported natively in any sim right now. Shaking is just the mirror image. Thanks!
Do you see any of the shimmering/AA issues that were introduced in SU5? My guess is that by throwing more pixels at the issue, you may simply not be affected!
I’d love Varjo to make a consumer headset available to the simulation and gaming market. But rather than pushing crazy resolution just to claim a resolution title, why not concentrate on 4K and high pixel density that could be pushed with the next gen GPU. Those amazing lenses, and hand tracking, not too costly, would really sell well. Steam integration is a must as WMR is a forgotten placeholder.
Can't afford this, but I'll try to get my hands on the upcoming Lynx R-1! It costs $700* (instead of $3200) and has the same style headband. Lynx is a French company and says they'll make as much of the hardware and software open source as possible :) *$499 Kickstarter price, probably $599-$699 post-Kickstarter, and $899 for the professional/commercially-supported version
Awesome! Here in a few years when the technology is less expensive I will def think abt getting something like this. My quest 2 linked to my gaming pc will do for now 🤟🏼
But does it display 2 different angle views to create 3D? Older games were turned into 3D by switching from left to right view on the screen whilst the shutter glasses matched up. I don’t understand why current VR head sets can’t show games this way.
So...assuming this is at the top of the heap for HMDs right now, what would you say is the one right under it? G2? Vive Pro 2? Index? I'm looking to upgrade my OG Vive and I'm having a hard time choosing.
As a quest 2 owner and PC VR player i would have to say that yes this is an amazingly spect headset but thats just it. amazinging spect. you have so much tech inside one device that now its no longer even accesable to 90% of the public. not only having a $3k USD price, but ALSO tack on an extra $800 USD just to be able to keep using it after the first year and every year you would like to continue the use of the amazingly spect out headset? i would love for there to be an option to opt-out on the extra $800 for whatever they are charging you for whatever it may be warrenty,specific network privlages ect. yes this isnt a consumer based headset and cost isnt the point but what is the point of tacking that extra $800 every year but to keep things running or just wanting more money?
You lucky SOB I hope either Vario or another company brings this to flight simmers, it will happen eventually and the company that does it first will make a fortune, we all want this it’s a no brainer, thanks for the preview
You don't want using MSFS via Steam because it natively supports OpenXR which is also supporter by Varjo. SteamVR creates a bottleneck you want to eliminate from the loop and let Varjo talk to MSFS directly. That's where you take full advantage of the Varjo headset.
We don't need Varjo to release a consumer version, we just need to wait two years until those screens are cheap as hell. We're almost at human eye resolution as a standard at this point.
Could this be the best VR headset ever created? Is it REALLY worth that high price tag? Let's find out together...
Can't wait, I wanna know if i should press buy ;)
VARJO - PLEASE, PLEASE make this available to consumers like us in this market w/o a sub.
Very nice headset but it's certainly not without some rather considerable drawbacks here and there - less fov than index, no audio, no reprojection, requires 2 DP ports, prevents use of 2 monitors with your PC, puts out a lot of heat, $3200+$800 annual fee is 8 times the price of an index and the fee ~1.5 index's per year forever.
That price and a subscription. People, grow a brain and give this a pass until the developers price it properly.
Any idea about the IPD range on these puppies?
#VarjoForAll !!!
Really? Does that mean they have a consumer version at 1/2 the price or less??? =D LOL
#VarjoConsumerNeeds
@@stevetb7777 they do now
If they sold it without the 800 a year subscription , I'd consider it.
same here, the price is in the same league of a 4k projector, i would buy it instant, but the subscription...
Yeah that 800 Euro is a killer!
Why is there a subscription, what is it for? I mean, even a Varjo gets older every year.
A subscription isn't that bad either. I mean, you probably already have other subscriptions as well, like cable tv, internet, health insurance, you name it. For example, what if the headset would be 1000 once, plus 200 per year subscription? I would buy it instantly.
But it would be good to know what you get in return for the subscription. Insurance? Warranty? Support?
think i would pay that price. qualety has its price .....but 800 each year.....nope.
The "problem" with this headset is that I now know this is possible. No way will I be buying a new VR headset before it matches this. Would happily pay 2k Euro for this with tracking and a few index controllers! The enthusiast market is thirsting for some proper high end hardware now!
I feel live Valve is gonna be the ones to do exactly what you are asking for
@@KamalaChameleon facts
Good point! My vive pro will do fine until this is consumer available.
@@IamtheWV17 Indeed, and my Quest 2, while not perfect (and sadly a facebook product!) will just have to do until something properly high end comes out!
if you are that really into it, just pay $6000 for the life time license purchase of it
Varjo are you listening? You want to earn some serious money? How many Companies are out there that NEED a VR headset, and how many gamers are out there that WANT a fantastic VR headset? Get rid of the subscription and do the math... We NEED a consumer Version! (All the automated eye adjustments can be done Mechanically by hand for example to save cost on the Varjo VR-3C for the consumer ["C" for consumer]. Keep the current automated one without the subscription for a consumer deluxe version [Varjo VR-3CD, VR-3C+ or VR-3CPRO]...)
As someone who works in a different industry (drone design), but with a similar product and client base (high end drone with subscription model for companies), I can say that you can't downsell a high end product like this at a lower price without subscription to individuals and still make money. Doing so will lower your brand status in the face of businesses, who are your real money bringers, and you'll get less money in sales overall. Additionally, Companies aren't stupid and are just like individual consumers. If they can save money for a few minor features, then they will save that money and they won't buy the subscription model.
On top of it, lowering specs on your product on purpose to sell a washed down version doesn't really save you money, since tech companies like this have most of their costs on R&D for their product, not component costs. You'd be cannibalizing your own business market with a product that doesn't cost you almost anything less in comparison, and has a way lower profit margin.
While what you propose would be great for wealthy individual consumers, that market is simply too small to implement such a business strategy. Most individual consumers will still buy the cheapest VR headset, or even TrackIR or stick to no head tracking at all. The only companies who can do something like this and appeal to both markets at the same time are well established companies with broad recognition and status (Samsung, Microsoft or Apple level) who are big enough to not have to depend on a small line of products to make money on the short term.
@@oneicarus You have points... That said, I recall a time when software companies thought making video games for PCs were a cute little hobby but they'd never make real money. If you'd have told someone they would hold a computer the size of today's smart phones in their hand and it would be more powerful than any computer in existence at that time... you'd be locked up in a nut house. I recommend you inject a little forward thinking into your certainty for what an industry can/can't do or should.
@@machinech183 No you wouldn't have been locked up in a nut house. Moore's Law was observed in 1965, long before PCs, and it was still going strong at that time. Everyone knew the pace of performance increases in computers. Also, it took a company the size of IBM to make the PC a viable platform, not one the size of Varjo. Your example shows nothing relevant.
@@davidste60 You clearly want to argue for the sake of argument. That or you have reading comprehension issues. Either way I wish you well winning the internet. Talk about nothing relevant.
@@machinech183 No there is no argument here. You tried to give advice to someone who made their points using a comparable product, market, company and era. But your counter argument relied on the early PC software market and completely misrepresented it. There are indeed some reading comprehension issues here, but not mine.
As someone who's never used VR at all, seeing enthusiasts react like this gets me interested in the future of the Tech. I've been really getting into flight sim
You need to get into VR, it's the best way to experience content
The story I always tell regarding this, is that it took me three years to justify the price of a Vive at $500, and I considered it a difficult purchase decision. Took me less than one year to upgrade to an Index when it released at $1000, and I considered it an easy purchase.
Just if you do, be sure to get a "6DoF" headset, not a 3DoF. Totally different things despite both being marketed as "VR". It's kind of like if both cars and helicopters looked identical, were invented only years apart, were sold side by side, and simply marketed as "transports". Also imagine that no one has ever flown before. The majority of people bought "cars", said they couldn't understand the hype, and ended up calling VR a gimmick as a result of this confusion. I figure that a flight sim guy would get this weird metaphor. ^ ^;
Your enthusiasm is more infectious than the delta variant!
Well said bro haha
Too soon, man. Too soon.
sounds like a sponsored video or least gets a commission on sales
cringe
Enthusiasm that has been bought for, no way he could afford that, if he could his production would be much better and so would his environment and appearance, he got this for free to spunk all over it to entice fuckers like us to spend way too much to buy them!
Thanks so much for sharing, and your enthusiasm totally shines through! The good thing is, in 5 years (maybe less) all VR headsets will be like this!!
Thankyou I appreciate that!
They need to make a consumer version that hits the $1000 usd price point.
Their not. This company had its head up its ass. Someone else needs to make a VR as good or better at a lower price. VR right not is still not there.
@@lraiden7 just wait, Valve Index 2 will be in the same league.
@@nedo68 That's what I'm hoping for!
@@lraiden7 I think you might be miss informed. This headset was NOT made for consumers. It was meant for corporations, like NASA + Military + Car Companies - that use this high fidelity headset for professional purpose.
Varjo created a product that speaks directly to those HIGH END MARKETS (not us) we also benefit. To say they have their head up their rear makes no sense.
Steve is merely showing us what this headset is capable of especially for us VR Flight Simmers!
We have a dozen companies making screen door loving, fresnel lens headsets at a consumer price.
As this company has created quality "next gen" VR headets we all benefit because either the technology will trickle down to use or they HOPEFULLY will listen and create product users can afford.
But you can't expect a product that has such HIGH resolution, Active FOV tracking, etc etc etc etc etc to be $600.
That market is IMO saturated with the G2 being IMO, the best bang for buck model, but as any tech, us consumers, myself included want MORE clarity, and this looks to be it.
@@lraiden7 I get your point, but I am hopeful still.
I would have never dreamed of having VR with all the amazing sims and our current tech today.
Steve btw you HAVE to try HL alyx with the vr3. Use 140% in VB, 100% in steamvr and high settings.
HL Alyx looks absolutely incredible in the vr3, it's just mind blowingly real at times!
If Varjo doesn’t jump on this FS VR new market, many others will and are. For Varjo it’s just a scale down affair. All the others are constantly trying to improve moving up to that level. Should be an interesting year ahead in VR 👍
I have watched your videos and you made me buy a quest 2. I then watched another and you made be buy a reverb g2. I have know hopefully watched the last video and will now have to get the varjo. This game is never ending!!!!
Jamie, I would apologize, but I just know you'll have the best VR headset on this planet. Congratulations, I'm proper jealous
You missed the 8KX🤣 for me 1. G2 2. Q2 3. 8kX. Thank you Steve🤣
If Pimax, HP, and Oculus (or an enterprising individual) would make some aspheric lenses to replace the standard Fresnel lenses that come with the headsets, I think that 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 would go long way towards substantially increasing the fidelity of those headsets.
You are absolutely right!
Yep. Point👍
If Valve ever come out with a headset with the Varifocal lenses they just patented, this could be something extraordinary, no more god rays, no more glare, wear glasses, no need for prescription inserts, just type in your prescription into the software and bang, varifocal lenses adapt to your eye prescription! They can't release this soon enough for me! :)
You can get a vive and put in GearVR lenses to get rid of these awful fresnel shit.
@@testales The problem with that mod is it changes the lens housing, so anyone using prescription lens inserts would not be able to use them after the mod. :(
I sold my Vive a long time ago, but even if I still had it, I wouldn't be able to do this mod since I do use prescription lense inserts in my VR headsets.
Varjo - consumer version 2022. We're ready with $$$
Right, I can absolutely consider spending (not blowing) over 1500 USD on something like this without it feeling like a novelty. Others will spend so much more.
That's 2021-2022 however, in time the incentive to purchase this tech will diminish via newer, more optimized, accessible and streamlined headsets of the competition with far more funding and appeal absent VARJO's 'Steve Jobs' subscription approach.
They're utterly shooting themselves in the foot, it's a bit aspy of them to go this route I bet they're a Finnish company, all about the tech with no idea about how to make it a highly saleable consumer product. I swear i just went and checked up on the company and they ARE Finnish 🤣🤣🤣
@@Veldtian1 They're a surprisingly tiny (if highly professional) company who didn't have the production capacity to create a consumer product anywhere near this level. They're not Facebook with endless funding and ability to source huge manufacturing contracts in a short period of time. Even if they could sell a similar headset it for a more consumer friendly price, they wouldn't be able to produce enough to meet demand. They used the key asset which they do have, which was technical expertise. Mass produced consumer tech products always follow behind the more experimental advancements that businesses are willing to pay for. Someone (whether Varjo or another) will match this headset sooner or later. Just gotta be patient.
Ditch all the stuff we don't need, the central display, eye tracking, auto IPD, etc, and the subscription... There's a consumer headset in there waiting to come out!
Eyetracking would probably be a benefit for the consumer marketing, because it allows for foveated rendering, which will help performance when rendering at such high resolutions.
Pretty sure the central display is what makes this apparantly amazing, getting rid of that would defeat the point wouldn't it?
@@lowtus7 some youtubers with it didn't have the central display on and still said it was the best headset visuals they had seen
Thank you. Hearing and seeing your reaction to this has made me decide to return my 3 day old HP G2 VR. All of my complaints are resolved with this headset - and although it isn't feasible to own the VR-3 right now it lets me know the tech I need to be in one exists right now. It's only a matter of time before a high-end consumer piece hits the market with it - No sweet spot concerns at all, high res clarity, no god rays, great wide FOV, and an OLED display for perfect blacks and color contrast. I can wait.
It's still missing a fair amount. It has higher resolution than a G2 but less fov than an index. It's not OLED btw, only the middle spot is which doesn't show most of the time in steam. But yeah somebody will probably release a headset that checks all of the right boxes some day, just not today.
Hello Steve,
I'm really looking forward to hearing your impressions. I think the Varjo will perform excellently in terms of optics. Especially with the automatic IPD adjustment.
If only the price wasn't so high and the annual subscription wasn't.
But I think this headset will set the trend for the VR market.
Let's face it. The entry into our hobby is more likely to take place via a Quest2 or similar headset.
We can be thankful that there is a Quest2 or G2 and the Msfs2020 on the market. This is a chance for the industry to boost sales. Because only when VR becomes more suitable for the masses do we have a chance to get higher-quality VR headsets at a reasonable price.
At the current price, the Varjo-3 remains affordable only for a few enthusiasts. But I think it clearly shows what is technically possible today. Future headsets will have to measure up to that.
You've made some excellent points there Uwe which I do address in this video. Looking forward to sharing it :)
I only fly MSFS in VR. It beats screens hands down. Looking for the ultimate headset. Sounds like it's so near, yet so far. Going to the public gets my vote!
same here only VR for MSFS, on my 4k 55" or my 4k Projector MSFS looks pretty good, but you dont get the true feeling of sitting in a cockpit and flying like in VR (especially the feeling for height and distance when landing), you still feel sitting in your room watching a TV :D
Me as well. VR flight sim. Even with a low graphics setting. Beats the computer monitor experience hands down. There’s simply NO COMPARISON. I don’t care if it’s a 4K Curved Monitor running extreme graphics. With VR. You’re not outside looking in. You’re inside looking out.
The key problem is that affordable home PC upgrades can't keep up with the advances in VR tech.
wait until the official announcement at the end of october, in december a prosumer variant will be available for purchase
I’d happily pay for this without the subscription. It’s worth it.
Would be ALL over a consumer version. I don't mind if it's expensive to buy, but a subscription is a dealbreaker.
I agree. If it requires a subscription you really don’t own the product you bought. They can brick your headset whenever you won’t pay whatever outrageous sub cost THEY get to arbitrarily decide. Sounds more like a hostage situation to me 😀
Come on Varjo, we need this kind of quality for consumers. Just think of the guys who spent 20000 eur building an home cockpit, the market segment is there.
Of course, a consumer version would have worse specs.
What's 3500 + 800/year for someone who has a 20000 euro setup already?
Varjo, we like to experience like VR Flight Sim Guy this wow factor. we hope we can get a consumer version headset and experience the Varjo wow factor too!
Big shout from another self claimed VR veteran. We need this level experience for consumers/ enthusiasts
Consumer version, -no eye tracking, no auto-IPD adjust, no bionic display (no small high PPD OLED panel since it isn't being used anyway). That should shave a ton off of the price tag..
I WANT IT. Please Varjo make a consumer version. Pretty please with cherries on top
I would absolutely buy this without a subscription! I would think $1500 to $2000 USD is reasonable for the tech
Totally agree. Even 2K would be reasonable.
Amazing. Did you mention about the wider FOV? Maybe I missed it, or is it not functioning properly yet due to lack of support from SteamVR?
C'mon Varjo, please please find a way to make something like this available to consumers.
This, coupled with the next gen or 2 of new processors....that's it, we've reached VR nirvana. Amazing the tech is arriving that quickly we can say that!
You looked like you were going to burst into song any minute there Steve. "I'm so excited I just cant hide it I know I know I know I know I want one want one."
How is the FOV compared to the G2?
Wayy better
Awesome video, Steve! Wow we definitely need a consumer version! Thanks for doing this video! What a fantastic time to be in flight simulation! Your excitement speaks for itself!
Hey Wayne thanks for watching, I never realised how many times I said "omg" until I watched it back oops haha. Pretty amazing tech inside that thing.
I'm absolutely ready to buy a consumer version of this, if that's what Varjo are thinking about. Maybe without the central display part, but I'd like the OLED display. Oh, and I love the hand tracking! Imagine that rendered in the simulator, and able to interact with switches and everything...
OLED is the opposite direction for display tech for something like VR though. Inherent high latency pixel response and refresh is really bad for VR. I'd say wait for a VR HMD with MicroLED.
@@evolicious My miserable here again
If at some point they add the ability to use the controls in the VR cockpit with the hand tracking, then at that point I might actually soil myself 😁
Stunning. I'd be willing to fork out 1500.00 for a consumer version. It's a dream machine. Well worth it if you could play all your games on it via Steam VR.
If I’m not mistaken this headset has only a 115 degree fov? If that is the case why is this so great? Pimax 8kx has an fov of 200. The result is that I find the Pimax View is similar to the view I get looking through a motor sports racing helmet. The other headsets I’ve used the fov is too narrow. Feels like I’m looking through a shoe box length wise. Even if the clarity is better it’s an immersion killer. The future of VR for flight sims is better fov AND clarity. The varjo isn’t delivering that. I can however see how the varjo is good for industrial applications like virtualizing automobile design. However that is a different use case.
Because the whole lense is crystal clear . That makes your brain think the fov is way way higher than the traditional 115° . And not like with the other hmds where you looking through a lense , the varjo feels like you are looking with your own eyes on a object with human Vision resolution and no eye strain, no fogging , no godrays . The 3D depth is also way way higher !
@@x32i77 absolutely totally agree with you.
@ziher123 I thought the same until I tried the Varjo v3^^
because clarity is the most important factor for immersion and realism. Even though FOV increases immersion and makes you feel more in that world, if it's a comparatively fuzzy image the realism is way less than ultra clear
More then that it has some distortions(see other reviews) And yes FOV is very small,it is similar to the Quest 2. Steve is very impressionable. I wd not take his first impressions very seriosly.
I would be interested to see how these work with video recorded on a 360 camera.
Please Varjo, we need the consumer version!!
I can imagine its like the trompe l'oeil in that you put the headset on and it looks like you haven't got a headset on, you're just in another world
115° FOV is pretty decent but definitely not the widest. The Pimax headsets have significantly wider FOV. It's my understanding though that Pimax achieves their extra wide FOV by angling the screens for each eye, rather than having them in line. I don't know how or if that affects the view in the Pimax sets when looking dead ahead.
Please Varjo, make a consumer version!
We have lost Steve! Varjo has teleported him to aspherical heaven with their headset!
So, Varjo Management, please hear our polite but shouted message. OUR FLIGHT SIMULATOR COMMUNITY WANTS YOUR ASPHERICAL LENS TECHNOLOGY IN S CONSUMMER HEADSET!! We wanted it yesterday! There are sales and profits to make in our niche simulation market! WE NEED YOU! (How else can we get our brother Steve back since you have stolen his heart with your amazing device!). HELP US VARJO!
This made me chuckle 🤣 Very well said John! 👌
Would love to see what is like in DCS also Varjo please make a consumer version. I would purchase this.
Wow man. I can see the future. Thanks so much.
Vario please don't be cruel and release a headset for us enthousiast!
varJo
We really need this, come on Varjo do the right thing
We’re probably five years until this will be the standard for a quest
Even though these headsets seem to be evenly weight distributed it absolutely has an effect and impact on a person neck..that extra weight on the front of your face after time will cause neck problems and bad posture..you need to be conscious of it and maintain a good posture
Seriously Varjo, I am dreaming of having a chance to see the VR-3 and owning one but please drop and have a consumer version.
I’d be interested in a headset this good if it was available to the general community.
can you review Varjo-3 with DCS digital combat simulator?
Is there any way around the subscription?
Please Varjo, you know what to do, we need you !
Fantastic video Steve. I’m drooling again! Gotta get one, somehow. 😃🤞😃👍
Literally waiting for this headset without the subscription to get into VR. This is literally the quality I was waiting on.
There announcing something new on the 21st and it’s hardware. Got to there web site.
Their *
@@douglasingram8881 Oh thanks for the heads up, might actually try to learn how to develop in vr then
Great vid! Your enthusiasm MAKES me want to try this headset!
Thanks buddy! :)
Yes.... Yes...@3:17 A "Conshumer" version is well needed!!
I'm waiting for Pimax to do 3 major things to their headset. 1. Change their Fresnel lenses to lenses like this type of lens. 2. Improve their software to get rid of the stretching of the picture around the edges, and lastly to substantially lower their price. Until these three things happen I'll just have to be a spectator.
All in for a consumer version of that, the hand tracking alone is game changing !!
We want the consumer version and we want it NOW!
What is the difference between the Varjo VR-3 and the XR-3 besides the price?
Can you interact with the dials in VR, with hand movements?
Interested to hear your impressions on the outer edge warping and distortion, and how bad it is. Would be good if you could try and capture it through the lens
Yes I'll absolutely mention this in my next video, since I didn't notice this until today.
Tell us Steve, what res are you actually seeing? As Steam can't send super res to inner panel and normal res to outer panel, what pixels are actually being sent to the headset.
I'll be doing a more in depth video next time with settings 👍
I have an aeroplane and it’s based at Bodmin. I fly out of there a couple of times a month and even I’m thinking I want this! The scenery was very good and all the prominent visual references points were there. Only the trees were a bit too ‘Alpine’ for true realism but other than that… fantastic. Loved the fact there was a corporate bizjet parked on the grass 😆 (which looked in dire need of cutting)
I have the same bbking poster but from San Antonio TX, last tour before he passed.
It gives you a glimpse of the future for sure. I would say give it 5 years and we'll have consumer level VR headsets at around the VR-3 level of clarity, and just as importantly PC hardware capable of running them at acceptable frame rates with the sim. It may even be sooner than 5 years. The tech is moving so incredibly fast now.
It’s today! They’ve just released a consumer version
I didn't realize it had hand tracking and eye tracking built in. Makes significantly more sense why it costs so much. That... honestly could be worth it if it weren't for the asinine subscription fee.
I wonder what something like DLSS + interpolation could do. Could upscale to look near the same, run much faster, and probably get a high enough framerate to have solid interpolation. This is likely the best situation where DLSS could significantly help.
We NEED this for the consumer market ! but without the subscription !
Seems the VR space is getting epic but even RTX3090s are unable to be plug and play. I get massive headache if there is any "screen tearing" in VR. Let's hope when and if DX12 comes along we will score some VR performance in FS.
If they work with Valve to get it working with steam and release a consumer version, there will be plenty of buyers, even if they can get a £2000 price tag for all the tech involved, I'd imagine they could make a profit from the numbers that could be sold, VR is growing and people are still looking for the headset that has everything, Valve Index gets a lot right, but also plenty of room for improvement. Eye tracking with foveated rendering could be a game changer if it reduces performance needed to run more intense VR applications at higher settings and people will pay extra for that if it means they can save on buying a better gfx card for example.
Three things to ask you
1- could you possibly do a through the lens video so we could get a better idea of the actual Rez of the headset
2- I assume hand tracking would have to be implemented in the sim to use it… and MSFS can’t even seem to figure our hand controller support yet
3- you mention subscription but their website requires an account log on to even see the costs… you have any idea?
If history predicts the future this tech will be under $1000 in a few years….hopefully
The best marketing move in history, launch for business first on subscription. I suspect they are ramping production now, they will make a mint and they know it. They could sell them at a premium and out pace their business only model.
Dear Varjo, there is no doubt I need this for my games !
After 30 odd years as a flightsim enthusiast, I am new to the world of VR in Flightsim and I am amazed by the experience (purchased my Reverb G2 last week!)
This headset would be the logical upgrade for me providing it was priced to match for the consumer market.
Well done on your informative review and thanks for letting the manufacturer know that we need this.
#VARJO_PLEASE
Welcome to the wonderful new world of VR, glad to have you here :)
Please Varjo make a consumer unit 👍
I'm glad I have VR and I'm happy with what I got for right now... I can wait a few years, and boy will it be worth it! 👍
Varjo. Drop the eye tracking and the center mini OLED and make it a consumer version! Pretty please.
@Varjo.....if we get a Consumer Market Headset and the Performance is good ( I need a serious PC upgrade ), I will buy one.
Please talk more about the base stations and hand tracking.
1: Are those two ‘break-out’ boxes you mentioned the base stations?
2: Can you accurately flip switches and turn rotary encoders with hand tracking alone?
Also, there was quite a bit of shaking in the video recording, is that present in the headset? Thank you for sharing this!
Hi thanks for your comments! You need at least one base stations (the break out boxes are for power), hand tracking while amazing, isn't supported natively in any sim right now. Shaking is just the mirror image. Thanks!
Alright Russell Crowe thanks for showing me this, this was awesome.
Do you see any of the shimmering/AA issues that were introduced in SU5? My guess is that by throwing more pixels at the issue, you may simply not be affected!
It's less obvious, but I can see it
@@VRFlightSimGuy Interesting - thank you!
I would absolutely purchase a consumer version of this headset, even at 1.5x or 2x the price of the Index.
I’d love Varjo to make a consumer headset available to the simulation and gaming market.
But rather than pushing crazy resolution just to claim a resolution title, why not concentrate on 4K and high pixel density that could be pushed with the next gen GPU. Those amazing lenses, and hand tracking, not too costly, would really sell well. Steam integration is a must as WMR is a forgotten placeholder.
Can't afford this, but I'll try to get my hands on the upcoming Lynx R-1! It costs $700* (instead of $3200) and has the same style headband.
Lynx is a French company and says they'll make as much of the hardware and software open source as possible :)
*$499 Kickstarter price, probably $599-$699 post-Kickstarter, and $899 for the professional/commercially-supported version
Awesome! Here in a few years when the technology is less expensive I will def think abt getting something like this. My quest 2 linked to my gaming pc will do for now 🤟🏼
But does it display 2 different angle views to create 3D? Older games were turned into 3D by switching from left to right view on the screen whilst the shutter glasses matched up. I don’t understand why current VR head sets can’t show games this way.
Yes of course, even the Oculus DK1 used 2 different angles.
This is fascinating if we are as humans living in a virtual reality anyway and then go on to create yet another virtual reality existence.
So...assuming this is at the top of the heap for HMDs right now, what would you say is the one right under it? G2? Vive Pro 2? Index? I'm looking to upgrade my OG Vive and I'm having a hard time choosing.
As a quest 2 owner and PC VR player i would have to say that yes this is an amazingly spect headset but thats just it. amazinging spect. you have so much tech inside one device that now its no longer even accesable to 90% of the public. not only having a $3k USD price, but ALSO tack on an extra $800 USD just to be able to keep using it after the first year and every year you would like to continue the use of the amazingly spect out headset? i would love for there to be an option to opt-out on the extra $800 for whatever they are charging you for whatever it may be warrenty,specific network privlages ect. yes this isnt a consumer based headset and cost isnt the point but what is the point of tacking that extra $800 every year but to keep things running or just wanting more money?
You lucky SOB I hope either Vario or another company brings this to flight simmers, it will happen eventually and the company that does it first will make a fortune, we all want this it’s a no brainer, thanks for the preview
You don't want using MSFS via Steam because it natively supports OpenXR which is also supporter by Varjo. SteamVR creates a bottleneck you want to eliminate from the loop and let Varjo talk to MSFS directly. That's where you take full advantage of the Varjo headset.
Looks clear. I wonder if there will be any storm surveys. I knew a pilot that used to fly into storms to report ahead of fleets.
How would full body tracking work? Like would you still need to buy the stuff for that or something else?
We don't need Varjo to release a consumer version, we just need to wait two years until those screens are cheap as hell. We're almost at human eye resolution as a standard at this point.
so u still can't use the 70ppd screen with steamvr right ......that's the real magic sauce ...that's literally real life clarity and no sde
Mini OLED screens with a 210 degree FOV (Like with the StarVR headset) and this would be perfect.
Dear Varjo, you made a very, very impressive headset! A more affordable consumer version with audio (Index style) would be highly wished!
Now all we need is depth of field cued by the eye tracking.
And hand tracking that really toggles switches