CES 2023 summary: The VR/AR headsets worth looking forward to are all here

In passionate Las Vegas, the world’s technologies are trying their best to show their “sexiness”. Sexiness is an emotional compliment to science and technology, and the grand event that can symbolize science and technology in the world is CES. Today, the annual CES finally came to an end. For the technology industry, CES is both a “year-opening show” and a “year-end summary”.

The 2022 answer sheet is full of VR/AR names. Sharp, NOLO, Xiaopai Technology, Panasonic, and TCL rushed to CES with their own VR/AR products, eager to show their achievements to the world. , like dew after a long drought; in the chapter of 2023, familiar names such as VIVE and Thunderbird were drawn for the first time, and they proudly told the world: This is our new product, representing the future VR/AR technology, Encountering a friendly LOGO on the land of North America, this feeling is like meeting an old friend in a foreign land.

New consoles and new products are indeed exciting. And those gadgets that have never floated in your mind, but appear in front of your eyes, hook the “soul” of every guest everywhere. VR/AR people never stop on the road of exploring “restoring the five senses”. They are still unremittingly launching a variety of odor simulators, tactile gloves, full-body motion capture, and other technologies to arouse your confidence and interest in technology.

CES is only seen once a year, but just like Heilan House, there is a new feeling every time. This time, what new feelings do you have?

VR headsetPART 0 1

· VIVE XR Elite Package

Developer: HTC VIVE

Price: 9888 yuan

Pre-sale period: January 6th to February 18th

Delivery time: in late February

In the early hours of January 6, Beijing time, HTC VIVE launched the first XR all-in-one VIVE XR Elite Kit. With its light and compact body, rich and powerful functions, and flexible and changeable form, the VIVE XR Elite Kit integrates VR and MR functions into one, breaking the innovation boundary of the Metaverse once again, and bringing users a sense of futuristic immersion A meta-universe experience. The VIVE XR Elite package includes 1 headset, 2 controllers, and 1 rear battery.

The VIVE XR Elite Kit is equipped with an RGB color see-through camera, allowing users to see the real world without taking off the headset. At the same time, it supports the hand tracking function, so that the actions in the real environment can be fed back to the MR experience more accurately, realizing the true integration of virtual and reality, and also allowing the MR function to be widely used in multiple scenarios, and different user groups will also benefit from it. Each brand-new experience and value.

· PSVR 2

Developer: Sony

Price: $549.99

Shipping time: February 22

PSVR 2 should be a product that many host players are looking forward to. At CES 2023, Sony officially demonstrated this VR headset.

According to reports, PSVR 2 has a resolution of 2K per eye and 4K per eye, a 120Hz refresh rate, a 110-degree field of view, a Fresnel lens, and supports eye-tracking and foveated rendering technologies. PSVR 2 is equipped with four cameras that can track controllers and players, and the headset is also equipped with motors that are important to the gaming experience to provide vibration feedback.

In terms of content, PSVR 2 has more than 30 first-time games, including masterpieces such as “Horizon: Call of the Mountain”, “Resident Evil 8”, and “No Man’s Sky”.

· NOLO VR GLASS and NOLO SONIC 2

Developer: NOLO

Price: Undisclosed

Delivery time: February this year

At CES 2023, NOLO, a well-known domestic VR company, unveiled its two flagship new products, one of which is the extremely thin and light split machine NOLO VR GLASS, and the other is NOLO SONIC 2 with gesture recognition and five-finger tracking. This is also the fourth time NOLO has attended CES since its establishment 7 years ago.

According to the pictures at the exhibition site, it can be seen that the head-mounted display part of NOLO VR GLASS has a thin body and smooth lines. It is speculated that the Pancake ultra-short-focus optical solution that has been popular this year has been used. The ring-shaped handle displayed together with it has attracted the attention of many people in the industry. The interactive ring got rid of the shape of the traditional VR large handle and is simplified to the size of a ring. You can click, confirm, open/close pages, and other operations when you wear it. Not only free hands but also realize wearable VR.

The NOLO SONIC 2 VR all-in-one machine exhibited at the same exhibition was also eye-catching. From the appearance, the volume of the NOLO SONIC 2 VR all-in-one machine has been greatly optimized. Compared with the original product, it is much thinner and lighter. What’s even more surprising is the small color secondary screen at the back of the headset, which is known to be capable of displaying battery power, querying game status, and displaying sports data, and it is worth looking forward to unlocking more functions.

In addition, NOLO also demonstrated the gesture recognition and five-finger tracking functions of NOLO SONIC 2. Judging from the feedback from on-site experiencers, NOLO SONIC 2 can accurately recognize actions such as dragging, pulling, dragging, zooming in and out, clicking, pinching, throwing and grasping. Five-finger tracking provides higher precision and tactile feedback for on-site experiences.

· Pimax Crystal and Pimax Portal

Developer: Xiaopai Technology

Price: Pimax Crystal (package 11,999 yuan), Pimax Portal (starting at 2,799 yuan)

Shipping time: January 31 (Pimax Portal)

As an innovative symbol in the VR field, Pimax Crystal is Xiaopai’s first PC VR and all-in-one dual-mode headset, bringing users nature (visual immersion), freedom (physical immersion), and self (cognitive immersion) The ultimate immersive experience in line with VR3.0 technical standards. It offers a combined resolution of 5760 x 2880 pixels (2880 x 2880 pixels per eye) and a refresh rate of up to 160Hz and has both QLED and mini-LED screens. More importantly, Crystal is the first product in the history of VR to support interchangeable lenses. Users can adjust the definition and field of view by changing the lens, to meet the differentiated requirements for PPD and FOV in different scenarios. Under the condition of maintaining no image distortion from edge to edge, the highest pixel resolution can be as high as 42PPD Density, this parameter is also the highest angular resolution that has been achieved in consumer-grade VR headsets known so far. Just like its name “Crystal”, the amazing visual performance is called “the king of clarity” by the industry.

Pimax Portal is a VR device that integrates the four functions of handheld, VR, portable PC, and living room entertainment center, allowing technology to give humans new entertainment freedom. Users can simultaneously experience Android games, VR games, fitness games, large-screen mobile games, etc. through one device. From the data of users who participated in the Kickstarter crowdfunding of Xiaopai Technology, it is found that American users have a great preference for the Portal product. From online crowdfunding to offline showrooms, the bold and innovative spirit of Pimax Portal has attracted countless fans at CES. As a window for the public to re-understand Xiaopi, Portal invites people to imagine more possibilities of Xiaopi. It can be seen that Portal’s future influence in the global VR circle will be immeasurable.

· PANCAKE 1C

Developer: Skyworth

Price: from 2999 yuan

Shipping time: September 28, 2022

Skyworth unveiled its new Skyworth PANCAKE 1C VR all-in-one machine at CES 2023, which was launched last year. According to reports, PANCAKE 1 C is equipped with Pancake folding optical solution, and the weight of the host is only 189g.

The product adopts VR customized fast Fast-LCD screen, the screen size is double 2.1 inches, the binocular resolution of PANCAKE 1C is 4560x22801512PPI, and the PPI has reached the highest level of Fast-LCD display technology. 90Hz refresh rate, 95°-105° field of view, support for infinite interpupillary distance adjustment and myopia diopter adjustment, bringing a more comfortable and clear visual experience.

· MeganeX

Developer: Shiftall, a brand of Panasonic

Price: From $1699

Delivery time: Between March and April this year

MeganeX is a VR headset developed by Panasonic’s brand Shiftall, which was first unveiled at CES 2020. After many iterations and delays, the ultra-thin PC VR headset is finally going on sale.

There are two versions of MeganeX — consumer and commercial, Shiftall said. Among them, the consumer version is priced at $1,699, excluding the base station and Index controller, but can be purchased separately. The commercial version adds built-in diopter adjustment, and the price is to be determined. Both versions will be available between March and April of this year.

According to reports, MeganeX provides two options of inside-out tracking and SteamVR base station (1.0 and 2.0) and provides 2560×2560 resolution for each eye through two independent 1.3-inch MicroOLED displays manufactured by Kopin. The headset boasts a slim profile thanks to Pancake modules made by its parent company, Panasonic.

· TCL Nxtwear V

Developer: TCL

Price: Undisclosed

Shipping time: not announced

This is the VR all-in-one machine TCL V1 that TCL displayed at the 2022 World VR Industry Conference. It is designed for comfortable wearing and weighs only 236 grams. According to reports, TCL V1 adopts the Pancake optical solution. Compared with the traditional Fresnel optical solution, the Pancake folded optical path design can reduce the thickness of the optical machine by more than 50%.

In terms of visual experience, TCL V1 is equipped with a Fast LCD screen independently developed and produced by the group’s subsidiary TCL China Star Optoelectronics (CSOT). It is 1512, which is the LCD screen with the highest PPI at this stage. In terms of other display indicators, the refresh rate of TCL V1 is 90Hz, the NTSC color gamut has reached 70%, and the Fast LCD technology is adopted, with a response time as low as 4.5ms.

· AjnaXR

Developer: AjnaLens

Price: $800-1000

Shipping time: February 1st

At CES 2023, Indian XR company AjnaLens brought its latest MR headset, AjnaXR, and claimed that it “will change the world.” AjnaLens says the breakthrough device aims to empower people with real-world skills, educate them, create jobs, and lift the human spirit.

The AjnaXR has a stunning 5K resolution display (2280 x 2280 per eye) with 24PPD and 1512 PPI. With the powerful Qualcomm XR2 chip and ultra-low latency, it ensures an uninterrupted, realistic experience. In addition, its real-time hand-tracking, object-tracking and eye-tracking features provide a seamless and intuitive user experience. For those who wear glasses, AjnaXR offers a world-first diopter lens that allows you to adjust the power without adding any additional lenses.

Despite all these impressive features, the AjnaXR weighs just 390 grams, making it the lightest headset in its class, making it easy to wear for extended periods.

· XTAL 3 (wireless version)

Developer: VRgineers

Price: Undisclosed

Shipping time: Q3 2023

XTAL 3 is a high-end VR headset with a large field of view released by VRgineers at CES 2022. The headset has received some updates this year, including a wireless version jointly developed with partner IMRNext.

In traditional wired mode, the headset has a per-eye resolution of 3840×2160 and a refresh rate of 75Hz. And Vrgineers has developed a wireless mode that allows the headset to run at a compressed resolution of 2560×1440 per eye and reduce the frame rate to 70Hz, which is then wirelessly transmitted to IMRNext’s Wi-Fi 6E access point via a belt-mounted module, the access point will be connected to a powerful PC.

Vrgineers says its latest XTAL headset weighs 920 grams, and the wireless components worn on the belt don’t add weight to the head, and reps claim they can shave hundreds of grams off the headset’s weight in future versions.

Somnium VR1

Developer: Somnium Space

Price: Undisclosed

Shipping time: not announced

Somnium VR1 is an open-source high-end PCVR headset with a high-resolution display, special custom pancake lenses, crystal-clear lenses, eye-tracking, hand-tracking, high-resolution see-through cameras, and a modular design that allows users to change, add or modify parts of the headset. Additionally, Somnium Space will be compatible with most sensors, allowing advanced users to create custom VR and MR applications.

The company says the Somnium VR1 is “targeted at enthusiasts who want to fully own their own dedicated VR hardware, as well as enthusiasts who like to DIY hardware and software.” Somnium Space promises that the new VR headset aims to empower enthusiasts and the entire user community to customize the Possibility of HMDs. Therefore, the device is being built on a platform that is as open and modular as possible.

· Sol Reader

Developer: SOL

Price: $350 planned

Shipping time: 2023

At CES 2023, a start-up company showed off the first “VR glasses” equipped with an electronic ink screen, just like the Amazon Kindle we are familiar with.

According to reports, the weight of the headset is less than 100g, and the temples can be folded and can be easily stored in the glasses case. More importantly, it is designed for reading, just like a “Kindle” worn on the head. The Sol Reader charges via USB-C and has about 30 hours of battery life.

Hardware analyst Brad Lynch tried Sol Reader on the spot. He described the scene through the lens as follows: “It’s like a book floating above me in a dark room.”

It’s worth noting that the startup is partially funded by Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, who left Oculus to found defense company Anduril.

· Sharp VR headset prototype

Developer: Sharp

Selling price: technology only

Sharp showed off a prototype of a lightweight VR headset that connects to a phone at CES. Sharp said its VR headset prototype was designed to demonstrate the company’s VR technology in one device. The prototype, which is said to weigh just 175 grams, is the result of Sharp’s “compact miniaturization expertise accumulated over the years during smartphone development.”

It’s important to note that it’s unlikely that Sharp will launch this or any other VR headset itself. Instead, the company may showcase built-in technology, namely RGB polymer lens cameras, thin LC displays, and its pancake lenses, positioning itself as a supplier to hardware players such as Meta, HTC, or PICO.

AR glasses Part 02

· Thunderbird X2

Developer: Thunderbird Innovations

Price: Undisclosed

Delivery time: the first half of 2023

Thunderbird X2 adopts MicroLED+ diffractive optical waveguide full-color binocular display solution, is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 professional computing chip platform, and equipped with a 16-megapixel high-definition camera. Based on powerful terminal computing power, Thunderbird X2 has significantly improved functions of perception, interaction, and virtual-reality fusion. It can provide users with scene services such as immersive English learning, intelligent translation, real-time navigation, information reminder, and quick photo taking, creating a convenient and efficient experience. AR experience.

In terms of application scenarios, the fully upgraded Thunderbird X2 can combine information with real scenes in daily life, entertainment, office, and other scenarios, turning into a smart assistant, and creating a new perspective and lifestyle for users.

· Arges

Developer: Cellico

Price: Undisclosed

Delivery time: Q1 mass production this year

These is vision-correcting AR glasses that improve the vision of people with macular degeneration (AMD). The principle is to use the camera to capture the surrounding physical environment and then transmit the image to the mobile phone for real-time processing. The processed image will enter the reflective optical waveguide of Arges and enter the human eye.

· MAXST AR

developer: MAXST

Price: Undisclosed

Shipping time: not announced

MAXST AR glasses are a tethered product with the industry’s smallest lens thickness, 40° field of view (FOV), and a weight of less than 100g. Users can enjoy a reality-related AR experience through onboard MAXST’s sensor fusion SLAM.

Peripherals PART 0 3

· Razer adjustable headband and face cushion

Developer: Razer

Price: Undisclosed

Shipping time: Q1 2023 (US)

The two Quest 2-specific accessories were developed in partnership with ResMed, a San Diego, California-based medical device company.

Among them, the adjustable headband system is designed for long-lasting comfort and weight-balanced support and is designed with all head shapes in mind. High-performance nylon material provides reliability, comfort, and durability, while optimized weight distribution allows for more balance during play. Soft, adjustable straps will help players find the perfect fit, and the snap-on design ensures there’s no distraction when getting back into play.

Then there’s the face cushion, which Razer claims will take pressure off the face and reduce skin irritation. “Razer face cushions are made with ultra-thin textured and contoured membranes to relieve facial pressure and use medical-grade hypoallergenic materials to help reduce skin irritation. The face cushions also block light while maintaining ventilation, so gamers Experience unparalleled immersion. The seamless surface allows for better hygiene and easier cleaning and maintenance, while the contoured 3D contour provides the perfect balance of comfort and support.”

· FlipVR

Developer: Shiftall, a brand of Panasonic

Price: Undisclosed

Shipping time: Later this year

FlipVR comes with a control panel (control buttons, joystick, grip, and trigger) that is usually located on the palm side and can be flipped (up) to the back of the hand with a simple twist of the wrist. When flipped over, you can pick up a drink, control your keyboard or mouse, or play music in the real world without losing track of your hand position. The control panel can be easily flipped back into its original position.

Shiftall says the triggers, AB/XY buttons, and joystick are touch-sensitive, allowing gestures to change based on finger position. It works with a variety of Lighthouse-compatible VR headsets, as well as the Megane.

· Holoride Retrofit

Developer: Holoride

Price: $199

Shipping time: not announced

In November last year, Holoride, a German start-up company, brought an in-vehicle VR entertainment system to some Audi models. Wait. Now, an improved solution is compatible with other car models.

At CES 2023, Holoride announced the Holoride Retrofit, a new $199 device that brings VR entertainment experiences to “any vehicle.” Alternatively, the company is offering a bundle for $799 that includes the HTC VIVE Flow glasses, a game controller, a one-year subscription to the Holoride platform, and a seat belt that attaches to the vehicle’s seat belt.

To celebrate the launch, Holoride is giving subscribers a new game from Emmy Award-winning studio ARVORE. In Pixel Ripped 1995: On the Road, you play as a 9-year-old gamer on a family road trip to rescue your virtual friend and retrieve the lost Pixel Stone. Other Holoride games and apps include Cloudbreakers: Leaving Haven, Einstein Brain Trainer, and more.

· ContactGlove

developer: Diver-X

Price: From $494

Delivery time: Expected July 2023

After the cancellation of the HalfDive project, a VR headset that can only be used lying flat, the Japanese start-up company Diver-X has developed a tactile feedback glove, the ContactGlove. ContactGlove has a built-in flexible film sensor and IMU, and the film can capture gestures by shrinking and expanding. Ideally, this creates a pressure sensation on the finger, similar to the touch of a real object. It can even emulate the fire button, trigger, and telemetry inputs of classic controllers.

According to Diver-X, the ContactGlove is a revolutionary VR controller in the form of a glove, which is equipped with haptic feedback, high-precision hand tracking, and button input, just like traditional VR controllers.

· ION 3

Developer: OVR Technology

Price: Undisclosed

Shipping time: not announced

ION 3 is the first personal wearable scent technology optimized for virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), mobile, and desktop to enhance immersion and create a more emotionally engaging, entertaining, and more Effective digital experience.

According to reports, ION is a cartridge-based device that can be wirelessly connected to a smartphone, PC, or VR/AR headset via Bluetooth, allowing the wearer to explore the world of 4D, multi-sensory experiences. The company’s ION scent box works by combining key scents into different flavors, creating thousands of unique digitally native scents to evoke different emotions.

· VR smell simulator

Developer: Aromajoin

Price: Undisclosed

Shipping time: “soon”

AromaPlayer is easy to use and can be combined with any video from YouTube or the user’s own downloaded video/music. The color-coded interface adds scents, in perfect sync with the video playing in front of you. Plus, the scent, time, and duration are all programmable, and you can mix and match scents to trigger simultaneously. The scent itself is contained in a replaceable micro-cartridge. The available scents are very recognizable, with fresh grapefruit, crackling campfire smoke, freshly baked bread, burning rubber, and more, bringing the visuals to life when synced to the video.

It’s worth mentioning that the device can be connected to a smartphone, computer, or VR headset using Bluetooth.

· OWO Sleeves

Developer: OWO

Price: Undisclosed

Shipping time: not announced

The sleeve complements the company’s VR haptic feedback tee, which helps gamers interact with their environment. The purpose of this is to make you feel that you are not a bystander, but a participant in the action. You can feel haptic feedback on your sleeves when you engage in VR activities, such as playing tennis, fishing, or fighting with a sword.

The sleeve is completely wireless and has a battery life of up to 8 hours. With Bluetooth 5.2 data transmission, you can interact with your freely moving environment. Plus, you can customize your OWO sleeves to your liking. All games compatible with OWO Skin tactile tees will also be compatible with OWO Sleeves. Fabric-wise, it’s made from flexible Lycra and weighs just under 180 grams.

VR/AR game PART 04

· VR game-Gran Turismo 7 (Gran Turismo 7)

Developer: Polyphony Digital studio

Price: Undisclosed

Release time: February 22

Supported devices: PSVR 2

Jim Ryan, president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, confirmed at CES 2023 that “Gran Turismo 7” will join “Horizon Call of the Mountain” as Sony’s second first-party game. The game will provide VR support in the form of free updates, and all players who own the game can experience it.

· VR game-Beat Saber

Developer: Beat Games

Price: Undisclosed

Release time: not announced

Supported devices: PSVR 2

In addition to “Gran Turismo 7”, the popular VR rhythm music game “Beat Saber” will also support PSVR 2. Jim Ryan, president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, said: “I am delighted to announce that one of the VR titles that have defined the medium, Beat Saber, is in development for PSVR 2. We will share more information in the near future”

While Meta acquired Beat Games a few years ago, it’s no surprise that Beat Saber supports Sony’s new headset. The game was first released in 2018 and has consistently topped the PSVR download charts. As of November 2022, it remains number one in North America, the PlayStation Blog confirmed. Despite serious delays in multiplayer support on PSVR, Beat Games continues to support it on each platform with free updates and DLC.

There’s currently no release date for Beat Saber on PSVR 2, and cross-buy support hasn’t been confirmed, but this will offer owners of the original PSVR version a free upgrade.

· AR game-GrooveWave

Developer: Graffity

Price: Undisclosed

Release time: not announced

GrooveWave is an AR rhythm game that supports Nreal Light AR glasses. In the game, players will fight enemies on a battlefield that expands to an entire room. You can analyze enemy sound signatures to anticipate attacks and dodge them. Each attack type has its own unique sound signature. You can use the whole room to fight.

· AR game-SushiCraft

Developer: Graffity

Price: Undisclosed

Release time: not announced

SushiCraft is an AR sushi making game that uses the Snapdragon Spaces developer platform and Lenovo ThinkReality A3 glasses. In the game, you will race against time to make sushi. Its feature is that it supports hand tracking, and you can directly use your hands to make sushi with different ingredients.

Other PART 05

· TCL CSOT VR display module

This VR display module achieves ultra-high resolution of 2.5k for one eye and 5k for both eyes, with a PPI of 1700, which is the highest PPI realRGB LCD released in the world so far, which can effectively eliminate the screen door effect and the graininess will no longer exist; While realizing the extremely narrow pixel design, the module also has the advantages of large opening, high penetration, high contrast, high color gamut, etc., which can make the 3D picture more realistic and vivid, and the sense of immersion is stronger; in addition, this module adopts fast response LCD, with cell design adjustment and driver adjustment, coupled with a high refresh rate, can greatly improve the motion blur problem and reduce the vertigo problem of VR headsets.

This product is the latest wide-angle light field display launched by TCL CSOT, which can achieve clear and comfortable naked-eye stereo vision without heavy 3D glasses. Light field display technology brings more realistic scene reproduction with smooth and delicate motion parallax. It is believed that this product will have great potential in conferences, education, advertising and other scenes in the future.

· Ant Vision Optical Solution

As a ten-year veteran of the VR industry, Ant Vision began to transform and focus on the research and development of large-view AR optics in 2018. At CES in 2020, AntTV demonstrated the hybrid waveguide AR optical prototype for the first time.

At CES 2023 this time, Ant Vision not only presented three mature optical solutions at one time, but also handed over an eye-catching commercial answer sheet. It is reported that a number of domestic and foreign customers have signed contracts to purchase the Ant Vision hybrid waveguide patented technology solution, which will be applied to the latest generation of AR products.

· Lumus second-generation Z-Lens waveguide architecture

Israel-based AR company Lumus announced at CES 2023 the second-generation Z-Lens waveguide architecture to expand its 2D Maximus platform. This advancement will not only shrink the projector module by more than 50%, but also enable the development of smaller, lighter, high-resolution, feature-rich AR glasses with seamless Rx integration and outdoor brightness.

The new-generation Z-Lens waveguide architecture is designed to maintain the high image quality and performance of its predecessor, the Maximus, while reducing its size and weight. Its optical engine is also 50 percent smaller. This allows for the creation of compact AR optics, ideal for natural-looking glasses. Both manufacturers and dealers can use the new architecture to accommodate different entry locations. Meanwhile, the Z-Lens’ new lightweight optical engine features full color and 2K x 2K resolution for superior image quality. Its 3,000 nits/watt brightness allows consumers to experience AR during the day.

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