Somnium Begins Shipping VR1 PC VR Headset in the US, Announces Incoming Price Hike

Somnium Space, a social platform creator based in Prague, Czechia, has officially launched its PC VR headset, Somnium VR1, in the US. The company has streamlined the number of available variants to just three consumer-focused versions and will soon be increasing prices on its higher-end units.

The discontinued configurations of Somnium VR1 include the Striker Edition, Classic Edition, Specter Edition, and Translucent Edition. The entry-level Classic Edition, previously priced at €1,900 (~$1,980 USD), did not include eye-tracking. The cheapest VR1 now is the Visionary Edition, priced at €2,499 (~$2,600 USD), which does include eye-tracking. Please note that these prices do not include local tax.

The company reassures customers who have purchased the discontinued editions that their orders are secure and will be received as planned. The company emphasizes that owning one of these variants will make the headset even more exclusive and unique.

The decision to discontinue those versions allows the company to focus on delivering the Visionary, Ultimate, and Titan Editions faster and more efficiently while maintaining high-quality standards.

Somnium Space will also be increasing the prices of its Visionary, Ultimate, and Titan Editions. Current prices will be maintained until January 16th, 2025, after which new pricing will be announced and implemented.

Here is a summary of the current variants and pricing structure (tax not included):

• Visionary Edition (VR, eye-tracking): €2,499 (~$2,600 USD)
• Titan Edition (VR, eye-tracking, hand-tracking): €2,899 (~$3,020 USD)
• Ultimate Edition (VR, eye-tracking, hand-tracking, MR passthrough): €3,499 (~$3,659 USD)
• Military Edition (VR, eye-tracking, hand-tracking, MR passthrough): ???

“While we aim to make Somnium VR1 as affordable as possible, we are committed to maintaining high quality. The production process for these headsets has proven to be more complex than anticipated, leading to the decision to increase prices for the Visionary, Ultimate, and Titan Editions,” the company explains.

Orders made today are estimated to arrive between February and March 2025, with shipping available to most of Europe, the UK, and US.

In 2025, Somnium Space plans to offer spare parts for the Somnium VR1, including optical modules, main boards, electronics, cables, screens, and more.

Somnium VR1 Specs

• Display: QLED Mini-Led Fast LCD – 2,880 × 2,880 per-eye
• Field of view: 130° horizontal, 105° vertical. The VR1 can render up to 140° horizontally, though the actual FOV may vary slightly depending on face and eye shape.
• Refresh rate: 72 Hz, 90 Hz, upgradeable to 120 and 144 Hz (experimental)
• Local dimming zones: 576 per eye
• Eye tracking: 120 Hz, with an open-sourced algorithm that can be used and modified for any use case
• Connectivity: USB-C, DisplayPort 1.4, 3.5mm audio jack
• IPD Range: 57 to 76 mm

For a more detailed look at Somnium VR1, check out our hands-on from July 2024 to hear our impressions.