Last week, images of the Samsung Odyssey Windows VR headset leaked online, and although they seemed plenty legit, a new leak from Microsoft’s own website confirms the existence of the device and offers new details of this premium headset.

When it comes to the Windows “Mixed Reality” VR headsets launching soon from Dell, Asus, Acer, HP, and Lenovo, they’re all essentially the same product with a different look and branding—we’re talking same display, same lenses, same resolution, same, same, same. I was baffled to see that not one of those companies had found a way to offer differentiation, say, in the form of the integrated audio.

Samsung it seems was willing and ready to go beyond Microsoft’s reference design, and the result is a device which is clearly the premium option among the first wave of Windows VR headsets. The Samsung Odyssey Windows VR headset was spotted on a product page on Microsoft’s website touting a $500 price point (with motion controllers included) and a November 6th release date. It seems quite likely the headset will see a formal announcement during Microsoft’s Mixed Reality event today (Tuesday).

Pack Leading Specs

So what makes it premium compared to the other Windows VR headsets? First is the resolution, which, at 1,440 x 1,600 per eye, is slightly higher than the other Windows VR headsets (1,440 x 1440), and quite a bit higher than the Rift and Vive (1,080 x 1,200). And while the other Windows VR headsets, to our knowledge, all use LCD displays, Samsung’s headset uses an OLED display which is likely to provide better color and low-persistence performance.

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Next is the field of view. While we’ve seen varying reports of the field of view of the other Windows VR headsets, the most common number we’ve seen is 95 degrees (which we presume to be measured diagonally). The leaked product page for the Samsung Odyssey headset says “up to 110 degrees,” which could put it on par with the Rift and Vive. From the leaked images we can also see that the headset has a hardware IPD adjustment (for changing the distance between the lenses), which lets users dial in the ‘sweet spot’ where the image is the sharpest for their specific IPD. The other Windows VR headsets lack a hardware IPD adjustment.

And then there’s the integrated headphones, which we believe is a ‘must’ for high-end VR. The Samsung Odyssey headset is the only Windows VR headset so far to offer them, and it appears from the images that they’ve added a volume up/down button directly onto the underside of the headset (though we wonder if it will be a bit awkward to press while holding a controller). The leaked images show AKG branding on the headphones, an Austria-based acoustics company with which Samsung has previously worked.

Friends (could) Become Foes

What’s especially interesting about the Samsung Odyssey VR headset is its price. At $500 it leads the Windows VR pack on cost as the premium option, but more importantly it’s the exact same price as the Oculus Rift, putting the headsets in direct competition with one another.

That’s an interesting twist in the relationship of the two companies who previously worked closely together to create the Samsung Gear VR mobile headset, which is sold by Samsung but draws its apps from the Oculus content platform. But that relationship on the mobile side recently become rocky as well. We’ll have to wait and see if the companies end up competing on both fronts, or if they’ll manage to remain friendly on mobile while competing for headsets on the PC side.

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Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • dk

    the rift is not 500 ……..it’s 500 without any additional cameras
    I’m not saying it’s that relevant ….I just hate it when people pretend that it’s 500 the end
    …..just saying

    • ben2

      The rift is 500 with 2 sensors, which is enough for roomscale 80% of the cases. Anyway HMD is not the most expensive part of a VR system. VR-ready PCs are.

      • dk

        yes 2 sensors r sort of good enough …..and it’s 560 with a 3rd

      • Is not good enough for games where you have to turn 360.

        • Walextheone

          It could be, depending on the size and the shape of the room. You know the MS solution are not really perfect

          • PrymeFactor

            The MS solution is better for roomscale than the Rift with 2 cameras.

        • VRgameDevGirl

          We have both VIVE and rift. We have 2 sensors for the rift and have no issues playing 360° maybe every so often but my hands float away every so often with VIVE too. I personally like VIVE better though.

    • Andrew Jakobs

      But it IS the end, a lot of people have the tracking solid with only 2 camera’s.

      • dk

        yes it basically works when u have them diagonally

  • Lucidfeuer

    Not surprised. But nothing crazy either, Windows “Mixed Reality” platform is useless without camera pass-through.

    • dk

      Windows Mixed Reality …..is the os ….every headset no matter what it is will one day run it…..they r starting it from now …..the same apps that r developed now will work on the hololens and these headsets and other future headsets……hmds will be just tracked monitor not fucking consoles
      ….we need graphics interface to support all hmds at the os level……..that’s what WIM MR is

      • Lucidfeuer

        Yes, and let Apple release a VR OS that only works on flat-screen because…”courage”. This is still a bullshit naming convention, in fact straight-up false advertisement.

        • dk

          so u r saying that when u put on an ar/vr/mr headset u don’t want to use your entire pc and have an interface at the level of the os …..and instead u want a console that just gives u a list of games …………………….got it

          • Lucidfeuer

            Not.

          • You are missing the point because you have an incorrect definition of mixed reality and VR as a whole. Mixed reality is a term in between AR and VR meaning it is neither AR nor VR based on what most major companies are going by. MR is the platform where content interacts with real life objects while still having a fully immersive virtual enviroment. Micrsoft called this a ” Windows Mixed Reality **Platform** ” because the headset uses Mixed Reality elements as it is able to pin virtual objects to realife walls or locations within a room even if you can’t actually see the room. What does this mean? It means even when you take the headset off and put it back on in a different place in the room while you move some elements for the room the location of where you place that item in Virtual Reality environment will remain the same regardless of what you do a lot like Apple’s ARkit but without seeing the real world. In the Rift and Vive as VR headset this is impossible. The moment you move the trackers the roomscale space moves with the trackers. It is not able to identify real world objects/patterns and use them as constrains. So while the headsets are not fully MR they do use pretty solid Mixed Reality technology even if they do not display the real world. Is not bullshit naming conventions. It is that you have a limited understanding of the technological difference between the headsets. Also these Windows MR headsets are only a few extra camera away from adding AR support and Microsoft developers have said that in many conferences/talks in fact their goal is to start with the hololens and the WindowsMR headsets and reach a middle ground that will be in between the two including cost and functionality.

          • Lucidfeuer

            I don’t think I have the wrong understanding…pretty hope so given that’s my job. Because see “even if you can’t actually see the room” and “but without seeing the real world” are exactly why this is not Mixed-Reality. Because if your OSes interface are ONLY virtual no matter where or how they’re pinned or tracked, then this is only virtual and not a “mix” of AR and VR (which I personally simply call the “virtual continuum” since there never was to be a differentiation between the two), and in fact you’re wrong about the definition that you slightly twisted the way Microsoft wrongfully twists it:

            “Mixed reality (MR), sometimes referred to as hybrid reality,[1] is the merging of real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualizations where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time. Mixed reality takes place not only in the physical world,[1] but is a mix of reality and virtual reality, encompassing both augmented reality and augmented virtuality[2] via immersive technology.” – Wikipedia

            > This is false advertisement, and I’m pretty sure there’s even a case for them to be sued by selling product that are NOT mixed-reality in any way, unless they show any pass-through video capability.

          • In the same exact definition you gave nowhere does it say that you have to see the real world. I quote ” physical and digital objects co-exist”. Physical objects coexist with the virtual objects by serving as markers for virtual content to be placed on that’s a huge element from AR that is now mixed with a fully immersive VR experience. If you know about this field then you should know that AR is not about placing an object on top of an image, in fact that is no different from overlaying a regular image on top of a camera feed. One of the key elements to AR is that you can have vritual elements with relative location to real life objects and move as the real life objects locaiton from the camera changes. This is exactly what MR headsets are using. They do not have to show the real world they are using the same technology. If microsoft wanted they could expose the camera feedback to the user but given that the image is aimed at Computer Vision processing it useless to let the user see the camera feed. Also you are not the only one whose job is in this field so that’s irrelevant to whether you understand the concept correctly or not.

          • Lucidfeuer

            You are arguing that you don’t need to see the real world in order for it to be called MR as long as it’s simply using tracking to pin virtual object onto it. In this case the Vive is a MR headset and so is the GearVR if you use the back-camera with VSlam. I’d argue that Mixed-Reality, first of all is a bullshit buzzword, but as further defined in most revues and wikipedias (which doesn’t since they’re “recent” enough concept not to be an anchored definition) is the -mix- between AR and VR and that’s why it’s other name is “virtual continuum”.

            Now definition and semantics don’t really matter, what matter is the conceptual meaning: is there a sense to calling something “mixed” reality when it shows NONE of the element of the other reality and only virtual elements with tracking (which ALL VR headsets do). I don’t think so. I think both the concepts of separate AR or VR are aberrant too.

  • oompah

    Instead of these technologies , I would prefer
    RGB lasers+ optical fibre + servo controlled micro-mirrors
    to directly project the images onto retinas
    alongwith built in auto-correction for eyesight
    similar to tech available at opticians.
    Also the headset should appear as simple as sunglasses.
    Earphones may cause painful ear infections
    hence contactless tech would be preferable.
    And all points that touch the skin must have replaceable layer
    Remember, user comfort & health
    should be the prime concern
    the unit that provides that , wins.

    • dk

      u don’t need “servo controlled micro-mirrors” ……that’s only one way of doing it
      also u can use a standard panel but it needs to be high res
      look up this link—-> lightfield-forum DOT com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/nvidia-near-eye-light-field-displays DOT jpg
      u get variable focus and tiny stack instead of the box on your face

    • Robbie

      You don’t want much do you? Have you considered the logistics of what you’re asking? For VR, the FOV needs to be as expansive as possible and you can’t do that with something as narrow as sunglasses as you have that wonderful thing called peripheral vision. Even with current VR headsets, you remain very much aware of the box you’re wearing (see http://www.starvr.com ). Regarding lasers and fibre optics, coming from someone who freelances in the entertainment industry, it sounds like you’re using big words without understanding the costs and practicalities. I thought you wanted compact and discrete? What you’re describing is anything but. You haven’t mentioned cost but for anything to capture the public imagination, you need to consider the costs if your idea ever has a chance of going mainstream. Again, you really need to consider logistics. People have no problem wearing Ski goggles so if you want truly immersive VR and not something restricted to your central vision (NOT VR) then you’ll need to get used to the box unless you want retinal implants ;-)

    • Andrew Jakobs

      Texas Instruments has a DLP chip that is especially for that purpose, and even at 1280×720 the SDE is negligible, so at full HD it is even non existing. So with a lower resolution, still a very sharp image, so the GPU has more time to do more detailed scenes.

  • Adrian Meredith

    Yes but is it still pentile??? In which case it’s not much higher resolution than the LCD ones. It’s a shame that the galaxy S2 is still the pinnacle of oled displays which to my knowledge is the only RGB oled there’s been

    • silvaring

      PSVR is RGB Oled.

    • Henk Janssens

      You’re wrong. There are a lot of OLED screens in the RGB format (not Pentile) already. Like a couple of Lumia’s, just to name a few.

  • Tommel

    Yes, great, but please… just put at least 30% of all your efforts into software production and establish relevant platforms for VR. Why should I buy (another) great HMD when there is just nothing to do with it? I am really not stuck with my Oculus but I just don’t see the point of buying another HMD… for what exactly? Getting a hack to play Oculus games which have been developed and optimized for the Rift? Steam? Haha. I want MS to found and support their own store and I want them to do it RIGHT (just like Facebook did). Obviously, they seem to be able to encourage big companies to come up with new HMDs… so please. Support the Software section as well and I might change or at least buy another HMD (cause I actually like my Rift as well, although I see its technical restricitons).

    • dk

      1st it was announced that all headsets developed with MS will be compatible with steamvr ……and it will be pretty easy to use oculus stuff too …….2nd the important part about this is …..WIN MR is the os/graphics interface for all future ar/vr/mr hmds…….it’s a spacial computing shell for windows

      • Tommel

        I know. And this is exactly the problem. Again, they totally rely on Steam VR (sorry, sorry.. I know.. Onward is great and I like Indie-stuff, but sorry… well, no rant… if you are happy with Steam VR… I am happy for you.. and yes, yes, there will be Fallout ,too; THE big thing for over one year now on Steam) and Oculus Store. This is a big mistake. It’s the same with Apple’s ARKit… they just put stuff out there and think that people will do something with it. But no. I see HMDs and VR more as consoles. And who wants to buy a console when there is just nothing to play with it? And with two or three exceptions no big announcements for future must-plays either?

        • dk

          tracked ar/vr/mr hmds+controllers will be as common as monitors ……..this is how it starts …..by having an os/graphics interface for your pc that can do that
          this is not a console this is an ar/vr/mr shell for windows and u can start games from there

          if u want a console that just gives u a list of games ….buy that

          • Tommel

            don’t get me wrong. I see what you mean and why should I be against better HMDs or the idea of having an ar/vr shell for windows? but honestly… at the moment? you buy a HMD – as a private user – because… you want to look at your desktop from a VR perspective? you want to do facebook spaces? look at your photos? watch films with bad resolution? really? I don’t know… I’ve shown my Rift to several people, from gamers to my grandfather who had never even touched a gameboy before. and where did the WOW come from, when did my friend say “I want to have a Rift as well!”? Sorry, when we are talking about the home-use of HMDs right now, it’s not about productivity, it’s about gaming. the rest is secondary (for now). but ok… then, where is the “killer-software” that makes me (as a non VR enthusiast) wanna buy a HMD when I am not interested in gaming? I see many HMDs… but where is either the VR “Super Mario” or the VR “Word 2018”?

          • dk

            again……this is how it starts……basically a vr mode for windows and u start your games from there …..and all different types of hmds will run it when u plug an hmd in a pc
            ……and the win mr hololens apps instead of running in your room will run in the cliff house
            like I said if u want a console that just gives u a list of games….buy that
            …..I am just repeating myself….there is nothing else to add

          • Tommel

            if this is what VR is all about… running in a cliff house instead of my room and… playing non-VR games in VR mode? ok. have you ever tried playing a game where you need to use a keyboard and mouse while wearing a vr headset? and, sorry, “this is how it starts”… no. it is 2017, almost 2018. VR started 1,5-2 years ago. so, no, “plug it in and go for it” is not enough IMO. there has to be more investment in software as well.

          • dk

            u know what the hololens is right ….so what part of …..win mr apps can run on the hololens inside your room and u can run the same app in the cliff house didn’t u get
            it’s just an example to explain that an app for this platform can be used on all types of hmds

            what r u even saying …..I told u …..if u want a console …buy that

          • Tommel

            ok, missunderstood you there, my bad. doesn’t change my point though. maybe there will be awesome apps for hololens. which I can run in my living room and on the toilet and in the supermarket as well! to be honest, I am sure they will come! I just think we could see them alot earlier if big companies would see the necessity to also invest millions of dollars in software and not only in new hardware. that’s all I am saying. and your attitude, sorry, is like the stuff I am reading for 1,5 years now: VR is dope. so is AR! the hardware will get better. we will succeed! it is only the beginning. soon, eversthing will be VR! so much potential there! and then… i see Apple’s big presentation, I see all the HMDs… and I am looking at Apple’s ARKIT store and I just… see nothing except 2-3 apps I bought and used 2-4 times. same with most of the VR apps. we need software and stuff we can only do in VR! reading text, opening desktop-apps, playing games with non-VR concepts, writing, calculating, chatting, looking at photos… this is all stuff I can also do without VR or AR and I would even say it’s, once you had the VR experience and witnessed the WOW that comes with it, even much more comfortable without VR.

            EDIT: so, to sum up: great that you can open your apps whereever you want and with whatever HMD you want. the question remains though: a) what app should you actually open? b) and why should you open it with you HMD and not with your smartphone, laptop or computer? (which is usually much easier and more comfortable)

          • dk

            I know what u r talking about ….there are a gazillion things that can be discussed about how it will all happen and what is possible and useful and so on ………u r talking about too many stuff……….all I am saying is this is os/graphics interface for your pc to run all hmds and u can use all legacy stuff too if u want ……….this is how it starts

            u r jumping all over the place …….as far as the arkit comment search for this tweet—–> “I tried 120+ augmented reality games on iOS 11 so you don’t have to.”
            arkit/arcore is just something for people to play around with until there are good hmds on the market and even when u have those u will need super natural way of interacting with them also a huge topic

          • Tommel

            I really don’t mean this to be a fight, but: my initial question was: “Why should I buy (another) great HMD when there is just nothing to do with it?” (so, my topic was: SOFTWARE) And then you replied to my comment saying that I can use Steam VR and Oculus Store (half-legally), so stuff that already exists for years (and that I can already access with my Rift), and that this is meant to be another IO/graphics port for windows and “this is how it starts”. ehm..

          • dk

            no u don’t have to buy it
            as I mentioned multiple times…..buy whatever u want
            u were talking about games ……..that is why I mentioned the steamvr announcement………because u can use it as a console and as anything else u want
            ….and a separate thing is win mr working on rift and vive is inevitable………..because it’s basically just windows for hmds

          • Tommel

            ok, I think you missunderstood my argument with the consoles. what I was trying to say is that there is stuff that can be sold without any additional software (donnu… cameras, joysticks, mouse, keyboard, monitor etc.) and people will simply buy it and use it with whatever. and then there are things like consoles and, IMO, HMDs where I just don’t see any reason to buy them when there is no software. why should I buy a xbox X when I can already play all their games on my computer? (ok, we have a price argument here, maybe you cannot afford a high end gaming pc, then there is one reason to it) same with HMDs (again: this is my opinion): I can, of course, buy a new and better HMD, and maybe I really have my reasons, but I think it would sell much better and, this is where I come from:, maybe also attract people who already have a HMD when there is additional software to it. You want to use our AR/VR Office 2018? Well, then buy a Windows HMD. You want to play “Halo VR”? Well, come to our Windows store (I know, there was an Halo announcement). Right now, it is: buy our HMDs and use Steam and Oculus Store. This is a mistake. I think. that’s all.

          • dk

            windows for ar/vr/mr hmds had to happen…..in order to use all types of hmds as monitors and not as a platform for a store ……and the stores will become just a program u install on your pc

          • victor

            Yeah I agree with you that VR for today is about gaming and not much else. The res/fov/expensive/hassle of intalling and setup and having it on your face outweighs any usefullness for normal windows apps. Maybe one day when all of the above issues are resolved it could fit better into everyday windows use but we’re defenitley not there. For gaming on the other hand, well, let’s face it, gaming was always destined for VR and personally owning a rift I can say the tech is good enough today for that!

          • gavingreenwalt

            I think the “Word 2018″ is word with extremely lightweight AR glasses or the 85” AR 4K TV on the wall that’s as good as an OLED but in your house.

            The quality and size of the HMD is the killer app just like capacitive touchscreens and 3G were the killer apps for smartphones. Smartphones didn’t really deliver anything new from a software perspective, they just expanded the usage of your existing apps to new situations.

    • Johan Pruijs
    • Arkadius Brand

      There are points, like better resolution, which is a totally important factor. Oculus has LOW quality image details and screen door effect. Its place since today is in museum of VR :)

  • Norbertas GL

    Ho Ho 2x Oleds @ 1,440×1,600 you can firmly rest in peace RIFT and VIVE see you in museum.

    • NooYawker

      All 1st gen tech belongs in a museum. That’s why I kept the box and will put away my Vive when the next gen comes out. It’ll be a cool memento one day. Like the NES, Palm Pilot, Atari 2600, etc.

      • Andrew Mcevoy

        Yep, still got my DK1 and DK2 in their boxes at home. Will stick them in glass cases one day ;)

        • NooYawker

          Dev editions are even better!

        • Herman Munster

          There are still some demos on the DK that I wish I could get running on my CV1…..I dont know why the people who put them out havent followed up with a finished product……cruising a mech in VR was pretty kewl

          • Andrew Mcevoy

            Perhaps these devs moved on to bigger vr related things. Yeah I remember that mech game demo, it was brilliant… what was it called again?

          • Herman Munster

            vox machani or something like that if I recall… Was really hoping for Mech Warrior VR by now

    • Walextheone

      It’s all about the complete ecosystem man. Will be interesting to see next where’s everything at next year

    • Herman Munster

      I would guess that Rift and Vive are going to take a wait and see approach. … and as soon as the others finalize their product….. release the specs of their 2nd generation headsets.

  • GreasyMullet

    wow this looks amazing. I am just not sold on the MS tracking. Really wish they were selling one that worked with SteamVR lighthouse and knuckles.

    • NooYawker

      I’ll reserve judgement until the products are widely available.

    • PrymeFactor

      People have tried it say it’s pretty much as good as Rift and Vive.

      (99% is ‘pretty much’).

      To be honest, any small differences are easily outweighed by the ease of use of setup and portability.

  • Luke

    If there is not integrated microphone it’s useless. because to use an headset you need to remove the headphones. does it have it?

  • D3stroyah

    yes but the most important thing: WHEN IS THE CONFERENCE? IS THERE A STREAMING? OCTOBER 3RD SAN FRANCISCO..OK. SO WHAT? WHEN IS THE CONFERENCE? IS THERE A STREAMING? OCTOBER 3RD SAN FRANCISCO..OK. SO WHAT? WHEN IS THE CONFERENCE? IS THERE A STREAMING? OCTOBER 3RD SAN FRANCISCO..OK. SO WHAT? WHEN IS THE CONFERENCE? IS THERE A STREAMING? OCTOBER 3RD SAN FRANCISCO..OK. SO WHAT?

    Thanks.
    It’s the only thing the article should talk about!!

  • Joe Black

    Samsung was wasting their own potential sleeping with Oculus.

    • Lucidfeuer

      They got this potential BY sleeping with Oculus.

      • Joe Black

        We’re talking about Samsung here. They could have competed head-on with Oculus and Vive from the start without breaking a sweat and probably dominated.

        • NooYawker

          No, they need to be shown the way. That’s the Samsung way, then they start making their own stuff using other companies software. Throw everything but the kitchen sink into it to see what sticks.

        • Terrence Giggy

          Samsung’s software is most often horrible. Love that they have a hardware product using other’s environments. They did the right thing in partnering with Oculus and now Microsoft.

        • Andrew Jakobs

          You do know that Samsung benefited greatly from their collaboration with Oculus, especially with the expertise from John Carmack on getting better display technologies (he worked closely with Samsung engineers).

          • Joe Black

            From what I understood Carmack was specifically pushing to make viable VR using smartphone graphics power. Knowing Carmack I am sure great work was done. However… Personally I am only interested in the PC powered experience.

  • theonlyrealconan

    Pimax 8k still has them beat with 200 fov.

    • Henk Janssens

      Where is it..

      • theonlyrealconan

        It is on kickstarter. Ships in January. Not like it is a long time. :)

        (Besides, this one hardly has a firm date for release/neither is on the shelves yet)

    • Andrew Jakobs

      yeah, but that one is still a long while out and who knows what the quality of the screens are.

  • Ian Shook

    So what OS is this running? Windows holographic?

    • NooYawker

      Or open VR.. or whatever is out there. It’s almost a given it’s not something they made.

    • PatrickLeahyFromMSFT

      Hey Ian, all Windows Mixed Reality headsets plug into your PC via USB 3.0 and HDMI. The OS required to run them is Windows 10 (Fall Creators Update). You can check if your PC is compatible here: https://aka.ms/mrcheck

  • Ian Walker

    The 3Glasses Mixed Reality Headset already has integrated headphones, 110 FOV as well as a higher potential refresh rate at 190Hz
    http://MoreMixedReality.com

    • Andrew Jakobs

      already has? the thing isn’t available yet, uses regular LCD displays,and the site doesn’t mention inside-out tracking, only positional tracking through external camera (also for the controllers).

    • PatrickLeahyFromMSFT

      Hi all, to clarify, the 3Glasses S1 headset has a 120Hz refresh rate. For more details, please see their product page here: http://3glasses.co.uk/

  • Luke

    does it have hardware IPD correction? thx

    • PatrickLeahyFromMSFT

      Yes, the Samsung Mixed Reality headset does have mechanical IPD adjustment.

  • Jean-Sebastien Perron

    The PC industry (underachiever loosers) has not innovate in vr only trailing behind. Samsung, a winner mobile company is showing how to make a product that lead the way. Just the tought of playing vr golf outside on grass without external sensors just a long cord, is a good reason to buy it.

    • Jean Laplage

      Nonsense comment. As if Samsung was not in the PC industry. As if Samsung has not been help by Oculus. As if. As if.

    • NooYawker

      So you’re praising a product that hasn’t been released and say the two companies that created the market is trailing behind??
      Is this a Samsung fanboy thing or.. I don’t know what to make of this asinine comment of yours.

    • gavingreenwalt

      You mean to tell me that a mobile company that makes and sells small 7″ screens is better positioned to sell 7″ screens strapped to your head than companies which generally sell 30″ screens?!

  • mellott124

    Nice. Lack of OLED was making me hesitate trying these new HMDs. Hoping to preorder today.

  • Herman Munster

    First off….. without the rift…..we wouldn’t be here to have a discussion about anything VR……and it has nothing I do with Zuckerberg and everything I do with a kid, a dream, and a Kickstarter program. Palmer Lucky started the race, he got everyone else trying to make a better mousetrap. The CV1 may well be on its way to a museum,. But I will never regret playing around with the DK2, trying different demos, giving feed back and opinions…..and helping the CV1 start us on the path.

    • Javed Asghar

      Valve was the first one working on VR, not Oculus, please research a bit more on their Palmers work with Valve’s first prototype and all. Palmer was the marketing face and got people together and got the campaign going for sure, yes thats a big win that goes to him.

      • Herman Munster

        Valve is not the one that got people fired up about VR, Valve was not the one that had people chomping at the bit and laying down a few hundred dollars do get a dev kit. Valve was not the one that was giving hope to people that an affordable VR helmet was possible. Not taking away from valves contribution,,,but they were not the ones that got people talking

      • Andrew Jakobs

        Well, actually Valve wasn’t the first one working on VR, a lot of people were already working on VR. Carmack was also working on VR. The main interest in current generation VR was really sparked by Palmer. But as I said, a lot of people were already doing VR, vuzix was even the major player before this generation.

        • RFC_VR

          The UK’s “Virtuality” in early 90s was first consumer VR? albeit in gaming arcade, but something you could drop money into and put on HMD and controls. Crude resolution and laggy but showed so much potential

      • Arkadius Brand

        “Forte VFX1”. Google it :)

    • Arkadius Brand

      in 1995 Forte VFX1 was released to public as the first VR headset. I remember playing Doom with it. Low resolution, but it worked. So Palmer basically refreshed the old idea. I congratulate him on it. He, nor Valve did not invent HMD VR.

      • Herman Munster

        yea.. I had one too, used to play Decent with it on my 3DFX Monster. I never even hinted that Palmer or Valve invented anything…. but they are the reason that we have a headset worth buying

  • This and Pimax 8K are good news for competition in VR

    • Arkadius Brand

      Exactly. Somehow bad for the rest of Mixed Reality devices just 50 USD cheaper. Who would buy them in these circumstances? For 50 USD you get built-in quality headphones, higher res, OLED and more…weird how it happened. I see lots of pre-orders being cancelled, just to order Samsung.

  • Rift and Vive BOTH use OLED.. still, an impressive resolution on this one

    • Andrew Jakobs

      both supplied by….. Samsung…..

    • silvaring

      If anyone can confirm whether its a pentile / RGB oled that will make an enormous difference to the quality I think.

      • From what I’ve gathered, all of these vr displays use a (diamond, GRGB) pentile subpixel layout.

  • GrangerFX

    I canceled my Dell Visor and ordered a Samsung Odyssey. I sure am happy this got announced and was available to order before the Dell shipped. The $50 price difference buys you a lot! OLED, wider FOV, built in headphones and microphones. From the look of it, the Samsung has a much better overall design with fewer wires and less hassle to setup. The only downside is an extra three weeks of waiting.

    • Muhammad Adeel

      Wrong decision from your side , i thin.
      DELL would be a better choice. The first and foremost thing to be consider in some headset is the Design and comfort. Early previews already consider Dell the winner, because of it’s balance and comfort level, You can wear it for longer session and you will get a sweet spot when the Headset is balanced.
      Samsung is little gimmicky as always, Built-in headphones make the set heavier and you dont have a choice to your your own hands free. The heavier the set, the comfort level will surely go down as time passes by.
      Also OLEDs they are using is having Pen-tile display, Though OLEDs are sharp in blacks and contrast, but Pentile display will make it pixelated. even on 1400*1600 Res, you will see Pixels and screen door effect, that for sure. On the Other Hand LCDs using in other sets are using standard RGB Display, where the pixels are tightly knitted, as compare to Pentile display.
      I am using FiiT Mobile VR Headset and checked both an Iphone and android sets. ANdroid set having 1080P and 1440 display in OLED and iphone 6s with IPS LCD Display, and despite PPI of ANroid sets were higher (400+ & 500+) as compare to Apple (300+), i feel no difference between the display of both Iphone and Android set screen on my VR HEadset.
      For me Dell is a much better deal, Dell is simple and more ergonomic (as per many reviewers) as compare to Other. Samsung more looks gimmiky, and you will feel yourself tired after using Samsung for long time.
      The rest is up-to you.:-)

      • GrangerFX

        I would love to read an honest side by side comparison between the Dell Visor and the Samsung Odyssey. I would opt for quality over convenience though and would likely stick with the Samsung. I suspect comfort will be about the same but am concerned that the Samsung is not adjustable except for the inter-ocular distance. It is not too late for me to change my mind and go back to the Dell. I will be reading the reviews with great interest. If I use it enough, I could even buy the Dell after the Samsung. I do notice the lighter background in my PSVR headset which has a similar screen to the Dell which is why I opted to switch to the OLED screen in the Samsung.

        • PrymeFactor

          You made the right choice…this fellow has no idea what he’s talking about. I’d place my faith in the Samsung’s displays well over the LCD versions in the Dell, Asus or Acer headsets.

          The Samsung has integrated audio, higher RES screens , wider FOV and a controller with improved ergonomics over the reference MS design.

          • RFC_VR

            Read early report that integrated headphones may not have adequate adjustment to allow phones correctly over ears, without affecting HMD position (optical sweetspot)

  • doug

    What’s wrong with integrated earbuds? They reduce ambient noise very well.

    • David Wilhelm

      Inconvenience

    • gavingreenwalt

      Comfort

  • Surykaty

    Finally some better displays.. but I hoped for more.. it’s a small bump in a big world

  • Foreign Devil

    Great news. . might consider getting one especially since my Rift is having constant connection issues making it nearly useless unless I tape up the wires on the headset.

  • GrangerFX

    Does the Odyssey have a hinged display or a forward/back slide like a PSVR? I don’t see a hinge and none of the photos show the Odyssey lifted up. Not a show stopper either way but I was liking the idea of being able to quickly flip up the display when I needed to find something in the room, like the controller.

    • Smokey_the_Bear

      Yeah, sadly I don’t think it can flip up. The Microsoft store doesn’t say it flips up, but it does state the other ones flip up. A bit of a bummer, that and the weight.

  • Foreign Devil

    I assume you do still have to tether it to your PC with a long USB and HDMI cable right? It is not TPcast type wireless system?

    • GrangerFX

      It is tethered by a single cable with a HDMI and USB 3.0 plug on the end. All the Windows MR headsets have the same cable and connections.

  • Hope they can make it wireless, with dongles or not. I hate wires! :(((

    • ibuprofène

      they need to make a rotative system for the cable plug so the cable does not roll

  • Meow Smith

    Good to see them separating themselves from the bunch by offering more , i wouldn’t want to be the other clones, im fully expecting a few of them will get so burnt by their minimalistic offerings they will drop out of the vr hw scene entirely.

  • Smokey_the_Bear

    Sum bitch is heavy. I thought the Vive was heavy…but this has it beat.

  • VRgameDevGirl

    Does this have inside out tracking?? Anyone know?

    • Sofian

      All Microsoft mixed reality headsets use it.

  • theonlyrealconan

    So far, this one seems to be the only one interesting enough to go head to head with Pimax 8k. I will wait for reviews and get whichever comes out ahead.

  • Simon

    What’s the point of having a non-square screen resolution (1,440 x 1,600) ? When I play with my Vive, what I see in my field of view is a perfect circle. My guess is that the extra pixels one axis will be hidden in reality.

    • Andrew Jakobs

      You do know the vive also doesn’t have a non-square screen resolution.