At Microsoft’s special Mixed Reality event today, the company announced that all of their VR headsets destined to ship this holiday season are accounted for, and are now available for pre-order including headsets from Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo and the newly revealed Samsung ‘HMD Odyssey’. There’s still no word on a launch date for Asus’ futuristic low-poly headset.

Since Microsoft provided its list of OEMs the same reference design, all of the available headsets except Samsung Odyssey follow the basic specs below.

Windows VR Headsets: Basic Specs

  • Dual displays at 1440 x 1440 per eye
  • 2.89” diagonal display size (x2)
  • Front hinged display
  • 95 degrees horizontal field of view
  • Display refresh rate up to 90Hz (native)
  • Built-in audio out and microphone support through 3.5mm jack
  • Single cable with HDMI 2.0 (display) and USB 3.0 (data) for connectivity
  • Inside-out tracking
  • 4.00m cable

Samsung HMD Odyssey

Leading the pack is Samsung’s HMD Odyssey, featuring a higher comparative resolution with its 2880 x 1600 OLED, pushing a 90Hz refresh and up to 110 degree field of view. Integrated audio and integrated dual mic array clearly put this ahead of its Windows “Mixed Reality” cousins, but it also comes at the price tag of $500 (with motion controllers), the same as an Oculus Rift.

The Samsung HMD Odyssey will be available later this year in the US, China, Korea, Brazil and Hong Kong, with pre-orders beginning in the US only on October 3rd. US launch is slated for November 6th.

Samsung HMD Odyssey Pre-order

Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset

Image courtesy Acer

At the lowest price tier for $400 (with controllers) is Acer’s retro-styled headset. Like all headsets in Microsoft’s lineup, it features a halo-style head strap and a flip-up design, although it uses less expensive materials in its construction, making it seem a little more plasticy than the others while offering the same basic functionality. Shipping October 17th.

Acer VR Headset Pre-order

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Dell Visor

Image courtesy Dell

Smooth and futuristic, Dell’s Visor falls in line with some premium styling that will set you back $450 (with controllers). A rubberized texture gives the headset good grip without collecting finger prints, and was supposedly weighted in strategic spots to be more comfortable for longer play sessions. Shipping October 17th.

Dell Visor Pre-order

HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset

HP headset, image courtesy Windows

HP’s headset is more business than play in styling, with its facial interface featuring cutouts for eye glasses to go along with its sober grey scale tones. HP matches Dell in pricing at $450 (with controllers). Shipping October 17th.

HP VR Headset Pre-order

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Lenovo Explorer

Image courtesy Lenovo

Another headset that looks like it means business is the Lenovo Explorer. With styling that looks at home with Lenovo’s line of ThinkPads, the headset sits at the lowest price tier of $400, of course offering all the same functionality. Shipping October 17th.

Lenovo Explorer Pre-order

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Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • Thetrick

    The Dell Visor says it has 110 FOV not 95

    • espenta

      Where did you see 110? The spec on the Microsoft preorder site says 105. I have also seen other comments stating 110, so I’m wondering where that is specified.

      • espenta

        I see now that the Dell website states 110 degrees. All of the headsets are specified up to 105 degrees on the Microsoft website (none are 95 though).

  • mellott124

    Preordered Samsung.

    Problem with Microsoft store is that if there’s some order issue they just leave you in “Preprocessing” forever and never notify you of the problem. I’ve had it happen twice now. Most recently with the TPCast preorder.

  • Shawn MacDonell

    Is RoadtoVR able to find out if the Samsung HMD Odyssey will be available for pre-order for Canada before the November 6 release date?

  • Andrew Jakobs

    To me there is not even a choice other than the Samsung when it comes to MR Headsets, it has everything. Looking forward to the reviews.

    • silvaring

      Will it have a Pentile or RGB display that is the question…

  • Sofian

    What about Europe?

    • Henk Janssens

      17th only UK. Check PCWorld and Dell UK for example. I called Acer regarding availability in The Netherlands and they said – before Christmas.

  • Luke

    can you tell me if they will be avaiable on amazon please? I’ll not buy it if not on that bay. thx

    • GrahamFromMSFT
      • Luke

        ok this is a news thx very so much, @roadtovr in my opinion you could make a news with this because it have a meaning that those HMDs will not be on a closed market (such as Oculus DK2) but it a real tentative of mainstream windows vr.

        • Laurence Nairne

          Hey Luke,

          Off topic but I figured English wasn’t you first language and thought you might want some pointers (not to put you down, only to help – feel free to ignore me!).

          – “ok this is a news”, possibly you mean “ok this is good news”?
          – “in my opinion you could make a news”, I think you want to say “in my opinion you could make a news article”, or just “article” would be fine.
          – “because it have a meaning”, should be “because it means”.
          – “but it a real tentative of…”, maybe try “but there is a real possibility of…”

          Hope that’s helpful :)

          • Luke

            I really appreciate your help beacuse I really wish to learn how to speech english better than now. I’m really grateful for your correction, I wish it could happen often because I could increase my awareness about my mistakes.

  • Jean-Sebastien Perron

    They are expensive paper weight without any games until steam finally support it late this Christmas.

    • Henk Janssens

      It’s not only gaming mind you. Check out the demo to get yourself updated.
      Anyway, besides specific VR, all 2D games can be played. Like on a big screen.

    • care package

      You mean like the thousands of VR shovelware games on Steam?. MS will probably use it’s own store so pretty much just a matter of time till games appear.

  • Facts

    I like the dell visor design. But the Samsung odyssey specs

  • Graham J ⭐️

    Looking forward to someone hacking up Vive support for WMR.

  • Claus Sølvsten

    I could have missed something… can rift and vive run the same software as windows VR?

    • care package

      I can’t see any reason why they wouldn’t. Guess well all find out when the Halo VR experience is out.