Varjo XR-4 Series: Redefining Immersive Mixed Reality

In the realm of virtual and mixed reality, Varjo, the Finland-based VR/XR hardware company, has unleashed its latest innovation — the XR-4 series. While it may bear a passing resemblance to the Quest 3, this headset is a testament to Varjo’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of PC-powered mixed reality experiences.

The XR-4 series, consisting of the base XR-4, the XR-4 Focal Edition, and the XR-4 Secure Edition, sets out to redefine high-fidelity virtual/mixed reality with a focus on delivering an immersive experience that blurs the lines between the virtual and the real. Boasting an extensive clientele, including over a quarter of Fortune 500 companies, Varjo’s headsets are utilized for tasks ranging from astronaut and pilot training to expediting automotive production and facilitating medical breakthroughs.

Key to the XR-4’s prowess are its advanced features, such as dual 4K x 4K mini-LED displays, offering an impressive 51 pixels per degree and a broad field of view at 120 x 105 degrees. These displays not only double the brightness at 200 nits but also cover 96% of the DCI-P3 color space, providing a visual feast for users. Incorporating dual low-latency 20-megapixel cameras, ambient light sensors, and an 8x improvement in LiDAR resolution over its predecessor, the XR-3, these headsets seamlessly merge real and virtual elements.

The XR-4 Focal Edition introduces gaze-directed autofocus cameras, akin to Apple’s foveated rendering feature, catering specifically to scenarios requiring interaction with real-world objects, such as cockpit-based applications. On the other hand, the XR-4 Secure Edition addresses the needs of government and defense organizations with stringent security requirements.

Powered by NVIDIA GPUs and integrated into NVIDIA Omniverse, the XR-4 series enables developers and industrial users to render photorealistic scenes, unlocking the potential of ray tracing in mixed reality. This powerhouse combination surpasses the computational capabilities achievable with mobile chips, heralding a new era for developers. Compatible with over 100 third-party PC applications and 3D engines, including Unreal Engine and Unity, these headsets seamlessly integrate into workflows across sectors such as training and simulation, design, engineering, and healthcare.

While the XR-4 headsets tip the scales at just over two pounds, heavier than the Quest 3 and Apple’s Vision Pro, this weight is a non-issue for Varjo’s target customers who use the headsets for limited periods, mainly in training scenarios. The XR-4 series comes with a starting price of $3,990 for the base model, a figure that may raise eyebrows among consumers but is justified within the specialized industries that stand to gain the most from Varjo’s unique offerings. Notably, Varjo exclusively caters to enterprise and military industries, with the XR-4 Focal Edition priced at $9,990 and the XR-4 Secure Edition, designed for government-level encrypted use, lacking a publicly listed price.