Somnium, a promising startup from the Czech Republic, has been known for its virtual reality platform, Somnium Space. However, they made waves in late 2021 by unveiling the Somnium VR1 headset, boasting some impressive specs for its time. This was achieved in collaboration with VRgineers, a company recognized for its high-end XTAL headsets aimed at enterprise users. Although the Somnium VR1 was initially intended to be a hybrid device with standalone functionality powered by a Snapdragon XR2 chipset, the focus shifted in 2022, and they decided to streamline it as a dedicated PC VR headset.
The VR1 is equipped with 2880×2880 QD-LCD panels enhanced by Mini-LED technology, the same display tech you’d find in the Pimax Crystal. These screens provide an impressive 20,000:1 contrast thanks to local dimming, cover 100% of the NTSC color spectrum, and support varied refresh rates—72Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz—plus an “experimental” 144Hz option. The brightness level hits 210 nits, which is nearly twice as bright as what you’d experience with the Meta Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro.
These high-performance displays are matched with dual-element aspheric lenses, a feature Somnium claims delivers around a 130° horizontal and 105° vertical field of view. Compared to other VR headsets, this is broader than most offerings on the market today. While the Pimax “5K” and “8K” models once boasted even wider fields of view, they aren’t in production anymore and suffered from significant edge distortion.
The pursuit of a wider field of view explains why the Somnium VR1 maintains a bulkier design, especially when many headsets are moving towards slimmer, pancake lens alternatives.
