Somnium, a Czech startup once known solely for its social VR platform, Somnium Space, made waves in late 2021 with the announcement of their ambitious Somnium VR1 headset. Originally envisioned as a hybrid device, it was going to operate independently thanks to an onboard Snapdragon XR2 chipset. However, in 2022, the company shifted gears to make it a dedicated PC VR headset, teaming up with VRgineers—renowned for their high-end XTAL headsets tailored for enterprise use.
The Somnium VR1 boasts impressive specs for its time, incorporating the same 2880×2880 QD-LCD with Mini-LED technology found in the Pimax Crystal. These displays offer remarkable visual clarity with a 20,000:1 contrast ratio through local dimming and a 100% NTSC color gamut. Players can enjoy refresh rates of 72Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz—with an “experimental” 144Hz mode as a bonus. The screens also shine brightly at 210 nits, surpassing the Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro by a significant margin.
A key feature of the VR1 is its large dual-element aspheric lenses, which Somnium claims provide an expansive field of view—approximately 130° horizontally and 105° vertically. These specs make it the widest available on the market today, as previous models like Pimax’s “5K” and “8K” had larger fields but were plagued by peripheral distortion and are no longer manufactured.
The substantial focus on maximizing the field of view is partly why the Somnium VR1 appears bulkier than its contemporaries, which have adopted the trend for slimmer pancake lenses. Despite its size, this commitment to immersive visuals sets it apart in a market increasingly favoring portability.
