Based in the heart of Czechia, Somnium Space has recently upped the ante on pricing for its high-end PC VR headset, the Somnium VR1. The company justifies this decision by emphasizing their commitment to maintaining "the highest quality standards."
Last month, Somnium Space revealed plans to streamline its offerings, reducing the initial lineup of Somnium VR1 models and announcing that prices for the three remaining versions would increase after January 16, 2025, though they hadn’t disclosed the exact rise. Well, the numbers are in, and they represent a hike of €500 to €700, excluding local taxes, compared to what they previously charged. Here’s how the pricing stacks up now:
- Visionary Edition: Includes VR and eye-tracking features. The price jumped from €2,499 (approximately $2,600) to €2,999 (around $3,090).
- Titan Edition: Comes with VR, eye-tracking, and hand-tracking. It went from €2,899 (about $3,020) to €3,399 (roughly $3,500).
- Ultimate Edition: Boasts VR, eye-tracking, hand-tracking, and MR passthrough. It’s seen a leap from €3,499 (approximately $3,659) to €4,299 (around $4,425).
In a recent blog post, Somnium Space explained that the price increase was necessary due to higher production expenses:
"These changes reflect the complex production processes and our unwavering commitment to delivering the best PCVR experience possible. High-quality materials, intricate designs, and rigorous quality control result in additional production costs, including the inevitable scrap of some expensive components to meet our standards. Our dedication to uncompromising quality ensures that each VR1 headset is a masterpiece, designed to exceed your expectations."
Initially, Somnium Space offered a total of seven consumer variants. However, they’ve since trimmed down the lineup, phasing out the Classic Edition, Striker Edition, Specter Edition, and Translucent Edition, likely as another step to manage production costs better.
Previously, the Classic Edition served as Somnium Space’s entry-level option. This more basic PC VR headset lacked eye-tracking and was priced at €1,900 (or roughly $1,980)—again, excluding local taxes.
In addition to the price overhaul, Somnium Space has adjusted its delivery timeline for new Somnium VR1 orders. Customers can now expect their headsets to arrive between March and April 2025. The company aims to cut the delivery time to a mere two weeks by mid-2025, covering most of Europe, the UK, and the US for their shipping options.
For those eager to dive deeper into the features of the Somnium VR1, take a look at our hands-on review from last July’s Somnium Connect event.
Somnium VR1 Specs:
- Display: QLED Mini-Led Fast LCD with 2,880 × 2,880 resolution per eye.
- Field of view: 130° horizontal and 105° vertical; capable of rendering up to 140° horizontally, though this may vary slightly with facial and eye shape.
- Refresh rate: Options include 72 Hz and 90 Hz, with experimental upgrades to 120 and 144 Hz.
- Local dimming zones: 576 per eye.
- Eye tracking: Operates at 120 Hz, open-sourced algorithm available for customization.
- Connectivity: Includes USB-C, DisplayPort 1.4, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
- IPD Range: 57 to 76 mm.
