Yesterday, I got the chance to visit Varjo and explore the Varjo XR-4 Focal Edition. I walked away genuinely impressed by the sharp clarity of its passthrough feature, and I’d like to share my experience in this brief article.
My Visit to Varjo
Currently, I’m in Helsinki for MatchXR, and naturally, I took the opportunity to visit Varjo, which is headquartered here. During my visit, I explored several interesting demos and will write a detailed article about them soon. Towards the end of the visit, I got an invitation to test a plane simulator set up in their demo area. Unable to resist a good simulator, I jumped right in. Donning the Varjo XR-4, I engaged with the simulator, which was designed as a classic pilot training setup. It wasn’t about shooting down enemy aircraft like in Top Gun; rather, it was all about managing a steady flight—something I didn’t quite master, leading to a rather spectacular virtual crash.
The experience was in mixed reality. I could see the real-world simulator cockpit through the passthrough vision, while the external flying environment was projected virtually through the cockpit’s screen.
Varjo XR-4
This was not my first time with the Varjo XR-4; I’ve shared some initial thoughts on it about a year ago. The XR-4 stands out due to its impressive enterprise-grade features, notably a staggering resolution of 3840 x 3744 per eye, and a 120° x 105° field of view. The screen door effect is nearly nonexistent, offering visuals of extraordinary clarity, especially appealing to companies where graphical precision is critical, such as design firms.
Here’s a rundown of the XR-4 specs:
- Display: Two mini-LED displays
- Resolution: 3840×3744 per eye
- Refresh Rate: 90 Hz
- Contrast: 1:10000
- Luminance: 200 Nits
- Lenses: Custom, variable resolution, full-dome, aspheric optics
- FOV: 120° x 105°
- Passthrough Cameras: Dual 20MP
- Latency: ~22ms (with further improvements in progress)
- LiDAR: 300-kilo pixels, 7-meter range, 30 FPS
- Connectivity: DisplayPort and USB-C
- Audio: Spatial audio speakers with 3.5 mm jack, and dual noise-canceling mics
- Tracking: Inside-out, with SteamVR faceplate support
- Controllers: Varjo controllers by RAZER™
- Weight: 1021g
On my last visit, I couldn’t really gauge the passthrough properly since I had a preview version. But with the production model now in hand, I can finally share a comprehensive experience of its capabilities.
Varjo Passthrough and the Focal Edition
Throughout my time at Varjo, I took the opportunity to test the XR-4’s passthrough. I found it quite good—had I experienced it during the era of Oculus Quest 2, I might have called it the best. However, given the upgrades we’ve seen in passthrough features on newer devices like the Oculus Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro, the XR-4’s performance emerges as a standard high-def experience for 2024. Although it’s slightly noisier than some competitors, I hadn’t tested it under the same conditions, so keep that in mind.
Then came the cockpit demo. Between simulated crashes, a Varjo staff member handed me papers filled with details typically vital for pilots. As I absentmindedly scanned the tiny text, pretending to comprehend, a realization hit me after a few moments: I could read even the small print vividly through the headset’s passthrough. It dawned on me only when I put aside the papers to crash yet another simulated plane—one of those delayed "aha" moments.
I confirmed with my Varjo guide: that striking clarity was a mark of the XR-4 Focal Edition. The model excels because of its unique Autofocus feature powered by the headset’s eye-tracking. It automatically focuses the 20 MP passthrough cameras on the object you’re looking at, tremendously enhancing clarity. It’s like the cameras are extensions of your eyes, delivering an astonishing 51 PPD pixel density. Considering human vision is typically around 60 PPD for retina-equivalent quality, the performance here is not far off.
I witnessed firsthand how this near-natural clarity applied—whether focusing on the cockpit’s buttons or papers, everything appeared impressively sharp and detailed. Not having to turn my head to focus was particularly impressive; I could simply shift my gaze and achieve instant clarity.
Varjo XR-4 Focal Edition Hands-On
The AF-driven clarity was a stand-out feature of the XR-4 Focal Edition, as confirmed by my Varjo host. The 20 MP cameras adjust their focus based on where your eyes are looking, offering incredibly clear passthrough resolution—like looking directly at a high-definition display. With a breathtaking 51 PPD, it’s close to what the human eye would naturally perceive as crisp.
Final Considerations
Experiencing the XR-4 Focal Edition was enlightening, showing me a glimpse of the potential future of passthrough in mixed reality headsets. With such high quality and optical focus adaptability, such technology could redefine how we perceive the virtual and physical worlds without the need to remove our headsets. It’s a leap toward virtual displays rivaling reality, though I do dream of the day it comes at a more accessible price point than €10,000.
Varjo’s models are equally intriguing, though the Focal Edition might demand deep pockets—or maybe just a kidney or two—as a payment.
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