Virtual reality headsets aren’t really known for providing comfort and exceptional clarity, but HP’s next-generation headset may change that. HP has a VR headset on the horizon with a design that reportedly emphasizes comfort, has a high resolution, and utilizes the Windows Mixed Reality platform. According to a report by Road to VR, HP’s comfortable VR headset seems to be described as such because of its apparent lightness and ease of use, though the actual weight of the headset was not been released by HP. As noted by Road to VR, the “headset’s ergonomics” had been “completely redesigned” and included changes such as the elimination of halo-style headbands in favor of using a top strap, as well as the use of “rigid spring-loaded struts” to help minimize the fuss of having to adjust the headset multiple times when wearing or removing it. Appearance-wise, Road to VR noted that the headset felt and looked very similar to an Oculus Rift. Code-named “Copper”, HP’s VR headset also boasts an uncommonly high resolution with displays that feature 2,160 x 2,160 pixels per eye. While, as The Verge notes, this resolution is not the highest resolution available by current VR headsets, it still seems vastly better than the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Samsung Odyssey Plus headsets. Road to VR also mentioned they had the opportunity to experience and compare both the Odyssey Plus and the HP Copper headset during their exclusive look and admitted that the “Copper’s clarity blew it [the Odyssey Plus] away,” which is unsurprising considering the Odyssey Plus only has 1,440 x 1,600 pixels per eye. In addition, the Copper headset is expected to run on the Windows Mixed Reality platform and includes the following features: RGB stripe displays, Fresnel lenses, and velcro side straps. The HP Copper headset does not have an official name, price range or a release date; and it hasn’t been formally announced. But when it is launched, the headset is expected to be available for consumers and companies, though it may be presented as a professional-level product. According to Road to VR, a 2019 launch still seems likely and said that the headset he previewed “looked and felt nearly market-ready.” Editors' Recommendations<doc-sep>Road to VR via HP. Click for original. (Image credit: Road to VR via HP) If you're looking to get into VR gaming, you're probably torn between the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and the higher end (and pricier) Vive Pro, the three best VR headsets for all practical purposes. Those are all good options, though HP is building a mixed reality headset with a higher resolution than all three. Codenamed 'Copper', the folks at Road to VR recently had a chance to preview the headset in prototype form. It reportedly boasts a 2160 x 2160 resolution per eye, putting it at the top of its class in the mixed reality space. The bulk of mixed reality headsets offer 1440 x 1440 per eye, while Samsung's Odyssey+ ups the ante to 1440 x 1600 per eye. It also compares favorably to traditional VR headsets. Here's a look: HP Copper: 2160 x 2160 per eye HTC Vive Pro: 1440 x 1600 per eye HTC Vive: 1080 x 1200 per eye Oculus Rift: 1080 x 1200 per eye The reason this matters is because higher resolutions play an even bigger role in VR, since these headsets mash the displays so close to your eyeballs. This close proximity leads to what's referred to as the screen door effect, which describes seeing fine black lines between pixels. "Looking through Copper’s lenses, sharpness is a drastic step forward over Odyssey+. And while the Odyssey+ uses a diffuser on the screen (which sacrifices some sharpness in an effort to hide the screen door effect), Copper hardly has a need for a diffuser as the pixel dense RGB-stripe displays make the screen door effect vanishingly apparent," Road to VR noted. That said, the resolution on HP's Copper still falls short of headsets like the Pixmax 8K, which requires a burly GPU. However, it's a big step up from every mixed reality headset currently on the market. That's the other important distinction—Copper is a Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) headset, which means it conforms to certain design standards and features inside-out tracking. Unlike the Rift or Vive, no external sensors or base stations are required. As to the field of view (FOV), it sounds like there will not be much improvement there. HP said its customers care more higher resolutions than they do an expanded FOV. So, we'll have to wait and see how it all pans out. How long we'll have to wait is not yet known—HP isn't offering up any details on when Copper will launch or what it will cost.<doc-sep>(Pocket-lint) - It looks like we can expect a new headset from HP. The company is working on a new "VR headset", according to Road to VR, which published a preview of yet-to-be-announced device. It's apparently based on Microsoft's Window Mixed Reality (WMR) platform. HP gave this headset the codename Copper, and a leaked image shows that it doesn’t have much in common with HP’s first WMR headset released roughly two years ago. HP's new Copper VR headset will be primarily for businesses use, but it'll reportedly be made available to consumers, too. HP’s hope with the Copper VR headset is that it'll improve over HP’s previous design in terms of both comfort and performance. To improve performance, the device has an upped resolution of 2160 x 2160 pixels per eye, a huge boost over HP’s original WMR headset. Also, if you recall, a big issue with the Copper’s predecessor is that it's somewhat uncomfortable to wear, which can be extremely annoying when you’re gaming or wearing the headset for long periods of time. HP has therefore included straps on Copper that go around and over a user's head, and it made the headset much lighter, according to Road to VR, which didn’t provide a weight. There’s no release date or even official name for HP’s new headset, but it should replace the existing WMR one in professional bundles. Time will only tell as far as when we can expect it. Road to VR said the headset felt like it was near completion and guesses it’ll be out this year. HP's old WMR headset goes for around $449, for reference. Writing by Maggie Tillman.<doc-sep>
HP is planning a comfortable, high-resolution headset for Microsoft’s virtual reality (technically, “Windows Mixed Reality”) platform. Road to VR published a preview of the headset, which is codenamed “Copper” and has no official price or release date. It doesn’t look much like other Windows Mixed Reality devices, including HP’s first-generation headset, which launched in 2017. The Copper headset features a resolution of 2160 × 2160 pixels per eye. That doesn’t beat Pimax’s 8K headset or Google and LG’s super high-resolution display prototype, both of which are closer to 4,000 pixels per eye. It’s still a huge jump from first-generation VR headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, or even from the upgraded Vive Pro, which offers 1440 x 1600 pixels per eye. Resolution also isn’t the only factor in a good display, and Road to VR’s Ben Lang reports being impressed by Copper’s clarity. But HP isn’t significantly expanding the field of view — a noteworthy limitation for most VR headsets. It looks basically like an Oculus Rift The new headset is designed to be far more comfortable than its predecessors. We don’t know the weight, but it supposedly feels fairly light. Where most Windows Mixed Reality headsets rest on a plastic ring around users’ heads, Copper’s design looks extremely similar to the Oculus Rift, with straps on the side and over the head. But it features the same built-in tracking cameras as other Windows Mixed Reality headsets, which add some weight but also make these headsets simple to set up. Copper will be available for anyone at launch, but like most Windows Mixed Reality products, it’s primarily built for businesses rather than consumers. Road to VR writes that it will “eventually” replace HP’s current headset in its bundle for professionals, though that doesn’t rule out the products coexisting for a while — especially if there’s a big price gap between Copper and the existing $449 device. We haven’t heard much hardware news about Windows Mixed Reality lately, although Samsung refreshed its Odyssey headset late last year. That might change in a few weeks: Microsoft is expected to unveil a second-generation HoloLens mixed reality headset. (HoloLens is its own subset of Windows Mixed Reality, and it’s the only headset to feature actual mixed reality, Microsoft’s horribly confusing branding efforts notwithstanding.) HP will release more details about Copper at an unknown future point, but Road to VR reports that the headset feels close to a finished product and that it’s a “strong bet” it will launch sometime this year.