Dell’s first virtual reality headset is coming this fall. It’s called the Dell Visor, and it’s a $350 head mounted display with two 1440 x 1440 pixel LCD display panels, built-in sensors that offer 6 degrees of freedom, a cushioned adjustable strap, and a flip-up display that makes it easy to leave virtual reality for a moment and then go right back to where you left off.
The Dell Visor will be available starting October 17th, 2017 for $350. An optional set of motion controllers will also be available for an extra $100. Pre-orders open in September.
If some of these features seem familiar, that’s because the Dell Visor is designed around Microsoft’s specifications for mixed reality headsets.
The good news is that means you can use the Dell Visor with pretty much any Windows 10 PC that supports mixed reality. You can even buy Dell’s motion controllers and use them with an Acer or HP headset (and you’ll likely be able to buy a different company’s motion controllers and use them with Dell’s headset.
Given the similarities between different HMDs, I asked Dell what sets their Visor apart from the competition. It comes in white, has a comfortable and easily adjustable head strap, and has a strap that lets you keep the wires connecting the headset to your PC out of your face. So… not much.
Still, it’s kind of a good thing if these affordable headsets become commoditized. It’ll be easier for software developers to create VR experiences if they know they’ll look the same on Dell’s headset as they do on HP’s. And customers will be able to make their purchasing decisions based on style, comfort, and the other small areas that set one model apart from the others. Or maybe they’ll just buy their headsets from whoever built their PC, because that usually seems like the easiest option, right?
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