Virtual reality developer Bigscreen is expanding into hardware by unveiling its self-proclaimed “world’s smallest VR headset,” the Beyond. That title is also not entirely without merit.
The afterlife (opens in new tab) is approximately 5.6 inches long, two inches wide, and clocks in at just over four ounces barring any added accessories. For comparison: the Oculus Quest 2 , another lightweight VR headset, weighs nearly four times as much at 17.7 ounces. That said the CEO of the company, Darshan Shankar TechCrunch that as technology improved, VR headsets got bigger and bulkier. Heavier devices can lead to neck strain, restricting user movement and affecting gameplay. So Bigscreen decided to go the opposite way by creating a more comfortable, compact machine. Admittedly, it achieves some of this weight loss by moving batteries and some components to the connected PC.
And while it’s a lightweight headset, the developers haven’t skimped on power, as it boasts some admittedly impressive specs.
Under the hood of the headset
Unlike the Oculus Quest 2, Bigscreen has not created its own operating system. The Beyond runs on Steam VR, which allows it to support the platform’s base station, controllers, and a host of accessories. It even comes with SteamVR tracking (opens in new tab) built-in so it can accurately track your body’s movements with a high degree of accuracy.
Running VR games are two 5K resolution (5,120 x 2560 pixels) 90Hz MicroOLED screens, which the company promises will offer “breathtaking color” [and] razor-sharp clarity.” And thanks to that technology, users don’t suffer from unwanted motion blur or the annoying screen door effect. That’s when thin black lines appear between pixels, ruining image quality.
To achieve the Beyond’s lightweight design, developers made some interesting design choices. For starters, the headset comes with three-element pancake optical lenses that allow for a compact fit without sacrificing clarity. It also doesn’t come with on-device controls or adjustment buttons to get a perfect fit, as each device is custom-made for your face. That fit is achieved via a 3D facial scan.
Custom made for you
When you order the Beyond, Bigscreen emails you a link to download the company’s own facial scanning app, which is an iOS exclusive. The app sends a detailed 3D mesh of your face to the company’s Los Angeles factory, which uses it to make your custom headset.
Pre-orders are currently open for (opens in new tab) the Beyond, which will retail for $999. There are also a number of accessories available for pre-order, with more to come. You can get an audio strap, which is basically a pair of headphones, for $99, and a special prescription magnetic lens for $79 that goes over the eye socket. Later you can buy a custom face pad and fiber optic cable, but right now there is no price tag for those two.
In the US, the Beyond will ship in the third quarter of 2023 (around the middle of summer). But due to the bespoke nature of the headset, it may take several weeks or months for it to arrive at your home. Other countries like Canada, Japan and Australia won’t get the Beyond until the fourth quarter.
All in all, quite an interesting headset. As we noted above, unlike Oculus Quest, this is not a wireless headset. Other reports (opens in new tab) point out that you need to connect the Beyond to the link box and connect that to your PC to provide both video and power. We asked Bigscreen if there are any plans to make an Android version of its face scanning app. This story will be updated if we hear anything.
While we have you, be sure to check out TechRadar’s recently updated list of the best VR headsets of 2023 .