Varjo XR-4: Difference between revisions

|Subtype = [[PC-Powered VR]]

|Creator =

|Release Date = November 2023

|Price = $3,990 (XR-4 Standard Edition, no subscription)

|Chipset =

|CPU =

|GPU =

|HPU =

|Storage =

|Memory =

|Peak Brightness = 200 nits

|Face Tracking =

|Body Tracking =

|Latency = ~22ms (passthrough), less than 15ms (VR)

|Camera = 2× 20MP RGB, 1× 300k LiDAR sensor

|Wireless Video =

|WiFi =

|Bluetooth =

|Battery Capacity =

|Battery Life =

|Charge Time =

The [[Varjo XR-4]] is a professional [[PC-Powered VR|PC-powered]] [[mixed reality]] and [[virtual reality]] [[head-mounted display]] announced on November 27, 2023, by [[Varjo|Varjo Technologies]].<ref name="varjo-xr4-product" /> Representing the fourth generation of Varjo's mixed reality technology, the XR-4 series eliminated subscription requirements, introduced inside-out tracking as standard, and offered professional-grade specifications at a revised price point for its class.<ref name="varjo-announcement" />

The XR-4 development began in 2022 following feedback from [[Varjo XR-3]] customers and success of the subscription-free [[Varjo Aero]]. Key development goals included democratizing professional mixed reality, aiming for high visual fidelity in both virtual and passthrough modes, and eliminating external tracking requirements.<ref name="cnbc" />

===Major Improvements over XR-3===

*51 PPD uniform resolution (vs dual-display system)

*20-megapixel [[passthrough cameras]] (vs 12MP)

*[[Inside-out tracking]] standard (vs external base stations)

*Significant price reduction for the standard model with no subscription

*Passthrough resolution of 33 PPD (Standard Edition) or 51 PPD (Focal Edition)

*'''Resolution''': 3840×3744 per eye (14.8 megapixels total)

*'''Pixel Density''': 51 pixels per degree (uniform)

*'''Panel Type''': Fast-switching Mini-LED with local dimming

*'''Brightness''': 200 nits sustained

*'''Contrast''': 10,000:1 with local dimming

*'''Color Gamut''': 96% DCI-P3, 98% sRGB

High-resolution passthrough system:

*'''RGB Cameras''': Dual 20-megapixel global shutter sensors

*'''Passthrough Resolution''': 33 PPD (XR-4 Standard Edition), 51 PPD (XR-4 Focal Edition, matching virtual content)

*'''Frame Rate''': 90 fps with ~22ms latency

*'''Dynamic Range''': 14 stops with HDR processing

*'''Low Light''': ISO 25,600 equivalent sensitivity

*'''Resolution''': 300,000 points (300 kpix)

*'''Range''': 0.2m to 7m (extended from 5m)

*'''Accuracy''': ±2mm at 1m distance

*'''Frame Rate''': 30 fps depth updates (Note: some sources may vary)

*'''Coverage''': 94° × 78° depth sensing FOV

World's first XR autofocus system:<ref name="varjo-autofocus" />

*'''Technology''': Liquid lens with 200Hz response

*'''Focus Range''': 20cm to infinity

*'''Eye-Coupled''': Focus follows gaze automatically

*'''Latency''': <5ms focus adjustment

*'''Applications''': Aims to solve vergence-accommodation conflict

===[[Inside-Out Tracking]]===

*'''Cameras''': 4× wide-angle tracking sensors

*'''Algorithm''': Advanced SLAM with ML enhancement

*'''Accuracy''': Sub-millimeter precision

*'''Range''': 7-meter radius tracking volume

*'''Persistence''': Remembers room layout

*'''Technology''': Computer vision with neural networks

*'''Fingers Tracked''': All 10 fingers with 21 points each

*'''Latency''': 11ms hand-to-photon

*'''Gestures''': Library of standard XR interactions

*'''SDK''': Direct hand data access for developers

*'''One-Time Purchase''': Starting at $3,990 for XR-4 Standard Edition

*'''All Features Included''': No feature tiers within an edition

*'''Free Updates''': Lifetime software support

*'''Professional Tools''': Full SDK access

*'''Device Management''': Configure all settings

*'''Performance Monitoring''': Real-time diagnostics

*'''User Profiles''': Save multiple configurations

*'''Cloud Sync''': Settings backup and restore

*'''[[Unity]] Plugin''': Native XR-4 features

*'''[[Unreal Engine]] 5''': Full integration with Nanite/Lumen

*'''[[OpenXR]] Extensions''': Varjo-specific features

*'''[[NVIDIA Omniverse]]''': RTX rendering support

*All core features

*20MP passthrough (33 PPD)

*300k LiDAR

*$3,990

===[[XR-4 Focal Edition]]===

*All Standard features plus:

*Liquid lens autofocus system

*Enhanced eye tracking data

*$9,990

===[[XR-4 Secure Edition]]===

Government/Defense variant:<ref name="varjo-secure" />

*[[TAA]]/[[BAA]] compliant

*Secure boot process

*Offline operation mode

*Manufactured in secure facility

*ITAR-free for international use

===Minimum Specifications===

*'''OS''': Windows 10 version 20H2 or Windows 11

*'''CPU''': Intel Core i9-11900K or AMD Ryzen 9 5900X (or comparable)

*'''GPU''': NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, RTX 3080, RTX 2080 Ti, or NVIDIA RTX A5000 (or comparable AMD GPU)

*'''RAM''': 32 GB DDR4-3200

*'''Storage''': 1 TB NVMe SSD

*'''USB''': Thunderbolt 4 or USB-C with DP Alt Mode

===Recommended Specifications===

*'''CPU''': Intel Core i9-13900K or AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

*'''GPU''': NVIDIA RTX 4090 or RTX 6000 Ada

*'''RAM''': 64 GB DDR5

*'''Storage''': 2 TB NVMe Gen4 SSD

*'''[[BMW Group]]''': Full vehicle design in MR

*'''[[Stellantis]]''': Global design collaboration

*'''[[Rimac Automobili]]''': Hypercar development

*'''[[Polestar]]''': Sustainable material visualization

*Design reviews with physical clay models

*Ergonomics testing with real drivers

*HMI development and testing

*Virtual showrooms with real products

*'''[[Cleveland Clinic]]''': Surgical planning in MR

*'''[[Karolinska Institute]]''': Medical education

*'''[[Brainlab]]''': Image-guided surgery

*'''[[Siemens Healthineers]]''': MRI/CT visualization

*Pre-operative planning with patient data

*Medical device training

*Anatomy education with cadavers

*Rehabilitation therapy

*'''[[Zaha Hadid Architects]]''': Parametric design review

*'''[[AECOM]]''': Infrastructure visualization

*'''[[Trimble]]''': BIM integration

*'''[[Autodesk]]''': Native Revit support

*'''[[Lockheed Martin]]''': F-35 maintenance

*'''[[Saab]]''': Gripen pilot training

*'''[[BAE Systems]]''': Ship design review

*'''Various contractors''': Classified programs

The XR-4 announcement generated significant attention<ref name="skarredghost" />:

*'''Price Point''': $3,990 for the standard edition was a notable reduction from the previous XR-3.

*'''No Subscription''': Praised by enterprise customers.

*'''Feature Set''': Considered comprehensive for its price in the professional market.

*'''Availability''': Global launch in 40+ countries.<ref name="auganix" />

Professional reviews were generally positive, highlighting advancements:

*Passthrough quality is a key focus, with Varjo aiming for experiences "indistinguishable from natural sight," though user experiences may vary.

*Autofocus system (Focal Edition) "game-changing" for MR.

====Criticisms====

*High PC requirements remain.

*No wireless option at launch.

*Hand tracking, while improved, may occasionally lose precision.

*Limited battery for future standalone use (if such a version were developed).

*'''NVIDIA CloudXR''': RTX server rendering

*'''5G Support''': Ultra-low latency streaming

*'''Edge Computing''': Local cloud deployment

*'''Multi-User''': Synchronized MR sessions

*'''[[Passthrough]] Enhancement''': AI upscaling and denoising

*'''[[Hand Tracking]]''': Neural network gesture recognition

*'''[[Eye Tracking]]''': Predictive gaze estimation

*'''[[SLAM]]''': ML-assisted tracking robustness

*'''Dual-Element Lenses''': Reduced aberrations

*'''Coating Technology''': 99.5% light transmission

*'''Edge-to-Edge Clarity''': <2% distortion at edges

*'''Pancake Design''': Considered but rejected for quality

*'''Quality Control''': 100% optical calibration

*'''Lead Time''': 5-day average shipping

*'''Customization''': OEM versions available

*'''Sustainability''': Carbon neutral facility

*'''Display Panels''': BOE (custom Mini-LED)

*'''[[Camera]]s''': Sony (IMX sensors)

*'''[[LiDAR]]''': Proprietary Varjo design

*'''[[Lense]]s''': ZEISS (coating technology)

'''XR-4 Advantages''': Higher virtual resolution, PC-powered performance for demanding applications, established professional ecosystem, potentially more robust tracking for certain professional use cases.

'''XR-4 Advantages''': Significantly higher resolution, professional-grade tools and support, superior passthrough fidelity (especially Focal Edition).

'''XR-4 Advantages''': Higher resolution, generally superior passthrough quality, more advanced eye tracking.

 

'''Vive Advantages''': Standalone option, lower price point.

*Standalone version in development

*Wireless adapter planned for 2025

*8K per eye displays in testing

*AI copilot for enterprise applications

*The XR-4's launch influenced the mixed reality landscape:

*Set a new benchmark for professional MR features at its price point.

*Reinforced the demand for 50+ PPD for detailed professional use.

*Accelerated inside-out tracking adoption in the professional space.

*Validated the no-subscription model for enterprise hardware.

*Technologies popularized:

*Gaze-driven autofocus for XR (Focal Edition).

*20MP+ passthrough cameras.

*300k+ point LiDAR integration.

*Uniform high-PPD displays.

*[[Mixed reality]]

*[[Varjo|Varjo Technologies]]

*[[Varjo XR-3]]

*[[Varjo Aero]]

*[[Apple Vision Pro]]

*[[LiDAR]]

*[[Inside-out tracking]]

*[[Foveated rendering]]

*[[TAA compliance]]