Varjo XR-3

Varjo XR-3
Basic Info
VR/AR	Mixed Reality
Type	Head-mounted display
Subtype	PC VR, Enterprise XR
Platform	SteamVR, Varjo Base
Creator	Varjo
Developer	Varjo
Manufacturer	Varjo
Announcement Date	December 2020
Release Date	February 2021
Price	$5,495 (hardware) + $1,495/year (subscription)
Website	https://varjo.com/
Versions	Varjo XR-3
Requires	High-end PC (NVIDIA RTX 2080 or better), SteamVR base stations
Predecessor	Varjo XR-1
Successor	Varjo XR-4
System
Operating System	Windows 10/11
Chipset	N/A (PC-tethered)
CPU	N/A (host PC)
GPU	N/A (host PC)
Storage
Storage	N/A (host PC)
Memory	N/A (host PC)
SD Card Slot	No
Display
Display	Dual micro-OLED (focus) + dual LCD (peripheral)
Subpixel Layout	RGB stripe (focus displays)
Peak Brightness	>100 nits (focus), >150 nits (peripheral)
Resolution	2880 × 2720 per eye (focus), 2880 × 2720 per eye (context)
Pixel Density	>70 PPD (focus area)
Refresh Rate	90Hz
Persistence	Low persistence
Image
Field of View	115° horizontal
Horizontal FoV	115°
Vertical FoV	134° (combined)
Average Pixel Density	~35 PPD
Peak Pixel Density	>70 PPD (focus area)
Foveated Rendering	Yes (gaze-driven)
Optics
Optics	Aspherical lenses with Bionic Display
Ocularity	Binocular
IPD Range	59-71mm (automatic)
Adjustable Diopter	No (glasses compatible)
Passthrough	Yes (12MP stereo, photorealistic)
Tracking
Tracking	6DoF (SteamVR Tracking 2.0)
Tracking Frequency	1000Hz (IMU)
Base Stations	Required (SteamVR 2.0)
Eye Tracking	Yes (integrated, 200Hz)
Face Tracking	No
Hand Tracking	Yes (Ultraleap integration available)
Body Tracking	Via SteamVR trackers
Rotational Tracking	Yes
Positional Tracking	Yes
Update Rate	90Hz
Tracking Volume	Room-scale (base station dependent)
Play Space	Roomscale
Latency	<20ms motion-to-photon
Audio
Audio	Integrated headphones
Microphone	Yes (integrated)
3.5mm Audio Jack	Yes
Camera	2× 12MP RGB cameras (stereo passthrough)
Connectivity
Connectivity	DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C 3.0, proprietary cable
Ports	Proprietary headset cable
Wired Video	Yes (DisplayPort 1.4)
Wireless Video	No
WiFi	No
Bluetooth	No
Power	Powered by PC via cable
Battery Capacity	N/A
Battery Life	N/A (tethered)
Charge Time	N/A
Device
Dimensions	Not specified
Weight	~594g
Material	Premium plastics, aluminum
Headstrap	Precision fit headband with counterweight
Haptics	No
Color	Black/Silver
Sensors	Eye tracking cameras, IMU, proximity sensor
Input	SteamVR controllers, enterprise controllers
Compliance	FCC, CE

<ul><li>Property "Peak Brightness" (as page type) with input value ">100 nits (focus)" contains invalid characters or is incomplete and therefore can cause unexpected results during a query or annotation process.</li> <li>Property "Peak Brightness" (as page type) with input value ">150 nits (peripheral)" contains invalid characters or is incomplete and therefore can cause unexpected results during a query or annotation process.</li></ul> Property "Pixel Density" (as page type) with input value ">70 PPD (focus area)" contains invalid characters or is incomplete and therefore can cause unexpected results during a query or annotation process. Property "Peak Pixel Density" (as page type) with input value ">70 PPD (focus area)" contains invalid characters or is incomplete and therefore can cause unexpected results during a query or annotation process. Property "Latency" (as page type) with input value "" contains invalid characters or is incomplete and therefore can cause unexpected results during a query or annotation process.

The Varjo XR-3 is a professional-grade mixed reality head-mounted display developed by Varjo, announced in December 2020 and released in February 2021 at a price of $5,495 for hardware plus $1,495 annual subscription. Representing the pinnacle of enterprise XR technology at its release, the XR-3 features Varjo's revolutionary Bionic Display system combining micro-OLED focus displays with LCD peripheral displays to achieve human-eye resolution exceeding 70 pixels per degree in the foveal region—sharp enough to read cockpit instruments or fine print at arm's length. The XR-3's defining feature is its photorealistic video passthrough using dual 12MP cameras with LiDAR depth sensing, enabling true mixed reality where digital objects seamlessly blend with the real world at unprecedented fidelity. With integrated 200Hz eye tracking enabling foveated rendering, 115° horizontal field of view, and 90Hz refresh rate, the XR-3 targets the most demanding enterprise applications: flight simulation, automotive design, industrial training, and research where visual fidelity cannot be compromised.

History and Development

Varjo Vision

Company mission:

Founded 2016 in Finland
Human-eye resolution goal
Enterprise XR focus
Premium market position

First Generation

Previous products:

VR-1 (2019) - VR-only
XR-1 (2019) - Mixed reality
Bionic Display introduction
Enterprise validation

December 2020 Announcement

XR-3 reveal:

Improved resolution
Enhanced passthrough
LiDAR depth sensing
Subscription model

February 2021 Launch

Commercial release:

$5,495 hardware
$1,495/year subscription
Enterprise channel
Professional focus

Design Philosophy

Human-Eye Resolution

Visual fidelity goal:

>70 PPD in focus
Read fine text
Instrument legibility
Professional requirements

Bionic Display

Dual display system:

Micro-OLED focus area
LCD peripheral context
Combined experience
Best of both technologies

Photorealistic Passthrough

Mixed reality quality:

12MP stereo cameras
LiDAR depth sensing
Real-time blending
Unprecedented fidelity

Enterprise-Grade

Professional design:

Premium construction
Reliability focus
Support infrastructure
Deployment tools

Display Technology

Bionic Display System

Revolutionary approach:

Focus Display: 2880 × 2720 micro-OLED per eye
Context Display: 2880 × 2720 LCD per eye
Combined: Seamless blend
Technology: Optical combination

Focus Area Resolution

Human-eye class:

>70 PPD central
~35 PPD average
Text legibility
Instrument readable

Micro-OLED Focus

High-density core:

RGB stripe layout
Excellent contrast
Fast response
Premium quality

LCD Peripheral

Wide-angle context:

Full FOV coverage
Good resolution
Seamless blend
Complete vision

Field of View

115° Horizontal

Wide perspective:

Industry-leading
Natural field
Peripheral awareness
Professional adequate

Vertical Coverage

Complete view:

134° combined diagonal
Good vertical
Natural vision
Comprehensive

Optical System

Aspherical Lenses

Premium optics:

Wide sweet spot
Minimal distortion
Clear edge-to-edge
Professional quality

Automatic IPD

Eye tracking integration:

Range: 59-71mm
Automatic adjustment
Per-user optimization
Eye tracking driven

Eye Tracking

200Hz Eye Tracking

Industry-leading:

Frequency: 200Hz
Technology: Integrated cameras
Sub-degree accuracy
Professional grade

Foveated Rendering

Performance optimization:

Gaze-driven rendering
Full resolution where looking
Reduced peripheral
GPU efficiency

Research Applications

Scientific use:

Gaze data collection
Attention analysis
Training assessment
Behavioral research

Mixed Reality System

12MP Stereo Passthrough

Photorealistic quality:

Resolution: 12 megapixels per camera
Stereo: True depth perception
Quality: Photorealistic
Latency: Low-latency video

LiDAR Depth Sensing

Accurate depth:

Real-time depth map
Object occlusion
Spatial accuracy
AR registration

Mixed Reality Quality

Unprecedented fidelity:

Real-world visible
Digital integration
Seamless blending
Professional-grade

Use Cases

MR applications:

Training with real equipment
Design in context
Maintenance guidance
Research studies

Tracking System

SteamVR Tracking 2.0

External tracking:

Base stations required
Sub-millimeter accuracy
Large volume
Professional reliability

6DoF Precision

Complete motion:

Position tracking
Rotation tracking
High accuracy
Low latency

Large Play Space

Scalable tracking:

Room-scale default
Expandable volume
Multiple base stations
Enterprise deployment

Audio System

Integrated Headphones

Built-in audio:

Over-ear design
Spatial audio capable
Good isolation
Convenient

3.5mm Jack

Alternative audio:

External headphones
Custom audio
Professional options
User preference

Physical Design

Premium Construction

Professional build:

High-quality materials
Precision engineering
Durable design
Enterprise grade

Comfort System

Extended wear:

Counterweight design
Adjustable fit
Pressure distribution
Professional use capable

Weight

Substantial device:

~594g
Well-balanced
Counterweight helps
Acceptable for use case

Connectivity

Tethered Operation

PC connection:

DisplayPort 1.4
USB-C 3.0
Power delivery
Proprietary cable

PC Requirements

High-end system:

NVIDIA RTX 2080 minimum
RTX 3080 recommended
USB 3.0 port
DisplayPort 1.4

Software Platform

Varjo Base

Management software:

Device configuration
Display calibration
Eye tracking setup
Enterprise tools

SteamVR Integration

Content access:

SteamVR applications
OpenXR support
Enterprise apps
Custom development

Enterprise SDK

Developer tools:

Unity integration
Unreal Engine support
Native SDK
Professional tools

Enterprise Applications

Flight Simulation

Aviation training:

Cockpit legibility
Instrument reading
Realistic visuals
Training fidelity

Automotive Design

Vehicle development:

Full-scale review
Design validation
Detail assessment
Collaborative review

Industrial Training

Workforce development:

Procedure training
Safety simulation
Skill development
Assessment capable

Research