Varjo XR-3

Varjo XR-3
Basic Info
VR/AR	Mixed Reality
Type	Head-mounted display
Subtype	Enterprise VR, PC VR
Platform	SteamVR, Varjo Base
Developer	Varjo
Manufacturer	Varjo
Release Date	December 1, 2020
Price	$5,495 USD
Website	https://varjo.com/products/varjo-xr-3
Predecessor	Varjo XR-1
Successor	Varjo XR-4
System
Storage
Display
Display	Bionic Display (uOLED + LCD hybrid)
Resolution	Focus: 1920x1920 per eye (uOLED), Peripheral: 2880x2720 per eye (LCD)
Refresh Rate	90 Hz
Image
Field of View	115°
Optics
Optics	Non-Fresnel (crystal clear)
Ocularity	Binocular
IPD Range	59-71mm (automatic)
Passthrough	12MP stereo RGB (photorealistic)
Tracking
Tracking	6DoF (SteamVR Lighthouse)
Eye Tracking	Yes (200 Hz, <1° accuracy)
Hand Tracking	Yes (Ultraleap Gemini)
Audio
Audio	3.5mm jack
Connectivity
Connectivity	DisplayPort 1.4, USB 3.0
Device
Weight	594g (headset), 386g (headband)

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The Varjo XR-3 is a professional mixed reality head-mounted display developed by Varjo, released on December 1, 2020 at $5,495. The successor to the XR-1, the XR-3 features Varjo's signature Bionic Display technology with human-eye resolution at 70 pixels per degree (PPD) in the focus area, 115° field of view (widest in industry at launch), integrated 200 Hz eye tracking with sub-1° accuracy, photorealistic 12-megapixel video passthrough, built-in LiDAR for depth sensing, and Ultraleap Gemini hand tracking. The XR-3 established the standard for enterprise mixed reality with true-to-life visual fidelity.

History and Development

Varjo launched the XR-3 alongside the VR-3 on December 1, 2020, continuing their focus on professional and enterprise applications requiring the highest visual fidelity. The XR-3 represented a significant price reduction from the XR-1/XR-2 (which cost over $10,000) while improving performance, making high-end mixed reality more accessible to businesses. The XR-3 was succeeded by the Varjo XR-4 in late 2023.^[1]

Design and Hardware

Bionic Display

Dual-panel human-eye resolution system:

Focus Area

Micro-OLED (uOLED) displays
1920x1920 resolution per eye
70 PPD (pixels per degree)—human-eye resolution
27° x 27° focus region
Follows gaze via eye tracking

Peripheral Area

LCD displays
2880x2720 resolution per eye
30+ PPD peripheral clarity
Full 115° coverage

Color Accuracy

99% sRGB coverage
93% DCI-P3 coverage
Widest color gamut in VR
Professional color accuracy

Field of View

115° FOV—widest in industry at launch
Significant upgrade from 87° (earlier Varjo models)
Near-peripheral vision coverage

Optics

Non-Fresnel lenses
Crystal clear optics
No god rays
Edge-to-edge clarity
Ultra-wide design

Eye Tracking

Industry-leading integrated system:

200 Hz tracking rate (2x previous generation)
<1° accuracy—world-leading for integrated XR/VR
Enables foveated rendering
Automatic IPD adjustment
Gaze analytics
Natural interaction

Hand Tracking

Ultraleap Gemini (5th generation)
First Gemini integration in XR/VR headset
High-fidelity hand and finger tracking
Natural gesture interaction

Mixed Reality (Passthrough)

Photorealistic video passthrough:

12-megapixel stereo RGB cameras
Low-latency passthrough
True-to-life color reproduction
Real-time environment view

Depth Sensing

Built-in LiDAR sensors
RGB + LiDAR fusion
40 cm to 5 m operating range
Spatial awareness
Depth occlusion

IPD Adjustment

Automatic IPD (59-71mm range)
Eye tracking-based calibration
No manual adjustment needed

Build

594g headset weight
386g headband
Active cooling system
Premium build quality
90 Hz refresh rate

Technical Specifications

Specification	Details
Display	Bionic (uOLED + LCD)
Focus Resolution	1920x1920 per eye (uOLED)
Peripheral Resolution	2880x2720 per eye (LCD)
PPD	70 (focus) / 30+ (peripheral)
Refresh Rate	90 Hz
Field of View	115°
Eye Tracking	200 Hz, <1° accuracy
Passthrough	12MP stereo RGB
LiDAR	Yes
Hand Tracking	Ultraleap Gemini
IPD Range	59-71mm (automatic)
Weight	594g + 386g headband
Price	$5,495

Enterprise Applications

Training and Simulation

Flight simulation
Medical training
Industrial training
Military simulation

Design and Engineering

CAD visualization
Architectural review
Product design
Engineering analysis

Research

Eye tracking studies
Human factors research
Cognitive science
Behavioral analysis

Reception

Praise:

70 PPD human-eye resolution in focus area
115° FOV widest at launch
200 Hz eye tracking industry-leading
<1° eye tracking accuracy exceptional
12MP passthrough photorealistic
LiDAR depth sensing innovative
Ultraleap Gemini hand tracking first
Non-Fresnel optics no god rays
Automatic IPD convenient
99% sRGB color accuracy professional

Criticism:

$5,495 price limits accessibility
Enterprise-only focus
594g + headband heavy
Requires powerful PC
SteamVR Lighthouse tracking needed
Tethered operation only
90 Hz (not 120 Hz)^[2]

^[3]

References

[varjo-1] "Varjo Launches XR-3 and VR-3". Varjo. https://varjo.com/news/varjo-launches-xr-3-and-vr-3-headsets-to-bring-the-next-generation-of-immersive-technology-to-every-workplace.

[tomshardware-2] "Varjo VR-3 and XR-3 VR Headsets Raise the Resolution Bar With Bionic Displays". Tom's Hardware. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/varjo-vr-3-and-xr-3-virtual-reality-headsets.

[knoxlabs-3] "Varjo XR-3: Mixed Reality Headset for Professionals". Knoxlabs. https://www.knoxlabs.com/products/varjo-xr-3.

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