Pico 4
| Pico 4 | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-Mounted Display |
| Subtype | Standalone VR |
| Platform | PICO OS, SteamVR (via streaming) |
| Developer | PICO (ByteDance) |
| Manufacturer | PICO |
| Announcement Date | September 22, 2022 |
| Release Date | October 18, 2022 |
| Price | €429 (128GB) / €499 (256GB) |
| Website | https://www.picoxr.com/ |
| Predecessor | Pico Neo 3 Link |
| Successor | Pico 4 Ultra |
| System | |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 |
| Storage | |
| Display | |
| Display | LCD (dual pancake) |
| Resolution | 2160x2160 per eye |
| Refresh Rate | 72/90 Hz |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 105° |
| Optics | |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| Passthrough | Color (low resolution) |
| Tracking | |
| Eye Tracking | No (available on Pro version) |
| Hand Tracking | Supported |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Dual stereo speakers |
| Connectivity | |
| Device | |
| Weight | 295g (headset only) |
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The Pico 4 is a standalone virtual reality head-mounted display developed by PICO (owned by ByteDance), released October 18, 2022 starting at €429. A Meta Quest 2 competitor featuring dual LCD pancake displays at 2160x2160 per eye (4320x2160 combined), Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2, 105° field of view, color passthrough, motorized IPD adjustment, and 5300 mAh battery. Available in Europe and Asia only (not sold in North America).
History and Development
PICO announced the Pico 4 on September 22, 2022, releasing October 18, 2022. Backed by ByteDance (TikTok parent company), Pico 4 positioned itself as a premium Quest 2 alternative with better specifications at competitive pricing. The pancake lens design allowed for a slimmer, lighter headset. Regional availability limited to Europe and select Asian markets (China, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore). A Pro version with eye tracking and face tracking launched in November 2022.[1]
Design and Hardware
Display
Pancake lens advantage:
- 2160x2160 per eye resolution
- 4320x2160 combined
- Dual LCD panels
- 1200 PPI
- 72 Hz / 90 Hz refresh rate
- 105° field of view
- Pancake lenses (compact optics)
Processing
- Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2
- 8GB LPDDR4 RAM
- 128GB / 256GB storage
- Standalone + PC VR capable
Tracking
- 6DoF inside-out tracking
- 4 cameras
- Hand tracking supported
- No external sensors
Passthrough
- Color passthrough
- 16MP RGB camera
- Low resolution/framerate
- Basic mixed reality
IPD
- Motorized IPD adjustment
- 62-72mm range
- Automatic calibration
- UI-controlled
Audio
- Dual stereo speakers
- Dual microphones
- 3.5mm audio jack
- Spatial audio
Battery
- 5300 mAh battery
- ~2.5 hours gaming
- 3+ hours media
- 20W fast charging
- QC 3.0 / PD 3.0 support
Comfort
- 295g headset (without strap)
- Balanced design
- Battery in rear
- Counterweight effect
- Slim front profile
Controllers
PICO 4 Controllers:
- 6DoF tracking
- Analog sticks
- Face buttons (A/B, X/Y)
- Triggers
- Grip buttons
- Menu buttons
- 2x AA batteries each
Pico 4 Pro
Enhanced version (November 2022):
- Eye tracking
- Face tracking
- 3 IR cameras per eye
- Avatar expressions
- Foveated rendering capable
Software
- PICO Store
- SteamVR streaming
- Virtual Desktop support
- PICO Video
- Growing app library
Regional Availability
| Region | Availability |
|---|---|
| Europe | Yes |
| China | Yes |
| South Korea | Yes |
| Japan | Yes |
| Malaysia | Yes |
| Singapore | Yes |
| North America | No |
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 2160x2160 LCD x2 |
| Combined | 4320x2160 |
| Refresh Rate | 72/90 Hz |
| FOV | 105° |
| Processor | Snapdragon XR2 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB |
| IPD | 62-72mm (motorized) |
| Battery | 5300 mAh |
| Weight | 295g |
| Price | €429 / €499 |
Reception
Praise:
- Higher resolution than Quest 2
- Pancake lenses slim design
- 295g lightweight
- Color passthrough
- Motorized IPD
- Competitive pricing
- 5300 mAh battery
- Balanced comfort
- PC VR streaming
Criticism:
- Not available in North America
- Smaller app library than Quest
- No eye tracking (base model)
- Passthrough low quality
- ByteDance privacy concerns
- Less developer support
- Regional content limitations
- Quest ecosystem dominance[2]