Pico Neo 2

Pico Neo 2
Basic Info
VR/AR	Virtual Reality
Type	Head-mounted display
Subtype	Standalone VR
Platform	Pico OS
Creator	Pico Interactive
Developer	Pico Interactive
Manufacturer	Pico Interactive
Announcement Date	December 2019
Release Date	March 2020
Price	$699 (Neo 2), $899 (Neo 2 Eye)
Website	https://www.picoxr.com/
Versions	Pico Neo 2, Pico Neo 2 Eye
Requires	None (standalone)
Predecessor	Pico G2 4K
Successor	Pico Neo 3
System
Operating System	Pico OS (Android-based)
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
CPU	Octa-core Kryo 385 (4× 2.8 GHz + 4× 1.8 GHz)
GPU	Adreno 630
Storage
Storage	128GB (expandable via microSD)
Memory	6GB RAM
SD Card Slot	Yes (microSD)
Display
Display	LCD (single panel)
Subpixel Layout	RGB stripe
Peak Brightness	Not specified
Resolution	1920 × 2160 per eye (3840 × 2160 combined)
Pixel Density	~18 PPD
Refresh Rate	75Hz
Persistence	Low persistence
Image
Field of View	101°
Horizontal FoV	~101°
Vertical FoV	~92°
Average Pixel Density	~18 PPD
Peak Pixel Density	~18 PPD
Foveated Rendering	No (Yes on Neo 2 Eye with Tobii)
Optics
Optics	Fresnel lenses
Ocularity	Binocular
IPD Range	55-71mm (digital adjustment)
Adjustable Diopter	No (glasses compatible)
Passthrough	No
Tracking
Tracking	6DoF inside-out (electromagnetic controllers)
Tracking Frequency	N/A
Base Stations	None required
Eye Tracking	No (Yes on Neo 2 Eye - Tobii)
Face Tracking	No
Hand Tracking	No
Body Tracking	No
Rotational Tracking	Yes
Positional Tracking	Yes
Update Rate	75Hz
Tracking Volume	Room-scale
Play Space	Roomscale
Latency	<20ms motion-to-photon
Audio
Audio	Integrated stereo speakers
Microphone	Yes (dual)
3.5mm Audio Jack	Yes
Camera	2× tracking cameras (front)
Connectivity
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0
Ports	USB-C, microSD, 3.5mm audio
Wired Video	Yes (USB-C to PC)
Wireless Video	Yes (streaming)
WiFi	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.0
Power	Internal battery (rear-mounted)
Battery Capacity	~4300mAh
Battery Life	2.5-3 hours
Charge Time	~3 hours
Device
Dimensions	Not specified
Weight	692g (with controllers 340g total)
Material	Plastic
Headstrap	Halo-style with rear battery
Haptics	Controller haptics
Color	Black
Sensors	2× tracking cameras, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity
Input	Electromagnetic 6DoF controllers (pair included)
Compliance	FCC, CE

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The Pico Neo 2 is an enterprise-focused standalone virtual reality head-mounted display developed by Pico Interactive, announced in December 2019 and released in March 2020 at a price of $699 ($899 for the Neo 2 Eye with eye tracking). Positioned as an enterprise alternative to the Oculus Quest, the Pico Neo 2 featured the newer Snapdragon 845 processor (versus Quest's Snapdragon 835), a 4K LCD display at 3840 × 2160 with RGB stripe subpixels for better text clarity, and a unique electromagnetic controller tracking system that eliminated the occlusion issues common with optical tracking. The rear-mounted battery provided better weight distribution for extended enterprise use, while the Neo 2 Eye variant offered Tobii eye tracking enabling foveated rendering with up to 66% performance improvements. Targeting training, simulation, and enterprise applications, the Neo 2 series established Pico as a serious contender in the enterprise standalone VR market.

History and Development

Pico Background

Company evolution:

Founded 2015 in China
Enterprise VR focus
ByteDance acquisition (2021)
Growing market presence

Enterprise VR Market

Market opportunity:

Quest consumer focus
Enterprise gap
Business features needed
Deployment tools required

December 2019 Announcement

CES 2020 preview:

Snapdragon 845 reveal
4K display
Electromagnetic tracking
Enterprise features

March 2020 Launch

Commercial release:

$699 base price
$899 Eye variant
Enterprise channel
Global availability

Design Philosophy

Enterprise First

Business focus:

Device management
Kiosk mode
Deployment tools
Enterprise support

Improved Ergonomics

Comfort priority:

Rear battery placement
Weight distribution
Halo headstrap
Extended use capable

Electromagnetic Tracking

Novel approach:

No optical occlusion
Full tracking volume
Behind-back capable
Unique solution

Display Technology

4K LCD Panel

High resolution:

Resolution: 3840 × 2160 total
Per Eye: 1920 × 2160
Type: Single LCD panel
Subpixels: RGB stripe

RGB Stripe Advantage

Text clarity:

Better than PenTile
Sharp text rendering
Enterprise documents
UI legibility

Refresh Rate

Standard timing:

75Hz
Adequate for enterprise
Smooth operation
VR comfort

Field of View

101° FOV

Good specification:

Wide viewing angle
Competitive with Quest
Good immersion
Enterprise adequate

Optical System

Fresnel Lenses

Standard optics:

Good sweet spot
Some god rays
Compact design
Standard quality

Digital IPD

Software adjustment:

Range: 55-71mm
No physical movement
Software correction
Wide accommodation

Processing Power

Snapdragon 845

Powerful mobile VR:

CPU: Kryo 385 octa-core
GPU: Adreno 630
Process: 10nm
Generation newer than Quest

Performance Advantage

vs Quest (835):

More GPU power
Better CPU performance
Higher thermal ceiling
Enterprise workloads

Memory

Generous specification:

RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB
Expandable: microSD
Enterprise adequate

Tracking System

Inside-Out Head Tracking

Camera-based:

2× front cameras
6DoF head tracking
No external sensors
Room-scale capable

Electromagnetic Controller Tracking

Unique system:

Technology: Electromagnetic field
No optical tracking
No occlusion issues
Full volume coverage

EM Tracking Benefits

vs Optical tracking:

Works behind back
No line-of-sight needed
Consistent tracking
Unique advantage

EM Tracking Limitations

Considerations:

Metal interference possible
Range limitations
Environment dependent
Trade-offs exist

Controllers

6DoF EM Controllers

Electromagnetic tracked:

Full positional tracking
Analog thumbstick
Trigger and grip
Menu buttons

Controller Design

Input features:

Ergonomic grip
Haptic feedback
AA batteries
Standard layout

Eye Tracking (Neo 2 Eye)

Tobii Integration

Premium variant:

Tobii Spotlight Technology
Accurate eye tracking
Foveated rendering
$200 premium

Foveated Rendering

Performance benefit:

Up to 66% performance boost
Reduced GPU load
Better battery life
Enterprise advantage

Audio System

Integrated Speakers

Built-in audio:

Stereo speakers
Decent quality
Convenient
Environmental awareness

3.5mm Jack

Headphone option:

Private listening
Better quality
Professional use
Standard port

Dual Microphones

Voice capture:

Communication capable
Voice commands
Recording
Conferencing

Battery

Rear-Mounted Battery

Ergonomic design:

~4300mAh capacity
2.5-3 hours life
Counter-balance weight
Improved comfort

Weight Distribution

Comfort benefit:

Battery in rear
Head balanced
Less front-heavy
Extended wear improved

Physical Design

Halo Headstrap

Comfort system:

Halo design
Rear dial adjustment
Weight distribution
Enterprise focused

Weight

Substantial device:

692g total
Controllers 340g combined
Well distributed
Enterprise acceptable

Build Quality

Professional construction:

Quality materials
Durable design
Enterprise grade
Good fit

Enterprise Features

Device Management

Fleet control:

Remote management
Configuration tools
Deployment features
IT administration

Kiosk Mode

Controlled deployment:

Single-app mode
User restrictions
Public deployment
Training setups

PC Streaming

Tethered option:

USB-C to PC
PC VR content
Higher fidelity
Flexibility

Software

Pico OS

Android-based:

Custom interface
App store
Enterprise tools
Regular updates

Pico Business Suite

Enterprise software:

Content deployment
User management
Analytics
Administration

Use Cases

Training

Primary application:

Safety training
Procedure learning
Skill development
Assessment

Simulation

Professional simulation:

Healthcare training
Industrial processes
Soft skills
Scenario practice

Collaboration

Remote work:

Virtual meetings
Design review
Team collaboration
Remote presence

Neo 2 Eye Variant

Enhanced Features

Eye tracking addition:

Tobii eye tracking
Foveated rendering
Performance boost
$899 price

Enterprise Benefits

Eye tracking value:

Longer battery life
Better performance
Training analytics
Gaze data

Comparison with Quest

Feature	Pico Neo 2	Oculus Quest
Price	$699	$399
Processor	Snapdragon 845	Snapdragon 835
Resolution	3840×2160	2880×1600
Display	LCD (RGB)	OLED (PenTile)
Controller Tracking	Electromagnetic	Optical
Target Market	Enterprise	Consumer
Weight	692g	571g
Eye Tracking	Optional (Neo 2 Eye)	No

Strengths and Limitations

Strengths

Snapdragon 845 (vs Quest's 835)
4K RGB stripe display
Electromagnetic controller tracking
Rear battery (weight balance)
Enterprise features
Optional eye tracking

Limitations

Heavier than Quest (692g)
75Hz refresh (vs 72Hz Quest)
Enterprise pricing
Smaller app ecosystem
EM tracking limitations
Superseded by Neo 3

Technical Specifications Summary

Specification	Details
Display	LCD, 1920 × 2160 per eye
Total Resolution	3840 × 2160 (4K)
Refresh Rate	75Hz
FOV	101°
Processor	Snapdragon 845
Memory	6GB RAM, 128GB storage
Tracking	6DoF inside-out + EM controllers
Eye Tracking	Tobii (Neo 2 Eye only)
Battery	~4300mAh (2.5-3 hours)
Weight	692g
Price	$699 / $899 (Eye)

References