3Glasses Blubur S1
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| 3Glasses Blubur S1 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | PC VR |
| Platform | PC, SteamVR, Windows Mixed Reality (Microsoft edition) |
| Creator | 3Glasses |
| Developer | 3Glasses |
| Announcement Date | 31 March 2016 (Shenzhen); a preview version was shown at CES 2016 in January 2016 |
| Release Date | Consumer edition: pre-orders in China from 29 June 2016; Microsoft edition (Type 2) MR developer kit: pre-orders from May 2017, general availability from August 2017 |
| Price | Consumer suite CN¥2,999 (pre-sale price in China, June 2016); RRP US$499, or US$449 for the headset only (January 2017); Microsoft edition developer kit CN¥3,499 or US$499 list, CN¥2,999 or US$399 limited-time offer (August 2017) |
| Website | https://www.3glasses.com |
| Versions | Consumer edition suite; Microsoft edition (Type 2) MR developer kit |
| Requires | Windows PC with DisplayPort 1.2 or later and USB 3.0 |
| Predecessor | 3Glasses D2 |
| Successor | 3Glasses Blubur S2 |
| System | |
| Operating System | Windows |
| CPU | Host PC dependent |
| GPU | Host PC dependent |
| Display | |
| Display | Two custom LCD panels (TFT-LCD), one per eye, with Blue Light Cut filtering |
| Resolution | 2880 x 1440 (1440 x 1440 per eye) |
| Refresh Rate | Up to 120 Hz |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 110° (manufacturer figure) |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Aspheric lenses with anti-blue light treatment |
| IPD Range | 60-74 mm (adjustment knob, per 21ic review) |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | Outside-in; 3Wand infrared camera (about 2 m range) plus 9-axis sensor |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Built-in detachable headphones; 3.5 mm headphone jack |
| Microphone | Two (top and bottom of the headset) |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | DisplayPort and USB 3.0 |
| Ports | DisplayPort, USB 3.0, 3.5 mm audio jack |
| Device | |
| Weight | 358 g (3Glasses figure) |
| Sensors | 9-axis sensor, proximity sensor |
| Input | 3Wand motion controllers, gamepad, buttons and touchpad on the headset, voice commands (Microsoft edition) |
The 3Glasses Blubur S1 is a tethered virtual reality head-mounted display developed by 3Glasses, a Chinese VR technology company based in Shenzhen. In Chinese it is called 蓝珀S1 (Lanpo S1). It has two 1440 x 1440 displays (2880 x 1440 combined) with a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, a 110-degree field of view and built-in headphones, and it connects to a Windows PC by DisplayPort.[1][2][3]
3Glasses announced the S1 in Shenzhen on 31 March 2016 and opened pre-orders for a consumer suite in China on 29 June 2016.[4][5] The headset tracks position with 3Glasses' own 3Wand kit, an external infrared camera and two motion controllers. A modified version, sold as the Blubur S1 (Type 2) Suite MR Dev Kit or Microsoft edition, was one of the first headsets for Microsoft's Windows Mixed Reality platform; it went on general sale to developers worldwide in August 2017.[6][7]
History and development
3Glasses company
3Glasses is a Chinese manufacturer of PC-connected VR headsets. The Blubur S1 followed the company's D1 developer edition and the 3Glasses D2, and it was the first 3Glasses headset aimed at ordinary consumers rather than developers.[5][8] A 2021 company history published by VR Tuoluo lists the launch of the Blubur S1 consumer edition in March 2016, the in-stock sale of the Microsoft edition in August 2017 and the launch of the 3Glasses Blubur S2 consumer edition in December 2017.[9]
CES 2016 preview
3Glasses first showed the Blubur series at CES 2016 in Las Vegas in January 2016. The wired S1 was presented as a preview ("experience") version alongside the Blubur W1, a wireless all-in-one model with an Intel chip. Yivian reported that 3Glasses described the S1 as using two custom 2K independent displays with a refresh rate of up to 95 Hz at that stage.[10][11][12]
2016 launch and pre-sale
3Glasses launched the S1 at a "Here VR" event in Shenzhen on 31 March 2016. The company said the headset used LCD panels with 1440 x 1440 pixels per eye, a 110-degree field of view and a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz.[4] At the same event it introduced the 3Wand input kit with positional tracking and hand tracking, launched a content platform called VR Show, and announced a partnership with NVIDIA under which developers could use NVIDIA's VRWorks through the 3Glasses SDK. Business Next (數位時代) reported the headset's weight at that launch as 278 grams.[13] In April 2016 the same publication reported that the S1 was planned to launch officially in the third quarter of 2016 and had been shown in Taiwan for the first time at a spring computer show.[14]
Pre-orders opened on 29 June 2016. The S1 suite was priced at 2,999 yuan, with a limited eight-hour offer of 2,499 yuan, and owners of a D2 personal edition could upgrade to the S1 by paying an extra 999 yuan. 3Glasses gave the headset's specifications as 2880 x 1440 resolution, more than 700 PPI, a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, a 10 ms screen response time, a 2 m positional tracking range and a weight of 358 g. The company said it used its own LCD image-retention reduction technology and a predictive algorithm that estimates the next frame's head angle from angular velocity and timestamps.[5] In March 2017 the English product page on the 3Glasses website said the first batch had sold out and that pre-orders for a second batch would start soon.[15] In August 2017 the company's online store listed the consumer edition at 2,999 yuan.[16]
Windows Mixed Reality partnership
In a blog post published on 7 December 2016 for its WinHEC event in Shenzhen, Microsoft said that 3Glasses would bring the Windows 10 experience to its S1 device in the first half of 2017.[17] According to Yivian, 3Glasses had supplied its first batch of S1 headsets to Microsoft around April or May 2016, and its engineers then worked with Microsoft's development team in the United States on the controllers and outside-in tracking. Yivian reported that when the partnership was announced, 3Glasses was the only Windows Mixed Reality partner with a finished headset, so the S1 became an early development unit for the platform.[4] In that interview, 3Glasses chief executive Wang Jie said she was not sure whether Microsoft based the specifications of Windows Mixed Reality headsets on the S1, but that she believed the S1 had some influence on the choice of LCD panels with 1440 x 1440 pixels per eye.[4]
CES 2017 showcase
The S1 was displayed at CES 2017, where 3Glasses demonstrated the headset alongside its 3Wand motion controllers.[1] In a press release on 5 January 2017, 3Glasses described itself as Microsoft's only Chinese partner for Windows Holographic and gave the S1 a recommended retail price of US$499, adding that the headset alone would be available from its website at US$449.[1] Display Daily, reporting on Windows Holographic headset makers that month, listed the S1 with 2K LCD displays (704 ppi), a 120 Hz refresh rate, a 10 ms response time and a 110-degree field of view.[18]
Microsoft edition developer kit
At Microsoft's Build 2017 conference in May 2017, 3Glasses opened worldwide pre-orders for the Blubur S1 Suite, sold only as a bundle with the headset, two 3Wand motion controllers and a 3Wand Camera. The bundle's list price was US$499, and pre-orders cost US$399 until 14 May 2017. Neowin noted that the Acer and HP developer headsets could only be pre-ordered in the United States and Canada at that time.[2] Tom's Hardware, which tried the kit at Build, wrote that several Windows Mixed Reality features were not yet enabled on the controllers, but that the headset, trackers and controllers "all worked flawlessly". A 3Glasses representative told the publication that a consumer version planned for the fourth quarter would use inside-out tracking.[7]
3Glasses announced in-stock sales of the Microsoft edition kit on 10 August 2017, at a promotional price of 2,999 yuan in China (list price 3,499 yuan) and US$399 overseas (list price US$499). The kit was sold through the 3Glasses website and JD.com.[6] Neowin had reported on 3 August 2017 that the Blubur S1 (Type 2) Developer Kit was available globally, unlike the Acer and HP development editions, which were sold only in the United States.[19] According to Yivian, 3Glasses shipped several thousand Microsoft edition developer kits to developers worldwide, counting units sent before and after the public sale in early August 2017.[4]
The consumer follow-up was the Blubur S2, announced on 19 December 2017. It replaced the S1's external camera with inside-out tracking.[4]
Design and hardware
Display system
The S1 has two 1440 x 1440 TFT-LCD panels, one per eye, for a combined resolution of 2880 x 1440.[20] Specifications published by 3Glasses and the press:
- Resolution: 2880 x 1440 (1440 x 1440 per eye)[2]
- Pixel Density: 704 PPI[1]
- Refresh Rate: up to 120 Hz[2]
- Technology: TFT-LCD[7]
- Response Time: less than 10 ms[1]
The 3Glasses product page described an "exclusive custom-made panel with Blue Light Cut technology" that removes 99% of short-wave blue light.[15] The same page gave the resolution as "2800*1440"; the company's FAQ, its press release and press reports give 2880 x 1440.[15][3][1]
The 120 Hz refresh rate was notably higher than competing headsets like the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift (both 90 Hz).[21] 3Glasses said the S1's refresh rate and its panel response time of under 10 ms were intended to reduce motion sickness.[1] In ZOL's review, the reviewer reported no obvious dizziness after about an hour of use, but still saw some smearing during fast head turns.[20]
3Glasses explained in its FAQ that the S1 uses DisplayPort because 2880 x 1440 at 120 Hz requires 497,664,000 pixels per second, a bandwidth that the company said HDMI could not deliver at the time.[3]
Field of view
The headset offered a 110-degree field of view, according to 3Glasses.[1] A reviewer for 21ic measured about 100 degrees, while noting that the result depended on the test tools used.[8]
Optical system
The S1 incorporated anti-blue light lenses, and 3Glasses marketed its blue light filtering as eye protection.[15] According to the 21ic review, the lenses are 3.5 mm aspheric lenses made from a medical-grade optical material with an anti-blue light treatment, and an adjustment knob on the lower right of the headset sets the interpupillary distance between 60 mm and 74 mm.[8] ZOL's reviewer found enough room inside the headset to wear glasses.[20]
Audio and voice
Built-in headphones provided audio without requiring external audio equipment. Nweon described the headphones as detachable, and ZOL's review notes a 3.5 mm jack under the right earphone for the user's own headphones.[6][20] Microphones are built into the top and bottom of the headset; in the Microsoft edition they allow voice control in Windows Mixed Reality, which ZOL's reviewer found recognized commands well.[6][20]
Housing, controls and sensors
The S1 has a matte plastic body with a glossy front panel and an illuminated logo. ZOL's review lists a Windows button on top of the Microsoft edition, a touchpad on the right side and a proximity sensor inside the headset, and notes that the headset relies on passive cooling through vents, so it may become warm during long sessions.[20] The 21ic reviewer reported that the buttons and touchpad on the right side had no function at the time of testing; 3Glasses said functions would be added later.[8]
3Glasses gave the weight as 358 g at the June 2016 pre-sale and for the 2017 Microsoft edition.[5][6] The 21ic reviewer measured 453 g, and Business Next reported 278 g at the March 2016 launch.[8][13]
Tracking system
3Wand tracking
The S1 uses outside-in tracking through 3Glasses' 3Wand kit, which consists of an external infrared camera and two controllers.[5] According to 3Glasses, the camera captures the infrared light emitted by the controllers 60 times per second to calculate their position, and the headset and 3Wand suite use a 9-axis sensor and a 2.4G Wi-Fi module.[1]
- Tracking Camera: 3Wand external camera
- Tracking Range: 2 meters[16]
- Camera field of view: 75 x 55 degrees (Tom's Hardware); ZOL measured about 72 degrees horizontally and 53 degrees vertically[7][20]
Tom's Hardware described the Microsoft edition as combining 3DoF tracking on the headset with 3DoF from the external camera, in contrast to the inside-out 6DoF tracking of the Acer and HP Windows Mixed Reality headsets.[7] Nweon also noted that the S1's tracking was outside-in while Microsoft's platform used inside-out tracking.[6] ZOL's reviewer found that tracking was accurate only within about two meters, and that strong light could interfere with it.[20]
Controllers
The S1 was designed to work with 3Glasses' 3Wand motion controllers, providing hand-tracking input for VR experiences.[5] Each controller has an infrared marker at the top, a joystick with a menu button and a multifunction button below it (the latter carrying the Windows logo on the Microsoft edition), a side button on each side and a trigger. The controllers are wireless and charge over Micro USB.[20] Tom's Hardware noted that the trigger and joystick are analog and the joystick is clickable, and compared the controllers' shiny end to a squared-off PlayStation Move controller.[7] The headset also works with a gamepad.[7]
Software compatibility
The Blubur S1 was compatible with multiple platforms:
- Unreal Engine
- Unity
- Windows applications
- SteamVR / Steam
- WebVR
- HoloLens development tools
The consumer edition used 3Glasses' VRSHOW content platform. The 21ic review counted 41 games and more than a thousand 360-degree videos on VRSHOW and said that the S1 could also run Steam content. Because the S1 cannot use the Lighthouse base stations of the HTC Vive, the reviewer could not get positional tracking in SteamVR games and could play only standing-only titles.[8] 3Glasses stated in its FAQ that the S1 was not compatible with the Oculus SDK because it used its own SDK.[3] Content partners named at the June 2016 pre-sale included Digital Domain and the first-person shooter A-10.[5]
The Microsoft edition installs automatically in Windows 10 without separate drivers and runs the Windows Mixed Reality environment.[6] ZOL found the setup the simplest it had seen for a tethered headset. Its reviewer used a community-made tool to run SteamVR games, which worked but with problems in button mapping and tracking.[20] ZOL reported that 3Glasses recommended an Intel Core i7 processor with a GeForce GTX 980 graphics card, and that the headset needs a DisplayPort 1.2 or later output and a USB 3.0 port.[20]
Reception
In its September 2017 review of the Microsoft edition, ZOL praised the display's clarity, the comfort of the T-shaped strap and the relatively low weight, but said the Windows Mixed Reality platform lacked consumer content. It recommended the Microsoft edition to developers and suggested that ordinary consumers buy the consumer edition instead.[20] The 21ic reviewer wrote that the visual quality was not far behind the HTC Vive and described the S1 as a representative Chinese PC VR headset with good value.[8] Tom's Hardware called 3Glasses "one of the few" companies with working hardware for Windows Mixed Reality in May 2017, while noting that Microsoft gave it little attention at Build.[7]
Platform status
Microsoft has deprecated Windows Mixed Reality, the platform used by the S1's Microsoft edition, and removed it from Windows 11 version 24H2, including the Mixed Reality Portal app and Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR. Microsoft states that existing Windows Mixed Reality devices continue to work with Steam through November 2026 on Windows 11 version 23H2, after which the platform receives no further security updates, bug fixes or technical support.[22]
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display Type | Two TFT-LCD panels (one per eye) with Blue Light Cut filtering |
| Resolution | 2880 x 1440 (1440 x 1440 per eye) |
| Pixel Density | 704 PPI |
| Refresh Rate | Up to 120 Hz |
| Response Time | <10ms |
| Field of View | 110° (manufacturer figure) |
| Tracking | Outside-in (3Wand camera, 2m range) |
| Lenses | Aspheric, anti-blue light |
| IPD adjustment | 60-74 mm (21ic review) |
| Audio | Built-in headphones, 3.5 mm jack |
| Microphones | Two (top and bottom) |
| Connectivity | DisplayPort, USB 3.0 |
| Weight | 358 g (3Glasses figure) |
| Price | 2,999 yuan suite (China, June 2016); US$499 RRP and US$449 headset only (January 2017); US$499 Microsoft edition suite list price (2017) |
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "3Glasses Showcases Blubur S1 VR Headset and Controller at CES 2017". Business Wire. 3Glasses. 2017-01-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20170106153804/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170105005137/en/3Glasses-Showcases-Blubur-S1-VR-Headset-Controller. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Andy Weir (2017-05-13). "3Glasses' Windows Mixed Reality headset pre-orders open, from $399 with motion controllers". Neowin. https://web.archive.org/web/20170517014506/https://www.neowin.net/news/3glasses-windows-mixed-reality-headset-pre-orders-open-from-399-with-motion-controllers. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "FAQ: 3Glasses Blubur S1". 3Glasses. VR Technology Holdings Limited. https://web.archive.org/web/20190208024036/http://www.3glasses.com/en/customer/faqS1.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "3Glasses蓝珀S2的诞生与Windows MR背后的功臣". Yivian (映维网). 2018-01-05. https://yivian.com/news/40110.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 "3Glasses消费级VR产品 蓝珀S1 2999开启预售". Sohu. 2016-06-30. https://www.sohu.com/a/100110381_395737. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 "售价2999元，3Glasses蓝珀S1微软版MR开发者套装正式发售". Nweon (映维网). 2017-08-10. https://news.nweon.com/34676. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Seth Colaner (2017-05-13). "The Curious Case Of 3Glasses And Windows Mixed Reality". Tom's Hardware. https://www.tomshardware.com/uk/news/3glasses-microsoft-windows-mixed-reality,34407.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 "内外兼修是正途 - 3Glasses 蓝珀S1测评". 21ic. 2020-08-17. https://www.21ic.com/article/847812.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ "致敬「老兵」，王洁、中国VR和3Glasses的二十年". VR Tuoluo (VR陀螺). 2021-12-21. https://www.vrtuoluo.cn/528435.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ "3Glasses、大朋争相在CES首秀虚拟现实头显新品". Yivian (映维网). 2016-01-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20160317124051/http://yivian.com/2016/01/08/vr330/12770. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 朱玲 (2016-01-08). "VR元年闯入者？国产VR 3Glasses亮相CES". ZOL (中关村在线). https://web.archive.org/web/20160317183849/http://smartwear.zol.com.cn/562/5623868.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ "CES 2016 - 3Glasses". 3Glasses. https://web.archive.org/web/20170630214945/http://www.3glasses.com/2016CES. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 郭芝榕 (2016-04-01). "投入VR 14年，中國3Glasses執行長王潔選定台灣做為VR內容生態系中心". Business Next (數位時代). https://www.bnext.com.tw/article/39099/BN-2016-04-01-185834-44. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 蘇宇庭 (2016-04-19). "[專訪 3Glasses總經理：台灣VR內容的最大優勢是美學設計！"]. Business Next (數位時代). https://www.bnext.com.tw/article/39256/BN-2016-04-18-135218-102. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "3Glasses Blubur S1". 3Glasses. VR Technology Holdings Limited. https://web.archive.org/web/20170314115416/http://www.3glasses.com/en/product/s1.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "3Glasses 蓝珀S1消费者版". 3Glasses. VR Technology Holdings Limited. https://web.archive.org/web/20170812213758/http://www.3glasses.com/goods.action?gid=15. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ Terry Myerson (2016-12-07). "Device innovation opportunities in mixed reality, gaming, and cellular PCs". Windows Experience Blog. Microsoft. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/12/07/device-innovation-opportunities-mixed-reality-gaming-cellular-pcs/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ Bob Raikes (2017-01-24). "AR/VR Vendor Brands Still Cautious". Display Daily. https://displaydaily.com/ar-vr-vendor-brands-still-cautious/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ Rich Woods (2017-08-03). "PSA: Non-US developers can still get a Windows Mixed Reality headset from 3Glasses". Neowin. https://web.archive.org/web/20170803210153/https://www.neowin.net/news/psa-non-us-developers-can-still-get-a-windows-mixed-reality-headset-from-3glasses. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 20.11 "3Glasses蓝珀S1评测 微软MR的先驱者". ZOL (中关村在线). 2017-09-25. https://geek.zol.com.cn/657/6570126.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ "Oculus Rift vs. HTC Vive: The Rift Is Best All Around". Tom's Guide. 2018-02-20. https://www.tomsguide.com/uk/us/oculus-rift-vs-htc-vive,review-3433.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ "Set up Windows Mixed Reality - Enthusiast Guide". Microsoft Learn. Microsoft. 2025-11-24. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/mixed-reality/enthusiast-guide/set-up-windows-mixed-reality. Retrieved 2026-10-13.