Skyworth Pancake 1
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| Skyworth Pancake 1 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | Standalone VR |
| Developer | Skyworth (Skyworth VR, marketed as PANCAKEXR) |
| Manufacturer | Skyworth |
| Announcement Date | 25 July 2022 |
| Release Date | Pre-orders in China announced for 26 August 2022 |
| Price | CN¥3,999 (China launch price, July 2022); US$600 (reported announced retail price) |
| System | |
| Operating System | Android 10.0 with Pancake UI 5.0 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 |
| CPU | Kryo 585, up to 3.1 GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 650, up to 587 MHz |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 128 GB |
| Memory | 6 GB (launch configuration) |
| Display | |
| Display | 2 x 2.1-inch Fast-LCD |
| Resolution | 2280x2280 per-eye |
| Refresh Rate | 90 Hz |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 95-105° |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Pancake lenses |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | 59-68 mm, continuously adjustable |
| Adjustable Diopter | 0-500 degrees per eye |
| Passthrough | Yes |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | Inside-out 6DoF, four global shutter cameras |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Two built-in stereo speakers; Bluetooth and USB-C headphones |
| Microphone | Two built-in microphones |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, DisplayPort output |
| Battery Capacity | 5,500 mAh |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | 153.5 x 67.8 x 32.5 mm (front unit) |
| Weight | 189 g (front unit); 436 g (total) |
| Input | Two 6DoF controllers |
Skyworth Pancake 1 is a virtual reality head-mounted display announced in 2022. It is a standalone headset with six degrees of freedom (6DoF) tracking, developed by Skyworth VR, the virtual reality unit of the Chinese electronics group Skyworth, and sold under the company's PANCAKEXR brand.[1] Skyworth presented it as the first consumer short-focus 6DoF all-in-one VR headset.[1] The headset uses pancake lenses in place of Fresnel lenses, a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor and two 2.1-inch Fast-LCD panels with a resolution of 2280x2280 per eye.[2]
The front unit flips up by as much as 90 degrees, so the wearer can see the real world without taking the headset off.[2] The Pancake 1 was the middle model of a three-headset series that also included the lower-resolution Skyworth Pancake 1C and the planned Skyworth Pancake 1Pro.[3]
Announcement and release
Skyworth VR announced the Pancake 1 series at a launch event in Shenzhen on 25 July 2022, where it also introduced PANCAKEXR as a new brand.[1] According to Nweon, Skyworth VR had spent seven years in VR development by then, releasing about one product a year; it had developed six VR headsets, held more than 200 patents and belonged to Skyworth Digital.[4] The PANCAKEXR English-language site stated that the brand came from the Skyworth VR team, which had mainly supplied enterprise business solutions, and that PANCAKEXR was created for the consumer market.[5]
The launch prices in China were CN¥3,999 for the Pancake 1 and CN¥2,999 for the Pancake 1C.[3][6] Both models were scheduled to open for pre-sale on 26 August 2022 through Skyworth VR's official JD.com store and its Kuaishou shop.[1] Skyworth also ran a promotion that refunded the full purchase price to buyers who checked in with the headset for 320 consecutive days.[3] IT之家 reported that pre-sale of the Pancake 1C opened on 26 August 2022 on Skyworth VR's JD.com flagship store.[7] The Pancake 1 itself appears to have followed later. A GeekPark report from Mobile World Congress in March 2023 listed the 1C at CN¥2,999 and said the Pancake 1 was about to go on sale.[8]
PANCAKEXR, which described itself as "Formerly Skyworth VR", gave the Pancake 1 its international debut at IFA 2022 in Berlin (2-6 September 2022).[9] The company then showed it at IBC2022 in Amsterdam from 9 to 12 September 2022.[10] ProVideo Coalition reported in January 2023 that the Pancake 1 would be shown to invited guests in closed-door demonstrations at CES 2023. The same report said the first units would reach Western countries in February 2023, probably only for a small group of testers. It also stated that the Skyworth Pancake 1 had been announced with a retail price of US$600, and it described the PANCAKEXR model as an apparent rebrand aimed at Western markets.[11]
At MWC 2023 in Barcelona (27 February to 2 March 2023), PANCAKEXR exhibited the Pancake 1 at stand Hall 1 E60.[12] GeekPark's MWC report said the functions announced for the Pancake 1 had been upgraded from black-and-white passthrough to color passthrough, with gesture recognition added.[8]
Design and hardware
Optics and display
The Pancake 1 uses folded, short-focus pancake optics. Skyworth said the optics had a quarter of the volume of traditional Fresnel lenses and reduced thickness by more than 50 percent.[2] The display is a pair of 2.1-inch Fast-LCD panels at 2280x2280 per eye (4560x2280 combined), with 1,512 pixels per inch and a 90 Hz refresh rate.[6][13] According to TCL CSOT, it was the exclusive supplier of these panels, and at 1,512 PPI they had the highest pixel density of any Fast LCD at the time. TCL CSOT said the high pixel density reduces the visible graininess of the screen door effect.[1] PANCAKEXR marketed the combined resolution as "5K".[9]
Skyworth's launch figures gave the field of view as 95-105 degrees.[3][13] IT之家 reported 95-108 degrees in its launch coverage,[2] while later PANCAKEXR material and press coverage used a single figure of 105 degrees.[8][11] Because the focus is adjustable, the headset corrects nearsightedness of 0-500 degrees separately for each eye, and interpupillary distance is continuously adjustable from 59 to 68 mm.[2][9] Nweon wrote that the IPD range covers more than 95 percent of users.[4] At MWC 2023, PANCAKEXR said that the myopia adjustment would increase to 0-700 degrees in its next-generation product.[12]
Form factor
The front unit weighs 189 g, and the complete headset with its headband weighs 436 g.[12] PANCAKEXR's 2022 specification sheet lists the front unit at 153.5 x 67.8 x 32.5 mm.[13] The battery sits at the back of the head to balance the weight of the front unit.[1] The display unit can be rotated upward from 0 to 90 degrees. PANCAKEXR promoted this for use on planes, trains and in other public places, where a wearer could flip the lenses up to deal with something in the room and then flip them back down.[2][10] The face cushion attaches magnetically and can be removed. A dedicated fan draws air in near the nose and pushes it out at the top of the headset.[13]
Processing and tracking
The Pancake 1 runs on a 7 nm Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 with a Kryo 585 CPU (up to 3.1 GHz) and Adreno 650 GPU (up to 587 MHz).[13] Chinese launch coverage listed 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.[2] PANCAKEXR's 2022 specification sheet listed 6 GB or 8 GB of LPDDR5 memory and 128 GB or 256 GB of UFS storage.[13] The battery has a capacity of 5,500 mAh and supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0.[2][13]
Head tracking is inside-out tracking using Skyworth's own VSLAM algorithm and four fisheye cameras, which PANCAKEXR's specification sheet describes as global shutter cameras.[2][13] The play area can be as large as 10 x 10 m.[2] The two 6DoF controllers are tracked optically across a 240 x 195 degree range. Skyworth quoted positioning accuracy better than 10 mm and latency below 20 ms.[1][13]
Audio and connectivity
Two built-in stereo speakers and two microphones are fitted, and headphones can be connected by Bluetooth or USB-C. Wireless connectivity is Wi-Fi 6 (2x2 MIMO on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 5.0. The headset also has DisplayPort output.[13]
Software and features
PANCAKEXR's 2022 specification sheet lists Android 10.0 as the operating system, with the Pancake UI 5.0 interface. It also lists support for wired and wireless PC streaming and for see-through viewing.[13] In China, Skyworth said more than 40 games would be available at launch, with one or two new titles added each week.[2] The headset had access to more than 3,000 videos from Skyworth's 酷开 content platform and over 200 8K panoramic videos filmed at Chinese 5A-rated tourist sites.[4] It also supported a multi-user virtual cinema with a 3,000-inch screen.[7][10]
For international buyers, PANCAKEXR said the headset came with Netflix, YouTube, Twitch, Vimeo and Hulu pre-installed. The company said users could download games from the SteamVR and Viveport stores.[13] The Pancake 1 can also be used as a PC VR headset, connecting to SteamVR wirelessly over Wi-Fi 6 or by cable using the DisplayPort protocol.[13] ProVideo Coalition noted that PANCAKEXR had not clearly explained how the DisplayPort connection worked.[11] The headset can play 2D, 3D, 360-degree and 8K video, including footage from Insta360, DJI and Kandao cameras, without extra software.[13]
Pancake 1 series
The Pancake 1 series was announced as three models with the same basic design:[3][6]
| Model | Resolution per eye | Pixel density | Additional features announced at launch | China launch price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skyworth Pancake 1C | 1600x1600 | 1,058 PPI | None | CN¥2,999 |
| Skyworth Pancake 1 | 2280x2280 | 1,512 PPI | None | CN¥3,999 |
| Skyworth Pancake 1Pro | 2280x2280 | 1,512 PPI | Eye tracking, gesture recognition, RGB see-through, Mini-LED backlight | Not announced (planned for the end of 2022) |
Specifications
Values are from PANCAKEXR's 2022 product page unless noted.[13]
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Display | Dual 2.1-inch Fast-LCD (LCD), binocular |
| Resolution | 2280x2280 per-eye (4560x2280 combined) |
| Pixel density | 1,512 PPI |
| Refresh Rate | 90 Hz |
| Field of View | 95-105° |
| Optics | Pancake lenses |
| IPD Range | 59-68 mm |
| Diopter adjustment | 0-500 degrees per eye |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 (7 nm) |
| Memory and storage | 6 GB or 8 GB LPDDR5; 128 GB or 256 GB UFS |
| Cameras | Four global shutter cameras |
| Tracking | Inside-out 6DoF; play area up to 10 x 10 m |
| Controllers | Two 6DoF controllers, 240 x 195° optical tracking |
| Sensors | 3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis accelerometer (1 kHz sampling), proximity sensor |
| Audio | Two stereo speakers, two microphones, USB-C and Bluetooth headphones |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Battery | 5,500 mAh, Quick Charge 3.0 |
| Weight | 189 g front unit; 436 g total[12] |
| Front unit dimensions | 153.5 x 67.8 x 32.5 mm |
| Flip-up range | 0-90° |
| Operating system | Android 10.0, Pancake UI 5.0 |
| Price | CN¥3,999 (China launch price)[3]; US$600 (announced retail price as reported by ProVideo Coalition)[11] |
Later status
As of September 2026, the company's website presents Skyworth XR as an ODM and OEM manufacturer of AR, VR and MR products. It still lists the Pancake 1 alongside the Pancake 1C and Pancake 1 Pro.[14] The current Pancake 1 listing differs from the 2022 launch sheet. It gives 8 GB of RAM, four global shutter cameras plus two RGB cameras, RGB video see-through (VST) and hand tracking, while the display, resolution, 105° field of view, 59-68 mm IPD range and 0-500 degree myopia adjustment are unchanged.[15]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 魏嘉宏 (2022-07-29). "搭载全球Fast LCD最高PPI的面板！创维VR PANCAKE 1来了". ZOL (中关村在线). https://smartwear.zol.com.cn/797/7978637.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 孤城 (2022-07-25). "创维发布 6DoF 短焦 VR 一体机 PANCAKE 1 系列：上翻式主机，2999 元起". IT之家. https://www.ithome.com/0/631/430.htm. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "创维正式发布全球首款消费级PANCAKE 1 6 DoF VR一体机，售价2999元起！". Guokr (果壳). 2022-07-25. https://m.guokr.com/article/461870/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 刘余欣 (2022-08-11). "创维VR七年蛰伏，推出首款支持瞳距/近视调节的短焦VR一体机，进军消费市场". Nweon (映维网). https://news.nweon.com/99718. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "About - Pancake XR". Pancake XR. 2023. http://web.archive.org/web/20230529084604/https://pancakexr.com/about/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 邓剑云 (2022-07-26). "创维发布VR一体机PANCAKE 1系列，搭载Pancake短焦显示技术". TMTPost (钛媒体). https://www.tmtpost.com/6197170.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 孤城 (2022-08-23). "创维 PANCAKE 1C VR 一体机即将开售：2999 元，打卡 320 天返全额". IT之家. https://www.ithome.com/0/636/675.htm. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "轻薄 VR 新体验，创维 PANCAKE 1 系列亮相 MWC2023！". GeekPark (极客公园). 2023-03-01. https://www.geekpark.net/news/315533. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "PANCAKE XR is Launching its Revolutionary VR Device at IFA 2022". Pancake XR. 2022-09-05. http://web.archive.org/web/20220906182913/https://pancakexr.com/pancakexr-launching-vrdevice-ifa2022/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "PANCAKE XR to Bring the Pancake 1 to IBC2022". Pancake XR. 2022-09-07. http://web.archive.org/web/20230529083132/https://pancakexr.com/pancakexr-bring-pancake1-ibc2022/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Jose Antunes (2023-01-03). "Pancake 1: a new VR headset will debut at CES 2023". ProVideo Coalition. https://www.provideocoalition.com/pancake-1-a-new-vr-headset-will-debut-at-ces-2023/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 "PANCAKEXR Shows 6 DoF All-in-one VR Headset at MWC2023". Pancake XR. 2023-03-01. http://web.archive.org/web/20230529090325/https://pancakexr.com/pancakexr-is-launching-its-revolutionary-6-dof-all-in-one-vr-headset-at-mwc2023/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 "Pancake 1". Pancake XR. 2022. http://web.archive.org/web/20220905232105/https://pancakexr.com/pancake-1/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "PANCAKE XR - Home". Skyworth XR. https://pancakexr.com/m/index.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "PANCAKEXR - Products - PANCAKE 1". Skyworth XR. https://pancakexr.com/m/product/pancake1.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.