Varjo VR-2
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| Varjo VR-2 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | PC-Powered VR |
| Platform | SteamVR |
| Creator | Varjo |
| Announcement Date | October 15, 2019[1] |
| Release Date | October 15, 2019 (available for sale)[1] |
| Price | US$4,995 (VR-2 launch price); software and support from US$795[1] |
| Website | https://varjo.com |
| Versions | VR-2; VR-2 Pro |
| Requires | Compatible Windows PC; external tracking[2] |
| Predecessor | Varjo VR-1 |
| Successor | Varjo VR-3 |
| System | |
| Operating System | Windows 10 (64-bit); legacy support documentation also lists Windows 11[3] |
| Display | |
| Display | Micro-OLED focus and AMOLED context displays, one of each per eye[4] |
| Resolution | Focus: 1920×1080 per eye; context: 1440×1600 per eye[4] |
| Pixel Density | Over 60 PPD in focus area (manufacturer claim)[4] |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz focus; 90 Hz context[5] |
| Persistence | Low persistence[4] |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 87° (manufacturer specification; axis unspecified)[4] |
| Peak Pixel Density | Over 60 PPD in focus area (manufacturer claim)[4] |
| Foveated Rendering | Application-dependent support in archived Varjo rendering APIs[6] |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Dual lens design with an optical combiner[4][7] |
| Ocularity | Binocular[4] |
| IPD Range | 61-73 mm lens adjustment; 59-75 mm supported IPD[8] |
| Passthrough | No built-in video passthrough[9] |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | SteamVR Tracking with base stations 1.0 or 2.0; third-party tracking integrations[2][10] |
| Base Stations | Required for SteamVR Tracking; sold separately[11] |
| Eye Tracking | 20/20 Eye Tracker; integrated 100 Hz stereo eye tracking[4] |
| Hand Tracking | Not integrated on VR-2; Ultraleap integrated on VR-2 Pro[2] |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes (six-degree-of-freedom headset tracking)[12] |
| Positional Tracking | Yes (six-degree-of-freedom headset tracking)[12] |
| Play Space | Seated/stationary or room-scale with appropriate tracking setup[10] |
| Audio | |
| Audio | External headphones via 3.5 mm connector[2] |
| Microphone | External headphone microphone supported[13] |
| 3.5mm Audio Jack | Yes[2] |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Optical headset cable and link box; two PC DisplayPort connections and USB-A[2] |
| Ports | PC requirements: 2 × DisplayPort 1.2 or Mini DisplayPort 1.2; 1 × USB-A 3.0/3.1[3] |
| Wired Video | DisplayPort 1.2 via link box[3] |
| Bluetooth | Not supported[14] |
| Power | External power supply and link box[15] |
| Device | |
| Weight | 605 g excluding headband (manufacturer figure)[4] |
| Headstrap | Adjustable, detachable headband and top strap[4] |
| Color | Black[4] |
| Sensors | Stereo eye tracking; SteamVR tracking sensors[10] |
| Input | SteamVR-compatible controllers (separate accessories)[11] |
| Compliance | Manufacturer states EU Directive 2014/53/EU and FCC Part 15 compliance[16] |
| Cable Length | 5 m (VR-2); 10 m (VR-2 Pro)[7] |
The Varjo VR-2 and VR-2 Pro are professional PC-powered virtual reality head-mounted displays developed by Varjo Technologies. Announced and offered for sale on October 15, 2019, these second-generation headsets retained the Varjo VR-1's Bionic Display architecture and added support for SteamVR content.[7] Both include eye tracking; the Pro model adds integrated Ultraleap hand tracking.[1]
History
Following the VR-1's February 2019 introduction, Varjo introduced the VR-2 series in October.[7] Its announcement described improved peripheral image quality, color consistency and eye-tracker calibration. These were manufacturer descriptions of the changes.[1]
The VR-2 series launched in two variants. The standard model cost US$4,995 and the Pro model US$5,995, with software and support services sold alongside the hardware from US$795. These are launch figures.[1] Ben Lang's contemporary report also identified tracking base stations and controllers as separate purchases and described the support license as mandatory.[7]
Technical improvements
Bionic Display
The VR-2 series retained the dual-display-per-eye architecture. Each eye receives a high-resolution focus image and a wider context image. Varjo's archived rendering documentation identifies four physical displays across the headset and distinguishes them from the logical views rendered by an application.[6]
Lang reported Varjo's explanation that the VR-2 used an improved optical combiner, better calibration between the displays and a diffuser to reduce the context display's screen door effect. The change concerned image blending rather than an increase in the panels' pixel counts.[7] The legacy support guide documents two blending modes: Smooth reduces resolution toward the focus area's outer edges to blend it with the periphery; Sharp retains a larger region of maximum resolution and contrast, making the boundary more apparent.[17]
Display specifications
| Component | Documented specification |
|---|---|
| Focus displays | One 1920×1080 micro-OLED per eye; manufacturer-rated over 60 pixels per degree in the focus area.[4] |
| Context displays | One 1440×1600 AMOLED per eye.[4] |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz for the focus displays and 90 Hz for the context displays, as documented for the VR-2 apparatus in the 2023 legibility study.[5] |
| Field of view | Varjo lists 87° without specifying an axis in its product book.[4] |
| Color calibration | Individually calibrated colors and image-uniformity compensation, according to Varjo.[4] |
The high-resolution focus region occupies only part of the view. It is not equivalent to a uniform full-field 60-PPD display. At launch, Varjo distinguished its native API's separate focus/context rendering from ordinary SteamVR content, for which it described approximately 40-PPD rendering, with higher settings requiring more GPU performance.[7]
Fit and optics
The headset has an adjustment wheel, a top strap and replaceable face masks. Its quick guide permits use with eyeglasses and describes switching to the smaller mask when the fitted mask is too large.[15] The lens positions can adjust automatically to the measured interpupillary distance. Varjo specifies a 61-73 mm adjustment range and a 59-75 mm supported IPD range for this generation. Automatic adjustment can be disabled and a distance entered manually in Varjo Base.[8]
Hand tracking (VR-2 Pro)
The VR-2 Pro integrated hand tracking through an active infrared sensor system with two wide-angle cameras and LEDs; this hardware is absent from the standard VR-2.[4] The legacy setup guide calls for the VR-2 Pro-specific Ultraleap SDK, with application integration needed to use the tracked hands.[2]
Software ecosystem
Native compatibility
Varjo Base is the Windows software used to run and configure the headset. The legacy setup instructions include installation of the model's headset configuration bundle and selection of the OpenVR and OpenXR runtimes.[2] The legacy Tools menu includes eye-tracker calibration, headset and eye-camera views, and an Analytics window.[9] Software compatibility is tied to the Varjo Base and application versions used with this retired hardware.
| Software or interface | Documented scope |
|---|---|
| SteamVR / OpenVR | The October 2019 announcement added support for SteamVR content and the OpenVR development platform. Varjo Base 2.0.0 release notes, dated November 7, 2019, record OpenVR/SteamVR application support.[1][12] |
| OpenXR | Archived v3.0.0 documentation explicitly lists VR-2 and VR-2 Pro, including support for the XR_VARJO_quad_views extension. This is later documentation rather than proof of OpenXR support on launch day.[18]
|
| Unity / Unreal Engine | The period product book lists these as compatible authoring tools for VR-2 and VR-2 Pro.[4] |
| Autodesk VRED | Varjo's integration history identifies VRED 2021.1 as natively compatible with VR-2. The same directory's current supported-model lists mainly concern newer headsets.[19] |
| Prepar3D | Included among the compatible tools in the period VR-2 product book; this listing does not establish compatibility with every later release.[4] |
Eye tracking and developer tools
The 20/20 Eye Tracker supplies binocular gaze data at 100 Hz. Varjo advertised sub-degree accuracy; that is a manufacturer claim, distinct from measurements in a particular experiment.[4] Archived Native SDK v3.6.0 documentation exposes individual-eye and combined gaze rays, timestamps and tracking-status values. It explicitly excludes VR-2 and VR-2 Pro from 200-Hz output support.[20]
The same SDK distinguishes its five-dot Fast calibration and ten-dot Legacy calibration. Its one-dot Foveation calibration is limited to later VR-3, XR-3 and Aero headsets.[20] Varjo Base 2.3.0, released May 4, 2020, added eye-tracking data export. This is a runtime feature rather than evidence for a separate VR-2-specific analytics product.[12]
Foveated rendering
Archived v3.7.0 rendering documentation describes four-view dynamic projection, with a focus view rendered along the gaze, as well as fixed quad views and two-view rendering. It distinguishes logical viewports from the physical focus and context panels.[6] Foveated rendering therefore depends on the application's rendering path and integration; it does not imply that the physical high-resolution display region moves with the eyes.[6]
System requirements
The legacy requirements page separates the VR-2 family from the more demanding XR-1 Developer Edition. The following values are Varjo's documented PC requirements for VR-2 and VR-2 Pro, rather than headset-internal processor or memory specifications.[3]
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i7-6700 or AMD FX 9590 | Intel Core i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 7 2700 |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or Quadro P5000 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 or Quadro RTX 6000 |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM | 32 GB RAM |
| Video outputs | Two DisplayPort 1.2 or Mini DisplayPort 1.2 connections | |
| USB | One USB-A 3.0/3.1 port | |
| Storage | 2 GB | |
| Operating system | Windows 10 (64-bit) or Windows 11; the legacy software table lists Windows 10 version 1809 or later and Windows 11 version 21H2 or later | |
The period product book instead lists Quadro P6000 in its minimum GPU column, while the legacy support page lists P5000. The table above follows the latter and retains the distinction between minimum and recommended hardware.[3][4] Varjo recommends the last supported runtime, Varjo Base 3.7.2, and requires SteamVR software regardless of which tracking method is used. These legacy requirements do not guarantee compatibility with future operating-system or driver updates.[3]
Tracking and connections
SteamVR Tracking uses external base stations, with support for either 1.0 or 2.0 stations. Varjo recommends two for seated or stationary use and four 2.0 stations for moving around a room, with line of sight to the headset. Compatible controllers can be paired through SteamVR; current Varjo Controllers for the XR-4 are not compatible with SteamVR Tracking.[10]
The standard VR-2 has a 5 m optical cable; the Pro includes a 10 m cable and a removable counterweight.[7] The cable connects through a link box to the PC. The original quick guide lists the link box, external power supply, USB-C and USB-A cables, and two each of full-size and Mini DisplayPort connection cables in the package.[15]
For audio, the headset accepts external headphones through its 3.5 mm connector.[2] The connector is an AHJ (CTIA) type next to the right eye lens. Varjo permits headphones with or without microphones, while warning that some microphone-equipped models may not work properly.[13] Varjo documents wireless accessory radios but explicitly states that its headsets do not support Bluetooth.[14]
Variants and editions
| Feature | VR-2 | VR-2 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Launch hardware price | US$4,995 | US$5,995[1] |
| Bionic Display and eye tracking | Included on both models[1] | |
| Integrated hand tracking | Absent | Ultraleap infrared hand tracking[2] |
| Headset cable | 5 m | 10 m[7] |
| Counterweight | Not included | Removable 250 g counterweight[4][7] |
Varjo's product book gives the headset weight as 605 g plus the headband, with the Pro's 250 g counterweight listed separately. That weight convention should not be treated as a total worn weight including the headband and counterweight.[4]
Industry applications and research
Varjo marketed the VR-2 series for design, engineering, research, training and simulation. Its launch announcement specifically discussed automotive design and architectural visualization as intended applications, rather than measured evidence of improved training outcomes.[1]
Text legibility with VR-2
A 2023 study by Markku Kilpeläinen and Jukka Häkkinen compared VR-2, HTC Vive Pro Eye and Oculus Quest 2. It included 29 observers aged 19-40, with analysis samples varying by experiment. Participants used a chin rest and identified centrally presented Verdana letters in noise with four response choices. All VR-2 stimuli stayed within the high-resolution focus area. VR-2 produced the lowest letter-size and contrast thresholds; in a separate Finnish-text reading task, estimated mean display-reading times were 6,063 ms on VR-2 and 6,478 ms on Vive Pro Eye. Device order affected reading times. These results concern the study's font, central presentation and tested setup, rather than readability across the entire visual field or all applications. The Business Finland project also received funding from Varjo and other companies; the authors reported no funder role in the study.[5]
Object manipulation with VR-2 Pro
A 2022 study by Jari Kangas and colleagues used VR-2 Pro, Valve Index controllers, Vive 2.0 base stations and a custom Unity application. Twelve university students and staff, aged 22-47, performed seated cube-transfer and rotation tasks in three counterbalanced conditions: bare-hand pinch, controller trigger and controller tracking combined with a grab gesture. Bare-hand input was significantly slower than either controller condition; completion times did not differ significantly between the two controller conditions. The hybrid grab condition was significantly preferred to bare-hand input. The authors discounted the apparent positioning-accuracy difference because its statistical power was low, and found no significant orientation-error difference. This small study evaluates its interaction techniques and apparatus, rather than proving general hand-tracking accuracy or clinical effectiveness.[21]
Use and care
The VR-2 safety guide specifies indoor use by adults, an operating range of 10-27°C and storage at 0-40°C. It identifies the supplied LB-1 link box and Salcomp power supply, and states EU Radio Equipment Directive and FCC Part 15 compliance. It also limits the product's intended role: training and simulation use does not make it certified for controlling safety-critical aviation, industrial or medical equipment.[16]
Legacy support
Varjo announced the successor VR-3 on December 1, 2020, opening orders then with shipments planned for early 2021.[22]
The current legacy support documentation states that support has ended for VR-2 and VR-2 Pro, while allowing continued use with older Varjo Base versions.[23] Varjo identifies 3.7.2 as the last supported version for this generation. Release 3.7.2 is dated November 8, 2022; the December 21, 2022 notes for 3.8 direct VR-2 users to remain on 3.7.2.[12][24] This is a documented software ceiling, rather than a promise of ongoing updates or compatibility.
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 "Varjo Announces Two New Human-Eye Resolution Virtual Reality HMDs For Professionals, Incorporating Support for SteamVR Content at Industry’s Highest Fidelity and Integrated Hand Tracking". Varjo. 2019-10-15. https://varjo.com/news/varjo-announces-two-new-human-eye-resolution-hmds-for-professional-vr-incorporating-support-for-steamvr-content-at-industrys-highest-fidelity-and-integrated-hand-tracking. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 "Setting up VR-2 Pro, VR-2, and VR-1". Varjo Support. https://support.varjo.com/hc/en-us/setting-up-vr-2-pro-vr-2-and-vr-1. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "System requirements for XR-1 Developer Edition, VR-2 Pro, VR-2, and VR-1". Varjo Support. https://support.varjo.com/hc/en-us/system-requirements-for-xr-1-de-vr-2-pro-vr-2-vr-1. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 "Varjo Product Book: VR-2 and VR-2 Pro technical specifications". Varjo. https://www.symetri.fi/media/2473/varjo_productbook_2020_web-1.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Markku Kilpeläinen; Jukka Häkkinen (2023-09-07). "An effective method for measuring text legibility in XR devices reveals clear differences between three devices". Frontiers in Virtual Reality 4: 1243387. doi:10.3389/frvir.2023.1243387. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Rendering to Varjo headsets: documentation v3.7.0". Varjo for developers. https://developer.varjo.com/docs/v3.7.0/native/rendering-to-varjo-headsets. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 Ben Lang (2019-10-15). "Varjo Launches VR-2 Headset with SteamVR Support, Improved ‘Bionic Display’, and Hand-tracking Option". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/varjo-vr-2-headset-steamvr-support-hand-tracking-retina-display/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Adjusting the headset lenses". Varjo Support. https://support.varjo.com/hc/en-us/adjusting-the-headset-lenses. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Overview of Varjo Base 4.7.1 or older". Varjo Support. https://support.varjo.com/hc/en-us/overview-of-varjo-base-4.7.1-or-older. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 "Setting up SteamVR™ Tracking". Varjo Support. https://support.varjo.com/hc/en-us/setting-up-steamvr-tracking. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Compatible accessories". Varjo Support. https://support.varjo.com/hc/en-us/compatible-accessories. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 "Release notes – Varjo Base 4.7.1 and older". Varjo Support. https://support.varjo.com/hc/en-us/varjo-base-release-notes-4.7.1-and-older. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "What kind of headphones can I use with Varjo headsets?". Varjo Support. https://support.varjo.com/hc/en-us/what-kind-of-headphones-can-i-use-with-varjo-headsets. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "How do Varjo headsets connect to SteamVR accessories?". Varjo Support. https://support.varjo.com/hc/en-us/how-to-connect-to-steamvr-accessories. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "VR-2 and VR-2 Pro Quick Guide, version 1.0". Varjo. https://varjo-storage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/docs/Varjo_VR-2_VR-2_Pro_Quick_Guide_en_de_fi_sv_1_0_22082019.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "VR-2 Product and Safety Guide, version 1.0". Varjo. https://varjo-storage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/docs/Varjo_VR-2_Safety_1_0_web.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Display blending – XR-1 Developer Edition, VR-2 Pro, VR-2, and VR-1". Varjo Support. https://support.varjo.com/hc/en-us/display-blending. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "OpenXR: documentation v3.0.0". Varjo for developers. https://developer.varjo.com/docs/v3.0.0/openxr/openxr. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Software Integrations". Varjo. https://varjo.com/software-integrations. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Eye tracking: Native SDK documentation v3.6.0". Varjo for developers. https://developer.varjo.com/docs/v3.6.0/native/eye-tracking. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ Jari Kangas; Sriram Kishore Kumar; Helena Mehtonen; Jorma Järnstedt; Roope Raisamo (2022-01-10). "Trade-Off between Task Accuracy, Task Completion Time and Naturalness for Direct Object Manipulation in Virtual Reality". Multimodal Technologies and Interaction 6 (1): 6. doi:10.3390/mti6010006. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Varjo Launches XR-3 and VR-3 to Bring Immersive Tech to All Workplaces". Varjo. 2020-12-01. https://varjo.com/news/varjo-launches-xr-3-and-vr-3-headsets-to-bring-the-next-generation-of-immersive-technology-to-every-workplace. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Do I need a Varjo Account, subscription, or license to use my headset?". Varjo Support. https://support.varjo.com/hc/en-us/do-i-need-a-varjo-account-or-subscription-to-use-my-headset. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Upgrading to XR-4". Varjo for developers. https://developer.varjo.com/docs/get-started/Upgrading-HMD. Retrieved 2026-10-15.