Many users have wondered on more than one occasion: What happened to virtual reality? Price, availability, performance, and the lack of a killer app are the most cited reasons, but I'd like to add an extra detail: Nobody wants to play with a headset strapped to their face. The people behind the Bigscreen Beyond are focused on tackling that last point, and their result is a "headset" that weighs just 127 grams, and includes a custom support for your face. Optimum on YouTube recently received a Bigscreen and tested it in the best way possible: by racing.
The Meta Quest 2 costs $199 at the time of writing. I admit that's not a terrible number, and it shapes up as a good entry point for a "first experience" in virtual reality. However, the headset weighs 503 grams... and it's the "lightweight option." Many users online have shared mods to reduce its weight (removing its battery, making holes, etc.), but the same complaints repeat everywhere: fatigue, discomfort, neck pain, headache
The alternative to all these hacks is the high-end, and there appears the Bigscreen Beyond. On the surface, its specifications are notable: Two 2560 x 2560 pixel OLED micro-displays, integrated into a device weighing just 127 grams, and a custom support that the user must generate after purchase. In other words, it seems like the ultimate virtual reality headset, but Optimum on YouTube received one and decided to connect it to his simulator...
Formula 1 in virtual reality with the Bigscreen Beyond
Let's say the headset has to fill some big shoes. Optimum spent more than $7,000 Australian dollars (about €4,300) on his triple-screen simulator, and it works very well. However, enthusiasts rave about virtual reality for this specific case, and the best way to evaluate its performance (besides using it as a "replacement" for the screens) is to pit it against the Meta Quest 3.
The first limitation of the Bigscreen Beyond is that it has no sensors for head tracking, and if the user wants that, they'll need to get an external module like the SteamVR Base Station. Optimum also didn't find video passthrough, but with 127 grams, moving the headset isn't a big problem.
The comparison with the Quest 3 helped a lot in detecting strengths and weaknesses. For example, the Quest 3 allows us to calibrate the interpupillary distance (IPD), but that value is fixed on the Bigscreen Beyond (that's why you need to generate a 3D model of your face after buying it, though if you already know your IPD, you can enter it manually). In contrast, the Bigscreen's OLED micro-panels are superior in every way, with support for 90 Hz at 1920 x 1920, or 75 Hz at its native resolution. The Quest 3 reaches 120 Hz, but Optimum mentions that it has a lot of compression. The FOV slightly favors the Quest 3, 110 degrees vs 102.
To finish, Optimum highlights some "glare" in the Bigscreen Beyond's lenses, the plastic front inevitably attracts scratches, and the custom rubber support requires frequent cleaning, but he places its "five years" form factor ahead of the competition, and the hardware inside is impressive.
How much does it hurt? €1,369, including taxes and free shipping.
Official site: Click here
