Samsung Comes To VR World with their Out of this World Odyssey

The release for the Fall Creators Update for Windows 10 is getting closer and closer and promises to come with a lot of interesting features, such as Windows Mixed Reality.

What is Windows Mixed Reality?

This is the name of what Microsoft wants to promote: a mix between the augmented reality and the virtual reality. Until now companies such as Acer, Dell HP and Lenovo have created headsets for this feature and now Microsoft announced a new company to join hands in creating a virtual world: Samsung. The Korean company will bring to the table a handset for a room-scale virtual reality.

The announcement was made by Microsoft at a press event in San Francisco, on 3 October.

Samsung’s headset is HMD Odyssey and has full support for the Microsoft platform – Windows Mixed Reality. The HMD Odyssey has two AMOLED displays, a microphone to talk to Cortana, Windows controllers for motions, and inside-out tracking.

The headset has a great field of view: 110 degrees and the resolution is amazing: 1440×1600 per eye, the displays have a size of 3.5 inches and come with a 90Hz refresh rate.

Samsung has teamed up with AKG, the Austrian manufacturer for headphones and microphones for their built-in headphones.

Alanna Cotton, General Manager and the America VP for Samsung Electronics wrote in a statement that the Samsung HMD Odyssey was built to offer an ‘incredible world of virtual reality’ through a performing headset. She also added that Samsung wants to work with Microsoft in order to shape the future of VR.

A Premium Headset at a Premium Price – Worth It

HMD Odyssey is a premium headset with a premium price, going to $499, the same price as Oculus Rift but has a better refresh rate. So not only Samsung has followed the specs that were referenced by Microsoft, but they have also exceeded them. The fact that HMD Odyssey has built in headphones is a plus, being the only headset to feature them.

You can preorder HMD Odyssey and you’ll get one, with shipping starting on November 6.

Other VR headsets that you can look at this autumn are: Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset, Dell Visor, HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset, and Lenovo Explorer.