Pico has unveiled its new VR headset today at CES called the Pico Neo CV, which marks not only and announcement of its newest VR headset to date, but it’s also the first consumer facing product that Pico will be launching for the U.S. market. This is not Pico’s first VR offering, though, as they initially launched the Pico Neo DK last year aimed at the Business to Business space. While VR is still a very early industry that is coming into its own, it’s quickly becoming saturated with loads of headset options that appear and function very similarly. Pico sets itself apart with the Neo CV by providing consumers with a way to experience virtual reality completely untethered.
This is Pico’s niche, and although they may not be the only company offering such a device, there are few other options available. As a VR headset that is completely untethered, the Pico Neo CV does not rely on a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet like the Gear VR does, nor does it need a console or PC to connect to so it can provide users with immersive content to enjoy. Pico boasts an immersive experience right out of the box without the need for any other devices, which not only cuts down on the cost to get invested in virtual reality experiences, but it also makes things much more convenient and allows users to get to the content they want to enjoy more quickly.
Not relying on another device such as a PC will certainly be limiting and the Pico Neo CV won’t deliver the kind of virtual reality content you’ll find on the HTC Vive, but it’s no slouch either as Pico has packed in some decent specs. Inside it comes powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and utilizes Qualcomm’s Snapdragon VR SDK while also boasting “full VR immersion” with motion tracking. Pico states that the motion tracking capabilities of the Neo CV are precise, so users can likely expect a rather smooth experience after jumping into content. Aside from the motion tracking, the Pico Neo CV also features dual 1.5K VR displays with a 90Hz refresh rate to help keep the picture clear. The Neo CV’s support for 360-degree viewing allows users to not only check out the most immersive videos, but games as well as Pico notes that it’s equipped for gaming purposes too. On the outside the Pico Neo CV looks pretty similar to other offerings, but it certainly has enough to differentiate itself from the competition. Pico has integrated a Hi-Fi speaker so you don’t have to connect and rely on headphones for the sound, and Pico says the headset features the “world’s best spatial rendering engine” which suggests the audio significantly enhances the immersion and the overall experience. At the moment Pico hasn’t mentioned how much the Neo CV headset will cost, and there’s no current information on a launch date.
