The Samsung Odyssey headset is now on sale in the wake of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update released last month, which introduced Microsoft’s new Mixed Reality platform and the hardware to go along with it. Samsung’s Odyssey was one of the AR helmets confirmed by Microsoft in mid-October, and after a short pre-order period, the product is now launching according to the official schedule for the price of $499. Prospective buyers can also acquire the headset with Samsung Financing for $83.33 a month, however, the product is available only in a limited number of regions excluding Europe, but including the United States.
Samsung’s Windows-based Mixed Reality solution is the most expensive and arguably best-equipped offering designed for Microsoft’s new platform, with other similar devices manufactured by Acer and Lenovo already launching for $399, and Dell as well as HP offering their Mixed Reality helmets for $449. The Samsung Odyssey is equipped with dual 3.5-inch AMOLED displays bearing a resolution of 1440 x 1600 each and providing a field of view of 110 degrees through a single Fresnel lens. They also offer built-in AKG-branded headphones and are paired with a couple of 6 DOF controllers while offering built-in support for Xbox One controllers. The headset also takes advantage of a 6-axis accelerometer and gyro, a 3-axis compass, a proximity and IPD sensor, and inside-out tracking. The device weighs 4.89lbs (2.2Kg) and should provide a comfortable experience thanks to its strap mechanism which seems to place most of the weight on the user’s forehead rather than resting it on the nasal bridge. Other details include a couple of microphones with support for Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant Cortana, as well as an HDMI and USB 3.0 connector.
It’s important to note that Samsung’s solution is not a standalone VR headset but rather one built specifically for Microsoft’s Windows Mixed Reality platform. As such, users are expected to hook up the Odyssey helmet to a Windows PC equipped with a dual-core Intel Core i5 (7th generation) processor and Intel HD Graphics 620 or better hardware for the base experience, or can take advantage of the headset’s full capabilities on a computer running the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, as long as it features at least a quad-core Intel Core i5 (6th generation) or AMD FX-4350 processor and an NVidia GTX 1050/AMD RX 460 or a more powerful graphics card.
Buy The Samsung Odyssey Headset
