Goer Tek Inc., the Chinese company that manufactures the more well-known Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift and Sony PlayStation VR, is making its own VR headset, the Neo.
No, not that Neo (the codename Sony is using for its PlayStation 4.5 upgrade). This Neo is made by Goer Tek Inc.'s subsidiary, Pico. Moreover, Pico also has a different take on a more affordable VR headset.
Using Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 processor — also used in today's flagship handsets like Samsung's Galaxy S7 and LG's G5 — Pico's Neo comes with both the VR headset and an accompanying controller.
However, unlike leading VR headsets on the market so far, the Neo doesn't pack all of its vital components into the headset itself. Instead, the processor, storage and RAM are all inside the Neo's controller. As a result, the headset becomes lighter and less hot than its competitors.
In fact, customers can buy both separately for greater savings. The complete Pico Neo package will retail for about $550. It can be had for even cheaper for just $300 without the controller. In that case, the Neo can then just be powered by pairing it with a PC or equally-compatible device.
The Pico Neo's specifications actually read very much like an upper midrange smartphone, albeit with a high-end processor. Besides coming with the Snapdragon 820, the Neo is also equipped with 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1 and support for microSD cards for expandable storage up to 128 GB.
The controller itself does indeed pack all of that into its body, along with the battery. However, as a standalone device, the headset outputs at a 90 Hz refresh rate on a two-piece 3.81-inch AMOLED screen with a 1200 by 1080 pixel resolution.
Pico says the Neo's setup is the same as that found in the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. In addition, the headset uses aspheric lenses with a 102-degree FOV, supports focus adjustment and 0- to 800-degree myopia.
For what it's worth, Pico's Neo does offer a competitive alternative to what's being sold here at home. The Chinese-made VR headset will be available for sale at the end of June.
