Varjo Auto-Focus XR4 MR headset might be more powerful than Apple Vision Pro

However, the standout feature is the new dual 20MP gaze-tracking auto-focus camera setup that works in conjunction with LiDAR to precisely track the wearer’s eye movements to enhance its video pass-through capabilities. The XR-4 series headsets also come with integrated speakers with DTS 3D spatial audio support and noise-cancelling microphones.

Varjo says the new technology is designed for users who want the real world in the foreground and virtual reality in the background. The XR-4 series is powered by Nvidia’s graphic processing units and is integrated with the Nvidia Omniverse. allowing users to render photorealistic scenes in real-time and use ray tracing in mixed reality.

While the new headset does not work as a standalone product, it comes with built-in controllers developed in partnership with Razer. Varjo’s software ecosystem already has more than 100 third-party PC applications and also supports popular 3D engines like Unreal Engine 5 and Unity.

Designed for enterprise users, Varjo’s XR4-series has a starting price of $3,990, which is a bit more than Apple’s Vision Pro’s $3,499 price tag. However, the gaze-driven Secure edition that comes with multifocal cameras costs $9,990, which is almost three times more than Apple’s upcoming headset. It has the same features as the cheaper model, but the company seems to have optimised the camera resolution for pilot training.

Varjo has been making high-end mixed-reality headsets since 2016 and has years of experience manufacturing such devices on an enterprise level. This might give it a head start over Apple, which has reportedly scaled back production after facing difficulties due to design complexities.