Resolution
Resolution is the number of pixels that can be displayed. Resolution is usually shown as width x height. For example, a resolution of 1920 x 1080 means that it has 1920 pixels as its width and 1080 pixels as its height. A 1080p HDTV has the resolution of 1920 x 1080.
Higher resolution means sharper, clearer and more detailed images. Low resolution can cause the pixels to become visible to the human eyes. This is especially evident in Virtual Reality HMDs because the user's eyes are positioned very close to the display. Low resolution and low PPI, pixels per inch, can cause the user to feel pixelation and feel like he or she is looking through a screen door. For optimal immersion, pixels on the display have to be dense enough to be invisible to the human eyes when viewed from very close range.
For truly immersive Virtual Reality, 4K resolution (3840 x 2160) or higher is required. According to Plamer Luckey, found of Oculus Rift, pixelation will not go away completely until at least 8K resolution (7680 x 4320) per eye is achieved[1]. As of 2015, non of the VR HMDs have 4k or greater resolution.
Contents
Resolution of various HMDs
Virtual Reality
| Resolution | |
|---|---|
| ANTVR | 1920 x 1080 |
| Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset | 2880 x 1440 (1440 x 1440 per eye) |
| Apple Vision Pro | 4k per eye |
| Daydream View | 1920 x 1080 / 2560 x 1440 (Pixel / Pixel XL) |
| FOVE | 2560 x 1440 |
| Figment VR | Depends on the smartphone |
| Google Cardboard | Depends on the smartphone |
| HP Reverb G2 | 2160 x 2160 pixels per eye |
| HTC Vive | 2160 x 1200 (1080 x 1200 per eye) |
| HTC Vive Developer Editions | 2160 x 1200 1080 x 1200 per eye |
| HTC Vive Pro | 2880 x 1600 (1440 x 1600 per eye) |
| Impression Pi | Depends on the smartphone |
| LG 360 VR | 960x720 pixels at 693ppi (per eye) |
| Lenovo Windows Holographic HMD | |
| Meta Quest 2 | 1832 x 1920 per eye |
| Meta Quest 3 | 2064x2208 per-eye |
| OSVR HDK1 | 1920 x 1080 960 x 1080 per eye |
| OSVR HDK2 | 2160 x 1200 (1080 x 1200 per eye) |
| Oculus Quest | 1440×1600 per eye |
| Oculus Rift | 2160 x 1200 (1080 x 1200 per eye) |
| Oculus Rift DK1 | 1280 x 800 640 x 800 per eye |
| Oculus Rift DK2 | 1920 x 1080 960 x 1080 per eye |
| Oculus Rift S | 1280×1440 per eye |
| Oculus Santa Cruz | |
| Pico G2 | 2880 x 1600 |
| Pico Neo 2 | 1 920 × 2 160 per eye |
| Pico Neo 3 Pro | |
| Pico Neo CV | 1500 x 1500 pixels/eye |
| Pimax 8K | 8K (4K for each eye) |
| PlayStation VR | 1920 x 1080 960 x 1080 per eye |
| Project Alloy | |
| Samsung Gear VR (2015/2016) | 2560 x 1440 1280 x 1440 per eye |
| Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition | 2560 x 1440 1280 x 1440 per eye |
| StarVR | 5120 x 1440 (2560 x 1440 per eye) |
| Sulon Q | 2560x1440 pixels |
| Valve Index | |
| Wearality Sky | Depends on smartphone |
Augmented Reality
| Resolution | |
|---|---|
| Apple Vision Pro | 4k per eye |
| Atheer AiR | |
| CastAR | 2560x720 1280 x 720 per eye |
| Google Glass | 640 × 360 |
| Impression Pi | Depends on the smartphone |
| Magic Leap One | |
| Meta 2 | 2560 x 1440 |
| Microsoft HoloLens | Holographic resolution: 2.3M total light points |
| Microsoft HoloLens 2 | 2k 3:2 light engines |
| R-7 Smartglasses | 2560 x 720 (Two 1280 x 720) |
| SmartEyeglass Developer Edition SED-E1 | 419 x 138 |
| Snap Spectacles 3 | Video 1216 x 1216 px Photos 1642 x 1642 |
| Sulon Q | 2560x1440 pixels |