PICO has announced their latest VR gear that requires no PC connection – the PICO 4 all-in-one.
Made to be completely standalone, the PICO 4 might resemble the Oculus Quest counterpart in its design language and color scheme so perhaps you can take it as an alternative. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset, the screen is a 90Hz 4K+ screen with 1200PPI to display all the details with minimal jags. The headpiece is using a 4x SLAM camera placement to track your movement accurately with the entirety powered by a block of 5300mAh battery. Need a small break? Be sure to give the PICO 4 some quick juice thanks to the QC 3.0 protocol.
Weighing at just 295g without the strap, it is touted as the lightest VR headset to date that doesn’t cause as much strain and can be played for long periods of time (assuming you can tolerate motion sickness to a high degree) with it strapped properly to the user comfortably thanks to the cushion lining SuperSkin fabric and anti-slip PU leather at the rear. Those who wear glasses will not need to worry about it being a hassle because the ergonomic design is made to accommodate that problem via a glass spacer cavity.
As for the controllers, a one-piece rotating arc column fitted with infrared sensors is the centerpiece of a well-designed product since it protects the user through hit detection and spatial awareness. The 6DoF support enables a wide degree of movement within the virtual space so you won’t be stuck at the same spot while the HyperSense broadband motor gives you that haptic feedback.
For the software part, you can gain access to a wide variety of content via PICO Store that includes games, fitness programs, video streaming, and social apps. It also partially supports Steam VR titles too. PICO emphasizes using their PICO Fitness program that includes things like LesMills Body Combat, All-In-One Summer Sports VR, and Just Dance VR to get some muscles moving while having all of them tracked down for post-workout reviews.
More of a game person? Popular titles are here to serve you too such as Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom, Ultimechs, and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution. There’s an upcoming update involving virtual entertainment company Wave to offer virtual concerts for a “solo” yet immersive experience.
Availability
PICO has revealed that starting October 18, the PICO 4 will become available in the European market with other parts of the world including Malaysia still within the final phase of preparation. However, you can get an early hands-on trial session from October 11 until 16 but the actual venue has not been announced as of the time of writing. If you’re curious, be sure to give PICO Malaysia’s Facebook page a like to get the most updated news.
