First looks at a partially functional Immersed Visor from the IRL event

At the Visor IRL event, Immersed showed off a finished and (partially) working version of the lightweight and sleek 4K headset for the first time.

The event began with Immersed debunking skeptics of modern technology, from David Letterman mocking the Internet, to Steve Ballmer's rejection of the iPhone, to Jim Cramer doubting that Tesla would ever succeed. The livestream then showed the founder of Immersed, Renji Bijoy, standing on stage with the compact Visor VR headset. A clear reference to all those who called Immersed's Visor a scam. However, these voices will not be completely silenced after the presentation.

Why Immersed made a headset

Immersed started as a software developer, launching a virtual desktop environment for VR headsets in 2017. With the Immersed app running on a Meta Quest headset, it becomes a portable multi-screen workspace with the same performance as the PC, Mac, or Linux computer you connect to.

The only problem was the limited display quality and long-term comfort of the Quest 2. That improved somewhat with Meta’s Quest Pro and took another leap in sharpness and usability with the Quest 3.

Still, Immersed users wanted more. Immersed runs on the Apple Vision Pro but the premium pricing limited how many people could enjoy the higher resolution screens. Even if you own a Vision Pro, there’s still the weight problem.

The Immersed Visor is meant to solve all those issues. Its display technology packs in more pixels than the Vision Pro in a glasses form factor that weighs about as much as an iPhone. It’s also less than a third of the price.

Too good to be true?

Since the announcement last year, some have declared the Visor is too good to be true. The Immersed team had manufacturing agreements that kept many details under wraps for several months.

Ultimately, a Visor preorder required a bit of faith. For Immersed customers, familiarity with the team and its ongoing dedication to improving VR productivity left little doubt that the Visor was a real product.

For others, the only solution was to wait and see.

First hands-on with technical issues

The Visor in-real-life (IRL) event was meant to quell all doubts. Unfortunately, the live stream only showed the weight, fit, and form factor. There were problems with the firmware on site, so attendees were only able to watch a short video inside the Visor and not do a full hands-on test. At least now we know that the Visor is a real product.

According to an attendee SuperEarthStan, who shared their experience on Discord, “I can’t speak to optics or anything as the device is off and wasn’t tethered for any software demos due to some software issues that had concern for consistent experience for demos. There was a version running in the corner by staff, but they are just working on it.”

SuperEarthStan also posted photos and commented on the comfort, adding “I think I would immediately trend toward the full coverage facial interface. It is in fact VERY light. Once the strap is tightened, it basically feels evenly distributed almost weightless. If you have a bigger nose bridge, it won’t be great without a more plush nose piece.”

Additional photos and a short video can be found on Immersed’s Visor community Discord channel.

Todd Jackson of YouTube’s Q2C VR Gamer posted, “it’s alive!” on X after that live stream ended, adding that the video quality was “super bright and clear. AVP quality video.”

Jackson also said the lenses seemed clearer than the Vision Pro’s and the FoV was a bit less than that of the Quest 3.

An X post from Eric Masher of Flat2VRStudios confirmed a working Visor, describing the displays as “amazing & the visuals are equal to or better than the Apple Vision pro.”

Details from the event

We already know the Immersed Visor is a small, lightweight 4K headset with eye-tracking, a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip for standalone use, and an external battery with Wi-Fi for wireless connection to your PC or Mac. It also supports a fast start wired connection.

Rather than making a general-purpose VR headset, the Visor is meant to be a productivity device. The Visor could get an app center and games, but initially, it will run only Immersed, a browser, and a video player.

The product was scheduled to start shipping in October 2024, but the recent firmware problem related to 6DoF tracking could delay deliveries by one to three months. Immersed has financing so you can preorder for $400 with a Visor Plus software subscription or buy the headset outright for $1,050. More details on ordering can be found at the link at the bottom of the article.

After October 1, the upfront cost will increase to $500 with a Visor Plus subscription.

We’ve covered specifications and software plans over the last year and the Visor IRL event revealed more.

At the Visor IRL event, Immersed gave us a first look at the finished Visor, bundled accessories, and an optional powered backpack. The Visor will ship with three removable accessories: a faceplate that hides the sensors, earpieces that let you wear it like glasses, and a head strap for longer sessions. Immersed will also include a slim carrying case.

The head strap has a side-to-side top strap and a rear strap. After removing the earpieces (glasses stems), the strap attaches to the Visor for extended use. It’s much lighter than most VR headsets. Without the earpieces, the Visor weighs just 186 g. Immersed founder Renji Bijoy weighed an Apple Vision Pro (572 g), Meta Quest 3 (463 g), and iPhone 15 Pro Max (290 g) for comparison.

The Immersed Visor really is as light as a phone. It’s also lighter than Snap’s latest Spectacles which are 226 g. The thickness is just 41 mm. To manage heat in such a small device, it includes dual fans and a magnesium front plate.

Immersed will also sell a Visor backpack for $129 with room for a laptop, spare batteries, and more. It includes power so you can charge devices.

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