My Varjo Aero VR Headset...A $2K MISTAKE?

[@jaysway007]

Today these are selling for 990$.....Makes this purchase a no-brainer! Excellent video!

[@VRFlightSimGuy]

I've just stumbled across this video, this is an excellent review, very comprehensive. Thankyou also for the shout out. All the best.

[@rbarlow]

Thanks. I really like your informative and well produced channel. I was not fully committed to VR since as a retired airline pilot I am always thinking training potential. Until now I loved VR for fun flying, air combat and sightseeing but the low resolution and inability to interact with charts/checklists and controls/switches was a limiting factor for serious training. I now see that the resolution issue is essentially solved in Aero as charts and displays are easily readable. I also see how pass through video for mixed reality and hand tracking is about to solve the interaction with controls issue. I am all in on VR now. I soloed at 16 in 1968, flew F-4 fighters in USAF , and 35 years of Airline flying but I have to say this is an exciting time in flight simulation. Thanks for your contribution to this rapidly evolving technology.

[@VRFlightSimGuy]

@@rbarlow I'm sincerely honoured to have someone such as yourself watching my channel thankyou! I agree, VR has finally reached a critical point where it can be utilised for serious flight training even for the consumer (although as you rightly say, the price of admission is grossly high at the moment). However, there's so much development happening and I am too, very excited for the future of our hobby. Take care (subbed)!

[@drpilotfi]

I was happy when that headset came out, not because I would buy it (can't afford it), but just to know the technology is already there. It's only a waiting game now. Thanks for the detailed and informative review.

[@captainalex157]

exactly im excited for affordable headsets in a couple years, the quest 2 is already pretty amazing.

[@gofres]

Same here. VR is really starting to make big improvements. My hope is that in 5 years or so 4k+ per eye at 60Hz+ will be very affordable. I'd like to get into VR flight sims, but personally, I'm willing to wait for this next step.

[@quecksilber457]

The crazy thing is, that VR hardware took ages to drop in price. And still it really doesn't get any cheaper, because most hardware just does not get produced any more and you have to rely on new tech or buy used.

[@Kraeuterbutter]

@@quecksilber457 well.. people ar dropping 3000, 4000 or even more eruos for a television, 1500-2500 for a sound system.. compared to that are the 300-1000euros for most vr-headsets not realy much

[@thierrycb6034]

@@Kraeuterbutter 👍👍👍

[@redtailpilot]

As a real world private pilot, I'm used to spending a lot on my passions and that also goes for my flight simulator hobby, which predates my real world flying. So for me, it's always a question of.. "Is it worth it?". Glad to get your perspective on the Aero as I await the arrival of mine in the coming weeks! I recently sold my Pimax 8KX to help fund the Aero. The wide FOV was nice, but ever since my first VR HMD (CV1, then Rift S), I've always longed for the level of clarity provided by Varjo. I've watched a number of reviews on this and enjoyed yours the most. 😉. Been at this since the mid 1980s as a teenager, when I purchased my first computer for flight simulators (Commodore-64) and bought practically every flight simulator released, lol. My two favorites at the moment are, DCS World and MSFS 2020.

[@rbarlow]

Yes Simmers complain about the cost of things that cost less than a few gallons of Avgas. Even an expensive sim setup is worth it if you can train and avoid expensive Hobbs time

[@quecksilber457]

@@rbarlow And when it comes to simming VR will always be a kind of cheap solution compared to a full homebrew cockpit.

[@redtailpilot]

Just to follow up. My Aero arrived a couple of weeks ago, but I had no time to used it.. After finally setting everything up and trying it... only in MSFS (so far). I'M BLOWN AWAY! This thing is incredible. The clarity and smoothness is what I've been dreaming of for a very long time. It actually feels like I'm in a real cockpit and when flying in IMC, it's very convincing. Can't wait to fire up DCS World this weekend 🙂

[@TonyDrecaps]

@@redtailpilot that's great news! I like hearing the full feedback

[@redtailpilot]

@Jip Jackson Well said. I started with the CV1, then Rift S, then 8KX (which I sold to help fund the Aero). Also sold the CV1 awhile back. Still have the Rift S and will probably sell that as well.

[@a.nelprober4971]

You are a true asset to the community

[@dtrjones]

One thing you might have missed which I think is underreported with this headset is the professional-grade approach to the displays. Colour accuracy is 99% SRGB, 95% DCI-P3 which may not sound significant but accurate colors add so much immersion to the scene especially in a simulator like MSFS which of course is trying to reproduce the real world.

[@Kraeuterbutter]

not only that: with accurate colors you can use it also as desktop-replacement when working with pictures or videos

[@Navhkrin]

@@Kraeuterbutter Its not THAT accurate though. Needs to be over %99 DCI-P3 for that kind of work

[@Kraeuterbutter]

@@Navhkrin for professional work.. for me as hobbiest i also have not a calibrated monitor.. but a monitor with good colors, yes (not fokused on gaming though) with all of my 9 headsets so far: you can forget working with fotos... they often look like some cheap 6bit- notebook-displays.. so: i dont need over-the-top-colors which professionals need and use.. but whats now in most headsets is unusable i think 99% sRGB would be already a great improvement to my current headsets

[@Mike-kt4qh]

Black level is the most important thing next to colour accuracy and that is where this headset lacks on top of the barrel distortion

[@brianbuckley6713]

Hi Russ, I am at the moment looking to purchase my first VR headset. With the world in disarray financially speaking, we find funds are tight for hobby expenditure but, I am still on the lookout and your video has inspired another old guy to seriously save some pennies up for a good headset. I had not looked at the Varjo Aero but your comments and display of it convincing me to go down this route, I have decided to save for this headset. Thanks for a great review. Cheers, Brian.

[@PumpUptheJam81]

This was very helpful. It has been about five years or so since I have tried VR flight sim. I gave up on it due to the lack of clarity trying to view PFD’s and even the kollsman window on the altimeter. I am working on CFII Presently and this will certainly help shooting approaches, and MUCH cheaper than the Diamond at the FBO! So many headsets coming to market, one could easily get analysis paralysis. This piece of hardware appears to be a winner! Thanks for taking the time.

[@rbarlow]

Check out the PiMax Crystal as it is cheaper and has very good initial reviews. I will have one in a couple weeks and will do a review after I test it

[@PumpUptheJam81]

@@rbarlow I also have my eye on that unit as well. A little nervous about lack of “pro” hardware pedigree that the Varjo has, however I am always open to less expensive options. Looking forward to your review!

[@garyrasso6149]

A complete, honest, and thorough review.

[@rbarlow]

I try, thanks

[@pyroscot]

Thanks very much for the review Russ, very much appreciated to see a raw review against the fanboy reviews we've been seeing.

[@dank.1874]

Russ, THANK YOU so much for making this vid! Appreciate the short 17 minutes, to the point with a lot of comparison opinions you shared. I am now getting into home flight sim, bought the PC, and trying to figure out what controls, VR or traditional monitors, and other stuff I have to buy to make Xplane11 and DCS work. Please keep your reviews coming! Seems like we are both on a similar mission. I will hold off investing in the Varjo-Aero but will keep an eye on this to see how price and tech improves. I agree with you, $2k and lack of controllers and audio BASICS, this is not ready for purchase yet. Same the money, wait for Varjo to improve. You mentioned the HP G2, I was looking at that...thinking now I will just settle on that for VR. Seems like I will just focus on going the VR route for flight training and work out the deficiencies. Practice should be harder that real work anyways right?! HA. One thing I'm learning now that is daunting for a PC and Flight sim novice like me is that is seems like I have many software and other things to buy to make all this work. Crud. Guess will figure it out. Perhaps it would not be a bad idea to compare notes in trying to make all this work? Thanks for this, Dan

[@jamies4381]

Really nice video, Russ. As a fellow real world pilot, I am excited to hear your positive feedback on this headset. I just ordered mine after the price dropped to $990, and I cannot wait to try it out. I likely would not have been able to make the investment at the original price!

[@whitey4986]

Great review, thank you! In Australia, the cheapest price for this headset is about $2400 USD, and I really need to spend another $2600 USD building a new computer to support it, big costs! Luckily the cons you mention (SteamVR tracking, controllers, etc) are generally a non issue for people upgrading to this headset - which given we’re in maybe 3rd generation for headsets now, is pretty common. I’m putting in my order today due to this video, thanks!

[@Skrenja]

How is it?

[@FernandoPerez-en8sc]

Great review. Thanks so much. You have convince me to finally buy one of this. I have been back and forth with this decision.

[@rbarlow]

Remember this is my first initial impression after only a couple days. So far I haven’t changed my mind but you might look at some other reviews before you spend this much money

[@Hani_Santa]

Wow amazing I am also considering buying this headset when it's available in my country. Can't wait for hand tracking in the future to match with this amazing resolution. I am actually amazed VR developed so quickly.

[@FaberLSH]

Thank you so much for this awesome experience you gave us!

[@jaysoegaard]

Great review! Thanks for the hard work

[@dennisrichards2540]

3:21 I'd just like to add, eye tracking offers a even simpler and cheaper solution to physical contact control systems. All the user would have to do is look at the switch they want to operate and use a universal input (this could be anything from simply binding a button on your flight stick, a double blink, or perhaps contact sensors on the finger tips to register a pinching action)

[@rbarlow]

Interesting concept!

[@sirwlr1214]

Thanks Russ you are a gentleman of complete integrity. another great review thank you.

[@salldean]

As always a balanced objective summary. Thx Russ

[@eicjc]

Nice review. Thanks. Look forward to more thoughts on the subject.

[@elmonte5lim]

That's so good, it's shocking. In essence, the high price mandates a lot of thought before finally pulling the trigger. Good luck with the replacement and thanks heaps.

[@cymantix]

My day 1 order arrived (I'm in the US) late last week. I only needed 2-3 hours with it before I decided to pass it along to someone else on the Varjo discord who was eagerly trying to get their hands on one. The colors and clarity were absolutely next-level, but the lack of Motion Smoothing, limited vertical FOV, and barrel distortion made the Aero a no-go for me. The G2 has just gotten so performant and stable with recent software updates that it just made for a better overall experience in my sim rig. I wasn't expecting the Aero to make me breakfast, but given the $2,000 price point, I needed it to at least feel like a better headset than the G2. In terms of clarity, it certainly was. Most other areas? Not so much.

[@rbarlow]

Great that you could unload it since it didn’t work for you. Thanks for your comments

[@Vanpotheosis]

I always shut motion smoothing off. Didn't realize anyone actually liked using it. Interesting.

[@LowBlow]

Hey, long-term G2 user here. Would definitely recommend you try OpenXR and Open Composite with your G2 to cut Steam VR out of the loop. In a nutshel, even better clarity and FPS.

[@thevirtualworld8548]

The day I hear it will utilize motion smoothing the same way the G2 does (with WMR Openxr), and there are prescription lenses available that work with it (again just like the G2), then I`ll seriously think about this HMD. Unless by then something else can compete. Until then, I’m very happy with my G2

[@rbarlow]

I predict: In a year or two an equivalent headset will be the cost of the G2 at launch. Technology marches on.

[@krostouin]

So does hardware price :)

[@theshazman]

Love my G2! Had to do some mods on it to get it comfortable but it gives a plenty clear picture!

[@quecksilber457]

For someone who owns an old Vive, your iPhone videos says everything. What a dream. Sad i just can't afford hardware like that (and the PC to run that resolution). I did not work for 10 years now, because of my health. Maybe i can afford a G2 in the foreseeable future, wich already would be much better.

[@eaglethedigger]

Thank you so much for your insights. This is very valuable. And you do it in a very profound and neutral way. Thank you.

[@TonyDrecaps]

If this headset had a larger FOV like 150 or 160°, I would have bought it in a heartbeat. Thanks for the review.

[@rbarlow]

This resolution will be cheaper in a year or two. Just a matter of time.

[@sascenturion]

What a great review ..your usual relaxed voice and informative information but... What i enjoyed more was the fact that you managed to get a Varjo headset for yourself and i realise its a big investment but i can tell in your voice that your very pleased with your purchase 😀👍 Well done. Ps.looking forward to more of your experiences with the headset.

[@rbarlow]

It is unlike me to buy luxury items … I drive a 2006 pickup truck😊

[@sascenturion]

@@rbarlow ..why change something when its not broken! 😄👍

[@StarBellySneetch]

Agreed ,the solid software's simplicity is almost as good as the resolution. I had to buy two bases cause I turn my head the whole time in DCS warbird missions

[@Golgafrinchamdent]

Just looking at the left eye view... it seems like it stops just past the middle of the fov. It makes me wonder if it has a small binocular overlap?

[@tangolima4148]

Excellent review. Great iPhone in-headset footage. Gives a good image of what to expect (being a Quest 2 user myself). Thanks for uploading

[@philb1167]

Excellent review. Especially liked the attempt to show what it "really" looks like in the headset. I haven't seen this perspective before and as someone without any VR experience helps in the long drawn decision on what to buy and and is it really that good (i think so).

[@svoigt2622]

GREAT video as usual. Missed seeing you on here and was hoping all was well with you. Great looking headset, not sure I can afford one of those at this time, but maybe someday.

[@rbarlow]

Have a 93 yo mom that needs a lot of my time since Pandemic but I manage to trickle out content

[@JoTokutora]

Clarification. the human res is closer to 60-70 ppd. That is what Varjo achieves with their bionic displays. But those are not included in the Aero. The Aero only uses the back peripheral displays and those are 35ppd

[@Kraeuterbutter]

for further clarification: the bionic displays are also useless (in the moment) for gamers/Simmers... games, steam, do not support the 4-display-approche so of no use infact the aero without bionic display looks in games even better, because it offers more light. the xr3 is darker in that matter.. and aero is also lighter, much more comfortable to wear

[@JoTokutora]

@@Kraeuterbutter Correct, So Varjo 3's are a waste, and the Aero is the current top of the food chain regarding image clarity at the moment for consumers

[@matthewtaylor7373]

Enjoyed you're video Russ. As a VR user myself I did feel you should have mentioned that on top of the cost of this headset you will need a very high end PC to run it with good results. So really the spend is much higher than you mentioned.

[@rbarlow]

Very true!

[@101Osprey101]

Pretty sure you can display a composite of both eyes using Oculus mirror. Maybe you can do the same?

[@rbarlow]

Yes you can choose left, right or both eyes. The Varjo Base software doesn’t record sound though which is a big flaw IMHO

[@RiderZer0]

I can’t justify dropping that much cash for a VR set for myself, but I’m glad the technology is there. Can’t wait for it to become mainstream

[@SDsc0rch]

first time viewer - well done liked and subbed :)

[@mikeolson7588]

Great Video. Good review of critical VR factors and future using mixed reality and foviation.

[@rbarlow]

Thanks for watching.

[@samis7170]

Great review, Thank You. I've been a Varjo Aero user for about a week now and I have to agree with you, it was not a mistake buying this headset.

[@rustusandroid]

PiMax has that same resolution, with 160 degree FOV. I haven't looked back since I bought one.

[@Skrenja]

Which model?

[@3RomeoFoxtrot]

Russ, been following you a while - this was an important video, thanks. Having seen CAE & L3 Link imagery (a different class all be it) this is astounding information.

[@rbarlow]

Yes the collimated displays are great but even they lack the 3D that a VR system can provide

[@3RomeoFoxtrot]

@@rbarlow Working with MIL training, even they are using Varjo on limited basis. Its really pushing the envelope for training in realism. The big boys are on top for very specific reasons but MS/DCS could topple them in the right circumstance. A lot of UPT bases used those programs to grease the wheel during covid for things like formation flying - over the internet with instructors in dallas and studs at Vance (etc). Its just simple, it works and it works better than the $17M+ machines being used. A computer and a headset ushering in 3-5Hrs in the plane before solo, unbelievable for my 1980s flight training experience.

[@rbarlow]

Ha ha I was a class76-06 grad from UPT at Vance. We had fixed base instrument sims with NO visual at all. How times have changed.

[@DG-jk2dw]

Great insight. Appreciate it.

[@shaneastwood6364]

Just thinking. Could you position a small pc external camera on your vr headset. Then program a joystick button to give you a pass through effect in your headset . Possibly need a line of code to make it happen

[@daveyoung2056]

Mine is going back, not upto the press release.

[@jasonf2252]

Terrific information and video Russ. Thanks. I am considering purchasing this, and your perspective helped a great deal. I especially appreciate the details of items needed and your experiences (ie: open xr). It IS a tough pill to swallow price wise. As an aviation obsessive whose dreams of flying in real life were stunted by Type I diabetes diagnosed at 10 years of age, I am a little more open to spending for the immersion than I should be perhaps. Given the cost of continued medical clearances, the lessons, potentially purchasing an aircraft, maintenance etc. the cost of the Varjo is probably justified in my own sick mind.

[@joelv4495]

Have you considered a sport pilot license?

[@jasonf2252]

@@joelv4495 I have recently learned about this since my original medical special issuance training and subsequent solo. It is at least an option thankfully.

[@deceptiveanswer]

Glad you made that sinking feeling in my gut go away, Thankyou. Nigh on £3k for HMD (Shipping & taxes) + base station/'s & controller's, here in the UK.... A hefty price tag indeed.

[@nathantw]

Mr. Barlow, your voice could pass for Kevin Costner! Thanks for the video. It was really informative. All I can say is lucky you to own it. Enjoy.

Really nice sum up, thanks for sharing!

[@mrelisard]

The through the lens video was better than what I am used to see. I just think squeezing a slr camera, with low refresh rate gives very stripy glitched video. The iPhone looked like it gave a little chromatic aberration, and saturated the colors, but I think it have a clearer idea of the resolution

[@QBziZ]

You make good points about mixed reality. But there is also something else to consider as the future. Haptics. More specifically haptic gloves. They could be used to manipulate the virtual cockpit, completely eliminating anything outside of the VR.

[@rbarlow]

Yeah good point. I tried some non- haptic gloves and they were a bit. Of a disappointment . If the technology works it is indeed a good option but still you lack to see a physical chart or checklist. Still building a physical cockpit is not for everyone so in that case haptic gloves would be a great way to go.

[@jonyboy352]

Great video, and very well Thought out and delivered thank you Sr!

[@HenryMPHone]

Thanks Russ! If you have a G-pro you might try again to better capture through the lens footage. WDYT?

[@rbarlow]

G-pro?

[@TheDigitalFlight]

Hello really enjoyed this video and I was wondering if you had any follow-up to it?.

[@AnthonyFransella]

Isn't human eye over 100 ppd and "retina" displays about 60ppd at usable distance? Good summary, thanks for the video

[@ExOrbit1980]

Hi Russ, thanks a lot for the review. I enjoyed it a lot. I ordered mine a month ago, so I have a few months to wait. I have the G2 as well and ordered the varjo mostly for the wider sweet spot and the better resolution. Eventhough I really like the G2, I found it a bit hard on the eyes in combat in IL 2 as my head is constantly in motion and can loose the sweet spot easily.

[@rbarlow]

You will like the Aero I feel sure

[@regwatson2017]

Excellent real world review - thank you Russ. I want one. Now make another video telling us how you convinced your wife to allow you to drop $2K on another headset when you told her last time that the HP Reverb was the best 🙂

[@jovi3]

bit unrelated, but I wonder if you spent a really long time looking at the world through the passthrough cameras if your eyes would have trouble focusing on things when you take the headset off, since they've got used to seeing everything in focus at once

[@wolfmanDCS]

Can you identify targets very well on the ground in DCS World? I got time to send this Pimax 8Kx back to Amazon should I do it? I can't tell targets on the ground unless I have Labels on.

[@rbarlow]

Don’t do DCS but this is really clear. Much better than the Reverb G2 I have. Search KZbin for Aero DCS and I am sure there are some reviews.

[@melboxp]

great video and review !

[@lst141]

If you take in account the price of a homecockpit even the simpler one (3 tv, mip, overheads, etc) the solution you present is much cheaper. You can even go for VR with the pass throughly. Pity I’m far to ahead to turn back!

[@FedericoCrozzolo]

how is the Varjo Aero for sim racing ?

[@williamcarter746]

Is this a viable solution to keep fresh with actual flying procedures for a real-world pilot? I need something to help keep the rust off.

[@rbarlow]

It is not yet perfect for that yet as you need to use a mouse( I use a kneeboard mounted trackball myself) so you do have to reach to your knee to select various buttons and knobs. It is slightly less convenient that real life. That being said the visual resolution is plenty good to see the instruments and displays clearly. I use Navigraph charts which you can display, resize and reposition in VR. You can easily fly approaches and practice procedures. I suggest you look at the Pimax Crystal headset. It is every bit as clear as the Aero, includes head phones ans mic, needs no tracking base stations, and come with controllers. It is about $400 cheaper but not quite as solidly built as the Aero.

[@GoFlyYourselves]

The picture looked perfect. I wonder if the other lower priced ones like the HP Reverb comes anywhere close? I doubt it, considering the price difference! Great video btw, thanks for the info

[@maulikdesai9431]

Good video, but a couple of corrections. The Aero doesn't have the same resolution as the XR-3. Also, human eye resolution is considered to be around 60 pixels per degree, not 35.

[@rbarlow]

Yes these errors were quickly brought to my attention as soon as it was posted. Thanks for your input, my bad.

[@miketan373]

Hi Russ, cool video, Inwould love to experience more about how you and what extra products you needed to buy and why. Then, did you get dizzy using this headset? Last did you try with glasses?

[@mishmish1968]

This VR is magnificent, thanks for the preview and sharing this experience.

[@kennethhicks2113]

Very experienced opinion, ty.

[@sg0101010]

Curious if you play DCS ? I'd like to hear your opinion on visuals OUTSIDE the cockpit of a G2 vs Aero - like how crisp are the clouds and other aircraft ?

[@rbarlow]

Sorry but haven't been using the Aero with DCS but I can tell you it will certainly help you get a visual on bogeys way further out than with the G2. In MSFS and X-Plane 11 on a clear day I can visually spot an airport 8-10 miles out whereas with the G2 just a bit over 5 miles out. Check out the VR Flight Sim Guys channel as he has some DCS videos with both G2 and Aero.

[@sg0101010]

@@rbarlow thanks - and I love this video, really appreciated the content!

[@jbrownson]

Very useful info, thanks

[@Magnetarz]

Good vid. One more big con for me that not got mentioned in your vid. No speakers for a psychoacoustic sound experience like on the g2. For 2k + you should expect a top tear acoustic system included. That this headset is lacking of it is a real dealbreaker for me.

[@rbarlow]

Definitely a big negative. I also miss inside out tracking. The resolution is impressive however.

[@alibozorgian4183]

Minor scientific error: the human eye resolution is about 30 cycles per degree; the smallest cycle you can display is by using 2 adjacent pixels. Therefore, you need about 60 pixels per degree (not 30).

[@steeltribe3967]

Thanks for the review. My money is already spent so your title was irresistible :) I am lucky enough to have the base stations and index controllers but still, 2k is a lot. I especially like your close, that it was not a mistake. I am less trepidatious. I had one other reason for this purchase and that is an IPD of 72.5, currently beyond everything on the market, although some get closer than others. The Varjo is up to 73mm. The idea of setting an IPD is new for me, I just wind it all the way up, and trust me, forget any VR unit that does not have a physical setting as software IPD is a joke.

[@rbarlow]

Sadly so am already getting used to this new toy so the wow factor is being lost. I need to put my Reverb G2 occasionally to remind myself. Good luck.

[@robertmcdaniel8147]

Can more than one VR headset be connected to the graphics card? To me, I see the main disadvantage of VR is that, unlike triple monitors, the viewing experience cannot be shared with friends, children, or a CFI.

[@sub23DaRkNeSS]

people can see what you do on a monitor.

[@robertmcdaniel8147]

@@sub23DaRkNeSS Thank you, Jack

[@willdog2six218]

A few more years the tech in this hu will be there norm in the g4 😀 looking forward to the future

[@MrScott_e]

Excellent video, Russ. $2000 is a lot of money but $6000 is whole lot more. If only I could see my hands and be able to interact with the Virtual World I could then consider upgrading my HP G2.

[@rbarlow]

I would wait. I think the technology is going to make great strides in the next year or two

[@MrScott_e]

@@rbarlow for sure. Same with the RTX 3000. I skipped it thanks to Bitcoin mining and have my eye on The 4090. I noticed Phillip pointed out the Brunner Yoke in one of his images. I know you have a Yoko yoke but if you have a chance you should, as a pilot, try the Brunner hardware. I have the MKII yoke and Pedals and will never go back. As a pilot myself it’s incredibly immersive and will take your VR experience to a new level.

[@rbarlow]

@@MrScott_e I have a friend with the Brunner controls and my initial experience wasn’t that great. It felt like it was fighting me. He now has it tuned better and it worked much better. I need to give it another try but like some motion systems I’ve tried, it is hard to get it exactly right and if it isn’t it is very noticeable. Of course there is the cost too and trying to get maximum immersion return on sim investments. Right now I would advise people to get a G2 and a decent CPU/GPU for the best experience per the money spent. Unfortunately until good hand tracking or mixed reality are ubiquitous in headsets VR has its limits for real pilot training. I think most all the manufacturers have seen that mixed reality is future of VR and are working feverishly to beat the others to market. Varjo will have to lower prices or try to cater to high end professional and military contracts with deep pockets. I ordered a Lynx-R1 in a kick starter quite a while back which offers color stereo pass through video and ultraleap hand tracking but it is taking them a while and will probably. arrive late this year. It is only 1600x1600 per eye. By the time it arrives there may be other similar products available. Sad since Lynx really shocked the big guys with their prototype and probably spurred the big guys to add pass trough technology.

[@MrScott_e]

@@rbarlow correct. Getting the setting right for the plane you’re flying is key. I have great setup for the TBM in both X-Plane and MSFS. I feel the plane n the ground through the pedals and the tracking of the MKII in flight is incredible. It follows every movement of the Sims yoke whether hand flying or on AP. A truly amazing experience but comes at a steep price. I’ll stick with my triple 60” 4k screens until VR makes significant advancements - Heck, I hardly use my G2 as it is because so have a ton of hardware and displays that give me the tactile feel of actually flying and on long haul flights I can see sitting for hours with a headset on my face. Reno air racing….now that’s where VR shines. Take care and keep the great videos coming. Love your point of view.

Also important to mention that you need quite a powerful PC/GPU to run it as well. In time should be more affordable.

[@grzegorztomasiak]

my biggest problem with VR having Reverb G2 is that everything around is so blurred that it's unnatural to just keep your head and just move the eyes, because once you move them, you can't read anything. You have to psychically move your head to the point where you want to read anything. This was so annoying that it took all the fun from VR. Is this the same with Varjo? You say that msfs2020 does not support now rendering the spot where eyes are pointing, but can you have your head pointing to the left and eyes tries to read on the right with no blur?

[@djtaylorutube]

This is probably the biggest step forward with the Aero that you CAN let your eyes roam around much more naturally. You do not have to physically point your head at everything like you do with the G2.

[@rbarlow]

Yes very wide sweet spot. I did try a new shorter face gasket for the G2 and it brings the eyes closer to the lenses. It did make the sweetspot wider in that headset but not nearly as the aero...albeit a a steep price. G2 is still a good value headset.

[@djtaylorutube]

@@rbarlow yes absolutely and likewise I own both and although comparisons are drawn, I feel they're for the purposes of helping people decide what to expect for the significant difference in price. They're playing in different ball parks, it's not really reasonable for us to compare them against each other as they're aimed at different types of user and for those with different budgets. Anyone who can afford an Aero could also afford a G2. Anyone who can only afford a G2 will not be in the market for an Aero. There's also the factor that those who can easily afford an Aero will understand that it's not perfect whereas on the other hand, someone who has scrimped, saved, sacrificed much to afford one will probably (and understandably) expect more and could well be disappointed by the slightest issue that doesn't meet expectation.

[@best_pilot]

Hi - can you please briefly explain this USD 200,- eye-tracking module and how / where it can be obtained ? Is this hardware or software or both ?

[@speedbird8326]

So how do you click switches and turn knobs in the virtual cockpit ? Are you constantly groping for your mouse ?

[@rbarlow]

I purchased a trackball which I attached using Velcro to a knee board on my right knee. Reaching for it is quite natural and requires no groping. After a few hours finding my honeycomb Alpha and Bravo controls became easier with only occasional groping.😀

[@speedbird8326]

@@rbarlow Thankyou for a your answer and a great review of the Aero.

[@timtoomuch]

I have one as well and love it!!

[@thatguy7085]

I use four tracking units for my main headset

[@110177Paul]

First thank you for the video. I’m really into this hobby as well. The Pros and cons definitely answered the questions I had about the controllers and base station question I had. Was wondering if you possibly answer 1 more not so obvious question about the aero. I need to wear glasses to play VR. One reason I’m dropping on Oculus is the new headsets are too small to get my glasses inside the headset a problem that did not exist in the previous models of headsets. The quest 2 I had to purchase prescription lens caps for the headset. In my search on the web already I have been unable to find a manufacturer that cuts lens to fit Varro aero. Can you tell me in your option do think you could fit a pair of glasses inside the headset?

[@VirtualAirTour]

Hello. Like you I wear glasses (reading glasses). I got my Aero on April 22 and I wear my glasses inside this headset with no problem whatsoever. There is more room inside than with the Reverb G2 for comparision, however it will be largely dependent on how large your frames are. Sebastian at MRTV indicates there is not enough room while others (Mark at the Flight Sim Hanger for instance) report an experience similar to mine.

[@ervmoore1111]

Thanks much, excellent information. Been a flight simmer for many years with a lot of hardware; Honeycomb yoke, throttle, rudder pedals, Saitek panels, three 24” monitors. Think I would enjoy VR but not sure how to continue to use my other hardware toys. Information appreciated, good job!!

[@kevinbrook7033]

VR works great with all the above. I have the Honeycomb yoke, throttle quadrant and Thrustmaster pendular rudder pedals along with a Saitek radio and they all work fine in VR. If you're worried about not being able to see them you quickly get used to it. I haven't once looked at my keyboard as I type this either and have no problem typing. VR will only replace your monitors not your hardware, seeing the yoke move in VR whilst actually pulling back on your real physical yoke feels amazing!

[@ervmoore1111]

@@kevinbrook7033 Thanks much! I need to give it a go!!

[@hanskrohn]

@@ervmoore1111 You will not regret that decision 🙂VR is awesome - really another dimension. I have almost the same controller hardware as you, and I fly in VR. Exclusively, for over a year now. Not once did I feel tempted to go back to 2D flying...

[@djtaylorutube]

Exactly as Kevin says. I bought a 49" ultra wide in anticipation for FS2020. I built a console with my Saitek switch panel, multi-function display and made a couple of G1000 interfaces with encoders and switches. Then tried VR. I never power on the monitors for my G1000's but with a bit of fumbling and familiarisation, you soon get used to reaching out to the right place or find a known reference point and feel across to the others.

[@ervmoore1111]

@@djtaylorutube Appreciate you folks taking the time providing feedback! Appears I will be taking my flight sim to new level based on your input, my challenge now is selecting a product. To get my feet wet looking at Oculus Quest 2 but it appears there are several options 64, etc. Understand important to purchase cable. The Varjo Aero is worth monitoring, hope price does come down a bit! Thanks again guys!

[@Coastingonlife]

Hey Mate do I need the base station for it or I can get started without steam base station?

[@Gorilla_Jones]

I’m an XTAL 8K owner and foveated rendering doesn’t work with Steam VR and openvr. How are you running foveated with Steam and Windows flight simulator. I’ve been contemplating moving to the XTAL 3 . What simulators take advantage of foveated rendering so I can utilize it on my XTAL 8K? I’m also trying to figure out how to use the XTAL pass through cameras with my real automotive cockpit. Does this HMD use inside out tracking? The thing I love about the XTAL is the 180 fov. This is much smaller, would be tough going back.

[@rbarlow]

As I said in the video foveated tendering isn’t supported in any flight sim currently.I also explained the need to purchase the base stations separately for the tracking. The XTAL 8K costs over twice what t try he Aero does and is better compared to the Varjo XR-3 which has pass through video and costs $6K

[@Gorilla_Jones]

@@rbarlow thanks. I’m hoping Varjo does wider FOV next year. Still trying to enable mixed reality, haven’t figured it out yet. You’re totally correct,mixed reality is the future.

[@JohnVanderbeck]

Have they got foveated rendering in MSFS/DCS working yet?

[@PawsleyDirt]

Yes

[@mickbanks68]

Great video the Russ.. Was that landing in Innsbruck (Austria ) ? My work place recently purchased 2 x Oculus Quest Pro HMDs so I have one here at home running MSFS 2020 40th Ani. Looks very sharp and smooth on an RTX3080 i9 I just need to purchase a decent yoke and set of controls. note: My first HMD was the Oculus Rift (Kick Starter backer).

[@gaminginstilllife9429]

I have a Rift S and I wish they had better native PCVR options that are not a 1000 dollars. I don't want a quest. Thinking of getting a Vive XR but that is so much money. What do you think about the HP Reverb. I'm worried I will hate the tracking controllers. I had an index and did not like it

[@rbarlow]

I love my HP Reverb G2 . They make replacement face gaskets that bring your eyes closer to the lenses and as long as you don’t wear glasses it really widened the sweet spot for me. Before with my eyes further away it seemed a little small. It is a great value but I think it is like any tech… it will get better and cheaper over time. I thought the G2 was a massive improvement over the rift S I had.

[@rbarlow]

Oh yes you might ask VRFlightSimGuy about his Quest 2. His great Channel is all VR

[@azureskys]

I saw Pimax had a sale where the Steam base stations and controllers were bundled. I hope that becomes more common until inside out tracking is more standard. I guess those who invested early on those items are in a good spot to now play with different headsets. Thanks so much for the detailed review! I'm only on a Quest 2, but hope in the next year or so to upgrade to a higher quality headset for VR flight sims (I'm hooked on VTOL VR right now).

[@Leynad778]

For sim-racing or flight-simming you don't need controller nor base-stations with the Pimax. I'm using it just with it's 9-axis only and don't miss anything substantial, but it's for sim-racing only and looking closer to the dashboard or leaning outside is just not what you do in race-cars or even can do because of the HANS-system. But in a figher jet you are strapped to your seat as well and one base-station alone is just enough for every seating position game. What's more missing with the Pimax is a passthrough-mode.

[@VirtualAirTour]

Update - the latest version of the OpenXR Toolkit supports eye tracked foveated rendering. This works perfectly with the Varjo Aero.

[@justaguydoinstuff]

So I just received my Aero today but I noticed that there seems to be a weird black 'haze' when I look through the lens. The image itself is fine, but there's like a very fine black powder it feels like on the other side of the lenses. I don't know if I'm describing this right, but it's almost like I can see a faint black screen door over any image. In other words, it's not crystal clear, more like looking through a very slightly dirty window. Does that make sense? Is that normal or have you not seen this? It's most apparent against a white backdrop. I'm a bit surprised no other reviews have mentioned this?

[@spediegunz]

I would love to see a near future where you can buy a board that is customizable to place behind your yoke that has dummy buttons and knobs you can easily reposition to match their relative position in the current plane you’re flying. they would do nothing on their own, however when merged with hand tracking and mixed reality could become the most immersive experience without having to build a home cockpit using arduinos and ect

[@tosvus]

I'm pretty sure the XR-3 actually has a MicroOled display in front, middle of your vision field (1920x1080 resolution or something like that), so the display tech is not entirely the same. The Aero has the underlying display solution, just not the MicroOled

[@choppergirl]

Is it worth it at $891? I think I have to buy extra stuff too, like at least one Lighthouse and one controller? What is the barest minimum you need to buy if you just sit in a chair and look at the flight sim

[@rbarlow]

For that price it is a deal. I still like the Pimax Crystal better but Aero is better built and better support. Plus the Crystal is $1300. You need the light house but if playing only MSFS you don’t need the controller. Just get a trackball mouse you can Velcro to a kneeboard and use it.

[@smokey4049]

I am not sure which one to get but since the Primax Crystal has a 5760×2880 resolution I worry that the fps ain’t gonna be that great with airliners like pmdg or Fenix. I do have a 4090 but I guess with the aero I will achieve better fps

[@choppergirl]

@@smokey4049 I'm just going to wait until the technology matures most, I don't want to get burned buying expensive hardware as an early adopter and then left with inferior tech once the ceiling of what is possible has been reached and is available at a reaonable price or even on the cheap.

[@rbarlow]

@@choppergirlconsider the Quest 3 at $500 to at least dip your toe into VR. Plus with the Passthrough video you can use Immersed VR software to do work in the headset too.

[@choppergirl]

@@rbarlow A friend has a Quest 2, maybe I'll try that first. The problem is VR goggles has so many other super expensive things to compete with... Samsung Odysey G9 ultrawide screen monitor... a DJI Osmo 3 camera... Honda Shadow Spirit motorcycle... guns which aren't cheap... et cetera... I was an early adopter of DJI FPV goggles and kind of got burned on them, and also found out, I really do not enjoy wearing goggles at all... so that makes me very hesitant. I swore them off completely and swore I would only use flatscreen monitors... however, I recently got eye surgery and now can wear goggles without glasses, so wearing goggles may be back on the table...

[@eskwadrat]

Is Varjo Base Station really necessary to try Aero headset?

[@rbarlow]

Yes to change settings. Think of it as the same as the Windows Mixed Reality or SteamVR startup environments

[@eskwadrat]

@@rbarlow thanks. I got my headset few weeks ago and been playing it since and would like to point out that both high-end models sold with subscription that you are referring to, i.e. XR3 and VR3 have extra OLED display in the center that boosts the resolution to 70 pixels per angle. So it's not the same display setup as in prosumer Aero model sold without subscription. Cheers.

[@ivaniuk123]

When Asobo implements DLLS and optimizes for VR the headset this headset will feel even better!!!

[@piloto2412]

Hey man question. Do you need controllers to be bought to start msfs or dcs. I plan just to use these games only and maybe xplane. I cannot find any youtuber or info online about this. I got 2 base stations but no controllers yet and i wanna see if i can wing without it

[@rbarlow]

No, you do not need controllers to run a X-Plane or MSFS2020. You can use your mouse to control everything. As I showed on a recent video, I prefer to use a track ball Velcroed to a knee board that is on my knee and easy to find. You can use the scroll wheel to turn knobs . See. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpzXY4BmpNGNitUsi=q20v3rS3VCrwWd6s

[@jandersen6802]

I am really looking forward to Dynamic Foveated Rendering becoming popular. It could be a real game-changer in graphical performance.

[@Simworld_x]

I have a question ,can you use this headset for airliner flights?