The Bigscreen Beyond headset is a game-changer in the world of VR, standing out for its ultra-compact and feather-light design, which promises to make extended VR sessions on a PC more comfortable than ever before.
With a price tag of $1,000, or a more budget-friendly option of $32 per month, the Beyond headset doesn’t come with positional tracking or controllers straight away. Since it relies on the SteamVR tracking system, you’ll need at least one base station to get started—though having two is preferable—and you’ll have to bring your own input devices, like the Valve Index controllers.
The headset itself is equipped with just a simple cloth strap and skips built-in audio entirely. There’s no headphone jack, either, but it does have a USB-C port that you can use for audio devices. If you’re looking for enhanced comfort and sound, Bigscreen offers an optional $130 Audio Strap accessory that might be worth checking out.
In our experiences with the Beyond, we couldn’t help but appreciate its small size and remarkable comfort, which makes it possible to wear for hours on end without that pesky face pain you get from other headsets. That said, we noted that the lenses weren’t perfect; they tend to create distracting reflections and blur, likely a trade-off for keeping the design so compact. Nevertheless, Beyond is leading the charge into a new era focused on headsets optimized for comfort, and it looks like others in the industry are keen to follow in its footsteps.
