Last month Chinese virtual reality (VR) headset manufacturer Pico Interactive announced that it was finally going to compete in the consumer market, releasing the Pico Neo3 Link this month. That day has finally come, with the standalone headset now available for sale in Germany, France, Spain and The Netherlands.
Pico is labelling the launch as a “beta”, limiting both the territories it is available in as well as only allowing customers to purchase one Neo3 Link. Retailing for €449 EUR, the device offers both standalone and PC VR connection capabilities, so owners can either download content off the Pico Store or play their SteamVR games. When connecting to a PC customers have the choice of using a cable (a 5m (16-foot) DisplayPort cable is included) and the Pico Link software or going down the wireless route using the in-built WiFi6.
“We are incredibly excited about the beta launch of the Neo3 Link. The feedback from the VR community at the Laval Virtual show was outstanding – VR fans are really hot for our high-performance headset,” said Leland Hedges, General Manager of Pico in Europe in a statement. “As part of our beta program, we will also be providing regular software updates and working closely with our beta community to optimize the VR experience.”
Pico Neo3 Link sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset, boasting a 4K level resolution (1,832 x 1,920 per eye) and a 90/120Hz refresh rate. Four front-facing cameras provide the 6DoF tracking and controller/hand tracking, there’s a 3-stage adjustable IPD, 6GB of RAM, 256GB of onboard storage, and a rear-mounted 5300mAh battery for better weight distribution.
Pico Neo3 Link Distributors
- Germany [€449 Euro, including VAT]: BestWare | VR Expert
- France [€449 Euro, including VAT]: Matts Digital | VR Experts
- Spain [€449 Euro, including VAT]: XR Shop
- The Netherlands [€449 Euro, including VAT]: VR Expert
- UK [£399 GBP, including VAT]: SystemActive
The UK release of Pico Neo3 Link hasn’t been given a date just yet although it was previously reported this could take place in June.
For the first time, the release of Pico Neo3 Link offers European VR gamers a viable alternative to the dominant Meta Quest 2 – especially in Germany where the headset isn’t sold. Neo3 Link has a similar feature set to Quest 2, it just lacks the Quest’s exclusive lineup of titles.
Gmw3 will continue its coverage of Pico Interactive, reporting back with further updates.