meganex

Shiftall’s Slim & Light PC VR Headset ‘MeganeX’ US Release Slips into 2024

meganex, panasonic, panasonic vr, PC VR News & Reviews, shiftall, shiftall pc vr / Ryan Harris / December 7, 2023

Panasonic subsidiary Shiftall announced nearly a year ago that it was set to launch MeganeX sometime in early 2023, potentially making it one of the first in the coming wave of slim and light PC VR headsets. We haven’t heard much about MeganeX since then, and there’s good reason: the company is slowly ramping up production following its recent soft launch in Japan.

First showed off as a prototype at CES 2020, MeganeX bills itself as an “ultra-high-resolution, ultra-lightweight, 6DOF-capable VR headset for SteamVR,” coming equipped with dual 2,560 × 2,560 1.3-inch micro-OLED displays (120Hz) from Kopin, proprietary pancake lens from Panasonic, and both SteamVR tracking and inside-out optical tracking.

It all makes for a pretty compact PC VR headset, which you might compare to its biggest competition, Bigscreen Beyond ($1,000).

While Shiftall quietly launched MeganeX in Japan back in September via a lottery system, it wasn’t sure when we’d see the headset release outside of Shiftall’s home country.

Now Shiftall tells Road to VR that it’s currently working to increase production capacity before releasing in the US, although it’s not certain when.

“Regarding the U.S. market, we are indeed planning to introduce MeganeX there,” a Shiftall spokesperson told Road to VR. “As soon as we are able to manufacture sufficient quantities to meet the high demand in Japan, we will commence sales in the United States.”

According to its website, the consumer version is set to launch at $1,699, while the price for the Business Edition has yet to be determined for the US market. This tracks with the headset’s September soft launch in Japan, which was priced at ¥249,900 (~$1,700 USD), tax included. In Japan, the Business Edition sells for ¥198,000 (~$1,350 USD), tax excluded, as it doesn’t include the modular SteamVR tracking unit, instead solely relying on the headset’s less precise optical tracking.

Meanwhile, the Panasonic-owned skunkworks is releasing a number of other VR products, including its FlipVR SteamVR controller which allows users to fold the controller into a position that doesn’t interfere with using your hands normally for tasks such as typing or grabbing things. FlipVR went into pre-order in the US in November with shipments estimated for April 2024.

The company also produces HaritoraX Wireless, an IMU-based full-body tracking device, and mutalk, a voice-muffling Bluetooth microphone for private conversations in and out of VR.

Shiftall’s Slim & Light PC VR Headset ‘MeganeX’ US Release Slips into 2024 Read More »

Shiftall’s Slim & Light PC VR Headset MeganeX to Launch Early 2023, Priced at $1,700

MeganeX, the SteamVR-compatible headset from Panasonic’s Shiftall, made its big debut back at CES 2020, and after years of iterations shown at various trade shows, the company says it’s finally nearing launch.

Shiftall is set to sell two flavors of MeganeX, a consumer version priced at $1,699 and a Business Edition, the pricing of which is still to be determined.

MeganeX includes the option to use both inside-out roomscale tracking and SteamVR base stations (1.0 and 2.0), providing 2,560 × 2,560 per eye via two independent 1.3-inch micro OLED displays, which were built by Kopin. Owing to its slim profile are the headsets pancake lenses, which were created by parent company Panasonic.

Although it includes onboard processing thanks to a Snapdragon XR1, it cannot operate in standalone mode (re: only tethered PC VR). The wing-like attachable module seen above on the consumer version is for SteamVR base stations.

“These [two headsets] will deliver the world’s highest level of viewing experience and black expression that only OLED can provide,” the company says in a press statement. “A folding frame with built-in speakers makes it easy to carry around. It supports 6DoF and lets you enjoy a variety of SteamVR-enabled VR applications.”

The consumer version, which offers a wider IPD over the Business Edition at a range of 56-72mm, includes a glasses adapter to accommodate bespectacled users of all sorts. The Business Edition however includes built-in diopter adjustments for near-sighted users, supporting a range of up to -7D, which comes as an addition to the platform’s glasses adapter.

Both the consumer and enterprise version are said to go on sale around April or March of this year, with the consumer version set to launch direct on Shiftall’s website. Check out the specs for both versions below:

MeganeX Specs

We have boots on the ground at CES 2023 in Las Vegas this year, so check back for all the latest AR/VR news this week as we get knee deep in emerging tech on the tradeshow floor.