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Almost a whole year after Sony first launched its PlayStation VR (PSVR) headset, the company has made the surprising move to launch a redesigned device.
While the headset itself looks largely the same, the key differences are that the headphones are integrated into the device and that it supports HDR passthrough. That’s not to say that the new PSVR unit will now support HDR, but rather that a big problem from the original has been solved.
Last September, Sony updated all PS4 systems with HDR capabilities but PSVR users had to unplug the external PSVR Processor Unit first in order to enjoy HDR content on their TV. The new PSVR comes with a new Processor Unit to ensure no more unplugging and plugging-in awkwardness. However, Sony has noted that the new Processor Unit will not work with last year’s model (the CUH-ZVR1 as opposed to this year’s CUH-ZVR2 for those keeping score at home).
The other change comes in the form of the headphones. For users of the old PSVR, headphones had to be connected via a 3.5mm port on the side of the remote some way down the cable. Sony has rectified this by integrating the headphones into the back of the headset itself, which in turn makes the connection cable slimmer. One potential drawback to this though is that Sony hasn’t clarified whether or not users are stuck with the integrated headphones that come bundled in (like with the Oculus Rift) or if there will be the ability to plug in their own.
Sony also hasn’t stated when the new PSVR model will be released, but it has said that it’ll cost the same as the current PSVR bundles when it does eventually launch.
