IMAX Gets Entire First Batch of StarVR 5K Headsets

When Acer and Starbreeze teamed up to bring their incredible 5K virtual reality headset to the world, we must admit we were pretty excited, and we still are. However, it seems we’ll have to wait a while before any consumers really get their hands on them. The headset reached a major milestone this week as they actually shipped the headset to customers, well, customer, as IMAX have gone and bought every single one of them.

Personally, when a flagship cinema technology brand like IMAX snaps up a product like this, I see it as a good sign, as they’re not going to invest in a sub-par headset given their own reputation for the best technology. OK, so it’s not like they raided all the stock from retail stores, IMAX were promised to be seeded the first batch, but the team at StarVR has promised to commit their efforts for a 2017 public launch of their headset. The IMAX VR Center in LA will be the first to get their StarVR HMDs, with Shanghai, London and New York to follow.

With StarVR offering a 5K total resolution, running 5120 x 1440, that’s 2560 x 1440 per eye, as well as a 210-degree horizontal field of view, it’s sure to deliver some interesting experiences. IMAX will be using them for “extra experiences” at cinemas. Watch your movie in IMAX, then go watch a VR short in another room, such as stepping into the world from the movie you just watched. Sounds like a big gimmick to me, but we’ll reserve judgment until we try it.