Sony has shown off a new virtual reality headset prototype which has a staggering 8K resolution across a pair of low-latency, OLED displays. It's an incredibly ambitious design that isn't set to see the light of day any time soon -- no gaming PC in the world could run this thing at high frame rates anyway -- but it shows the exciting potential future of VR.
Virtual reality headset resolution has continued to grow over the last decade. Where there were mere triple digit displays in the very first VR prototypes from the likes of Oculus, now the highest end models are well into the 5K range. There have been some 8K models in the past, but they weren't particularly viable and haven't seen widespread support. If Sony is trialling an 8K model, though, you can bet that any kind of PS5 Pro model, or perhaps a PS6, will look to support it.
At 8K resolution, with the high contrast and color clarity of OLED panels, the headset should offer a near-true to life VR experience, with zero screen door effect, high fidelity text, and clear and crisp objects, even at distance. There are two OLED panels, each at 4K resolution, and uses a brand new microdisplay design to fit so many pixels into such a dense display.
Sony also sees this kind of headset going beyond gaming. It could be used in professional settings by designers, surgeons using robotic arms for micro-surgery, or for concert and movie goers to experience a big screen feel in the comfort of their home.