Pancake 1: a competitor to the VR Quest 2 and PICO 4 headsets announced

The success of the PICO 4 was not long in coming, taking with it a number of pretenders to the throne. And if you found that there were too many more or less similar proposals, know that you are right. So what interests us here is whether Pancake 1 has this little one more thing which makes all the difference.

At first glance, nothing distinguishes it from its direct competitor, the PICO 4. Nevertheless, certain differences, combined with that of the price, could well change the game. We offer you, like the Pimax Portalfrom Pimax Crystal or Meta Quest Proan in-depth analysis:



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We have here two screens qualified as Fast LCD promising unfailing responsiveness. Let’s not forget that beauty and speed only too rarely go hand in hand (console players know something about this), so it would be possible to obtain a result that is much more fluid than beautiful. As the name of the helmet suggests, the lenses are of the pancakesallowing to improve the rendering of the image while reducing the thickness of the device.

The definition is 4560×2280 pixels, which is more than the pic 4 (4320×2160) but not stunning either (5.6% more pixels). The FOV is relatively classic (95 to 105°), approaching the Meta Quest Pro (96 to 106°), the diving mask effect does not risk (although attenuated) disappearing with this helmetthat’s a shame. the PPI (Pixels per inch) is however very importantwhere we approach 1200 PPI on the latest consumer product from ByteDance, the Pancake 1 can boast of having 26% more sharpness, for a result of 1512 PPI. L’IPD (inter-pupillary distance) is 59 to 68 mm, which is hardly reassuring for those who are not in this row. In terms of comparison, the Meta Quest Pro ranges from 55 to 75 mm and is a pioneer in this field. The maximum frequency of the panels is however contained, being able to reach 90 Hz, which is undeniably sufficient.the frequencies beyond most often forcing our PC Gamers to provide a surplus of power that is far from negligible.

Little icing on the cake, the helmet has adjustable lenses to correct myopiaalthough the device will not replace (in terms of visual acuity) good watch glasses, it must be admitted that doing without them brings undeniable comfort, comfort which makes it possible to do without them given the small difference between the two options available to us.



The helmet will be provided with the Snapdragon XR2 (who said again?), without precision on its version (Gen 1, Gen 2, +…)
. Again, if we rely exclusively on PCVR, the choice is wise because it is not our headphones that are heavily used but our PCs Gamers. However, pay attention to the language Marketingcompanies like Pimax Where Pancake XR try to sell us the hybrid side of their products, but that would be to forget that playing autonomously on these headsets would simply be catastrophic as the gap remains significant between the definition of the screens and the power of the XR2.

pancakes XR will decline its offer for the Pancake 1 in two versions: one with 6 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128 GB of storage and the other with 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256 GB of storage. If the storage seems coherent to us, if only to view our MKV, however, we remain skeptical about the use of so much RAM in a PCVR headset.



It’s not with the controllers that this headset stands out (similar to those of the Meta Quest 2 Where pic 4) but with its connections. Eh yes, we have here Display Portor the guarantee of playing in PCVR without compressionwhich makes the headset immediately competitive with its competitors. the Bluetoothalthough old-fashioned (5.0), would make it possible to pair wireless headsets. However, we hope that the latency will not be in order. And if you want to plug wired headphones or earbuds into it, well you will need a converter jack to USB-C, as is the case with the Pico 4! The helmet carries a Wi-Fi 6 classic and not a Wifi6e, this will certainly be enough, but we would have preferred a newer model for better wireless PCVR rendering. Let’s wait all the same to know the price of the set because these small adjustments may perhaps have been thought out to “break” the price of the helmet, so wait & see.

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Interestingly enough, the helmet has a ventilation system, thus avoiding fogging of the lensesso you won’t need, like the Meta Quest 2to acquire a bobo VR F2 so that you no longer have this problem. More anecdotal (since we find the same thing among competitors), we have stereo speakers and a built-in microphone, in addition to buttons to control the headset without controllers.



At first glance uninteresting, the Pancake 1 can stand out by the presence of a definition and finesse superior to the competitionwithout falling into the trap of a certain Pimax Crystalwhich prides itself on having a definition that no PC Gamer will not be able to reach natively. Second, the Display Port is the guarantee of high image quality for PCVR lovers. Its good definition as well as the absence of compression could well lead it to stand out. Thirdly, comfort could really win in its favor as the firm seems to have worked particularly on this point (ventilation, lighter weight, cover detachable…), something all the more important in PCVR, where game sessions generally remain longer than in standalone. Whatever, there remains a decisive criterion for inducing purchase: the price. Although we do not know its cost, it should be widely offered at least below 600 euros (import taxes included). The helmet does not have a sensor that can follow the eyes or the face, the panels do not have OLED or mini LED technology, nothing would justify an exorbitant price. You will have understood it, if the price is contained, if the device exudes quality, comfort and has a real follow-up on the game softwarethe Pancake 1 could make a name for itself in the demanding world of PCVR.

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