VR headsets at CES 2026: Attack of the lightweight models
The world's largest VR headset manufacturer Goertek and other companies are anticipating at CES 2026 how thin and light VR headsets will become this year.
At CES 2026, Play for Dream is showcasing what's possible in terms of form factor.
(Image: Thomas Poersch / VoodooDE)
Goertek is one of the most important manufacturing partners in the VR industry, acting as a supplier and manufacturer for companies such as Apple, Meta, and Sony.
At CES 2026, the Chinese company is presenting a reference design for hardware manufacturers, offering a glimpse into the size and weight of upcoming VR headsets.
The device weighs approximately 100 grams and integrates two 4K OLED microdisplays with pancake lenses, providing a 100-degree field of view, passthrough functionality, and spatial tracking in an unusually compact form factor. As it lacks its own processing unit, the device requires a PC as a source.
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The already available PC VR headsets Bigscreen Beyond 2 and MeganeX Superlight 8K are in a similar weight and size range but require external tracking hardware. The fact that the world's largest VR headset manufacturer is presenting a mass-producible reference design is further evidence that the trend towards particularly compact form factors is solidifying this year.
Devices like the Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro, which weigh over 500 grams, can only be conditionally compared to Goertek's reference design, as these devices contain the processor, cooling, and – in the case of Meta's product – also the battery within the housing.
A rendering of Goertek's reference design. Photos of the device can be found at RoadtoVR.
(Image:Â Goertek)
However, a new generation of standalone devices is emerging, which outsources these components to a wired pocket computer, thus achieving a form factor comparable to Goertek's reference design. The first devices of this type are expected from Pico and Meta.
Lightweight VR headsets from Pimax and Play for Dream
In addition to Goertek, two other Chinese manufacturers are exhibiting slim PC VR devices at CES. Pimax is presenting the new Pimax Dream Air product line with OLED microdisplays and pancake lenses. It will be available in several versions weighing under 200 grams and can already be pre-ordered. According to Pimax, the delivery of the first devices will begin at the end of the month.
Exceptionally thin and light: The VR prototype from Play for Dream.
(Image:Â Youtube-Kanal VoodooDE)
The VR headset manufacturer Play for Dream demonstrates the extent of technical miniaturization with an ultra-thin prototype weighing under 100 grams, which, similar to Goertek's reference design, combines OLED microdisplays, pancake lenses, and passthrough. A production-ready product is planned for the end of 2026.
This miniaturization is made possible by several technical developments in recent years. Micro-OLED microdisplays are gradually replacing large LCD panels and, thanks to their high pixel density, allow for significantly more compact display modules. Pancake lenses, in turn, fold the light path, thus reducing the required depth. In the case of standalone devices, a split architecture will be used, where the processing unit and battery are outsourced to a portable computer. However, the new form factor comes at the expense of freedom of movement and user comfort, as a wired external device becomes necessary.
(mki)
