The HP Reverb is a Windows Mixed Reality Headset that goes big on resolution

Virtual reality voyages to space are all well and good, but Mars’ wow factor is nullified somewhat if it seems as though you’re looking at it through a fine mesh fence. That’s known as the screen-door effect, which is when the gaps between pixels are visible on a display – a major problem in VR, as those displays are plonked directly in front of your eyes. HP’s new Reverb headset goes some way to eliminating the issue, its 2,160 x 2,160 resolution a marked improvement on what we’ve seen before. Otherwise, the Reverb is a pretty by-the-numbers Windows Mixed Reality headset. You get a 114-degree field of view, spatial audio, inside out tracking and pre-paired motion controllers out of the box. And at just 1.1 pounds, it’s light enough to wear to space and back. Weirdly, the Reverb will be sold in two variants: a $649 Pro model, and a £599 Consumer Edition, which loses the Pro bundle’s .6m headset cable for the HP Z VR Backpack, and washable fabric face cushion. Both will be available from late April.