Apple AR/VR Headset Display Specifications: 5000+ Nits Brightness for HDR, 1.41-inch Screen Diagonal, and More

The AR/VR headset that Apple plans to introduce at its Worldwide Developers Conference next week has long been rumored to feature 4K micro OLED screens with a total resolution of 8K, but today senior display analyst Ross Young Share some additional specs That give an insight into how the headset works.

Both displays will measure 1.41 inches diagonally, with Apple aiming for more than 5,000 nits of brightness and 4,000 pixels-per-inch. Unfortunately, the AR/VR monitor specs used in headsets from competitors like Sony and Meta aren’t generally publicized beyond resolution and pixels per inch, so it’s hard to do a direct comparison, but information from Young provides some context.

With a brightness of 5,000 nits or more, Apple’s AR/VR headset will support HDR or high dynamic range content, which is unusual for current VR headsets on the market. For example, the Meta Quest 2 has a maximum brightness of about 100 nits and does not offer HDR, and the HoloLens 2 offers a brightness of 500 nits. Sony PSVR 2 has a brightness of 265 cd/m2, which is Do You have an advertised HDR feature when connected to an HDR display.

According to Young, 5,000 nits likely indicates peak brightness, which means it won’t blind users, but instead will provide superior contrast, brighter colors, and better highlights than other headphones available today. For SDR monitors, peak brightness is often an indication of how well the monitor performs in brightly lit rooms because it is similar to maximum brightness, but for HDR monitors it is a measure of how well the monitor displays color and contrast.

High-end TVs offer roughly 2,000 to 5,000 nits of brightness, for comparison. Samsung, for example, has a 98-inch TV that can reach 5,000 nits New QLED TVs which provide up to 4000 nits brightness. Samsung advertises these TVs as having “stunning, accurate color detail and an extraordinary range of contrast, creating an experience like no other.”

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2022 show off A prototype “Starbursts” virtual reality headset capable of reaching 20,000 nits of brightness, but it was massive, not head-wearable, and not technology Meta could implement yet.

If Apple reaches its 5,000-plus nits brightness goal, its headset will offer a viewing experience that competitors can’t match, and it will also pave the way for future augmented reality glasses. Augmented reality glasses need high brightness to mitigate sunlight and other light sources. At lower brightness levels, AR content covering real-world vision can be washed out.

Magic Leap 2 is one of the most popular augmented reality headsets, featuring brightness ranging from 20 nits to 2000 nits.

The 8K resolution offered by Apple’s AR/VR headset will be superior to headsets from Meta and other companies, including Meta’s more advanced Quest Pro 2. The Quest Pro 2 has a resolution of 1800 x 1920 pixels per eye and around 1200 pixels per inch Where Meta uses LCD screen technology.

The high-end displays that Apple has built for the AR/VR headset are rumored to be the most expensive component and a major contributor to the expected $3,000 price tag. At $3,000, Apple’s AR/VR headset will be one of the most expensive virtual reality headsets on the market, though it will be price competitive with AR-based products like the Magic Leap 2 and HoloLens 2.

More information on what to expect from Apple’s AR/VR headset can be found in our dedicated roundup.