The Lynx R1 headset, advertised as the ultimate flexible “standalone” headset for mixed reality, has been in the pipeline for years now. It was the first device promised by Lynx-R after the company launched in 2019 – founded by Stan Larroque.
Initially, the headset generated a lot of hype – and its easy to see why. When it was introduced in 2020, this headset promised a lot of features most users had never seen before. Back then, it was one of the early entrants to the “mixed reality headset”.
The Meta Quest 3 had yet to be developed, and the Quest 2 only offered basic AR capabilities. The Lynx R1 was arguably the first headset offering users access to tethered and standalone AR/VR in one device.
After several delays caused by issues with accessing funding (even after a successful Kickstarter campaign), The Lynx-R1 headset is finally beginning to ship to customers. Here’s your behind-the-scenes insight into what they can do.
What is the Lynx R1 Headset?
The Lynx R1 headset is the first XR headset created by Lynx-R. It was originally described as the first true all-in-one mixed reality headset. However, it’s worth noting that since then, we’ve seen a lot of development in the MR space, with the likes of the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3.
Lynx-R said they wanted to introduce the world to the most open and versatile AR/VR device of the time, allowing users to access a wider variety of content and empowering developers to reach a bigger audience. Unlike other headsets at the time, the Lynx R1 headset promised both standalone and tethered AR/VR support and a unique form factor and design.
While other XR headsets were usually bulky and heavy, the Lynx R1 featured a compact form factor, made possible with a novel lens design, and a carefully positioned battery pack. The headset (now in its final form) even comes with a “flip-up” visor. So, you don’t have to take the headset off to regain full access to the real world.
Lynx told potential customers that the Lynx-R1 would be the first headset of its kind, offering both virtual and augmented reality, privacy by design (with no need for any log-in details), and access to a fully open platform for customization and control.
The Lynx R1 Headset Models and Technical Specs
Lynx has made a few updates to the Lynx R1 lineup since it was originally introduced with the first Kickstarter campaign in October 2021. For instance, initially, Lynx was planning on offering access to three models: the Lynx R1 model, the Pro model and the Limited Edition model.
The models had the same technical specifications, but the Limited Edition option had a fancy “transparent” front face. On the other hand, the Pro model came with more support for SDK integrations and was designed to allow resellers to “customize” the device for their clients.
Now, the Lynx R1 model is available in two forms: the “Standard Edition”, likely intended for consumers, with a price tag of around $849, and the Enterprise Edition, for $1299.
There was also a developer kit available previously, but Lynx-R has since discontinued this option. On a broad scale, once again, the Standard and Enterprise editions of the headset don’t seem to have many differences from a tech specs perspective.
Instead, the higher price gives you access to a dedicated support team for setting up external sensors or integrations. You also get a “license” to redistribute the headset in a branded commercial format.
The Technical Specifications
Broadly, the technical specs, shared on Lynx-R’s website, seem to be consistent with what the company promised about four years ago. While you might assume that’d make them a bit out-of-date, they’re pretty impressive (though not really comparable with something like the Vision Pro):
- Optics: 4-Fold Catadioptric freeform prism
- Resolution: Dual 1600 x 1600 LCD
- Refresh rates: 90Hz
- FOV: 90-degree circular
- Sensors: 2 B&W cameras, 2 IR cameras, 2 visible light cameras, accelerometer and gyroscope.
- Audio: 2 stereo speakers and 2-microphone array
- Tracking: Hand tracking and 6DoF tracking
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 1
- Memory: 8GB
- Storage: 128GB extensible
- Software: Unity3D, Android 12, and OpenXR
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB Type C
- Battery life: Up to 3 hours
The Lynx R1 Design: Still a Major Selling Point
Many of the capabilities of the Lynx R-1 aren’t as impressive today as they would have been if the company had introduced this headset several years ago. However, some aspects of the headset still stand out for enterprise users. The design is the first thing worth noting.
Although many headset manufacturers have focused on making their devices lighter and more comfortable, many MR solutions (like the Vision Pro) are still bulky and uncomfortable.
The Lynx R1 is easily one of the more “compact” headsets I’ve seen. Although the display is pretty chunky – and the overall design is still bigger than the MeganeX Superlight 8K, it’s clearly designed for comfort. The battery acts as a counterweight to the display at the front, balancing the device seamlessly over your head.
The screen also doesn’t have light blockers by default, so you can constantly see the real world around you – which is great for mixed reality (but not so much for VR). What’s really interesting is that you can flip the screen up when you need an unobscured view.
For instance, if someone walks into a room behind you, you don’t have to fumble with passthrough mode; you can just move the screen aside and interact as usual. I think this is an excellent design choice for the enterprise landscape. In environments like manufacturing and engineering, the ability to “flip the screen” will make workers much safer.
Lynx R1 Display and Visual Performance
Unlike most of the top XR headsets today, which have switched to pancake lenses (like the Meta Quest 3), the Lynx R1 features “4-fold prism” optics. This enables access to AR and VR experiences with relatively good clarity, but there are many limitations.
First, the field of view (90-degrees) isn’t excellent. It’s only slightly larger than the FOV you get from the Meta Quest 2, and the Meta Quest 3’s FOV is much larger – at around 110 degrees horizontal and 96 degrees vertical. This means your VR experiences will likely feel much more cramped than on other headsets.
The resolution for virtual reality isn’t exactly mind-blowing either, particularly when so many headset vendors are experimenting with options beyond 4K these days. Even the Meta Quest 2 had better 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye (compared to 1800 x 1800 pixels per eye for the Lynx R1).
In virtual reality, there’s also the issue of a missing light shield to think about. As mentioned above, there’s nothing to stop light and distractions from around your eyes from filtering through because there’s nothing surrounding your face. You just get a block in front of your eyes.
This might be great if you want to stay “connected” to the real world – but it’s hard to immerse in anything fully. Speaking of mixed reality. The augmented reality visual experience is basic at best. You do get color passthrough – which means the passthrough experience is closer to that of the Quest 3 than the Quest 3 – but there is a bit of latency.
The Lynx R1: Tracking and Controls
Although Lynx-R has indicated that they are working on a set, dedicated controllers haven’t been included in the initial shipments of the Lynx R1 headset. This means you’ll be limited to using connected controllers (through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB). Alternatively, you can take advantage of the built-in hand-tracking capabilities enabled by the device’s cameras.
The hand-tracking functionality is powered by Ultraleap’s technology – which I already know is extremely impressive. However, the overall experience is still a little outdated. The headset can track your hands well enough, but it’s not great at picking up minute details. It also doesn’t recognize as much movement as some other top headsets on the market today.
If you’re using your headset for simple tasks, like scrolling through a user manual when you’re repairing a machine, the Lynx R1 will perform well enough. However, I do think it could benefit from dedicated controllers or more precise tracking capabilities for certain use cases.
There’s also no “eye tracking” included, which means you can’t combine your hand movements with your gaze for more precision like you can with the Apple Vision Pro.
Functionality: Connectivity, Processing Power, and MR
One valuable feature of the Lynx-R1 headset is that it can be used as either a tethered or standalone device. This was pretty revolutionary when the headset was announced, as most comparable headsets required a connection to a PC or console to work efficiently.
Lynx-R1 allows users to connect their headset to their PC for access to additional software and games or use it on its own. There’s a built-in battery pack (although the battery life of 3 hours is a bit limited), and you get an integrated Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor.
This processor is pretty effective at running various types of AR and VR applications effectively. However, it’s worth remembering that it’s one of the older Snapdragon models available today. It’s less powerful than the “Gen 2” options used to power the latest XR models.
Another major “selling point” of this headset is its ability to support both AR and VR modes. Again, this was revolutionary once, but it’s becoming commonplace today. The color passthrough is much better than what you’d get on the Quest 2, but it lacks color accuracy and temperature balance. Still, it’s decent enough for the price.
For the VR mode, the Lynx R1 performs admirably, but again, there are a lot of issues with the display. It’s much harder to find the “sweet spot” with this device than it would be with most XR headsets. Although Lynx says it’s working on addressing the issues with ongoing software corrections, I think it may need to consider introducing new accessories (like light shields) too.
The Open Software System: Ensuring Flexibility
The current headset’s operating system is built on Android 12, giving users and developers a familiar foundation to work with. The integration of the United SDK is also a big plus, considering that Unity is one of the most popular engines for AR and VR content development.
However, what makes the Lynx R1 stand out is its support for “OpenXR.” That’s the royalty-free standard designed to simplify the development of XR applications. The openness of the full software development kit will make this headset a lot more appealing to developers, which is probably why the company offered a developer kit in the past. It’s also likely why the company is making the ability to “resell” its headset a selling point for the Enterprise edition.
Beyond that, the Lynx R1 offers additional benefits to enterprise users and developers – as mentioned above. For instance, it includes the “privacy by design” solution. This allows users to deactivate sensitive sensors and technology directly or use the device offline.
The Problems with the Lynx R1 Headset
There are definitely a few things that make the Lynx R1 headset compelling – even today’s more competitive marketplace. The design is definitely intuitive – particularly for enterprise users who need to maintain constant, unobstructed access to their surroundings. The open development ecosystem is also a big plus for XR innovators.
Unfortunately, there are many downsides to this headset, too. The visuals aren’t great, whether you’re using AR or VR applications. The VR visuals would be better if there was an optional “light seal” for the device. But, even then, they’d struggle to compete with the experience you get from the Meta Quest 3.
The headset’s performance is also pretty basic, thanks to the outdated processing chip. Plus, the hand-tracking capabilities leave a lot to be desired. Ultimately, this headset is likely to struggle because it’s been released far too late.
When it was initially introduced, it could have been revolutionary. However, years have passed since the Kickstarter campaign, and other competitors have soared ahead of Lynx-R in innovation.
What’s Next for Lynx-R?
The good news for those who see the potential of Lynx R1, is that the company isn’t giving up. Although the founder said that the production process for the Lynx R1 was an absolute nightmare, the company is learning from its mistakes.
First, it’s working with several funders and supporters to secure the cash it needs for its next headset in advance. Second, Lynx has discovered a way to overcome one of the major problems it faced with its original headset: gaining access to the right software stack.
With its next headset, Lynx plans to be one of the first companies to leverage Google’s new Android XR ecosystem. This flexible toolkit will put Lynx in a much better position.
Unfortunately, we don’t know when that headset will be announced or released. But Lynx seems confident that something new will be coming soon. For now, the company might look at the issues with the Lynx R1 as a learning opportunity. In the extended reality space, slow and steady doesn’t always win the race.
