LG Electronics has unveiled a prototype of a new virtual reality headset, developed in partnership with US-based PC gaming giant Valve, at the ongoing Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

Valve announced earlier this week that LG Electronics will be showcasing a new head-mounted VR display device designed to deliver a “high fidelity, next generation VR experience” at Valve’s booth at the GDC 2017 which ends Friday.

Though details remain limited, LG’s new VR headset is presumably a PC-based device rather than another mobile-based one, as was the LG 360 VR Headset that had largely failed to gain traction in the market.


The US game maker has confirmed that the prototype is a “SteamVR tracking headset,” meaning that LG’s headset has adopted Valve’s VR technology, as was the case with HTC Vive.

US media outlet Cnet, which tried out the device at the GDC, said that LG’s new headset offered “an experience that feels surprisingly natural,” similar to one offered by the HTC Vive.

It suggested that compared to the HTC Vive, LG’s headset is “better balanced, with a cushy, comfy ratcheting headband to keep it affixed to your skull.”

According to Cnet, LG’s VR prototype is equipped with a single LG-built AMOLED panel with 1,440 by 1,290 resolution per eye, and offers a 110-degree field of view. The display also flips up above your head and out of your face -- like a sun visor with a movable shield -- for convenient wear.

LG Electronics plans to disclose details of its new VR headset, including its specifications, price and launch plans, after improvements are made to the device in the future.

By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)