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Microsoft HoloLens 2 could have Qualcomm XR1 chip, cheaper price

A report says Microsoft's next VR/AR headset could use a new processor aimed at making it more affordable.

David Katzmaier Editorial Director -- Personal Tech
David reviews TVs and leads the Personal Tech team at CNET, covering mobile, software, computing, streaming and home entertainment. We provide helpful, expert reviews, advice and videos on what gadget or service to buy and how to get the most out of it.
Expertise A 20-year CNET veteran, David has been reviewing TVs since the days of CRT, rear-projection and plasma. Prior to CNET he worked at Sound & Vision magazine and eTown.com. He is known to two people on Twitter as the Cormac McCarthy of consumer electronics. Credentials
  • Although still awaiting his Oscar for Best Picture Reviewer, David does hold certifications from the Imaging Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology on display calibration and evaluation.
David Katzmaier
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The original HoloLens cost a bundle, but the sequel will reportedly be cheaper.

James Martin/CNET

Virtual and augmented reality headsets need to get cheaper and better to woo buyers beyond hardcore gamers and tech geeks, and the $200 Oculus Go is a step in the right direction.

The current generation of Microsoft's own headset, the HoloLens , starts at $3000. Sure it's intended for developers and other commercial applications, but obviously the next generation could use a lower price.

Qualcomm's recently announced XR1 processor could help. It will power the HoloLens 2, a source tells Engadet. Microsoft's sequel is reportedly arriving sometime in early 2019.

Qualcomm's first VR and AR chip, XR1, will give us a lot more things like Oculus Go

The new chip is specifically aimed at helping AR and VR get more convenient, comfortable and affordable, three things we liked about Oculus Go. Four other VR manufacturers -- HTC Vive , Vuzix, Meta and Pico -- are already working on XR1-based devices, but no company has announced any real products yet. Microsoft could make five.

Microsoft and Qualcomm didn't immediately return CNET's requests for comment.