MediaTek has confirmed that its first chipset designed for VR headsets will power Sony's upcoming PSVR2. MediaTek's processors are found in many products, but most people will be familiar with its mobile processors. In addition to smartphones and tablets, MediaTek's SoCs are also present in Chromebooks, TVs, IoT devices, and networking products. It also provides automotive solutions for car manufacturers. Now it is expanding to VR headsets where it will once again take on Qualcomm.
Qualcomm has dominated the VR segment with its processors found in headsets made by Microsoft, Lenovo, Pico, Meta, and HTC. Prior to the launch of the Snapdragon XR series, which is its dedicated line of processors designed for AR/VR/MR/XR devices, VR headsets used smartphone chipsets. For example, the Snapdragon 821 and Snapdragon 835 processors powered the Oculus Go and the Oculus Quest, respectively.
MediaTek announced at its annual Executive Summit that it is making its entry into the virtual reality space, reports XDA Developers. It also revealed that its first chipset for the segment will power Sony's next-gen VR headset, the PlayStation VR 2 (PSVR2), which is scheduled for release in early 2023. This information was first revealed by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo back in May 2022. However, this is the first official confirmation. Sony has kept mum about the chipset inside the PSVR2 as the product page for the headset makes no mention of it. Nevertheless, this is a big deal for MediaTek, whose rival, Qualcomm, already has its chips in several VR headsets including the recently-announced Meta Quest Pro.
An Alternative To Qualcomm Chips
Apart from the confirmation, MediaTek is keeping tight-lipped on the name of the chipset and its specifications. So it's impossible to say how it compares to Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2 which powers the Meta Quest 2 and the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 1 which made its debut in the Meta Quest Pro. More details about the processor are expected to be revealed in the future. While the PSVR2 will be the first VR headset powered by a MediaTek SoC, it won't be the last as more manufacturers are likely to announce new VR headsets with a MediaTek processor.
MediaTek's VR chip is good news as it finally ends Qualcomm's monopoly in the VR space. It should also accelerate the development of the segment as manufacturers who have previously delayed entry into the market may now be willing to do so since there is now an alternative chipset supplier. In addition, MediaTek's entry in the market could see an increase in the number of more affordable VR headsets, as chipmakers will be willing to offer their SoCs at lower prices to gain more customers.
Source: XDA Developers