Smartphones & Gadgets

The PICO 4 Ultra: How it Compares to the PICO 4

Over time, PICO has gradually established its position in virtual reality, bringing itself at par with big players such as Meta and HTC. With the new PICO 4 Ultra, therefore, fans and possible customers are eager to know exactly how different this latest model is from the previous PICO 4. This blog shall attempt to scan through the differences – design, performance, features, and all – between the PICO 4 and the PICO 4 Ultra.

Here’s a quick spec rundown:

Processor: Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2
Storage: 12GB RAM, 256GB Storage
Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 and wireless streaming.
Mixed reality: 2 x 32 MP colour passthrough cameras, iTOF depth-sensing and four environment tracking cameras.
2x 2.56 inch screens with pancake lenses
OPTICS: 2160 x 2160 pixels per eye
Refresh rates: 90Hz
FOV: 105 degrees
Speakers: Dual stereo
Microphones: 4 embedded microphones
Battery: 5700 mAH rated capacity

Design and Build: Evolving, Not Revolution

At first glance, the PICO 4 Ultra seems to share much of the same design language as the PICO 4. Sleek and ultralight, it is targeted at making most long VR sessions feel as comfortable as possible. The Ultra’s refined design does improve on the ergonomics, with better weight balance, which surprisingly feels to be spread across the head even though it is slightly larger than the P4 due to new hardware.

PICO 4 Ultra also has a premium finish, such as high-quality materials and a more enhanced face padding system that provides better ventilation and comfort. These minor but necessary improvements make the overall design even better, offering users a more comfortable and immersive experience.

Display and Visuals: A Leap in Clarity

One of the major upgrades of PICO 4 Ultra with respect to its display is on its side. While the PICO 4 already boasts phenomenal visuals with its high-resolution LCD panels, the Ultra version brings it up a level. This ultra features dual micro-OLED displays, and the aggregate resolution is at 4320 x 2160, bringing crispier images with deeper blacks and colors that are more accurate.

This refreshes to 120Hz from 90Hz that PICO 4 allows, thereby greatly cutting down motion blur and giving smoother views in most cases. It’s quite easy to feel the difference when gaming with a high speed or having interactive experiences with a lot of activity involved. There is also a wider field of view on the Ultra, enabling users to explore much more expansive virtual worlds.

Performance and Processing Power: What’s Under the Hood Upgrades

Under the hood, PICO 4 Ultra sports the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ processor, compared to the PICO 4 that runs on the standard Snapdragon XR2. The improved chipset would promise better performance overall, faster load times, and more efficient power consumption in return for longer use during extended sessions.

More RAM is bundled with the Ultra model, leaping from 6GB with the PICO 4, up to 8GB, good incremental jumping that allows for smoother and easier multitasking and also better handling of demanding VR applications while generally maintaining more general performance toward snappier user experience. PICO 4 Ultra also comes with better thermal management. The device remains cool and operates at peak performance, even when used heavily.

Tracking and Controllers: Precision Matters

Another area where the PICO 4 Ultra is distinguished is in tracking. Even though both PICO 4 and PICO 4 Ultra utilize four wide-angle cameras for inside-out tracking, the Ultra variant introduces a better sensor array and algorithm with more accurate and low-latency tracking. It will be especially useful for high-speed games where every millisecond could make all the difference.

Controllers also got their upgrade. The PICO 4 Ultra was given improved controllers with higher haptic feedback and better sensations, giving a more immersive, tactile experience. The whole build quality feels more solid, its battery efficiency optimized so one can have longer use time in between charges.

Software and Content Ecosystem: A Shared Benefit

Both PICO 4 and PICO 4 Ultra use the same PICO OS platform, which features simplicity in design, along with vast diversity in VR content. A different kind of variety in games, applications, and experiences can be offered to users through the PICO Store, both from these devices.

Yet, with superior specs, the PICO 4 Ultra is much better suited to future software updates and more graphics-intensive titles. PICO is also building further partnerships with developers to secure more exclusive titles and optimized experiences through the Ultra model.
Battery Life and Connectivity: Stay in the Game

Proper battery life is quite a requirement for most headsets, and the PICO 4 Ultra does not disappoint. With more energy-efficient power management and larger battery capacity, it is able to last up to 4 hours of continuous use on one session, rather than 2.5-3 hours for the PICO 4. Fast-charging on the Ultra helps get you back up and going as soon as possible.

Connectivity is strong on both, including Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and USB-C for wired connections. The PICO 4 Ultra does provide more stable and fast wireless streaming – assuming better antenna placement and just some software smoothing to this end are in place.

Upgrades:
Major Features for the PICO 4 Ultra include a new Chipset: Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, meaning you should unlock the same functionality in the PICO 4 Ultra as you would on the Meta Quest 3. But the PICO’s headset offers 4GB more than both its predecessor and the Quest 3, which should denote it will be slightly more powerful.
Mixed reality: The passthrough camera of the previous PICO 4 was only 16 MP, while the Ultra offers 32 MP per eye. Meanwhile the Quest runs on two 4 MP cameras, which means that MR using the PICO 4 Ultra will probably be much clearer.
Spatial reality: The PICO 4 is quite similar to the Quest 3 where it also supports a depth sensor for room mapping as well as spatial computing. It also supports spatial video capture with 60Hz frame rate and 2,048 x 1536 pixels resolution for producing spatial content.
Connectivity: The PICO 4 Ultra supports Wi-Fi 7, while in the case of the PICO 4, Wi-Fi 6 connectivity is supported. For the Quest 3, it has Wi-Fi 6E.
Controllers and battery: The PICO 4 Ultra controllers ringless, not unlike the Touch Plus controllers for the Quest 3. Also, a little bit more powerful, it supports faster charging at up to 45W, perfect if you are sick of running out of power.
Displays: Displays have the same PICO 4 resolution but are 25% brighter, and with improved color correction. Default rendering resolution gets increased by 62% with the new chipset.

Price and Value: Which One Should You Buy?

The PICO 4 Ultra will be dearer than the standard PICO 4, but it should, considering some of the significant improvements made with this model. If you are a VR enthusiast who wants something cutting-edge, consider getting the Ultra for a deeper, more future-proof VR experience. It has better visuals, faster performance, tighter tracking, and better battery life compared to the regular version.

Still, though, for a consumer like me who just uses VR casually or someone entirely new to it, the PICO 4 still makes for a decent option. It’s quite capable of giving good VR experiences without breaking the bank. At least, an equal measure of performance and comfort will give you much closer to what’ll cost the same price.

Conclusion: PICO 4 Ultra Sets a New Bar

The PICO 4 Ultra is a very good upgrade for anyone that wants the best VR experience PICO offers. Whereas it maintains the original strength of the PICO 4, the Ultra takes the envelope with better visuals, enhanced performance, and comfort. Using either the PICO 4 or the PICO 4 Ultra, the headsets both offer amazing value for their price, but the Ultra does certainly raise the bar to what we expect from future generations of devices.

It will be interesting to see how PICO and its competitors innovate as VR technology continues to advance in capturing the hearts and minds of the whole world that is becoming enthusiastic about VR.

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