Samsung's Galaxy S9 will be one of the first smartphones powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845, and it'll have a lot of key advantages over the 835. According to a new reference device that was just announced, we'll be seeing a similar story when it comes to virtual reality.
The reference device in question is the headset you see above, and it's based on the latest version of the Snapdragon Mobile VR platform that's powered by the Snapdragon 845. The headset offers "more than twice as much display throughput" when compared to Qualcomm's VR platform based on the 835, offers 30% faster performance, and uses 30% less power.
In other words, the 845 is a big deal for standalone VR headsets.
Additionally, the 845 will enable standalone VR headsets (like the Mirage Solo and Vive Focus) to ship with higher-res dual displays that each has a 2K resolution.
The reference headset also has a new feature called "Adreno Foveation." By taking information from the four cameras on the reference headset, the Adreno GPU will be able to produce sharper graphics depending on where the headset detects you're looking. Along with this, "Roomscale" tracking will be able to map your body movements and the area around you so you can easily avoid any obstacles in the real-world for a more enjoyable VR experience.
Qualcomm will be showing off this latest reference headset at MWC, and while it won't be available for consumers to purchase, it should give us a clear picture of what to expect from VR as we make our way through 2018.
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