Microsoft Hololens 2: the new AR standard

The time has finally come. The Hololens 2, the highly anticipated new Augmented Reality Headset from Microsoft, is finally available. After the release in 2019 for a (very) limited number of countries, the Microsoft Hololens will now also be available in the Netherlands from the end of April 2020. And luckily the new Hololens 2 doesn't disappoint! In this Review we share our findings with the latest AR headset.

Renewed design

The Hololens 2 excels in its light weight and comfortable fit. Microsoft has done everything to make the Headset as comfortable as possible, even when you wear the Headset for a long time. with With a total weight of 566 grams, the Hololens 2 immediately feels a lot lighter than comparable VR glasses. The beautiful rimless design of the glass gives the HMD a beautiful and futuristic look and feel, and therefore immediately feels like a real premium product. The back of the Hololens 2 can be tightened using a rotary knob (similar to with the HTC VIVE Pro and Oculus Rift S HMD). The button feels sturdy and tightening is done in no time.

Eye and hand tracking technology

Immediately when you put the Headset on, you will receive a notification asking you to measure your eyes. Where this is relatively simple with most VR headsets and the Headset gives an estimate based on the data, the Hololens 2 makes a 3D scan of your eyes while you look at different colors on the screen . This way of measuring the eyes ensures that you have a very accurate scan of your eyes within half a minute and then you can immediately start with eye-tracking.

The combination of eye and hand tracking makes for a very immersive experience. It really seems like you can touch the images projected on the glass screen before your eyes. If you see a button somewhere, it feels like you can physically push that button. The hand and finger tracking also offers the ability to resize and rotate images, making the Headset particularly useful when viewing a 3D image.

Larger field of view (FoV)

One of the bigger changes from the original Hololens 1 is the larger field of view. Where the original had a field of view of only 34 degrees, the new Hololens has a field of view of 52 degrees. The aspect ratio of the glasses has also increased a lot, so it no longer feels like you are looking through a tunnel, but instead sees the images directly in your field of view. Another big advantage of the larger field of view is that you can see a little more of the physical environment around you (instead of just the holograms).

Functionality of the Hololens 2

The upgrades compared to the Hololens 1 are certainly worth mentioning. with especially the larger field of view and the new eye-tracking ensure that the Microsoft Hololens 2 can be used well in a business environment. The Microsoft Hololens 2 therefore seems - at least for now - to be the gold standard in the field of Augmented Reality glasses.