Dell Visor: specs and Windows Mixed Reality compatibility
Verified specifications
| Item | Verified detail |
|---|---|
| Maker and launch | Dell; announced August 28, 2017 for Windows Mixed Reality, with first-wave availability dated October 17, 2017 by contemporary specialist coverage. Microsoft announcement Windows Central launch comparison |
| Display and optics | Two 2.89-inch RGB-subpixel LCD panels, 1,440 × 1,440 per eye, 706 ppi, 90 Hz and Fresnel lenses; Dell's archived sheet lists a 110° field of view and software IPD adjustment. Archived Dell/Best Buy specification sheet |
| Tracking and connections | 6DoF inside-out tracking with gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer; dual black-and-white VGA mapping cameras; HDMI 2.0, USB 3.0 and 3.5 mm audio. Archived specification sheet |
| Original software baseline | Windows Mixed Reality required a compatible Windows 10 PC and the Fall Creators Update; Dell's sheet says HDMI 2.0 with a Mixed Reality Ultra PC was recommended for 90 Hz, while HDMI 1.4 delivered 60 Hz. Archived requirement note |
Model, cable and controller details
Dell's archived quick setup guide identifies the headset as VR118; the Dell document URL is for the “with controllers” VRP100 package. That is useful when checking an old listing, because “Dell Visor” can otherwise be confused with a controller bundle or a generic Windows Mixed Reality listing. The same archived product sheet describes a hard-wired video-and-power cable, HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 connections, but it does not establish a current replacement-cable source. Dell archived VR118 setup guide Archived product sheet
The optional/paired Dell Visor Controllers use Bluetooth and provide a thumbstick, touchpad, trigger, grab, Windows and menu buttons; the archived sheet lists four AA batteries for the pair. The headset itself supplies the inside-out camera tracking, so the original design did not require external tracking cameras or room markers. These are package and design facts, not a claim that every used bundle still contains working controllers or batteries. Archived Dell/Best Buy product sheet
What the original PC requirement meant
The launch documentation did not promise that every HDMI-equipped computer would deliver the same mode. Dell's note called for a compatible Windows 10 PC and Fall Creators Update, recommended a Mixed Reality Ultra PC with HDMI 2.0 for 90 Hz, and warned that HDMI 1.4 produced 60 Hz. Windows Central's contemporaneous comparison also records HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 as the standard wired connections for this first wave of WMR hardware. It is therefore safer to verify the actual computer's USB 3.0 port, HDMI output and graphics capability than to treat the headset's panel resolution as a PC-performance requirement. Dell's archived requirement note Windows Central comparison
Historical price and availability
Contemporary launch sources disagree slightly. Microsoft's announcement listed $359.99 for the headset or $459.99 with controllers, while HotHardware's September 14 pre-order report listed $349.99 and $449.99 and said shipping would begin October 17, 2017. These are historical launch prices, not a current used-market value. Current retail or parts availability is not verified here; treat any present-day listing as seller-specific. Microsoft launch pricing HotHardware pre-order report
Current platform-compatibility status
The original software path was Windows Mixed Reality, with SteamVR requiring Microsoft's Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR bridge. Microsoft's retired software documentation limits WMR support to Windows 10 version 20H2 through Windows 11 version 23H2 and says WMR devices are not supported on Windows 11 24H2 or newer. Microsoft’s current removed-features page says WMR, including the Mixed Reality Portal and WMR for SteamVR, was removed in 24H2; existing devices continue working with Steam through November 2026 only for users who remain on released Windows 11 23H2. Microsoft retired WMR software documentation Microsoft removed-features notice
Practical consequence: The Dell Visor is not a current plug-and-play Windows 11 24H2 headset. A 23H2-or-earlier WMR installation may preserve the original path, subject to drivers, PC hardware and application support; that is a legacy compatibility option, not a promise of future updates or support. Do not infer that SteamVR alone replaces the removed WMR runtime.
Lifecycle and buying caveat
The sources linked here establish the 2017 product identity and launch window, and Microsoft establishes the WMR platform retirement. They do not establish a Dell-published end-of-sale date, current stock, replacement-parts inventory or a current Dell warranty commitment for VR118. Those statuses are consequently left unverified rather than labeled “discontinued” or “supported.” For a used unit, confirm that the headset cable is present and undamaged, identify the VR118 label where possible, and check whether controllers are included; none of those checks restores WMR support on Windows 11 24H2 or newer.
Sources
- Archived Dell Visor and Controllers specification sheet — display, optics, tracking, ports, original Windows 10 requirement and HDMI refresh-rate note.
- Dell archived VR118 setup guide (VRP100 package) — Dell model identity and setup-document record.
- Microsoft Windows Experience Blog, IFA 2017 Dell announcement — platform, announced features and one launch-price figure.
- HotHardware, “Dell Visor Windows Mixed Reality Headset Now Live For Pre-Order” (September 14, 2017) — dated pre-order report, alternate launch pricing and shipping date.
- Microsoft retired Windows Mixed Reality software overview — historical OS support range and SteamVR bridge.
- Microsoft, “Features and functionality removed in Windows” — WMR removal in Windows 11 24H2 and November 2026 boundary.