Good... not mindblowing - Big Screen Beyond 2 review
If you have a gaming PC and haven’t tried sim racing yet, you probably should. It’s one of the most immersive gaming experiences you can have. But it’s also a rabbit hole — a hobby where people spend absurd amounts of money chasing realism and immersion.
Enter the Bigscreen Beyond 2, one of the smallest and lightest VR headsets on the market. It’s been hyped as the next big step for VR — but after using it for a while, I’m not entirely convinced it’s the perfect fit for everyone.
Disclosure and Context
Bigscreen provided this headset for review, but they don’t get to preview or influence this article in any way. I also have an affiliate link if you want to support the channel, but this review is entirely independent.
A big thank you to the subscribers and members who make these reviews possible — your support genuinely helps.
For background, I’ve been using VR since the Oculus Rift CV1, almost nine years old now. My last VR review was the PSVR2, which was interesting for what it tried to do. But over time, I drifted away from VR — it’s heavy, hot, and generally inconvenient. I’ve found that a 55-inch TV often delivers a simpler, more comfortable experience, even if it can’t match the depth of VR.
That said, the Bigscreen Beyond 2 addresses many of the complaints I’ve had about VR headsets — at least on paper.
Design and Unboxing
The Beyond 2 is a remarkably small device. The packaging mirrors that minimalist design — simple, clean, and surprisingly premium. The version I received was the clear edition, which reminded me of the translucent gadgets from the late ’90s — Game Boys, Walkmans, and phones where you could see all the electronics inside.
It’s a small nostalgic touch, but also highlights how intricate the internal design is. It’s one of the best-presented pieces of tech I’ve seen in sim racing — maybe even better than the Fanatec BMW M4 GT3 wheel.
Specs and Requirements
Pricing varies between $1,100 and $1,350, depending on configuration and region. There’s also a 2E version with eye tracking for about $200 more.
Key specs include:
2560×2560 per eye micro OLED screens
500,000:1 contrast ratio
75Hz native refresh rate, 90Hz upscaled mode
116° field of view
SteamVR external tracking (requires Lighthouse base station)
Bigscreen recommends at least a quad-core CPU and RTX 2070, but for sim racing — where performance optimization is often questionable — you’ll want something much stronger.
Setup Process
One immediate downside: setup requires an iPhone to scan your face for the custom fit. Android users are out of luck here, which feels unnecessarily restrictive.
Once it’s fitted, though, the headset is impressively light — about 120–150 grams with the strap. The magnetic silicone face mask is a nice touch; it’s easy to remove or replace, which matters for hygiene, since VR tends to collect a lot of sweat.
Image Quality
The advertised 2560×2560 per eye resolution is only achieved at 75Hz. Switching to 90Hz drops the native resolution to 1980×1980, but SteamVR’s supersampling brings it close to the higher resolution visually.
The image is clear across most of the lens area, with very little distortion. There’s no noticeable screen door effect, and the clarity is genuinely good. However, color calibration still feels a little off — it reminds me of early Samsung Super AMOLED panels with a mild green tint. You can tweak the color profile, but I never found one that looked perfect.
Comfort and Ergonomics
The Beyond 2’s biggest advantage is its weight and form factor. It’s small, light, and almost disappears on your face. There’s no light bleed, and the silicon gasket creates a fully dark environment that really benefits the OLED contrast.
However, there’s a tradeoff. Because it seals so well, it also traps heat. After about an hour, I started noticing warmth building up inside the headset. There’s a small internal fan, but it doesn’t do much. Over time, that can get uncomfortable, especially if your room isn’t well-cooled.
VR Experience in Sim Racing
In use, the Beyond 2 feels immersive and responsive. Driving through LA Canyons in Assetto Corsa, the image clarity and depth are impressive. For shorter sessions, it feels great — much less cumbersome than headsets like the PSVR2 or older Oculus models.
That said, sim racing titles are notoriously unoptimized, and maintaining steady performance can be a challenge. I generally prefer smoother frame rates over maximum resolution, and for that reason, I found the 90Hz mode to be more comfortable, even if it sacrifices some sharpness.
Higher refresh rates help with reaction times and precision — important for things like braking points. But even then, image quality at 90Hz remains more than adequate for racing.
Eye Strain and Sensitivity
Here’s where things got tricky for me personally. After one to two hours, my eyes began to struggle with focus. It felt like I was constantly adjusting, even though the headset was properly aligned. This could be my own sensitivity — or maybe it’s just how the optics interact with certain eyes — but it made long sessions uncomfortable.
Combine that with the heat buildup, and I couldn’t realistically use it for extended racing sessions. It’s great for short stints, but not something I’d wear for endurance events or multi-hour races.
Verdict
The Bigscreen Beyond 2 is a fascinating piece of hardware. It solves many of VR’s long-standing issues — bulk, weight, and general inconvenience — but introduces a few new ones in the process.
It’s beautifully designed, clear, and well-engineered, but for me, comfort over long periods and eye strain hold it back from being a universal recommendation.
If you value compactness, clarity, and design above all else, this might be the perfect VR headset. But if you’re planning multi-hour sim racing sessions, it’s worth being aware of its limitations.
