vive schematics lcd panel quotation

The HTC Vive is an impressive piece of kit, but it"s far from simple. A diagram reportedly included in an email to early adopters this week made that fact very clear by detailing the no fewer than twenty separate items included with the consumer edition. Much of this is the same as the development kits we"ve already tested (in fact, early models had even more wires), but it"s still something else to see a consumer product other than a Lego set shipping with so many pieces.

Much of the complexity is due to the kind of virtual reality experience offered by the Vive. Unlike the PlayStation VR or Oculus Rift, it offers a room-scale virtual reality setup, thanks to the laser tracking system powered by its lighthouse boxes. Those boxes need to be set up and plugged into the wall, and a large tether connects the headset your PC. The Vive also has two custom controllers. All of that means lots of power cables, USB cables, mounts, and more.

After years of focusing on business-oriented virtual reality, HTC is launching a $499 entertainment-focused headset called the Vive Flow in November, with preorders starting globally today.

The new Vive Flow looks radically different from most HTC Vive devices. It’s a standalone piece of hardware modeled after a pair of sunglasses, and at first glance it could pass for an augmented reality headset, not just a VR one. But behind those slightly bug-eyed mirror shades, you’ll find a lighter version of earlier Vive headsets — minus some major features.

The Vive Flow, which was leaked heavily before HTC’s reveal today, is a compromise between capability and approachability. The device has a 1.6K-per-eye display (HTC didn’t provide the exact resolution) with a 100-degree field of view at a 75Hz refresh rate. That’s a little more limited than the 120 degrees and 90Hz rate that you’ll find on the more costly Vive Focus 3 and roughly the same refresh rate but a lower field of view than the original Quest. It’s also slightly comparable to the Oculus Quest’s refresh rate before a recent upgrade and a little more cramped than its 110-degree field of view.

Unlike earlier Vive headsets, the Vive Flow won’t come with a controller. Instead, you connect the headset wirelessly to an Android smartphone and use the phone as a combination remote / touchpad. Similar to the mobile Google Daydream or Samsung Gear VR remotes, it’s basically a virtual laser pointer with buttons for selecting items and calling up the homescreen.

HTC wants people to use the Vive Flow for visually immersive but mostly stationary experiences. So you can watch a 360-degree video or sit in a virtual environment, but you can’t use apps that require full-fledged virtual hands. (This rules out most well-known VR games.) The camera tracking gives you a more natural experience than a headset that can only detect the angle of your head, but the app catalog and the somewhat loose-fitting glasses-style design mean you probably won’t be walking around.

HTC says the Flow will launch with 100 apps and support 150 by the end of the year. In addition to uses like streaming video, its release announcement promotes the Tripp meditation app and the VR therapeutic service MyndVR, which is tailored for older adults. You can also engage with VR social spaces like Vive Sync and watch streaming video, something that’s proven popular on AR glasses. The Flow will support a limited subset of the apps on HTC’s Viveport store, and users can subscribe to a discounted, Flow-focused $5.99-per-month version of Viveport’s app subscription service.

The Vive Flow seems basically pitched as a VR headset for people who find current VR headsets overcomplicated or intimidating. O’Brien describes the device as something that’s easy to put in a bag while traveling without worrying about extra pieces like controllers. “We wanted to make something that was super easy and flexible,” he says. Instead of directly competing with gaming-oriented headsets, HTC is trying to carve out a new category of its own.

My brief experience with the Vive Flow was a mixed bag. The Flow is, in fact, remarkably light — presumably in part because HTC offloaded its battery. But without a strap system to keep the headset in place, the screen kept slipping down my face and blurring the top half of my VR experience. HTC plans to offer alternate swappable face gaskets for different fits, and one of them worked better than the original. But I still had to be careful while turning my head, and the feeling of carefully balancing the headset wasn’t exactly relaxing.

The smartphone-based controller, the Vive Flow’s biggest departure from standard VR design, is theoretically reasonable but practically awkward. I used an HTC-provided Android device that worked fine as a VR laser pointer. But thanks to the long-running trend of ever-bigger phones, I could barely fit my hand around HTC’s phone to tap virtual buttons on the screen. It’s also a strange choice for any headset aimed at older users, who are dramatically less likely to own smartphones.

When we say VIVE Focus is ready out of the box, we mean it. No tethered PC required. No external base stations or sensors needed. Just instant wireless VR with high-resolution 3K AMOLED screens and Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 835 processing.

Sometimes in VR, less is more. Enabling Kiosk Mode on the VIVE Focus limits access to apps and navigation, turning the system into a powerful, portable fixed-purpose device. The result: A user-friendly VR experience for trainees and clients that focuses on what matters most—the content.

The VIVE Focus will take you far in the virtual world. Featuring innovative world-scale tracking with a 110° field of view, users will enjoy a freeing, intuitive experience with nothing to hold them back.

When it comes other standalone devices, there are trade-offs, especially when it comes to visuals. Not with the VIVE Focus. From first sight, you"ll be treated to high-resolution 2880 x 1600 graphics on par with tethered, professional-grade VR systems like the VIVE Pro.

Pressed for space? The VIVE Focus effectively turns the world into an immersive virtual stage, offering positional tracking anywhere, anytime; indoors or out. Plus, with no need for a VR-ready computer, base stations, or sensors, you can always find room for Focus.

Keep your business running smoothly with VIVE Business Warranty & Services. The package includes a two-year limited commercial-use warranty, support, and services. Features like next business-day email response and expedited product repair or replacement minimize downtime.

**VIVE Business Warranty & Services (BWS) is intended for commercial customers only. Any purchase by an individual for personal consumer use may be cancelled or subject to revocation at HTC’s discretion. Advantage may only be utilized by the original purchaser or acquirer and may not be resold, distributed, or otherwise transferred. Registration required to activate your Advantage products. By purchasing Advantage products, you agree to be subject to the

**VIVE Business Warranty & Services (BWS) is intended for commercial customers only. Any activation by an individual for personal consumer use may be cancelled or subject to revocation at HTC’s discretion. BWS may only be utilized by the original purchaser or acquirer and may not be resold, distributed, or otherwise transferred. Registration required to activate your BWS products. By activating BWS products, you agree to be subject to the

BARCELONA, Spain and SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 27, 2017 -- HTC VIVE™, recognized by the industry as the leading Virtual Reality (VR) product, expanded its VR ecosystem by announcing pricing and availability dates for the Vive Tracker and Vive Deluxe Audio Strap. The Vive Tracker, built to empower developers and accessory makers to make VR even more immersive, will be available on March 27 for developer purchase through Vive.com. The Vive Deluxe Audio Strap will go on sale for pre-order on May 2, with expected delivery in June. Both products will be available for a suggested retail price of $99.99 (€119.99, £99.99, ¥799.00).

"We see an incredibly strong future for VR, and have created an entire ecosystem around Vive. The Vive ecosystem is evolving, adaptable and will continue to grow to drive the industry forward," said Daniel O"Brien, GM VR, US, HTC Vive. "The Vive Tracker is a key piece of that strategy and when paired with Vive technology and programs such as Viveport and Vive X, represents a significant opportunity for us and our partners to make the Vive ecosystem synonymous with the growth of VR."

Vive will further expand the industry"s leading VR ecosystem by allowing developers to bring real-world objects into VR and dramatically expand the capabilities to create even more amazing VR experiences. Vive has already received over 2,300 applications for the first 1,000 Vive Trackers. Applications crossed a wide spectrum of non-gaming applications of VR areas such as Education, Enterprise, Training, Health and Wellness and more. In fact, nearly 60% of applications were non-gaming or non-entertainment content.

"Building an object that can be tracked alongside the Vive can be complex," said Joe Ludwig of Valve. "But the Vive tracker makes tracking objects in VR so simple that anyone can do it. We"re thrilled that HTC has developed this product and we"re looking forward to seeing what people build."

The Vive Tracker will be available for purchase in two phases. The Vive Tracker will first be on sale for those looking to create Vive content by March 27. General consumer availability of the Vive Tracker is expected later in the year, as the accessories and content ecosystem for Vive Tracker is built and new accessories are ready to purchase for consumers.

Island 359 developer, CloudGate Studio is just one of the early adopters of the Vive Tracker. CloudGate is using multiple Trackers for full body awareness of players within their action-shooter Island 359. The technology will be on display at GDC in Valve"s booth on Wednesday, March 1, and in a private meeting suite throughout the show. Contact @CloudGateStudio on Twitter for appointments.

The Vive Deluxe Audio Strap combines integrated audio with new comfort features, ensuring a more comfortable feel during long sessions. The Deluxe Audio Strap features a new sizing dial that enables quick adjustments for single or multiple Vive users, making it much quicker to jump into a VR environment.

Going forward, all new Vive BE sales will include the Deluxe Audio Strap with every purchase. Customers will receive their Deluxe Audio Strap with general consumer availability in June.

Today, new financing options for Vive are available in North America through Vive.com and China through JD.com. These new offers reduce the upfront costs when purchasing a Vive. Similar programs run at selected retailers in Europe, with further plans to be announced soon.

VIVE is a first-of-its-kind virtual reality platform developed by HTC and Valve for total immersion in virtual worlds. Designed from the ground up for room-scale VR and true-to-life interactions, VIVE delivers on the promise of VR with game-changing technology and best-in-class content. VIVE has been recognized with over 65 awards and wide critical acclaim since its unveiling in 2015. For more information, visit www.vive.com.

VIVE Focus 3 is a standalone virtual reality headset for professionals. ... HTC offers an ecosystem for better integration of the headset within a company.

VIVE Focus 3 is a standalone virtual reality headset for professionals. ... HTC offers an ecosystem for better integration of the headset within a company.

Bridge distance with seamless remote collaboration. Visualize all things creative. Learn and train with unprecedented efficiency. Introducing the all-in-one VIVE Focus 3. Delivering best-in-class graphics, ergonomic comfort and applications that will transform the way you work.

Balanced to fit comfortably in your hands, the VIVE Focus Controller is crafted for easy input and navigation during long VR sessions. Six degrees of freedom (6DoF) support, ergonomically placed buttons and triggers, and touch sensors further deliver intuitive and precision controls.

Go beyond the graphics capability of all-in-one VR. Connect to a PC via the VIVE Streaming Cable or Wi-Fi to render visual-intensive applications for cutting-edge performance.

HTCVive™ today announced that the HTCVivePro™HeadMountedDisplay (HMD)will be available for $799 with global pre-orders starting now. The company also announced a $100 price reduction for the currentVivefull kit, bringing it down to $499.AllVivePro HMDs purchased by June 3rd, which will begin shipping on April 5th, will come with a free six-month trial toViveportSubscription, where consumers can choose up to 5 titles per month from the more than 400 titles available.

“With the Vive Pro we are delivering the best quality display and visual experience to the most discerning VR enthusiasts. Our goal has always been to offer the most premium VR platform available and to drive adoption for VR,” said Daniel O’Brien, HTC Vive General Manager, US. “By lowering the price of the current Vive, we are making VR more accessible while expanding the potential market for developers. Whether you’re a VR enthusiast or new to the platform, there’s never been a better time to join the most complete VR platform available.”

ViveProHMD pre-orders begin today on Vive.com andotherViveretailerswithunits shipping globally on April 5th. CurrentViveowners can upgrade their headsettoViveProfor the best display, audio, and comfort in the industry. TheVivePro comes with dual-OLED displays, making for a crisper image resolution of 2880 x 1600 combined, a 78% increase in resolution over the currentViveHMD.In addition to visuals,VivePro also features integrated, high-performance headphones with a built-in amplifier that creates a heightened sense of presence and sound through noise cancellation capabilities. These improved graphics and audio allow for users to experience VR with enhanced clarity, making it the most realistic and immersive VR experience on the market today.

In addition, the Vive Pro has been rebuilt to maximize comfort for the most demanding VR users. The Vive Pro features a redesigned head-strap that balances the weight of the headset more evenly and features easy simple adjustment buttons for Vive users with glasses.

The Vive Pro works with both SteamVR Tracking 1.0 and 2.0, meaning existing Vive customers can upgrade the headset only and continue to use current generation controllers and base stations.

With more than 3,000 titles available,Vivecontinues to be the platform of choice for developers and consumers alike. Operating in over 60 countries, HTC’s content platformViveportbrings premium experiences in entertainment, education, arcade, arts & culture, and enterprise to a global audience. In addition,ViveportSubscription allows consumers to choose from over 400 pieces of content from a highly-curated offering, giving consumers the opportunity to discover the best VR content available.

VivePro purchases made before June 3rdcome with a free six-month trial ofViveportSubscription where owners will get the chance to play 30 titles with their new HMD. Pro purchases made after the first 60 days of orders will come with a free two-month trial. The price ofViveportSubscription will increase to $8.99 on March 22nd. Current Subscribers and those whosign up before the increase takes effect will be locked in at the $6.99 price point through at least the end of the year.

gushed about the impressive virtual reality experience offered in a hands-on demo of the HTC Vive (developed in conjunction with Valve) earlier this month, I commented that the only thing that could really sour me on the hardware"s potential at this point was a big price tag, which remains unannounced. Now, an HTC executive is warning that consumers should be prepared for "a slightly higher price point" when the headset is released to consumers later this year.

"Starting with the premium experience, even if it has a slightly higher price point, is the right thing to do from a strategic point of view," Gattis continues. "The price can always come down as the market grows. We know there is some pent-up demand there, so there’s not so much price sensitivity early on. But to get the broader consumer adoption we’re all hoping for, the industry will have to drive price down to make it more accessible. Whether we do that with Vive or other form factors and devices, we understand the importance of driving price down to achieve adoption."

It"s not shocking that HTC expects the Vive to come in at a premium price, given the hardware involved. Both the headset and the two wireless handheld controllers (not included in Oculus" pricing) are equipped with arrays of dozens of laser sensors, set at angles designed to pick out coded tracking data from two external "Lighthouse" transmitters. Even if the individual tracking nodes (and the transmitters) are relatively cheap on their own, such a system will still likely end up costing more to produce than the single-camera tracking solution currently used by the likes of Oculus and Sony.

The Vive"s two 1200×1080 displays probably don"t add too much to the relative cost, given how much the mobile phone market has driven down LCD and LED screen prices in recent years. Still, getting those displays at a 90Hz refresh rate, and in the most lightweight form factor possible, might add to the production costs as well.

Elsewhere in the interview, Gattis says that physical retail partners will be key to getting the Vive out in front of a skeptical public, with in-store displays that can provide the hands-on experience needed to really understand the Vive"s appeal. Despite retail enthusiasm, though, Gattis doesn"t see VR becoming an overnight success after Vive"s release, even as he thinks that releasing a consumer product in a shorter time frame will "light a fire under our competitors."

I’m glad it’s going to cost more.. I’ll just wait for the next Consumer version or wait for the price to drop; But really the current Vive is over priced IMO.

It could still cost as much as the original Vive. The original was targeting consumers, but since prices have come down, a pro level product could also be lower.

We need more real competition. The Samsung Odyssey is a good start. More of that and it forces prices down. As much as I love the tracking system of the vive, the overal price of this standalone headset will decide where I go from here. Wish they would just get on with it and announce the price already then I can decide what to do next. Sick of reading about this Pro. Have read nearly all the articles :/

It was pretty clear from the jump that this wasn’t a product that was intended to move a lot of units. HTC/Valve seems to be taking a much more evolutionary process in their hardware than Oculus. First, they update the strap, then the sensors, then the sensors again, then the new controllers, then the updated HMD. My guess is that this is all stuff that will be incorporated into the Vive 2, but rather than holding it back they’re using their existing production lines to incorporate these pieces early. Meanwhile, Oculus will have the Rift, and then the Rift 2 with a bunch of updates.

i would. I have a launch vive and already my friends newer vive from last is noticeably more comfortable. Rumor mill is this one is more comfortable than current vives. I mean it may end up being a significant difference for people who have the very first model. Let alone whatever other upgrades it ends up with

I would love to see the LG headset cost and other Steam VR products to see how cheap the hardware is/isnt. But to me HTC and Vive is a little worrying cost wise at least from the standpoint of sustainability. If other companies can make similar experiences for much less HTC will fail with only a high end market. Lighthouse may be the best tracking but since when has the best been the definitive benchmark for success. I have wasted tons of money on VR and I have a 1080 video card not a TI not a Titan and many people are in the 1060 and 1070 camps I just have not been able to justify the cost of an upgrade. I think we can all agree the highest price Video cards are better but cost matters value per dollar and being able to afford matters.

Lets say they could actually sell the old Vive for 200$ and stil have a small profit on it – Cutting the price to 1/3 would probably boost the amounts sold by 5X+. Which would start a positive spiral, with more content produced, and that would again sell more HMD’s..

Yeah… I think HTC needs to look at the Samsung Odyssey and give themselves a reality check. They could get away with charging $500 for the standalone headset, and 7-$800 for the full package, but they’re not really THAT far ahead of the market technologically speaking. Rift tracking is “good enough” and Samsung’s already using their new display in a headset that’s cheaper than the current low-res vive, so if they jump the $500 barrier for the standalone upgrade, they’re gonna have a tough time selling these to anyone other than a handful of early adopters and developers.

Well … if you think about it, there is competition so you could pretty much compare this stuff a bit more or less. And it don’t matter that we both have no idea how much the costs for producing one. You can easily compare with Oculus. Now I’m sorry man but If want a replacement for my vive wand it’s around 149 Euro just for one , where Oculus touch you get bundle for 119 Euro. Yes I know they are not the same at all, but… you get the idea… And the worse part is that a lot of people have issues with their wands, some after few hundreds hours, some earlier. And I’m not talking about cases where they smashed the controllers against solid wall or something. I’m talkin about buttons not clicking, trackpad not working …. and so on. I have never complained about the design and wining around that is not fair because Oculus touch is way better (like a lot of the vive owners). I’m used to the wands no problem there, but hey … paying premium price for something that obviously is not as strong as it should be … I don’t like that. I have enough money and that’s not the point… the point is when I spend good money I expect good quality and good customer service. That being said …. I just think that HTC just want us to pay for their mobile headsets failed business. :)))) At least they should have include some mid-range mobile in the Vive bundle. That would definitely should make a lot of vive owners to feel not so milked :D

So Vive wands replacement for 149 Euro per controller is quite realistic as well ? Where Oculus touch BUNDLE is 119 Euro ? Yeah I know they are different but cmon ? It’s not the price that it bugs me, money is not an issue to me. But seeing a lot of vive owners complain that their wands have broken after 2-6 months … and I’m not talking about cases where the controllers were smashed against solid wall or something … I’m talking about buttons won’t click, trackpad not working, tracking loss. When I pay premium price I expect premium quality and premium customer service. I guess HTC are trying to make us pay for their mobile handy’s failed business. At least they could have include some of their mid range handy’s in the Vive bundle :))))) Joke aside man… If you follow my logic you’ll see why I think that HTC is just overpricing their VR products a bit too much

Ok they are totally going to bomb in sales … smarter to reposition the current consumer vive in the $400 area with the rift/touch …. move the vive pro to the current $600 area. People aren’t dumb. They know manufacturing costs come down over time.

At one point they were talking about a vive to vive pro upgrade kit which was just a new HMD and you use your existing wands and sensors. so if your’e a vive owner now and don’t want the entire new kit, it’ll be more affordable.

Having a Vive at launch I was impressed but now I would need to try before buy and that aint gonna happen in UK, Is the screen door gone? and no bigger field of view are all downers, 300 for the just the face mask would scratch an itch, There are no big games coming out any time soon so I will give it a miss.

I’m not saying this to be anti-Vive, but this is long what I have predicted – HTC is a company that makes its money by incremental hardware features sold at a premium. You can expect that there won’t be many upgrade deals, etc. for existing Vive customers. Not saying Oculus will either, but expecting it from the company known for phones… you would be foolish to believe otherwise.

Well, I hope they’ll update the original vive with the new 2.0 trackers than, as it would make the consumer set even cheaper to produce (it’s just a case of swapping out the old sensorschips with the new and using the new lighthouses). Now it’s very annoying to buy a new vive because you’ll know it won’t be compatible with the newer lighthouses.

As a former used of the Vive and current used of the Odyssey, I was interested on the Pro (at ~350$) as the perfect mix but given the new information ($$$ price), I will prefer start talking about Aliens, parallel dimensions and time traveling theory.

Predictable. They will alienate many current vive owners who want to upgrade but can’t afford an insane 1200. At least it will give OctopusVR new business. I certainly won’t be paying even 800 for a “pro” vive. I’d stick with amateur muppet vive until an affordable high res HMD emerges then ditch HTC.

I’m a day one Vive owner and I’m still very happy with it. I was initially interested in the Pro but I’m going off the boil as upgrading to this HMD. It’s still going to be a premium cost just for the HMD for a modest increase in resolution. Updated strap aside which is hardly an incredible innovation, it’s left with a less than ground breaking bump in resolution and just nicked the same screens from the Odyssey. Really there’s nothing hugely exciting here.

The Vive Pro has more than just resolution and a head strap over its predecessor. Let us not forget it has new headphones, new dual mics, new dual cameras, new official wireless module (this is my main reason to want it) and support for Valve’s Lighthouse v2 tech for awkward room layouts or large spaces for business use.

The regular Vive is now over 2 years old. In that time, I would have expected the bump in resolution wouldn’t need to be packaged into a Pro (more expensive) device and should be a generational evolution of the tech, along with all the other minor feature upgrades you stated. This should be the replacement for the old Vive aimed at the same price point and market, not branching off into alternative product.

If we look at display manufacturers like high end Dell displays (which I own and are brilliant) then the difference comes in the quality of the panel, the colour accuracy, brightness and calibration features.

Unless HTC Vive Pro has superior panels or new highly accurate lenses (human QA) to set it apart from others then I do not know how they will target prosumers yet. We will have to wait and see.

Today at CES 2018, HTC revealed the Vive Pro. It isn’t the ‘Vive 2’—and the original Vive will continue to be sold alongside it—but, in many ways, it raises the bar for PC VR headsets.

First and foremost is the headset’s improved display, which offers 78% more pixels with a 2,880 × 1,600 resolution (1,440 × 1,600 per display). This makes a big difference in clarity of the VR world. With the original Vive’s 2,160 × 1,200 resolution it’s relatively easy to see sub-pixels (the little red, green, and blue dots that mix together to make white, and every other color you see). Looking through the lenses of the Vive Pro, not only have the sub-pixels disappeared, it’s challenging to even make out whole pixels.

If you hear people saying that the Vive Pro still has quite visible screen door effect (SDE), I would bet that they are actually talking about aliasing and mura.

Aliasing is what happens when you don’t have sufficient pixel density to convince your eyes that a perfectly straight line is perfectly straight, when it’s actually made up of the jagged edges of pixels—this effect is exaggerated at a distance since fewer pixels are available to render more distant objects. Anti-aliasing techniques can go a long way to hide aliasing, so how much you notice the aliasing vary depending upon the application, but it’s still there in the Vive Pro.

The good news is that the mura-correction on the Vive Pro appears at least as good as that of the original Vive (which is pretty good). However, it’s still there, and, perhaps, now an equal or slightly larger contributor to the clarity bottleneck than SDE.

The result of greater pixel density—which brings less aliasing and less noticeable individual pixels—and solid mura-correction makes a big difference in the clarity of the virtual scene when looking through the Vive Pro. With every step forward like this, we’re getting closer to feeling like your head is really in another place (that fleeting feeling of Presence).

When I put my head in the Vive Pro for the first time, standing in the finely rendered Driftwood environment, I couldn’t help but marvel at a new level of closeness to the virtual world; our heads are so close to pushing through the window screen and out into the virtual world.

But the increase in resolution isn’t the only thing that makes the Vive Pro feel like a substantial improvement over the original Vive. The headset is also more comfortable, easier to use, and supports even better tracking.

Let’s start with comfort. The new strap on the Vive Pro feels like an improved version of the Deluxe Audio Strap (an optional accessory for the original Vive). Yes, it’s undeniably bulky, but some subtle changes make it more comfortable, and the Vive Pro comes standard with this new strap.

The new head mount on the Vive Pro functions roughly the same as the old one—with a knob on the back to tighten the headset to taste—but a change to the design of the padding structure on the back of the head feels, at least in my 20 minutes or so of testing it side-by-side with the DAS, to increase comfort by more gently cupping the area just under the crown of the head, rather than gripping tightly against the crown like a vice (as the DAS seems to do). It also feels easier to find the comfort sweet spot compared to the DAS.

The struts that connect the display housing to the back of the strap are also further away from your temples and help make the headset feel more ‘open’ on the sides rather than totally encompassing your head. Along with what feels like better balance, the Vive Pro feels less obtrusive on your head.

The new headphones also feel less likely to accidentally flip from the extended position into the on-ear position while you’re in the middle of putting on the headset (and irksome annoyance). Note: if you were following our HTC CES 2018 Press Event liveblog earlier, we reported that the Vive Pro has removable headphones—we’ve since confirmed that they’re actually permanently attached. [Update: After varying reports from HTC, the final word is that the headphones are detachable.]

Despite its unique modular design, HTC’s $699 Vive Cosmos VR headset had a rocky rollout last year, in equal parts because of its premium price and various software issues, including tracking problems. Thankfully, HTC isn’t giving up on the concept — instead, it’s announcing three new models in the family, as well as three faceplates that will enable a headset to “grow” with the user over time.

The core Cosmos experience is the same from model to model, including 2880 x 1700 total resolution with “all-new LCD panels” that minimize the screen door effect of black gaps between pixels. Each has a flip-up visor so you can easily drop in and out of VR as needed, and the ability to swap the front faceplate to add new features.

Priced at $899, Vive Cosmos Elite (shown above) lets users choose to forego the inside-out tracking of the standard Cosmos, instead relying on SteamVR Lighthouse base stations and a new External Tracking Faceplate. Elite will ship with that faceplate preinstalled, plus two SteamVR base stations and two classic Vive controllers. It will support but not include the Vive Wireless Adapter and Vive Tracker.

Elite will be available on February 24 for preorder and released before the end of March. In the second quarter of 2020, the External Tracking Faceplate will be available for $199 as an upgrade for Vive Cosmos and Vive Cosmos Play.

Vive Cosmos Play will be released as an entry-level headset “to start customers on their VR journey,” supporting “entry-level VR adventures and applications.” It will be “more affordable” for businesses and museums, but at this point it’s unclear how much more affordable it will be or whether it will omit controllers or other frills to get to the lower price point.

Last, but not least, Vive Cosmos XR will enable developers and later end users to expand Cosmos’ capabilities beyond VR into the augmented reality realm. Initial images suggest this model will eliminate Cosmos’ up- and down-facing front cameras in favor of two more cameras pointing directly forwards. That’s a total of four — two for tracking and two for the user’s passthrough vision.

HTC has announced that it will revise the prices of some products in its VIVE series of VR devices due to the continued depreciation of the yen and the increase in product purchase prices.

On the heels of Oculus dropping the price of their Rift and Touch bundle from $599 to $399 this Summer, HTC Vive is also jumping in with a price reduction of their own.

It’s not clear how much Oculus’ price drop for the Rift VR headset played into Vive’s announcement today, but what is clear is that both companies have their eye on making VR more accessible to a mass market.

Oculus’ Summer Sale discount is only a temporary price reduction, while HTC Vive’s $200 price drop is permanent. When the Oculus Rift sale concludes (likely any week now), the Rift will then be sold at a permanent price of $499, making the HTC Vive $100 more than the Rift + Touch bundle going forward.

This is great news for any consumers sitting on the fence, deciding which VR system is right for them. With a shrinking price gap between the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, consumers will look to each system’s growing library of content when making a purchase decision.

On top of the price drop, Vive also announced that purchases will come with a free trial to Viveport Subscription (30 days), letting consumers choose up to 5 titles per month to experience. You will also get Google’s Tilt Brush, Everest VR, and Richie’s Plank Experience for free.

Vive offers room-scale VR out of a single box, with the base Vive package coming with everything you need for a quick room-scale VR set-up: 2 base stations for tracking, 2 motion controllers and the Vive headset.

Although the system is more affordable at $599, it’s still a hefty price tag for many looking to get into VR—but that may be OK. While the Vive falls into a premium VR system category, HTC has plans to reach different consumer segments at a lower price point with new headsets. Announced at Google I/O in May, HTC has partnered up with Google to deliver a standalone headset with inside-out tracking possibly later this year. And the price for that standalone headset will be less than the total of a Vive and PC needed to run the Vive. In some cases as Steiber shared with VRScout, “where you have a high-end mobile phone and HMD, it might even be competitive towards that [price point].”

Update March, 18, 2020:Today, HTC Vive made a new version of the Cosmos available. The HTC Vive Cosmos Elite ($899(opens in new tab)) adds an external tracking faceplate, and you can find your impressions in ourHTC Vive Cosmos Elite(opens in new tab)review. Starting in April, you"ll also be able to buy the Cosmos Elite"s external tracking faceplate separately for $200, and the company is also planning the cheaperHTC Vive Cosmos PlaySKU for later this year.

After over three years on the market, HTC Vive is finally ready to retire its original VR headset, the HTC Vive(opens in new tab), and replace it with a new model. In many ways, the HTC Vive Cosmos is a big leap forward from the original headset. But in other ways, it feels like a step in the wrong direction.

But the Cosmos also has a few glaring problems. It’s more expensive ($699) and less comfortable than the original Vive ($499(opens in new tab)). I also have critiques on the controllers, and the platform drivers leave much to be desired.

All things considered, the Vive Cosmos is a good headset and worthy of your consideration if you’re in the market for a new VR device. But it likely won"t check all the boxes for you.

At first glance, the Cosmos gives off an air of quality. The fit and finish are superior to many VR headsets that we’ve tested over the years, including Vive’s own hardware. The original Vive headset was good enough to be functional, but no one would call it elegant looking. The HTC Vive Pro demonstrated a major improvement in build quality but with a somewhat utilitarian feel. The Cosmos imbues the quality you"d expect from a company with a history of selling cutting-edge consumer electronics.

The Vive Cosmos features a much higher resolution than the original Vive headset, but thanks to software advancements HTC"s latest headset doesn"t require much more power than the outgoing device. The older headset could run on a PC with 4GB of memory. The Cosmos requires 8GB to function properly.

The Cosmos includes an integrated audio system, which is something I believe every VR headset should have. There"s also a simple way to remove the headphones if you prefer to supply your own. Previous Vive audio solutions were removable but required a screwdriver and a process that wasn’t very user-friendly. The Cosmos, however, features an incredibly simple clamping system that takes less than a second to remove but isn"t likely to come apart accidentally.

The Cosmos also boasts an RGB subpixel array, which further enhances the clarity of the image and helps to reduce the perceived screen door effect. The HP Reverb, with its dual 4K resolution RGB panels, still offers a higher overall resolution, but the Cosmos is easily as good as the Valve Index, with a slight increase in vertical field of view (FOV). Because the screens are LCD panels, you won"t get the same deep blacks that you see with the Vive Pro"s AMOLED panels.

The Cosmos includes a mechanical adjustment for IPD (interpupillary distance, the space between your pupils), just like the Vive and Vive Pro. The pupil distance of lenses in the headset can be adjusted from 61-73mm. There"s fabric between the lenses to keep out dust, which is a feature first introduced by the Oculus Rift CV1. Fabric also keeps the dust out of the Pimax 5K Plus and Pimax 8K headsets.

Unlike previous Vive headsets, the Cosmos does not include an eye relief adjustment, which means there’s no way to move the lenses closer to or further from your eyes to make room for eyewear. Unfortunately, that also means the maximum FOV is narrower than that of other Vives because you can’t bring the lenses as close to your eyes as the older models.

Vive advertises the Cosmos" FOV as 110 degrees, which is the same rating as the Vive and Vive Pro. However, the perceived FOV feels narrower in the new headset. I would say that the FOV of the Cosmos in actual usage feels more comparable to the Oculus Rift"s FOV, which is closer to 100 degrees.

The Cosmos isn’t Vive’s first inside-out tracked headset; that honor belongs to the HTC Vive Focus, an enterprise VR headset. The Cosmos has a far superior camera array, though. While the Vive Focus uses two front-facing cameras for depth and controller tracking, the Cosmos uses six cameras for a much more comprehensive tracking range. In addition to two front-facing cameras, the Cosmos also has cameras on its right and left sides, plus cameras on the top and bottom, which monitor the vertical space from floor to ceiling. This combination of cameras delivers robust tracking performance for both head tracking and hand tracking.

That said, the cameras on the Cosmos are much less forgiving about your room"s lighting. The Cosmos did not work at all in low light. I also experienced a peculiar issue with the headset equating dark objects to being in a dark room. The office where I do most of my testing has a handful of desktop PCs and monitors lining a wall. When I faced that direction with the PCs and monitors off, the headset would warn me that the room was too dark, even though I was in a well-lit room. HTC Vive told us that an update today should address this, and we"ll update this review once we confirm.

The main benefit of the inside-out tracking system is that it eliminates the burden of external base stations. With all previous iterations of PC-based Vive headsets, you had to install Lighthouse base stations in the corners of your room in order to produce the infrared grid used for SteamVR Tracking. While it isn’t tremendously difficult to install a pair of base stations, it was something that many people didn’t want or have the space to do.

Since the Cosmos doesn"t require external trackers, the setup process is much easier. All you need to do is plug in the USB cable, connect the DisplayPort cable and attach the power source. The Cosmos still comes with the Vive Link Box that originated with the standard Vive headset. It lets you leave the cables plugged into the back of your computer and attach a single cable when you want to use the headset. That may not seem like a big deal, but thoughtful considerations like this help HMDs avoid sitting on a shelf collecting dust.

With the Cosmos, HTC Vive went back to the drawing board and completely overhauled its controller design approach. I wouldn’t call these a completely original design (they borrow much fromOculus Touch controllers). Ultimately, the Cosmos controllers are a huge improvement in many ways but are far from perfect.

The Cosmos controllers are very similar to the new Touch controllers, which makes it easy for developers to offer input parity. They include a clickable thumbstick and X/Y and A/B buttons on the left and right controllers, respectively. They also have grip buttons for your middle finger and R1 and R2 shoulder buttons. Finally, each controller has a Vive button, which triggers the Viveport software and SteamVR.

The Cosmos controllers weigh 211g (0.5 pounds) each with the batteries, which is exactly 1g more than the Vive wands. For comparison, new Touch controllers weigh 129g (0.3 pounds) each.

Vive recommended that I try a game called Audica, which is basically Audioshield with guns, to test the accuracy of the controllers. At the end of each round, Audica spit out a report about how accurate my aim was, and I was amazed at the consistency of the precision. My shots were almost always within 1.1 degrees of the center. Pretty uncanny.

The standalone HMD segment is benefiting from rapid innovation. Qualcomm"s SnapDragon XR-2 SoC has proven to be a robust VR platform, with many companies choosing it to power their HMDs, including Meta (formerly Facebook/Oculus), Pico Interactive, and HTC Vive. Pimax is also planning to use Qualcomm"s hardware in its next-generation VR headsets, which will launch late next year.

Quest 2 offers a high-resolution VR experience without the need for a computer. The headset provides 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye, a higher resolution than the Valve Index and HTC Vive Cosmos tethered PC headsets. Quest 2 also offers variable refresh rates, with developers able to target 60hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz configurations depending on the performance demands of the games.

The Valve Index is an old dog in this market, but Valve"s first, and so far only, VR headset remains one of the best that money can buy today. Unfortunately, in terms of resolution, the Index lags behind the rest of the market. The headset boasts dual 1440 x 1600 LCD panels for crisp but not mind-blowing image clarity. The variable refresh rate settings allow you to dial in displays to match your PC"s performance, which is an incredible help when you have a less-powerful graphics card in your system. The Index supports 80, 90, 120, and 144 Hz configurations.

The best part of the Index is the versatility of its tracking system. The Index headset uses the SteamVR tracking system, first introduced on the original HTC Vive and improved for the Vive Pro. However, the Lighthouse IR tracking system is still the most accurate tracking system for home-based VR systems, especially if you have a set of SteamVR 2.0-based stations. In addition, the SteamVR tracking system is compatible with many accessories, including the Valve Index controllers (colloquially known as Knuckles controllers), Vive Trackers, and the recently Kickstarter-funded Tundra Trackers.

Varjo sets itself apart from the competition with professional-grade components. The individual displays in this headset are not only ludicrous 2880 x 2720 pixels, but they are the first VR LCDs to offer Mini LED backlighting for precise color accuracy. Varjo also calibrates the panels for 99% sRGB and 95% DCI-P3 color, and 150 NIT brightness.

The Oculus Quest 2 is the best standalone VR headset that most people can buy, but it"s not the best standalone VR headset that exists. Instead, that title belongs to the HTC Vive Focus 3, a business-oriented headset that ticks so many boxes that make up an incredible HMD that we had to mention it here.

Sadly, you can"t buy a Vive Focus 3 unless you run a business, and even if you did buy one, there"s not much you can do with it as a consumer. The headset doesn"t have a formal storefront for game distribution, and HTC isn"t making any attempt to bring the headset to the consumer market in North America.

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HTC plans to release a $1,099 Vive XR Elite headset by the end of February, heralding a year of competitive, price-sensitive virtual reality gear targeting consumers along with the Meta Platforms $400 Quest 2. Crowdfunded firm Goovis and its $800 VR headset made it onto the list of CES 2023’s Crowdfunding Island success stories, as compiled by Kickstarter ad firm Jellop. The Vive XR Elite offers AR capability in addition to VR in a form factor that approaches something like glasses, as opposed to the usual bulky headwear. An allowance for AR apps opens the door to practical applications in everyday life in addition to entertainment applications in the metaverse.

“Years after unofficially exiting the consumer VR space in favor of enterprise products, HTC has returned with its first standalone headset for consumers,” Engadgetreports, detailing the Vive XR Elite, which offers “VR and passthrough mixed reality (MR),” is pricier than the Meta Quest 2 but more affordable than the Meta Quest Pro (typically $1,500, but advertised as low as $1,300 online).

“This Vive headset looks, more than ever, like it’s a stepping stone to future AR glasses,” notes CNET at CES 2023, adding, “we know the virtual reality use cases are great. The AR side is amazing, too.”

Similar to the Meta Quest Pro, Quest 2 and Vive’s own enterprise targeted Focus 3, the Vive XR Elite relies on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 chip, but “adds a higher-resolution 110-degree field of view, LCD displays with 2K resolution per eye that can run at 90Hz” and “a boosted 12GB of RAM along with 128GB of storage,” reports CNET.

HTC’s latest is “mostly standalone” in that it “can connect to PCs to run SteamVR or HTC’s VivePort software, or connect with Android phones,” CNET writes, noting that “its potential as a bridge to AR experiences seems like the most impressive feature.”

At 340 grams, the Vive XR Elite is less than 50 percent as heavy as the Quest Pro. “It gets even smaller by unclipping the back battery strap and adding glasses arms that can turn the headset into a modified pair of VR glasses, which could just plug into an external USB-C charger or battery for power,” explains CNET, adding that “the rear hot-swappable battery gives about two hours of life.”

Experience the all-in-one VIVE Focus 3, which offers incredible graphics, crisp resolution, powerful graphics processing and tracking without the need for a PC or base station. Perfect for advanced professional applications.

VIVE Focus 3"s energy-efficient design provides up to 2 hours of continuous use. Quickly recharge to 50% power in just 30 minutes. For all-day VR use, the battery can be replaced in seconds for easy and convenient charging.

This all-in-one VR headset has received both FCC and CE certification for Wi-Fi 6E. With this update, customers in the US, the UK, Germany and France are now able to access Wi-Fi 6E bandwidth on their VIVE Focus 3 devices, powered by the Snapdragon® XR2 platform featuring Qualcomm® FastConnect™ 6900 connectivity system.

VIVE Focus 3 is now able to support tracking across a much larger play area, allowing businesses to leverage very large spaces and deliver a truly free-roaming experience.

VIVE Focus 3 now offers Map Sharing, a hugely requested feature, especially among our LBE customers. It allows multiple users to operate accurate co-location tracking in a shared space, without having to individually setup or calibrate each HMD.