HTC Vive is following up its intriguing, but costly, XR Elite headset with one thing that is nonetheless fairly expensive, the $999 Focus Imaginative and prescient. Constructed on the identical platform because the standalone Vive Focus 3, the upgraded mannequin provides a slew of recent options like built-in eye monitoring, 16MP stereo shade front-facing cameras for combined actuality and automated IPD adjustment (which makes it simpler to share). And with the extra $149 DisplayPort wired streaming package, players may hook the Focus Imaginative and prescient as much as their PCs for extra intensive VR experiences.
Judging from the worth and options alone, the Focus Imaginative and prescient is not a lot of a mainstream client play from HTC Vive. However that is to be anticipated. Whereas Meta has poured tens of billions into making its Quest headsets cheaper and extra accessible, with none want to fret about profitability, HTC Vive has leaned in the direction of making costlier headsets higher suited to enterprise and authorities work. The Focus 3, for instance, made its option to the Worldwide House Station to assist astronauts train and chill out.
Whereas the Vive XR Elite regarded nearly like a pair of over-sized glasses, the Focus Imaginative and prescient does not look a lot totally different than the Focus 3. It is clearly a normal VR headset, albeit one a step above the Meta Quest 3, a tool largely made from cheaper plastic and different low-grade supplies. There’s loads of cushioning alongside the entrance headset and rear head strap, and there is greater than sufficient room to suit massive glasses.
Beneath the hood, the Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient includes a 5K LCD show, delivering a 2.5K decision per eye, a 90Hz refresh price and a large 120-degree discipline of view. (HTC says it’s going to acquire 120Hz assist over DisplayPort later this 12 months.) Along with the 2 16MP front-facing cameras, that are positioned like human eyes for distortion-free combined actuality, there’s additionally an infra-red flood gentle for hand monitoring in low gentle, 4 exterior monitoring cameras and the standard depth sensor.
As soon as once more, HTC has caught a detachable battery pack within the headset’s rear strap, however now there’s additionally a small built-in battery providing a further 20 minutes of standby cost. Which means you possibly can swap battery packs with out shutting down the headset and leaving your VR immersion. That function alone could possibly be compelling to organizations the place workers should put on the Focus Imaginative and prescient for hours on finish. HTC claims the headset can final for 2 hours of steady use.
With the Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient, HTC can also be making a play for high-end VR gaming. Whereas Meta’s Quest headsets can connect with gaming PCs wirelessly and with USB-C cables, they’re primarily delivering a compressed video feed of VR experiences from these system. The Focus Imaginative and prescient’s DisplayPort package features extra like a normal PC VR headset: It offers you a direct connection to your laptop’s video card. You should not see any of the lag or compression artifacts that you just often do with Meta Quest to PC connections.
As I anticipated, the Focus Imaginative and prescient feels similar to the Focus 3. It is simple to placed on alter, there’s greater than sufficient room for my glasses to suit, and the entrance and rear cushioning helps it relaxation comfortably on my noggin. Due to the rear battery pack, the headset additionally feels well-balanced on my head. Different headsets, even Apple’s Imaginative and prescient Professional, can really feel front-heavy and place strain in your nostril and eyes.
In relation to the precise VR expertise, the Focus Imaginative and prescient delivers what I would count on from an costly HTC Vive headset. The 5K show is sharp sufficient to learn small textual content, and its massive discipline of view makes wandering round areas in Nature Treks VR really feel genuinely immersive. I have not had a lot of an opportunity to attempt PC gaming simply but, however I am trying ahead to delving into that for our assessment.
I am nonetheless disenchanted by the restricted choice of apps within the VivePort retailer, however as soon as once more this is not a tool that should cater a lot to basic VR customers. Firms counting on the Focus Imaginative and prescient will both use current enterprise apps or construct one thing for themselves. And players seemingly will not spend a lot time exterior of the wired DisplayPort connection, the place they will entry the complete bounty of their SteamVR libraries.
The Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient is obtainable for pre-order at present for $999 ($1,299 for companies with a further guarantee) till September 30. HTC may also throw within the DisplayPort package free for early adopters, and there are additionally three recreation bundles to select from.