During HTC’s VIVE CON 2021 event earlier this week, HTC dropped details on two new VR headsets.
While we might be a little late to the party, we’re pretty hyped for the release of two new VR headsets from HTC. While Oculus might have been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons of late, HTC is aiming to add something of an upgrade with the introduction of the HTC VIVE Pro 2 and HTC Vive Focus 3 headsets.
Vive Pro 2
Already available for pre-order, the HTC tout the Vive Pro 2 as a consumer-focused headset that takes VR to the next level. It comes barely a year after the Cosmos series got its announcement and yet the specs for the Pro 2 are worth reading through. The specifications that come bundled with the latest in HTC’s arsenal certainly do impress that upon us. The Vive Pro 2 packs in a 5K resolution display, pushing 2.5K content to each eye. This fast-switching panel comes with a 120 Hz refresh rate, and real RGB sub-pixels, for crystal clear and super smooth animations. The Vive Pro 2 also features a field of view increase to 120 degrees thanks to VIVE Pro 2’s new bespoke dual stacked-lens design and backwards compatibility with DisplayPort 1.2 and existing Vive Steam VR ecosystem accessories.
The Vive Pro 2 is already available for pre-order at a special discounted rate of £659 / $749 / €739 for the headset. Anybody looking for a full bundle, including base station and controllers will have to wait for a little longer before splashing out £1299 / $1399 / €1399 on August 4 over on the Vive website.
Vive Focus 3
The Vive Focus 3 is the second new headset to appear out of Vive this week. The VR manufacturer is leaning heavily towards business users with a new All-In-One device. The Vive Focus 3 still manages 5K resolution with class-leading dual 2.5K displays, a smooth 90Hz refresh rate and an ultra-wide 120-degree field of view, but without many of the add ons you’ll expect from a VR gaming headset. Adding to its general ease of use, this version of the Vive headset comes with open back speakers, a new strap design, and a battery that can provide 50% capacity in just 30 minutes.
With an AI-powered inside-out tracking algorithm, sitting atop the premium-quality Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ XR2 Platform, the Vive Focus 3 might come in at a tad more than the Oculus Quest at £1060 / $1300 / €1180, but there is likely to be no comparison when it lands on 24 June 2021.
You can check out more about both new Vive headsets over at the official HTC Vive website now, and prepare your credit cards for those hefty pre-order prices.
