I reviewed HTC’s new Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient, a lossless VR headset constructed for PC gaming

HTC’s Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient combines a number of the greatest options of its Vive XR Elite, Focus 3, and Professional 2 to create a brand new VR headset that helps visually lossless PCVR and blended actuality gaming in standalone mode.

I bought an opportunity to do this intriguing new system. I explored its strengths and dug for any weaknesses, evaluating it to earlier HTC fashions and one of the best VR headsets to check if it’s well-suited to gaming, work, and informal use. Regardless of a traditional tethered connection, the Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient nonetheless manages to face out.

Lossless PCVR

Whereas standalone VR headsets just like the Meta Quest 3 or the Vive XR Elite tout wi-fi connections to your pc to play SteamVR video games, a direct wired connection can cut back latency and supply a cleaner image.

HTC’s new Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient permits visually lossless PCVR by way of a DisplayPort connection. Meaning it’s unlikely you’ll see any compression artifacts and muddy textures with this methodology.

You’ll want a DisplayPort to USB-C adapter. I used HTC’s DisplayPort mode package, which features a charger, loads of adapters, and cables to ensure you can join the Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient to your graphics card.

Whereas the decision per eye is 2448×2448 pixels, your GPU will probably be delivering twice that quantity at 90 to 120 frames per second (fps). That’s a extra demanding job than outputting to a 4K PC monitor, so ensure you have a gaming desktop that’s as much as the problem. When you constructed your individual PC, you’ll want the most effective graphics playing cards.

As a PCVR headset, your pc does the heavy lifting and the Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient acts as a head-mounted show. It really works properly, with a display screen crisp sufficient for productiveness and VR gaming.

I didn’t discover any compression artifacts or lag whereas enjoying on my Nvidia RTX 4070. Basic VR titles like Half-Life: Alyxin addition to each different sport I performed, seemed sharp and largely clear. The one concern is HTC’s use of Fresnel lenses.

Whereas most new VR headsets use pancake lenses, Fresnel is an older optical system that appears like stepped ridges etched into the lens. That allows you to deal with shows which might be solely an inch out of your eyes, however brings an unlucky facet impact of seen rings of sunshine in high-contrast pictures. These “god rays” can spoil an in any other case good expertise.

For work use, I had three huge, brilliant screens with no distractions or flaws within the picture. HTC’s Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient comes with Vive Desk, a VR app that connects to Vive Hub on my PC to create digital screens that I can resize and place wherever round my workstation.

It additionally helps hand-tracking and accepts gaze enter. It’s not as dependable because the look-and-pinch system of an Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, however with extra follow and additional enhancement, it may simplify use. The lens ridges are distracting after I look off-center, one other strike in opposition to gaze enter.

For work, a keyboard and mouse remains to be greatest, and Vive Desk let me drag home windows between digital screens and use my mouse cursor to function digital controls.

I may also use the Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient’s built-in rear battery for energy and hook up with Vive Desk wirelessly, or use Digital Desktop or Immersed to remotely hook up with my pc to look at movies, play video games, or work.

Standalone VR

HTC’s Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient is optimized to be used with a PC. It’s a cumbersome, 2-pound VR headset constructed for consolation, with a USB-C 3.2 port that helps DisplayPort. Nonetheless, it additionally works as a standalone headset just like the Vive XR Elite or Focus 3. I can disconnect from the tether and sport or exercise wirelessly.

The Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient can entry the Viveport retailer and he video games in my Vive XR Elite library work. I can paint in Figmin XRsurvive in Zombielandand exercise in Les Mills BodyCombat.

The headset consists of 128 GB of storage that’s expandable with a microSD card as much as 2 TB, so don’t fear about working out of house. The blended actuality view makes use of dual-16MP passthrough cameras and is healthier than that of the Vive XR Elite, which felt a bit zoomed in comparison with actuality.

Few standalone video games assist eye-tracking, however HTC stated foveated rendering is feasible to extend sharpness in cell video games. Meta didn’t take full benefit of the Quest Professional’s eye-tracking past animating avatars, leaving it for builders that not often bothered. I don’t count on a lot developer consideration on the Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient’s eye-tracking both.

Multi-user VR

A number of options make HTC’s Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient a really perfect multi-user headset. Computerized IPD motors regulate the lens spacing for optimum sharpness. A built-in 20 minute battery lets me scorching swap the rear battery. Additionally, the entrance and rear pads are straightforward to take away and clear.

The Vive Focus collection is kind of widespread with location-based leisure venues. Companies like Sandbox VR and The Void have areas throughout the nation the place teams play in a big room designed particularly for multiplayer VR gaming.

HTC designed the Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient as a really perfect improve for the ageing Focus 3, incorporatng the colour passthrough of the Vive XR Elite and the PCVR energy of the Vive Professional 2.

Is the HTC Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient best for you?

At $999, the Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient prices greater than the Vive XR Elite, which is now $899, however the XR Elite’s eye-tracking accent prices $199. When you love VRChatknow you need eye-tracking, and plan to make use of your VR headset for SteamVR, the Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient is the apparent decide.

For standalone use, the Vive XR Elite’s lighter, extra compact design is simpler to maneuver round in and appears like steampunk gear, which I contemplate a bonus. Its pancake lenses are clearer, however the picture decision and passthrough view are worse. Personally, I choose the Vive XR Elite, but it surely’s a tough comparability.

In comparison with the Vive Focus 3, the Imaginative and prescient is a transparent improve. It’s additionally an computerized sure in case you personal a Vive Professional 2. You get eye-tracking, hand-tracking, an inside-out controller, and headset monitoring with out exterior base stations. The Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient additionally has the benefit of hot-swap batteries and coloration passthrough.

When you choose standalone VR, it’s arduous to beat the $500 Meta Quest 3 or new $300 Quest 3S. PC players is perhaps extra considering one of the best VR headsets for Home windows computer systems.

When you just like the sound of the Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient, HTC has a promotional provide by means of October 17, 2024. When you preorder, you’ll get a Vive Wired Streaming Equipment with a selection of three bonus sport packs. The Vive Focus Imaginative and prescient prices $999 for the buyer model and $1,299 for the enterprise version with system administration.