HTC Vive Pro review: Eye-popping VR, with a price that’s a little too real
Enlarge / Blue is the new black. (credit: Kyle Orland)
| Headset specs | ||
|---|---|---|
| HTC Vive Pro | HTC Vive | |
| Display | 2880i-1600 (1440i-1600 per eye) AMOLED panels | 2160i-1200 (1080i-1200 per eye) AMOLED panels |
| Refresh rate | 90 Hz | 90 Hz |
| Field of view | 110 degrees | 110 degrees |
| Audio | Integrated adjustable earcups with 3D directional audio support; built-in microphone | Audio extension dongle to plug generic headphones to headset; built-in microphone |
| PC connection | Custom single-piece cable with PC junction box | Three-part multi-cable (HDMI, USB, power) with PC junction box |
| Included Accessories | None | Two wireless motion-tracked controllers with rechargeable 960mAh batteries, two SteamVR 1.0 room-scale tracking stations |
| Included games | Six-month Viveport subscription (offered until June 3) | Fallout 4 VR, two-month Viveport subscription |
| Price | $799 ($1,099 with two tracking stations, two controllers) | $499 |
With the consumer-level virtual reality "revolution" now two years old, it's about time to start thinking about what the second generation of high-end headsets can improve upon. But HTC's first true shot at the "next generation" has us thinking less about the improvements and more about the cost.
HTC's Vive Pro, launching this week, comes with a name and a price tag ($799 for an upgrade from the original Vive, or $1,099 for new Vive owners) that suggests a revelatory jump in the VR experience, well beyond what already wowed us in early 2016. But in practice, the Vive Pro feels more like a subtle refinement of existing ideas rather than a true next-generation follow-up.
In short, the new headset smooths out many of the biggest annoyances with the original Vive: there's a more comfortable headstrap, integrated "spatial audio" headphones, and a higher-resolution screen that makes details pop in virtual reality. Those improvements make the Vive Pro quite possibly the best VR headset currently available for general consumer use.
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