HTC teased a better resolution for its Vive VR headset, and while they were correct, the newly announced Vive Pro appears to have some extra perks as well.
But let"s start with the basics. The key to VR is immersion, and better resolution makes that possible. The Vive Pro offers two OLED display with a combined resolution of 2880x1600, a boost from the 2180 x 1200 of the current Vive. The boost will definitely help in cutting down on the screen-door effect - being able to see the space between pixels - of the current set.
The new unit also offers a boost in 3D audio. It adds an in-line amplifier to boost sound, and integrated high-fidelity headphones for better immersion.
The unit has better balance and comfort, with the head-mounted display coming in at a lighter weight. There will also be a dial that will adjust the headset to your head for better comfort.
The Vive Pro is compatible with Steam VR v1.0 and v2.0 tracking, and can utilize up to four base stations. The trackable space is up to 10m x 10m.
The company also showed off a wireless adapter that has been optimized for low latency. It runs in the 60GHz band to cut down on potential interference and uses Intel"s WiGig specifications. It works with both the Vive and the Vive Pro and will be coming sometime this summer.
The Viveport shop currently has more than 2,000 apps currently, more than 40% being free of charge. HTC expects that number to increase to 3,000 by the end of the year. As part of the Viveport VR and Viveport Video options, the company will be offering subscriptions for $7 a month, allowing users to try up to five titles each month.
There was no pricing announced at the press conference for either the Vive Pro or the Wireless adapter, nor was a release date given for the Pro. We will update as we get more details.
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