At its ViveCon 2021 virtual event today, HTC unveiled two new virtual reality headsets. The new VR kits are aimed at separate markets, with the HTC Vive Pro 2 heading to PC VR consumers while the standalone HTC Vive Focus 3 is targetting business purposes.
The gaming-orientated Vive Pro 2 touts vast improvements over its predecessor from 2018, coming with a "5K" resolution (2448 pixels per eye), 120-degree FOV display running at 120hz, as well as fast-switching RGB sub-pixels for almost eliminating the annoying screen door effect and motion blur.
HTC is also including an IPD (inter-pupillary distance) slider, an adjustable head strap, a resizing dial, and promising a balanced headset for maximum comfort. The built-in headphones are Hi-Res Audio certified, and third-party headphones are supported as well. The headset is also backward compatible with DisplayPort 1.2, utilizing Display Stream Compression with help from Nvidia and AMD, so that older graphics cards can still enjoy the bigger and better hardware.
The Vive Pro 2 launches on June 4 and pre-orders are available from today. Purchasing the full kit will set consumers back £1299 / $1399 / €1399, with the package including the headset, Base Station 2.0, and Vive Controllers. However, HTC is offering a headset-only upgrade for those who own previous generation Vive or other SteamVR trackers and accessories. This option will cost £659 / $749 / €739 during the pre-order period.
Meanwhile, the business-focused Vive Focus 3"s display is almost identical to the Vive Pro 2, offering a 5K, 120-degree screen with RGB sub-pixels. However, the refresh rate is set at 90hz over here. The magnesium alloy framed headset keeps the IPD sliders as well, and has quick-release buttons for removing the front and rear gaskets for easy cleaning or swapping in between sessions.
This headset is also an all-in-one design, meaning a PC is not a requirement for using it. The chipset powering it is from Qualcomm"S Snapdragon XR2 platform - much like the Quest 2. The battery that"s powering the device is mounted on the back, which means a more balanced design according to HTC. The battery pack can also be swapped easily and touts a 50% charge in 30 minutes.
Contact-free open back speakers with a special "audio privacy setting" for those needing privacy during meetings are also included. While hand tracking is being worked on, HTC is packaging a couple of redesigned controllers that utilize the headset"s cameras for tracking. These are slated to last 15 hours on a single charge.
The Vive Focus 3 will go on sale starting on June 24 with a £1060 / $1300 / €1180 price tag.