HTC VIVE Launches VIVE Focus Vision XR Headset for Gaming

[Nomad76]

HTC VIVE, the global leader in premium XR solutions, today launches its new cutting-edge headset VIVE Focus Vision. The new Extended Reality (XR) headset is the latest in HTC VIVE's highly popular VIVE Focus Series, with a wealth of improvements and new features to give gamers and enterprise users alike the best possible immersive experience for PCVR and standalone gaming, as well as Location-Based Experiences (LBE), industrial training, collaboration, and mixed reality applications.

"VIVE Focus Vision gives you the best of both worlds, with outstanding standalone capabilities, and DisplayPort mode support for visually lossless PCVR experiences," said Shen Ye, Global Head of Product at HTC VIVE. "Now, PC gamers can bring the same high-end headsets used in VR arcades into their homes. We're taking everything to the next level with built-in eye-tracking, stereo color passthrough cameras for depth-correct Mixed Reality, and even an infra-red sensor for enhanced hand tracking in low-light conditions."





VIVE Focus Vision takes the popular VIVE Focus 3 platform and expands upon it with significant updates in visuals and comfort, as well as improvements in operational efficiency and headset sharing for multi-user scenarios. Such multi-user setups are popular with businesses like VR arcades, and employee training for healthcare, defense, finance, manufacturing, and other sectors.

VIVE Focus Vision features DisplayPort mode for PCVR, enabling lossless visuals by connecting the headset directly to a PC graphics card. With DisplayPort, gamers and enterprise users alike can enjoy content exactly as the developers intended, without degradation of quality. This is perfect for PCVR gamers who have SteamVR game collections, as well as enterprise organizations who want to deliver a powerful immersive experience.

VIVE Focus Vision has auto-IPD adjustment with integrated eye tracking, so users can easily share the headset with friends, family, and colleagues, and it will automatically adjust the interpupillary distance of the lenses for crystal-clear visuals every time. Auto-IPD is also perfect for high-user turnover environments, like LBEs and training events.

Two front-facing color cameras enable stereoscopic passthrough, so users can see the world with natural depth perception while wearing the headset, making Mixed Reality experiences even more realistic. VIVE Focus Vision features a revamped cooling system, allowing for highly comfortable sessions. It also has a built-in sub-battery to keep the device running for up to 20 minutes while swapping batteries, so users never lose their place in an XR experience.



Highlighted features include:

• Built-in eye tracking and motorized auto-IPD adjustment
• DisplayPort mode for stunning, visually lossless PCVR experiences
• Dual 16MP color cameras for stereoscopic full color passthrough
• Up to 120-degree FOV and 90 Hz refresh rate. Support for 120 Hz refresh rate via DisplayPort mode coming late 2024.
• Combined 5k resolution across both eyes
• Depth sensor for scene recognition
• Infra-red sensor for enhanced tracking in low-light conditions

Pre-orders for VIVE Focus Vision are open from 9/18 through 10/17, 2024. Pre-orders will receive a VIVE Wired Streaming Kit for DisplayPort mode valued at USD $149 free of charge. Additionally, VIVE Focus Vision buyers will have their choice of one of three popular game bundles as a complimentary package.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[colossusrageblack]

2448 x 2448 per eye and connect over DP, I would imagine this is as sharp of a picture as you can get from PC right? Also, it's $999.

 

[Mindweaver]

This would have been great 2-3 years ago. I don't see any VR/MR HMD being successful right now using Fresnel lenses at this price range. This should have pancake lenses, maybe they will announce a pro which would make it the longest name by far, "HTC Vive Focus Vision XR". Imagine adding Pro to the end of that name. Unfortunately, it seems like another missed opportunity for HTC.

 

[dj-electric]

2448 x 2448 per eye and connect over DP, I would imagine this is as sharp of a picture as you can get from PC right? Also, it's $999.

The relative pixel size here is much, much larger than your typical 1440p 27" or 2160p 32" monitor.
"Sharp" headset displays today reach 4096x4096 per eye and there's quite a road ahead from there.

 

[Mindweaver]

This would have been great 2-3 years ago. I don't see any VR/MR HMD being successful right now using Fresnel lenses. This should have pancake lenses, maybe they will announce a pro which would make it the longest name by far, "HTC Vive Focus Vision XR". Imagine adding Pro to the end of that name. Unfortunately, it seems like another missed opportunity for HTC.

I meant to add being successful at this price range. The new Quest 3s should be successful at it's lower price range.

 

[tpuuser256]

It's a versatile headset, not the best for image quality for sure

 

[yfn_ratchet]

Had they thrown in a face-tracking module as well for that $1k price tag this would be REALLY compelling, but as is I think the Beyond offers the better base for my single-user, consumer-oriented use. Really dig the low weight/profile. Also, a pretty healthy modding community, apparently.

 

[ZoneDymo]

great but I still have to ask....what...do you actually DO with this?
Just...beatsaber?

 

[yfn_ratchet]

great but I still have to ask....what...do you actually DO with this?
Just...beatsaber?

VR CAD, robotics operation, remote conferencing (especially at larger scales), pilot training, gunner training, and, y'know, the plethora of other VR games, and developing those games. It's niche, but it does have its place.

 

[Bwaze]

This is basically the same as the old HP Reverb G2 that was on sales for 300 EUR...

Also, I don't think there will be many people willing to invest into VR, since games are getting more and more demanding regarding GPU power, and we're "beyond Moore's Law", in the time where you will pay for increase in performance with increase in price. Expect $1800 RTX 5080, 50 % faster than RTX 4080 with 50% higher price, and we will be told by reviewers why this is a good thing!

 

[Kyan]

This is basically the same as the old HP Reverb G2 that was on sales for 300 EUR...

Also, I don't think there will be many people willing to invest into VR, since games are getting more and more demanding regarding GPU power, and we're "beyond Moore's Law", in the time where you will pay for increase in performance with increase in price.

For basic tethered pcvr, yes it's basically an HP reverb G2. But this headset is standalone, have eye tracking, auto-IPD adjustment, full color passthrough, higher FOV and refresh rate.
But no pancake lenses in 2024 is a miss oportunity to make it better in term of image quality. It's not a bad headset, just build like an enterprise headset from 2020, so a lot of tech but nothing cuting edge or very recent. I would love it without the standalone hardware, a lot cheaper and lighter with a good feature set.

 

[Chrispy_]

I'm not replacing my VR headset until SDE is solved, and to do that we need 3500-5000 resolution per eye and hardware-integrated foveated rendering (because nothing can realistically push 25-50 Megapixels at sensible framerates for VR without foveated rendering)

For $999, 2.8K per eye is still going to suffer from SDE, and that's really the only issue with older/cheaper headsets. Why spend this much if you're not going to get rid of the biggest downside of headsets half the price?

 

[Mindweaver]

great but I still have to ask....what...do you actually DO with this?
Just...beatsaber?

Probably the biggest use case would be VRChat. lol

 

[Chrispy_]

But no pancake lenses in 2024 is a miss oportunity to make it better in term of image quality.

Fresnel lenses are terrible for image quality, if that's what you mean. I'd much rather have a slightly thicker lens to avoid all the drawbacks of flat Fresnel lenses.

Or are pancake lenses something else?

 

[tpuuser256]

This is basically the same as the old HP Reverb G2 that was on sales for 300 EUR...

Also, I don't think there will be many people willing to invest into VR, since games are getting more and more demanding regarding GPU power, and we're "beyond Moore's Law", in the time where you will pay for increase in performance with increase in price. Expect $1800 RTX 5080, 50 % faster than RTX 4080 with 50% higher price, and we will be told by reviewers why this is a good thing!

There is always software optimization if needed

 

[Kyan]

Fresnel lenses are terrible for image quality, if that's what you mean. I'd much rather have a slightly thicker lens to avoid all the drawbacks of flat Fresnel lenses.

Or are pancake lenses something else?

Pancake lenses are the newest tech used in recent headset like the quest 3, quest pro, pico 4 ultra. I've re-read the article and there's no mention of the lenses tech used. So it may be pancake lenses.

 

[konga]

VR CAD, robotics operation, remote conferencing (especially at larger scales), pilot training, gunner training, and, y'know, the plethora of other VR games, and developing those games. It's niche, but it does have its place.

Don't forget sim racing and flight sims. VR sims are awesome and still an actively evolving scene (Flight Sim 2024 is releasing soon with VR support).

That said, this has slightly less resolution than the Reverb G2. That would be fine with me if this had pancake lenses, but it most likely does not. I would like to replace my Reverb G2 since WMR is dying, but its fresnel lenses are by far that headset's biggest drawback (other than the controller tracking, which I don't care about for sim usage) and I won't replace it with another headset using that lens type.

 

[Bwaze]

Yeah, DCS World is amazing with my Reverb G2, except the performance with RTX 3080 really isn't quite enough...