All things considered, the HTC Vive is probably the highest-end VR solution out there. Now the company is looking to push things to the “next level”
At CES 2018, the firm announced the HTC Vive Pro, a premium headset with a greatly improved display resolution and pixel density.
Find out more: Read our HTC Vive Pro Review.
The Vive Pro has a 2880 x 1600 dual OLED display, falling short of the rumoured 4K resolution but still 78% greater than the 2160 x 1200 original.
The boost to 615ppi, which is better than the Oculus Rift, represents a 74% increase in overall pixel density. This should help with crisper text and graphics within VR experiences.
Another improvement over the OG Vive is the integration of a dual front facing camera, dual microphones and headphones with a built-in amplifier. On the current model, the headphones were only available as an add on.
Beyond the fetching blue colour scheme and a slightly tighter design, the Vive Pro also features a redesigned head strap, making it easier for users to resize to suit their unique noggins.
Thankfully, HTC says it’ll continue to offer the original HTC Vive headset, at least through 2018. Although the company didn’t make any comments on pricing and release date (only to say it would be available soon) the appearance of a new model might open the door to a price cut on the original.
Related: Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive
While the rival Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR headsets have both been trimmed significantly at various points over the last six months, the Vive has largely remained at its significantly higher RRP.
Going wireless
Elsewhere, HTC also announced a wireless adapter, which will work with both the Vive and Vive Pro.
The adapter, which will give wearers freedom from their PCs and follows the release of some third-party solutions, will be available this summer at a price to be confirmed.
In a blog post the company wrote: “The Vive Wireless Adaptor features Intel’s WiGig technology and offers a premium VR wireless experience that operates in the interference-free 60Ghz band, which means lower latency and better performance. The Vive Wireless Adaptor will ship in Q3 to customers worldwide.”
Are you hoping the arrival of the Pro will signal a much-needed Vive price cut? Get in touch @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
