HTC introduced a brand new model of its Vive VR headset final evening within the type of the eye-boggling, doubtlessly soul-stealing Vive Pro. Upgrades embody sharper OLED shows, all new headphones and a shiny redesigned headband. But the true star of HTC’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) line-up is arguably the primary official Vive Wireless Adaptor, permitting you to chop the cables on each the Pro and common Vive for a very wire-free VR expertise.
The Wireless Adaptor – to not be confused with TPCast’s wireless add on that HTC helped finance last year – will possible be a separate buy for each headsets (there is perhaps a Pro/Wireless Adaptor bundle at launch, however don’t get your hopes up), however this tiny chunk of plastic (see beneath) ought to make VR an entire lot simpler, dramatically chopping the probability of falling flat in your bottom after tripping over a wire.
Operating within the interference-free 60GHz band, it makes use of Intel’s WiGig (or wi-fi gigabit) tech to speak along with your PC, and thus ought to consequence in low latency and excessive efficiency. There’s no phrase but on how a lot it is going to price, but it surely count on it to begin delivery someday between July and September this 12 months.
Behold, the Vive Wireless Adaptor
It ought to make a very good companion for the brand new Vive Pro, which has been fully redesigned for high-end VR fanatics. Now in a fetching shade of blue, the Vive Pro comes with twin OLED shows and a mixed decision of 2880×1600. That’s a 78% improve within the variety of pixels over the common Vive, which had a decision of 2160 x 1200 (4480000 pixels vs 2592000, if you wish to get actual deep about it), so pictures ought to look an entire lot sharper and fewer like somebody’s smeared a load of Vaseline in entrance of your eyeballs.
Of course, the next decision means your graphics card may also should work that a lot more durable to supply that many pixels, however HTC’s but to say whether or not it is going to be making any modifications to its really helpful PC specification. The headset’s refresh charge, in the meantime, stays at 90Hz.
The Vive Pro additionally comes with what HTC’s calling ‘high performance headphones’. These now assist 3D spatial sound for extra immersive audio, and include a built-in amplifier – a marked enchancment on the decidedly headphone-less Vive of yore.
The headstrap, face cushion and nostril pad block have been redesigned for added consolation as effectively. The former now has a sizing dial to assist the headset really feel extra balanced in your face and reduce the quantity of weight urgent down in your nostril, whereas the cushion is supposed to dam out extra gentle out of your environment.
You’ll additionally discover twin microphones with energetic noise cancellation and, in fact, these soul-eating front-facing cameras that make the entire thing look slightly bit an excessive amount of like WALL-E’s evil cousin for me to be fully relaxed with it.
“There’s a clear need in the VR market for a premium VR experience with high resolution display, integrated audio and the best components available today in a headset,” mentioned Daniel O’Brien, basic supervisor of Vive US. “Vive Pro offers an immediate upgrade for both VR enthusiasts and enterprises that want to utilise the best VR experience.”
Well, ‘immediate’ may not be fairly the precise phrase, as particulars on the Vive Pro’s availability and the way a lot it is going to price are nonetheless very a lot TBC in the meanwhile. I wouldn’t be stunned if it ended being extra of a business headset slightly than one you’d arrange at residence, however hopefully we’ll discover out quickly.
