HTC launches Vive Focus Vision XR headset: aimed at enterprises and high-end gaming at $999

HTC is launching its new Vive Focus Vision XR headset aimed at enterprises and high-end gamers, with the new extended reality (XR) headset the latest member of HTC Vive's Vive Focus Series of high-end VR and XR headsets.

The new HTC Vive Focus Vision XR headset is priced at $999 and features high-end features for high-end gamers and enterprises that want to be immersed in PCVR and standalone gaming. The new XR headset is built as a model for Location-Based Experiences (LBE), industrial training, collaboration, and mixed-reality applications.

Shen Ye, global head of product at HTC Vive, told VentureBeat in an interview: "Not only is it great for gamers, but it's also going to be great for gamers that are experiencing this in arcades and other LBE experiences. We've now brought Vive Focus Vision to PCVR gaming".

On the PC side of things, the new HTC Vive Focus Vision XR headset has DisplayPort mode for PCVR, which enables lossless visuals through physically connecting the headset to the graphics card inside of your PC, while the headset itself feautres a Qualcomm XR processor.

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HTC Vive Focus Vision features:

• 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 90Hz refresh rate. Support for 120Hz 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

The DisplayPort mode on the Vive Focus Vision XR headset enables both enterprises and high-end gamers to enjoy content just as the developers intended, without any degradation in visual quality. For VR gamers with large SteamVR libraries, you're going to have your eyes on (pun intended) on the new Vive Focus Vision headset.

HTC's new Vive Focus Vision has auto-IPD adjustment with integrated eye-tracking, letting wearers easily share the headset with other people. It'll automatically adjust the interpupillary distance of the lenses for crystal-clear visuals, each and every time. Auto-IPD also goes hand-in-hand with high-user turnover environments, like VR arcades, LBEs, and training events.

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Inside, there are two front-facing cameras that enable stereoscopic passthrough, letting users see the real world with natural depth perception while wearing the Vive Focus Vision XR headset. HTC has also baked in a new cooling system, allowing the headset to run cooler over longer periods of time. There's also a built-in sub-battery that keeps the XR headset running for up to 20 minutes when you're swapping out batteries, so there's no downtimes in those enterprise environments.

Now, onto the display: HTC is using a 120-degree FOV and 90Hz refresh rate, promising an upgrade to 120Hz via DisplayPort mode in "late 2024". It has a combined 5K resolution across both eyes, depth sensor for scene recognition, and an infra-red sensor for enhanced tracking in low-light conditions.

He continued: "It's really robust for high-throughput scenarios, especially in universities and arcades. It was used in space in a microgravity environment. After three years, it needed an upgrade, but we also wanted to make it. We wanted to build on top of it. So that's where we're going with the Vive Focus Vision".

HTC's new Vive Focus Vision XR headset uses the popular Vive Focus 3 platform, and expands on it with upgraded visuals and comfort, as well as improvements in operational efficiency and headset sharing for multi-user cases. The new XR headset can be used in multi-user scenarios -- that are rather popular in VR arcades -- as well as employee training for healthcare, defense, finance, manufacturing, and other businesses and applications.

As for the display, resolution and refresh rate of the new HTC Vive Focus Vision XR headset, Ye explained: "We have 5K resolution across both eyes, 90 hertz refresh rate, and we'll be releasing 120 hertz for DisplayPort mode. For this specific headset, we also decided that we're going to integrate eye tracking directly as well. It's safe to say this will be the best headset for you to play VR content with the highest fidelity".

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Ye added: "Vive Focus Vision gives you the best of both worlds, with outstanding standalone capabilities, and DisplayPort mode support for visually lossless PCVR experiences. 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".

The new HTC Vive Focus Vision XR headset has a battery life of around 2 hours, but given that they're hot-swappable, this is going to be a game-changer for many use cases. The improved fan will also help long-term use in VR arcades and such.

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On the audio side of things, there's open speakers with noise cancellation, so no one outside of the headset can hear what is coming out. There are also dual microphones with echo and noise cancellation, while the converter allows different DisplayPorts and then connects a USB DisplayPort for power, converting all of that signal into a single, easy-to-use cable.

HTC has pre-orders open starting Spetember 30 for its new Vive Focus Vision XR headset, with pre-orders taken in this time getting a free Vive Wired Streaming Kit for DisplayPort mode valued at $149. Vive Focus Vision buyers will also receive one of three popular games bundled for free.

HTC is pricing its new Vive Focus Vision XR headset at $999.