HTC's new premium Vive XR Elite mixed-reality headset costs more than $1,000
The VR/AR headset is HTC's next-gen premium offering
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: HTC Vive XR Elite
🌟 HTC has a new, top-of-the-line mixed-reality headset on the way
🥽 The HTC Vive XR Elite looks like a Meta Quest Pro
🎮 And is aimed toward gaming as well as professional productivity tools
💰 It’ll set you back a chunky $1,099
HTC has revealed its next-gen all-in-one premium VR headset that’s set to launch next month, but will cost you a pretty penny.
The HTC Vive XR Elite is pitched as a lightweight, convertible headset that supports PC VR gaming as well as broader consumer and commercial uses, and even mixed reality features. It’ll set you back a hefty $1,099, placing it in the realm of the high-end Meta Quest Pro and, likely, Apple’s long-rumored mixed-reality headset that’s expected to arrive sometime next year.
The XR Elite will be more compact and streamlined than many of the VR headsets that have made it to market in the past. Its front section looks sleek, and its back battery can be replaced for a simple, lighter headrest. You’ll then be able to hook up the headset to a PC or phone over USB so you can watch movies or do any other stationary activity more comfortably. It can even fold up like a pair of sunglasses, making it one of the more portable options out there.
While you’ll need to wire it up to a PC to play games, the headset can be used with other software untethered. High-resolution XR passthrough means it can be used for basic AR, too, and even the diopters of each lens can be adjusted so you can see its screen, in focus, without wearing glasses.
Internally, the HTC Vive XR Elite’s specs aren’t jaw-dropping. It’s packing a 3849 x 1920 resolution display that offers up to a 110-degree field of view and 90Hz refresh rate, as well as four wide-angle tracking cameras, 12GB RAM, 120GB storage, and the Snapdragon XR2 processor found in the Meta Quest 2. Its battery should last for two hours and fast-charges in 30 mins.
HTC says over 100 games will be compatible with the headset at launch, but this isn’t a rival to PSVR 2 and more gaming-focused VR kits. Between the list of PSVR 2 games already announced, and
's impressive PSVR 2 hands-on, it looks like Sony’s next-gen VR hardware will likely be the way to go if you’re just looking to play games, and aren’t interested in using the headset for professional work or as a productivity tool.Plus, the most recent PSVR 2 game announcements might be all you need to finally convince you to check it out.
The HTC Vive XR Elite is available to pre-order on Amazon now.