HTC launches Vive Focus Vision XR headset for enterprises and high-end gaming

HTC Vive is launching the Vive Focus Vision XR headsets for enterprises and high-end gaming fans.

The new extended reality (XR) headset is the latest in HTC Vive Focus Series of high-end virtual reality and mixed reality headsets. It has a wealth of improvements and new features to give gamers and enterprise users alike the best possible immersive experience for PCVR and standalone gaming. It will cost $999 for the consumer version and $1,299 for the business edition.

It’s also 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, gave me a briefing on the headset 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,” Ye said. “We’ve now brought Vive Focus Vision to PCVR gaming.”

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.

The Vive Focus 3 has been in the market for about three years now. That device has been successful in enterprises, location-based entertainment, healthcare, defense, manufacturing and more. Sandbox VR entertainment venues use the Vive products.

“It’s really robust for high-throughput scenarios, especially in universities and arcades,” Ye said. “It was used in space in a microgravity environment.”

He added, “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.”

Tech details

The Vive Focus Vision has DisplayPort mode for PCVR, enabling lossless visuals by connecting the headset directly to a PC graphics card. The device has a Qualcomm XR2 processor.

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.

And 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; and dual 16MP color cameras for stereoscopic full color passthrough.

The headset has up to 120-degree FOV and 90Hz refresh rate, and it will have support for 120Hz refresh rate via DisplayPort mode coming late 2024. It also has combined 5k resolution across both eyes, depth sensor for scene recognition and infra-red sensor for enhanced tracking in low-light conditions.

“We have 5K resolution across both eyes, 90 hertz refresh rate, and we’ll be releasing 120 hertz for DisplayPort mode,” Ye said. “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.”

It now has depth-corrected mixed reality, with two stereo, four-color, high-resolution passthrough cameras.

“We’ve also added a depth center at the front to really enhance those mixed reality experiences,” he said.

You can also use Vive Desk for Vive XR Elite where you can mirror your displays to your headsets from a Mac or Windows PC. He said it also has front and rear magnetic and cleanable gaskets that are important for a lot of the arcade customers who have to clean headsets between users. The headsets also have to withstand abuse from users.

“The headset price really isn’t an issue for them. Their biggest cost is downtime and manpower,” Ye said. “Beig able to swap out a clean gasket rather than spending 30 seconds to clean it ends up saving them a ton of money over time.”

The battery lasts for up to two hours of usage. The battery is also hot swappable, so the headset has a tiny battery in front to sustain it for up to 20 minutes in a suspended state so that there is enough time to swap a battery and then continue. The fan is better and that helps accommodate new electronics. There is a quick release button in the back of the headband alongside the tightening or loosening wheel.

The audio has open speakers but thanks to noise cancellation, no one can really hear the sounds coming out of your headset. The dual microphones have echo and noise cancellation.

The converter allows users to have a variety of different DisplayPorts and then connect a USB DisplayPort for power and then convert all of that signal directly into a single cable.

How to order

Pre-orders for Vive Focus Vision are open from today through September 30. Pre-orders within this window will receive a Vive Wired Streaming Kit for DisplayPort mode valued at $149 free of charge. Additionally, Vive Focus Vision buyers will have their choice of one of three popular game bundles as a complimentary package.

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

Pre-orders are now open worldwide with time-limited special offers available. Customers can get a
games bundle and a Vive Wired Streaming Kit for DisplayPort mode at no additional cost
during the pre-order window.