This Thursday, at the consumer electronics show (CES) 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada, HTC VIVE debuted XR (extended reality) Elite, a lightweight mixed reality (MR) headset to rival the Meta Quest product portfolio.
The upcoming device directly compares to the Meta Quest Pro’s popular mobility characteristics. It also boosts similar MR passthrough features, which Meta advertised when the firm announced the Quest Pro during Connect 2022.
Go small or go home. pic.twitter.com/PUqqKn4V5E
— HTC VIVE (@htcvive) October 6, 2022
HTC VIVE officially introduced the device on January 5 at CES. The firm gives buyers access to the device via pre-order sales for roughly £1,299.00.
The fully mobile and lightweight VIVE XR Elite headset enables operators to enjoy high-quality virtual reality (VR) or MR graphics via its full-colour passthrough feature.
HTC VIVE designed its device as a convertible and compact “all-in-one XR headset”, which can transform into a lightweight pair of smart goggles from its base headset frame. In the transformation stage, wearers can modify the XR Elite headset and personally set the inter-pupillary distance (IPD) and diopter dials to best suit their eye space.
The headset also contains a 1920 pixels per eye resolution to support its highly detailed immersive applications and environments. Moreover, the XR Elite’s 6 DoF inside-out tracking, 90 Hz refresh rate, and up to 110-degree field of view enable users to explore immersive spatial worlds fully.
Additionally, the XR Elite device contains rich components that enable the headset to track player movements accurately. For example, the device includes four tracking cameras, a 16 MP RGB camera, Gyroscope, and a proximity sensor.
Because the XR Elite device is a mobile solution, the device comes with sophisticated inside-out tracking, which supports up to 10x10mm play spaces – with HTC recommending a minimum area of 1.5m x 1.5m (seated or standing).
CES 2023: Meta’s Steep Competition from HTC VIVE
HTC VIVE’s XR Elite headset contains many obvious design traits similar to the Meta Quest Pro, a luxury MR device for work and entertainment.
Both devices allow an operator to experience MR applications for various end-use cases.
Specific XR Elite technical specs are more impressive than the Meta Ques Pro. For example, the XR Elite’s battery life is much higher than the Meta Quest Pro’s.
VIVE XR Elite contains up to 15 hours of battery life, much higher than the Quest Pro’s 1-2 hours. An MR headset’s battery life is vital for casual and enterprise-grade mobile device adoption. It allows users to immersive themselves for extended periods without needing to charge a device.
Moreover, HTC Vive is also selling the XR Elite with its Metaverse service, VIVEVERSE, ready at launch.
VIVEVERSE provides virtual shared environments where users can work, play, and socialise in immersive, interactive worlds.
HTC VIVE’s metaverse experience closely mirrors Meta’s Horizon service. Horizon contains sister applications, accessible via portals, that enable users to enjoy a range of bespoke immersive spaces, from live events to remote collaboration.
VIVEVERSE also contains several VR environments which suit individual needs. Again, a user can move between digital spaces via in-game portals.
