All > HTC Vive Pro 2
HTC Vive Pro 2
Retail Price
$799.00
Lowest Price
$734.00
Release Date
September 23, 2021
The HTC Vive Pro 2 is intended for both professional VR and consumers, offering SteamVR compatibility and HTC’s Viveport ecosystem. Also, it offers some of the highest resolution and cleanest visuals in a consumer-available VR headset. It is priced at $799 for only the headset, requiring an extra spend for the base stations and controllers it needs to work.
Purchase Links
Overview
- Overview
- Mod
- Drawbacks
- Recommendation
- Positive
- Negative
Overview - It's intended for both professional VR and consumers, offering SteamVR compatibility and HTC's Viveport ecosystem. Also, it offers some of the highest resolution and cleanest visuals in a consumer-available VR headset. It is priced at $799 for only the headset, requiring an extra spend for the base stations and controllers it needs to work.
Mod - The openvr_fsr mod has made it HMD, so it's faster in several games where it used to bog down.
Darryll_444
01/12/2022
Drawbacks - The best VR headset on the market today, but is not for gamers, and the user experience needs work. It’s also probably the most confusing VR headset on the market, with many goods and shortcomings as well. Considering the price, it won't be the definitive next-gen best enthusiast headset made.
Recommendation - If you can splurge for the best VR experience available, the Vive Pro 2 is a great option when supplemented with Valve Index base stations and controllers. But, if you want to dabble in VR and are willing to trade less power for a lower price, the standalone $299 Oculus Quest 2 is the most accessible VR headset available.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Sources
Tags
- Overview
- Mod
- Drawbacks
- Recommendation
Sources
- PCMag
- CNET
- YouTube
See All Sources
Cons & Pros
- Cons
- Pros
- Positive
- Negative
Cons - Some cons include the clumsy setup process, the need for a usability overhaul of Viveport/SteamVR, the high price, and the lack of necessary base stations or controllers.
See All Sources
Inclusions & Accessories
- Accessories
- Base Stations
- Cable
- Inclusions
- Link Box
- Positive
- Negative
Accessories - It has several optional accessories, such as the $349 Wireless Adapter Pack that allows wireless connection of the headset to a PC and the $130 Facial Tracker that reads facial expressions.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Base Stations - It currently ships only as a headset but requires 2 compatible base stations and 2 compatible motion controllers to work.. HTC offers different base stations and motion controllers that range in price from $134 to $199.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Cable - It comes with a 16-foot cable that runs out of the headset over the harness' side to drop behind you before connecting to the Link Box that connects to your computer.
Inclusions - It comes with a Link Box, USB-A cable, DisplayPort cable, power adapter, and the Vive Pro 2. On the other hand, a full Vive Pro 2 kit includes SteamVR 2.0 base stations, HTC Vive wand controllers, and a pair of Valve Index controllers.
Sources
Tags
- Accessories
- Base Stations
- Cable
- Inclusions
- Link Box
Sources
- PCMag
- YouTube
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
See All Sources
Build & Design
- Arms
- Build
- Build - Front
- Build - Headset
- Build - Knob
- Connectivity
- Cooling
- Design
- Ergonomics
- Face Pad
- Field of View
- Glare
- Harness
- Headphones
- LCD Panel
- Lenses
- Shell
- Speakers
- Wand Controllers
- Positive
- Negative
Arms - The arms rotate forward and backward to align the earcups to the ears and flip in and out to allow listening to surroundings. The left earcup has a volume rocker on the back edge, and the right earcup has a mute mic button with the microphone built into the front section of the headset.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Build - The wider arms on the outside of the headset provide enough space for padding, while the top strap and rear tightening knob help keep the headset in place.
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
Build - Front - The front panel has the original Vive's nubbly points with the Vive Cosmos' front-facing stereo cameras for tracking surroundings.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Build - Headset - The headset section can be pushed forward or backward through a button on the lower-left corner to adjust the distance between the lenses and eyes to improve focus.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Build - Knob - The knob on the front panel's lower-right area allows tweaking pupillary distance.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Connectivity - The back panel has the connector for the power adapter, a mini-DisplayPort, and a USB 3.0 port.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Cooling - It has different displays but the same cooling, meaning it heats a lot after playing for a few hours.
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
Design - Design-wise, it looks sleeker and more compact than its predecessor. It's black with a nearly identical design to its predecessors. However, the lenses and displays don't fit the old shell design. Overall, it's a darker version of the Vive Pro and not too dissimilar from the Vive Cosmos.
Ergonomics - It has the usual ergonomic features of high-end headsets, including adjustable straps, quick-adjust sizing dials, and adjustable interpupillary distance.
The Verge - James Vincent
05/12/2021
Face Pad - The original face pad is itchy and uncomfortable, as it also leaked light into the sides of the headset due to the face shape. However, it can be fixed with a thick VR cover pad.
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Field of View - The new lens gave a slightly wider field of view achieving a 120 degrees horizontal field of view though not necessarily taller. Performance-wise, sometimes you wander where the left and right edges of the display are because the panel and lenses do such a good job together, thus, providing a more immersive experience.
Glare - Even with concentric rings, it still suffers from glare and high-contrast scenes.
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Harness - The head harness features a three-point system with wide plastic arms on the sides and a wide strap on the top, with the back heavily padded. Also, it has a dial for tightening the section against the side arms, while the top strap can be manually adjusted with velcro fasteners.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Headphones - It has a built-in on-ear headphone that is Hi-Res Audio Certified with 3D spatial sound connected to the harness' sides through plastic arms. Although it has the same microphone as other Vive headsets, it has an upgraded audio driver. Also, the headphones can be removed and replaced, but there is no headphone jack to use on your own. Performance-wise, the headphones sound good, but they warm the ears, and since they have a powerful display, they also get warm, leading to a sweaty VR session.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
The Verge - James Vincent
05/12/2021
4.
“The integrated headphones are Hi-Res Audio Certified with 3D spatial sound, and the headset also works with third-party headphones.”
Engadget
07/23/2021
LCD Panel - It has an LCD panel, which can be disappointing for users who enjoy the rich contrast of an OLED panel, but getting used to LCDs will make the contrast levels acceptable.
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Lenses - The square shape of the lenses reduces the vertical field of view slightly, but the horizontal field of view gets wider. Additionally, the lenses are similar to the Valve Index, with 2 lenses stacked together to improve clarity and widen the spot where everything looks clearest and with less distortion.
Shell - Although the shell has a proven and recognizable design, a new headset with new internals should also have new hardware.
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
Speakers - The near-field speakers don't touch the ear, making it comfortable.
Engadget
07/23/2021
Wand Controllers - It's better to use the wands from Vive 2016 as they work well with the Pro, but for ergonomics and function, the Oculus is a better option. It's difficult to use Pro 2's wands because they are giant and more archaic.
Sources
Tags
- Arms
- Build
- Build - Front
- Build - Headset
- Build - Knob
- Connectivity
- Cooling
- Design
- Ergonomics
- Face Pad
- Field of View
- Glare
- Harness
- Headphones
- LCD Panel
- Lenses
- Shell
- Speakers
- Wand Controllers
Sources
- PCMag
- CNET
- YouTube
- The Verge
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
The Verge - James Vincent
05/12/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
The Verge - James Vincent
05/12/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
The Verge - James Vincent
05/12/2021
“The integrated headphones are Hi-Res Audio Certified with 3D spatial sound, and the headset also works with third-party headphones.”
Engadget
07/23/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
n0oo7
05/12/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
See All Sources
Display
- Brightness
- Display
- Pixels
- Refresh Rate
- Positive
- Negative
Brightness - The brightness adjusts based on the heat output, meaning if it's hot, then it can't have a bright display.
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
Display - The display offers a 5K resolution or 2448 × 2448 pixels per eye, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 120-degree field of view. Performance-wise, new and old games look clear, sharp, and detailed. However, it has an LCD screen, so it won't produce true blacks and vibrant colors.
The Verge - James Vincent
05/12/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
Pixels - It has 6MP per eye, 4.62x as many compared to the original Vive.
darknecross
05/12/2021
Refresh Rate - It has a 120Hz refresh rate, which delivers a smoother overall VR experience. Also, it makes it ideal for fast-paced games like Beat Saber, and it's best to set the visual preset to balance mode to make the gameplay significantly smooth. Overall, if the resolution is your priority, you want gold standard tracking, you have the budget, and you have a powerful gaming PC, then the Vive Pro 2 is a great choice.
Sources
Tags
- Brightness
- Display
- Pixels
- Refresh Rate
Sources
- YouTube
- The Verge
- CNET
- PCMag
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
The Verge - James Vincent
05/12/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
darknecross
05/12/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
See All Sources
Features & Software
- Display Stream Compression
- Features
- Settings
- Softwares
- StreamVR
- Stock Facial Interface
- Viveport
- Positive
- Negative
Display Stream Compression - It uses a Display Stream Compression technology that allows 5K at 120Hz with visually lossless compression over DisplayPort 1.2, which provides greater compatibility with older graphics cards.
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Features - The serious features of the Vive Pro 2 are its tracking accuracy, comfort, and overall flexibility.
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
Settings - The console features a range of presets to change the resolution and refresh rate, but applying them doesn't change the settings within StreamVR, so it has to be set independently.
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Softwares - The Viveport and SteamVR software has a symbiotic relationship that allows starting a game in Viveport even if it's bought on Steam, and it'll fire up the app and start working with no problem.
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
StreamVR - The Pro 2 doesn't support motion smoothing in SteamVR, but Vive offers a motion compensation setting as a solution. The Pro 2 works with all Vive SteamVR accessories, including Vive trackers, Vive Facial Tracker, and any SteamVR controllers and other accessories. Also, the SteamVR interface comes clearly with easy-to-read text in the pop-up menus and crisp and colorful virtual environments.
Stock Facial Interface - The stock facial interface is a typical HTC Vive design with a dense foam held by a velcro; while the foam is great for users who use glasses in VR, for others, the thick foam pad hinders the usage of the device to its fullest extent.
Viveport - It can access HTC's own VR software store, Viveport, and a two-month free subscription to Viveport Infinity comes with the device. It will provide unlimited access to a wide selection of VR games and experiences. However, considering its price, a year-long subscription would have been more generous.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Sources
Tags
- Display Stream Compression
- Features
- Settings
- Softwares
- StreamVR
- Stock Facial Interface
- Viveport
Sources
- YouTube
- CNET
- The Verge
- PCMag
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
The Verge - James Vincent
05/12/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
See All Sources
Performance & Specs
- Audio
- Comfort
- Compatibility
- Fit - Glasses
- Performance
- Performance - Aperture Hand Lab VR
- Performance - Half-Life: Alyx
- Performance - SCP: Labrat
- Setup
- Specs
- Positive
- Negative
Audio - It works and sounds alright, but the mids are lacking, which loses detail in the audio, and the bass is higher, giving a false interpretation of good sound quality.
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
Comfort - Design-wise, it looks similar to the 2018 model and is comfortable enough to be worn for extended periods with cushioning on the front and back of the head and good weight distribution.
Compatibility - It's fully compatible with a range of accessories, including the 3.0 trackers, facial tracker, and wireless adapter, although the adapter is only compatible at 90Hz with a resolution of 1224x1224 pixels per eye.
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Fit - Glasses - A prescription glass can fit inside the headset.
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Performance - With a 3090 and a Ryzen 5950x, the VR can't perform well at full resolution while streaming on Twitch.
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
Performance - Aperture Hand Lab VR - Playing the Aperture Hand Lab VR demo on the Pro 2 using Valve's controllers and base stations provided a sharper picture, smooth motion, accurate tracking position and orientation, and translation to in-game pictures with fluid graphics.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Performance - Half-Life: Alyx - Playing Half-Life: Alyx on the Pro 2 using Valve's controllers and base stations provided a higher resolution with more detail and cleaner edges.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Performance - SCP: Labrat - Playing the SCP: Labrat on the Pro 2 using Valve's controllers provided great models and textures.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Setup - Set-Up was easy, but the Viveport should be run alongside SteamVR for the headset to work. Both should also be updated, while the Link Box is updated wirelessly.
Specs - The Pro 2 is a tethered type of VR, with a resolution of 2,440x2,440 per eye, 120Hz refresh rate, 6DOF motion detection, PC hardware platform, SteamVR software platform, and no controls.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Sources
Tags
- Audio
- Comfort
- Compatibility
- Fit - Glasses
- Performance
- Performance - Aperture Hand Lab VR
- Performance - Half-Life: Alyx
- Performance - SCP: Labrat
- Setup
- Specs
Sources
- YouTube
- CNET
- PCMag
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
See All Sources
Comparison
- Comparison vs Oculus Quest 2
- Comparison vs Pro I vs Index
- Comparison vs Valve Index
- Comparison vs Vive Pro
- Positive
- Negative
Comparison vs Oculus Quest 2 - The high price and reliance on older controllers make the Pro 2 hard to sell to general customers, making the 299 Oculus Quest 2 hard to beat.
Engadget
07/23/2021
Comparison vs Pro I vs Index - The Pro 2 has nothing to make its price reasonable compared to its competition, and its resolution doesn't grant enough benefit over the Pro I or Index.
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
Comparison vs Valve Index - It's a high-res Index with a lower refresh rate, worse controllers, and worse audio costs $400 more. The Index's controllers feature individual finger tracking that the Vive ones lack and feel more natural and immersive to use than the stiff HTC wands. Also, the Index's controllers are the main reason the Valve Index stood out as the best-tethered PC VR system, so being able to incorporate them into the Vive Pro 2 setup is a compelling option.
Comparison vs Vive Pro - It has a similar head strap design, IPD, eye relief adjustment, on-ear headphones, pass-through cameras, shell, and microphones to the Vive Pro, but with a black and purple design. In contrast, the original Vive Pro was all blue alongside the headset. Also, the difference in weight is only 50 grams.
Sources
Tags
- Comparison vs Oculus Quest 2
- Comparison vs Pro I vs Index
- Comparison vs Valve Index
- Comparison vs Vive Pro
Sources
- YouTube
- PCMag
- CNET
Engadget
07/23/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
adamsharkman
05/12/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Engadget
07/23/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
ThrillSeeker
06/27/2021
See All Sources
Price
- Price
- Value
- Positive
- Negative
See All Sources
Miscellaneous
- Issue - Customer Service
- Lack - Connectivity Options
- Privacy
- Requirements
- Target Market
- Upgrade
- Positive
- Negative
Issue - Customer Service - If you buy an HTC product like Vive, you better hope it never needs fixing because their customer service is not the best. Considering it will take them months to return the unit with no repair done.
Darqon
05/12/2021
Lack - Connectivity Options - The switch to DisplayPort 1.2 only allows it to work with the Vive Wireless Adapter at 90Hz with unknown resolution support, and it's important to consider when upgrading to Pro 2.
T0M95
05/12/2021
Privacy - The motion data, room setup data, and personal activity are all encrypted and stored locally. Also, HTC claimed that they don't use this information, which is, unfortunately, unique in the VR industry.
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
Requirements - It requires a PC with at least an Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD Ryzen 1500 CPU, a GeForce 1060 or Radeon 480 graphics card, and a DisplayPort 1.4 interface for full resolution.
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
Target Market - HTC has clarified that Pro 2 isn't built to support gamers. Rather, it's aimed at people who consider Index or HP Reverb 2 headsets.
Upgrade - It's a nice upgrade though expensive. Also, it lacks other features besides the new display and lenses, which are its only real upgrades. Specifically, it features a single low persistence Dual RGB LCD Panel, which provides a resolution of 2448x2448 pixels per eye running up to 120Hz with 120-degree FOV, setting itself as the new king of resolution in the consumer VR market.
Sources
Tags
- Issue - Customer Service
- Lack - Connectivity Options
- Privacy
- Requirements
- Target Market
- Upgrade
Sources
- CNET
- PCMag
- YouTube
Darqon
05/12/2021
T0M95
05/12/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
PCMag - Will Greenwald
08/13/2021
CNET - Russell Holly
07/03/2021
Xanoxis
05/12/2021
Steddy_Eddy
05/12/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
Virtual Reality Oasis
05/28/2021
See All Sources
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