HTC’s forthcoming Quest Pro competitor now has a name: HTC Vive XR Elite. Unveiled at CES 2023, this new high-end VR/MR headset could give Quest Pro a run for its money and should keep this tier of the market competitive. Available to reserve now via HTC’s website after a protracted period of leaks and vague Tweets and expected to begin shipping late February, HTC Vive XR Elite is a device well worth considering should you be looking at a ‘pro’ level purchase.
Easy on the Eyes
Sporting a physical design that carries on from Vive Focus 3 and Vive Flow, HTC Vive XR Elite weighs in slightly heavier than Quest Pro but packs plenty of impressive features into its form. A detachable, hot-swappable battery allows users to continue use for more than the battery’s two-hour expected charge. Powered by a Snapdragon XR2 chipset and equipped with 120GB storage and 12GB RAM, Vive XR Elite won’t be caught slacking.Wearers of eyeglasses have typically had some trouble getting comfortable with VR headsets. Vive XR Elite hopes to change that with stepless IPD adjustment and diopters that allow glasses to be ditched without losing focus. With a combined 3840×1920 resolution, Vive XR Elite should bring users strong clarity and deep focus.
Enhanced Control
Although face and expression tracking features are not built into the base unit, Vive XR Elite allows such a tracking module to be added. This feature comes as standard with Quest Pro but could hardly be said to be universally desired. Much has been made of Meta’s focus on face and expression tracking; this could be HTC’s way of avoiding that contentious technology. Handheld controllers and hand tracking can be used as inputs to guide your VR/MR experience with the controllers following on from the design of those for Vive Focus 3.Whether HTC Vive XR Elite can truly compete with Meta’s market dominance and its highly praised Quest Pro remains to be seen. Priced $400 under Quest Pro’s retail price, however, it’s going to appeal to many who found Quest Pro a little too expensive, if technically very impressive.