HTC Vive XR Elite VR Headset on Amazon ➤ amzn.to/3F1XGD7 The Power Bank I use for Glasses Mode ➤ amzn.to/3yo6mzP As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for watching and please remember to like + subscribe 🙂
Commenting before watching: Thank you for being among the very first to properly review this headset. Reviews/impressions are hard to come by right now.
Really solid review. I'd been tracking the other videos you were putting out over the last few days, and you really did a great job of bringing it all together. I've already got mine preordered - I'm a *little* worried about whether or not the diopters will be able to provide an acceptable experience (I have a moderate astigmatism in one eye), but I guess we'll see. There's always the 14 day return policy if it doesn't work out!
Can you update me within prior those 14 days? I would like to know if you are still happy with your headset or not. I certainly found myself in a tough situation in deciding to buy this headset because of my moderate astigmatism
@@califorupha1574 I'll snooze the notification I got for this reply for March 22nd - I should get it by then, and that way I'll remember to give you an update.
@@rangerkayla8824 I remember my grand parents going in for cataracts surgery, and coming out incredibly happy with the results. As far as adjusting the image being displayed on the screen, I've always assumed that there's something related to the perception of depth in VR that keeps that from being feasible - although that's just a complete guess. It might be relying on the lenses to actually translate the image on the screen into something that can be perceived in a depth-correct fashion, thus requiring the lenses to be mechanically adjustable in some way to move that focus point. Of course with astigmatism, there are multiple focus points - *maybe* finding a setting that rests at a comfortable average will be usable, but my left eye's got an astigmatism of about 2.25 so I'm probably out of luck. Guess I'll find out though!
A lot of reviewers keep saying they aren't sure who the XR Elite is supposed to appeal too, but when I saw this thing I thought it had been made for me. The thing I'm most intrigued by is the Mixed reality, and until now I have not seen a non-HTC sponsored review with the Depth sensor turned on. Those other reviewers would describe the experience as "still feels like looking at a 2d screen" but a few would comment that they would want to see what the depth sensor passthrough looked like. So, that is what I want to know, owning this headset and having an actual full experience with it, does the passthrough feel like looking at a 2d screen?
That USBC that's near the lenses and the port just near the nose area will be for eye and face tracking accessories which will take this baby further. Super excited for this now and I appreciate your time reviewing it!
I'm really interested in working in VR (connecting it to a computer and using it for virtual displays), and here Immersed is the king. I'm unsure if it has hand tracking and passthrough for the XR Elite yet, but I'd love to see it. More Mixed Reality stuff please!
Hey Simon, I initially had a pre-order for the headset but opted to cancel it for the Quest Pro. The quest pro, though a great headset, it lacks in dark rooms(glare/haze). I do like the Htc's glass's form factor because sometimes I sleep in vrchat, and the removal of the battery at the back of my head would be ideal. Have you had any issues in dark rooms? I also own the quest 2 and pico 4 and they too seem to have the same issue. I only have 2 days before I can return the Quest Pro. TIA!
Awesome, thanks for this video, despite its (few) shortcomings im super confident in my purchase (well pre-order) and cant wait for mine to arrive hopefully next week.
A few times "other headsets you've used" are mentioned. Is this just referring to the Valve index, or are there other headsets than that you're drawing comparison from? Especially curious about this, coming from an Index myself, regarding the FoV. How noticable is the decrease in FoV, and is it biased to horizontal or vertical FoV?
I second this, another early purchaser suggested very small vertical fov but quest2 level horizontal, which would be a letdown. Thanks for the great review!
It was a hard transition going from the OLED of the OG PSVR to the LCD screens of the Quest 2. It was only due to roomscale / 360 degree and higher resolution / framerates that I was able to accept the lack of OLED on the Quest 2. With launch of PSVR2 which has OLED HDR 4k resolution screens with 90-120 fps, I can't go back to anything that is still using an LCD screen. OLED is just better for blacks and HDR is amazing for colors, contrast, and brightness. The color passthrough of the HTC Vive XR Elite, and option to work completely wireless are good, but I wish it had gone with an OLED HDR screen.
How do you order an extra battery? Nobody seems to be able to answer this question. I'd have thought when I pre-ordered, that would have been an option?
I'm really interested in hearing about your experience using the VR headset for virtual screens on your PC. Specifically, I'm curious about how immersive the experience is compared to using traditional computer monitors. Can you read text clearly on a virtual screen, and how does it feel to use two virtual screens at once?
My issues with the HTC XR Elite: 1. I'm going to miss the Valve Index controllers. I wish there was an option to use the Steam Trackers 2. I'm going to miss the Steam Full Body VR. The newer full body tracking options don't look as clean as the standard versions that use the Steam Trackers.
Great and very detailed review, thank you! One thing I think HTC should change is the cable that connects to the PC, which should have an L-shaped end to the headset, as it seems that the cable, or even worse the port can get damaged if janked while playing.
Thanks for sharing all this mate. Just a couple of things that need correcting; in order to update the vive streamer hub app on your headset you need to connect it wired with a usb3 cable. Also, the depth sensor has not been enabled yet. I'm still having some problems with wireless PCVR. Once it's working it all works fine through SteamVR. Exiting SteamVR and/or going back to the lobby a few times often ends up crashing my PC (i9 13900k/rtx4090) and I then need to do a hard restart (push and hold PC power button). I'm working with Vive support on this so hopefully they will fix this soon. Virtual Desktop app should be available soon and this may help wireless PCVR work a little better.
@@kevinbrook7033 Still a bit early to say for sure mate. Hopefully once the Vive Streaming Hub app is fixed and/or Virtual Desktop is released I'll be able to give a proper comparison.
@@RolandDobbins With wired PCVR you can sort of do this already using the SteamVR desktop (far right on dashboard menu) but it doesn't look all that great. For wired PCVR the Steam version of Virtual Desktop works pretty well and also has a lot more viewing and settings options. This should also be possible with wireless PCVR once the Virtual Desktop app for the XR Elite comes out later this month. That's already possible with the Quest headsets (and probably the Pico 4) using Virtual Desktop. Wireless PCVR does require a good router/wifi setup to work well.
@@tomc1380 - so, it’s not the same as a regular HMD like the Rokid Air or Unreal Air 1080p glasses. Why don’t they allow this? They’d sell a lot of these to folks who have no interest in VR per se, but are very interested in a 4K HMD. It should only require a software feature to enable straight DisplayPort-over-USB. Thanks for the authoritative info! If you’ve any contacts at Vive, perhaps you could point out that the owners of the new spate of 6800U-based gaming handhelds are buying the 1080p glasses, & that the more powerful handhelds can drive 1200p & 1600p display resolutions with 60fps or greater.
@Simon's Drones Would you say that the picture quality and res looks much better than the Index or just a little bit better ? I'm not sure this or pimax crystal , Great vid - Thanks :)
How are the black levels at the edges in dark scenes? I just bought the Quest Pro a week ago and in dark scenes it is quite awful with light bleed in the corners from the headset itself. Will be returning if the XR Elite does this better.
Yes, I believe it would work if you have the necessary base stations. HTC have also announced a new tracker with inside-out tracking (no base stations required) for this headset, but I don't know when its releasing.
You didn't mention anything about graphics in standalone vs pcvr mode. Can we expect that PCVR games will look like the full PC versions or will they look watered down as in the case for Quest 2 games?
Hi. I got it yesterday. Bought from vive website. Don’t recommend it at all!!! Sent it back same day. Got meta pro which is much much better!!!! Xr is a big mistake.
@@melon1979 Thanks for that information I own the Quest Pro and wouldnt sell it as love it far too much the only headset I am waiting to see really tested is the Bigscreen Beyond
@@melon1979 I cant say I have ever noticed that no I think the only dark environment game I have played it probably Synth Riders oh and NFL Pro Era neither of them I can recall having a yellow glare around the edges I will check tomorrow for you when I am in Ghosts of Tabor Artful
Hey Simon! Following your vids on this headset, have you done a review of the controllers? I have limited mobility and the controller inputs would determine if I can operate this or not. All reviews I see are for the headset itself you're the only one really breaking it down! Been a joy watching you
Thank you Daniel. The controllers are comfortable and feel very natural to hold for me. However, I do not have mobility issues myself so can’t really say how much accessibility has been factored into he design choices here.
My favorite feature is the 16 MP color passthrough. I am kind off baffled why meta quest 2 doesn't have the better camera's on their headset. They can't be that expensive considering what phones have now. However, $1100 is just too much for such a small stand alone game store.
Quest 2 is over 2 years old, was released when there was less competition in the standalone inside out tracking market and is priced for average consumer.
1920 x 1920 = 3686400 3840 x 2160 = 8294400 Both eyes are still only 44% of 4k resolution. 1920 x 1920 is equal to 2560 x 1440, which is 1440p resolution. Remember this guide: 4k is 4 times the number of pixels as 1080p. 4k is 2 times the number of pixels as 1440p. If you've been following along, maybe you've noticed the Pixmax 5k with it's dual 2560 x 1440 resolution is actually the same number of "pixels" as 4k on a flat screen. Funny how that works out.
a joint venture ^_^ I did really like the quality of htc headseads i had.'Im on pimax were i stay becaus of the FOV, but this is also one of the devive i do like.
Thansk for the review. I would had bought it if it had facial and eye tracking. But after the meta quest pro price drop its a hard sell :/ Since they now cost the same
Great review ! this is the reason why meta quest pro price was slashed to compete with this headset , what about eye tracking & foveated rendering on this headset ?
It is definitely to -6. Though they're labelled without positive/negative symbols, they are intended to address near sightedness so they would be negative.
Any serious glasses user should. Just go for a custom lens (they cost like 40$ for cheap end which works more than well enough) so having this adjustable lens built in kinda is the half way in between here it does neither a good job of both method, I think it is a mistake
FYI: The XR Elite has only 12GB of RAM, not 16GB. Also, the Quest Pro is now $999.99 in the United States. The XR Elite is also a lacking with its XR2 Gen 1 processor and basic controllers for its $1,100 price tag. The standalone game lineup is also severely lacking.
this is the first legit review that actually feels helpful. only thing I'm mising is if i has jack for headphones and how it works with pcvr. Overall, thank you so much, this has honestly been helpful!
Hi, thanks for your comment. I have been using it over PCVR (wirelessly, wifi 6e) without issues every single day. However, other people I see have reported a few problems - I think it is fine if you have a good network setup with little radio interference. No audio jack sadly, so can only connect to headphones via bluetooth.
Without the 'extra features' it's going to be a hard sell in the future. Eye-tracking, face tracking, etc. If companies start supporting these key components in the future (since HMDs are out or coming soon with them), it will severly limit the potential audience for this. Shame we still aren't getting HMDs that can even match the FoV of the Index either. Everyone seems to think 'quest 2 is good enough' and maybe barely exceed it, leaving us all wondering when the *actual* next generation of HMDs finally hit the market
HTC talked about this in the keynote. The reason they didn't include eyetracking/face tracking out of the box is for the security of its users. They wanted users to be in control of their own data, especially considering that a company like Facebook is very known for stealing data even though they say that they're not. HTC will be releasing official attachments though that will give users the ability to utilize eye/face tracking in the future.
@@VinnyHaw That is complete BS. The issue is that they're not able to produce a headset at the same price point as Meta so they decided not to include this important features natively as a way to cut costs. Unfortunately Meta slashed their price by 33% which kills any potential reason someone would buy this.
@@pakman184 That isn't BS. They mentioned exactly what I said in their keynote while you're pulling 100% of what you just said out of your ass. Get out of here with your fake ass conspiracy theories with no backbone to hold em up.
@Ranger Kayla The XR Elite has a moderately better passthrough though depth sensor does not work and a bit better form factor. Everything else it has going for it is worse than the Q Pro, which is in fact a very solid gaming headset, and doesn't remotely compete with it at the price point. The only reason to avoid the Quest is because of Meta. HTC is just incapable of producing a competitive product and haven't done so since the first Vive Pro
Oh, it’s $1100 for this unit?😳 while I can see the benefits of pancake lenses, the trade offs seem steep, comfort, low battery life, inferior fps, inferior resolution, no haptics, low storage capability. Is all that really worth the added price? I’m definitely seeing a disparity between this and having the psvr2 + ps5 console at that price point. Someone is going to need to budge, either on price or tech, and I don’t think it’s Sony at this point.
Good to see people seeing through journalists BS about the PSVR2 being "too expensive" without additional context. The PS5 is a gaming console just like the PS1-PS4. For the features it offers and what 3rd parties have been able to do with the headset so far, the PSVR2 is pretty impressive for $550. Not every company is like Meta that can afford to lose billions of dollars trying to create a monopoly on the market.
I totally agree about the build quality of the Quest Pro but it is very heavy and uncomfortable at least for me. The biggest drawback is it is not modular which I think is the one of the XR's main selling points let alone privacy concerns with Meta.
@@satcruiser555 Choice is good, none the less! I find the Quest Pro to be great and based on the resolution of this, apparently no better than the QP. QP is great with visual quality, so that would be good.
Oh my god.. HTC added a good mic to their VR Headst?! that's amazing! Would of been nice if maybe you compared it to the current king of VR mics, the valve index, but that's leagues better than all of the other HTC headsets before it. Thank you for the good review. Looking forward to trying this out myself.
A good mic? Ehh, I guess it's a lot better than what they had before. But I was just thinking as I was watching this that I'd still want to add a modmic
@@michaelp.3485 why ? I use my quest 2 on my PC pretty much exclusively, tonnes of games.. I have a OS5 but won't be buying VR for it, not enough games and not backwards compatible with older PSVR titles ( I bought loads) 🙁..ATM, PCVR offers so much more for me than PSVR2 ..I don't think this new elite vive XR would benefit me much..not at this price.
If they made a PC only with none of the android CPU in it I would be interested. Too expensive when the quest 3 is about to come out or even the quest pro is 1000. I want a Rift S2 to come out which it never will. Plus the Meta pro controllers are way wayy better
@@dark_winter8238the biggest downside to LCD is the colors and Blacks, they look like trash compared to OLED. I play Elite dangerous in VR with a vive pro -gear VR lens mod and I've also used quest 2, rift s and index, all look bad with blacks and washed-out colors.
@@lanceobe6801 To each his own my friend. I loved my Vive pro with the gear vr mod. However I would not go back after putting on the Quest pro with pancake lenses. In the end the more people in vr the better. I guess I’m just disappointed in how long it’s taking to truly get to a next gen headset. It seems as though everything that is coming out has comprises. 😢Oh yeah, and the lack of AAA titles doesn’t help either
Wifi 6e runs on a different frequency, so it greatly decreases interference from other nearby devices. I imagine this benefit will diminish over time as more and more newer devices develop support for it, although I did ponder recently that since the higher frequencies have less penetrating power (so they can't go through walls as well as lower frequencies), if that means that individual devices using the 6ghz band that wifi 6e uses will generally have to worry less about interference in general. I guess we'll see over time.
@@jona_KardCiv1 There are indeed networking cards that specifically support Wifi 6 but not 6e, and those that support both. So for example, one of my motherboards came with an Intel AX200 card which only supports Wifi 6 (it's not exactly a PCIe card, but an E-Key card similar to M.2 drives. Another one comes with an AX210 preinstalled, which supports both Wifi 6 *and 6e. If your motherboard has Wifi preinstalled, it likely has a similar card, and they can be swapped. I think a 6e capable AX210 E-Key card runs under $30.
Wish I learnt something new here, more sales jargon. When will you do a proper review using half life alex or something demandind and high fidelity? You own other headsets what’s the comparison of image quality?
@@rangerkayla8824 I can definitely agree they are different markets in the same niche, this is a great headset, I think PSVR 2 is great due to PS5 install base and the number they expect to sell has risen sense it's release and good reviews, I'm in reverse camp from you in that I have a good PC for 1080p gaming ,maybe 1440p if I had the screen ,but I have to wait until I upgrade my PC to enjoy VR fully on it ,that's where me having a PS5 comes in ,the tether doesn't bother me or ppl once inside the headset,the price point makes up for it's shortcomings when a console gamer ,I'm both PC and console but my PC isn't ready I feel for AAA games at 120hz ,this is where options are great so we both can VR 😃
@@rangerkayla8824 I have totally ignored the Sony route because you are stuck with one vendor and their software offering. A steam VR solution may be initially expensive gives you way more leeway in the long run by providing the opportunity to pick/choose/upgrade VR headsets from different vendors as well as not having to repurchase your favorite games. I have the Quest 2, Pico 4, Rift S, and will soon own the XR Elite, Big Screen Beyond and maybe the Shiftall MeganeX depending on reviews. This gives me a diversified hardware selection all running my favorite steam games as well as whatever each vendor may offer on their own platform. It is all a matter of choice.
@@satcruiser555 I think Sony struck a great balance between adding useful features while keeping the cost from blowing the roof with PSVR2, plus devs are more likely to take advantage of its tech. It would be an issue if their headset was an overpriced, underperforming cash-in
@@ark14700 Your point is well taken but I am looking at it from a completely different point of view... whereby within the next year or so as technology evolves, and you get smaller headsets with better resolutions you will be waiting on Sony for their next hardware release since now you have invested into Sony's software library, whereby picking a product with steamvr compatibility provides the ability to reuse all the games you have invested in. I am by no means putting the PSVR2 down, it is just the idea of being stuck with one vendor and limited freedom of upgradability does not appeal to me.
@@satcruiser555 i can see your POV , I just like that im already in Sonys eco system so the games I already own are getting upgrades etc but if I had no investment Is surely go PC VR and may still go it once the tech catches up with value and prices ,PC VR is a steep dive for me ATM but I can see you being a PC VR guy already so it makes sense
HTC Vive XR Elite VR Headset on Amazon ➤ amzn.to/3F1XGD7
The Power Bank I use for Glasses Mode ➤ amzn.to/3yo6mzP
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Thank you for watching and please remember to like + subscribe 🙂
Commenting before watching: Thank you for being among the very first to properly review this headset. Reviews/impressions are hard to come by right now.
Great review!!! Thanks!
Really solid review. I'd been tracking the other videos you were putting out over the last few days, and you really did a great job of bringing it all together. I've already got mine preordered - I'm a *little* worried about whether or not the diopters will be able to provide an acceptable experience (I have a moderate astigmatism in one eye), but I guess we'll see. There's always the 14 day return policy if it doesn't work out!
Can you update me within prior those 14 days? I would like to know if you are still happy with your headset or not. I certainly found myself in a tough situation in deciding to buy this headset because of my moderate astigmatism
@@califorupha1574 I'll snooze the notification I got for this reply for March 22nd - I should get it by then, and that way I'll remember to give you an update.
@@rangerkayla8824 I remember my grand parents going in for cataracts surgery, and coming out incredibly happy with the results. As far as adjusting the image being displayed on the screen, I've always assumed that there's something related to the perception of depth in VR that keeps that from being feasible - although that's just a complete guess. It might be relying on the lenses to actually translate the image on the screen into something that can be perceived in a depth-correct fashion, thus requiring the lenses to be mechanically adjustable in some way to move that focus point.
Of course with astigmatism, there are multiple focus points - *maybe* finding a setting that rests at a comfortable average will be usable, but my left eye's got an astigmatism of about 2.25 so I'm probably out of luck. Guess I'll find out though!
How is the compression for wifi streaming? Did you notice it? Have you tried other VR streaming like for Quest 2?
A lot of reviewers keep saying they aren't sure who the XR Elite is supposed to appeal too, but when I saw this thing I thought it had been made for me.
The thing I'm most intrigued by is the Mixed reality, and until now I have not seen a non-HTC sponsored review with the Depth sensor turned on. Those other reviewers would describe the experience as "still feels like looking at a 2d screen" but a few would comment that they would want to see what the depth sensor passthrough looked like. So, that is what I want to know, owning this headset and having an actual full experience with it, does the passthrough feel like looking at a 2d screen?
That USBC that's near the lenses and the port just near the nose area will be for eye and face tracking accessories which will take this baby further. Super excited for this now and I appreciate your time reviewing it!
The reason why they didn't opt for the XR2+ is so that way next year they'd have a better product they can overcharge us for.
I'm really interested in working in VR (connecting it to a computer and using it for virtual displays), and here Immersed is the king. I'm unsure if it has hand tracking and passthrough for the XR Elite yet, but I'd love to see it.
More Mixed Reality stuff please!
Hey Simon, I initially had a pre-order for the headset but opted to cancel it for the Quest Pro. The quest pro, though a great headset, it lacks in dark rooms(glare/haze). I do like the Htc's glass's form factor because sometimes I sleep in vrchat, and the removal of the battery at the back of my head would be ideal. Have you had any issues in dark rooms? I also own the quest 2 and pico 4 and they too seem to have the same issue. I only have 2 days before I can return the Quest Pro. TIA!
Thank you for this review, I'm kinda shocked that not many people are talking about it
It got killed off when Meta reduced the price of the Quest Pro. Quest Pro is much better overall.
Can these be used as a simple 4K head-mounted display for non-VR applications?
Awesome, thanks for this video, despite its (few) shortcomings im super confident in my purchase (well pre-order) and cant wait for mine to arrive hopefully next week.
Thanks for the review. Does it have a tethered option? Or only streaming
A few times "other headsets you've used" are mentioned. Is this just referring to the Valve index, or are there other headsets than that you're drawing comparison from? Especially curious about this, coming from an Index myself, regarding the FoV. How noticable is the decrease in FoV, and is it biased to horizontal or vertical FoV?
I second this, another early purchaser suggested very small vertical fov but quest2 level horizontal, which would be a letdown. Thanks for the great review!
can you do the horizontal/vertical FOV test please?
How is the sweet spot of the HMD? Is there much issue staying in the sweet spot and if you move your eyes up and down does the clarity fade quickly?
It was a hard transition going from the OLED of the OG PSVR to the LCD screens of the Quest 2. It was only due to roomscale / 360 degree and higher resolution / framerates that I was able to accept the lack of OLED on the Quest 2.
With launch of PSVR2 which has OLED HDR 4k resolution screens with 90-120 fps, I can't go back to anything that is still using an LCD screen. OLED is just better for blacks and HDR is amazing for colors, contrast, and brightness.
The color passthrough of the HTC Vive XR Elite, and option to work completely wireless are good, but I wish it had gone with an OLED HDR screen.
Totally agree about OLED. It is so much better than LCD. I just wish Sony had given us an OLED with 3 subpixels instead of 2.
So no eye or face tracking?
What about compatibility with lighthouses and body pucks?
How do you order an extra battery? Nobody seems to be able to answer this question. I'd have thought when I pre-ordered, that would have been an option?
Can you add extra storage to the headset?
Great review Simon, Learned a number of things I had not seen mentioned elsewhere.
Everyone--
Did they finally fix the popping microphone?
Does it have local dimming for PCVR?
How is the UA-camVR experience in this headset?
Great review. Thanks. Did HTC ever come out with its productivity app to connect to and use your desktop?
Excellent review :D I come from the oculus DK2 days and .... you deserve a big thumbs out!
That's kind, thanks!
I'm really interested in hearing about your experience using the VR headset for virtual screens on your PC. Specifically, I'm curious about how immersive the experience is compared to using traditional computer monitors. Can you read text clearly on a virtual screen, and how does it feel to use two virtual screens at once?
how does the clarity compare to the varjo aero?
Great vid.
I'm an elite drone pilot myself.
We need more content for this
VR headset.
Ahh the nostalgia of Chrono cross,don't even get me started on Chrono trigger and ff3
Hi, did you check wifi 6e latency?
how long is the usb-c cable (for pc-connection)???
My issues with the HTC XR Elite:
1. I'm going to miss the Valve Index controllers. I wish there was an option to use the Steam Trackers
2. I'm going to miss the Steam Full Body VR. The newer full body tracking options don't look as clean as the standard versions that use the Steam Trackers.
How is PCVR with it in FAST games (like Population One)? playable? Are there any problems (drivers, etc.)?
Is it possible to play Microsoft flightsimulator 2020 connecting it by cable on the computer
Have you ever used a Reverb G2? If yes how do the visuals compare?
Probably a lot better on the htc. Pancake lenses and a higher resolution.
@@v1z3 I really hope you're right! Because I have zero experience with pancake lenses andI really don't want to downgrade my visuals.
Great and very detailed review, thank you!
One thing I think HTC should change is the cable that connects to the PC, which should have an L-shaped end to the headset, as it seems that the cable, or even worse the port can get damaged if janked while playing.
I know you can play steam VR but Can you play PC meta / oculus games with this ?
Whats the resolution of the screen in virtual desktop mode? Considering this as a monitor alternative. Thanks.
How do you find the clarity in the display compared to the Q2 or Q pro?
Thanks for sharing all this mate. Just a couple of things that need correcting;
in order to update the vive streamer hub app on your headset you need to connect it wired with a usb3 cable. Also, the depth sensor has not been enabled yet.
I'm still having some problems with wireless PCVR. Once it's working it all works fine through SteamVR. Exiting SteamVR and/or going back to the lobby a few times often ends up crashing my PC (i9 13900k/rtx4090) and I then need to do a hard restart (push and hold PC power button). I'm working with Vive support on this so hopefully they will fix this soon. Virtual Desktop app should be available soon and this may help wireless PCVR work a little better.
How are you finding this compared to your Quest Pro Tom?
@@kevinbrook7033 Still a bit early to say for sure mate. Hopefully once the Vive Streaming Hub app is fixed and/or Virtual Desktop is released I'll be able to give a proper comparison.
Can these be used as a simple 4K head-mounted display for non-VR applications?
@@RolandDobbins With wired PCVR you can sort of do this already using the SteamVR desktop (far right on dashboard menu) but it doesn't look all that great. For wired PCVR the Steam version of Virtual Desktop works pretty well and also has a lot more viewing and settings options.
This should also be possible with wireless PCVR once the Virtual Desktop app for the XR Elite comes out later this month. That's already possible with the Quest headsets (and probably the Pico 4) using Virtual Desktop. Wireless PCVR does require a good router/wifi setup to work well.
@@tomc1380 - so, it’s not the same as a regular HMD like the Rokid Air or Unreal Air 1080p glasses.
Why don’t they allow this? They’d sell a lot of these to folks who have no interest in VR per se, but are very interested in a 4K HMD. It should only require a software feature to enable straight DisplayPort-over-USB.
Thanks for the authoritative info! If you’ve any contacts at Vive, perhaps you could point out that the owners of the new spate of 6800U-based gaming handhelds are buying the 1080p glasses, & that the more powerful handhelds can drive 1200p & 1600p display resolutions with 60fps or greater.
How does the screen quality compare to the Pico 4?
Does it suport fullbody tracking with the vive trackers 3.0?
I don’t think so. Vive had launched a new type of tracker for their
Inside-out tracking headset.
@Simon's Drones Would you say that the picture quality and res looks much better than the Index or just a little bit better ? I'm not sure this or pimax crystal , Great vid - Thanks :)
A thorough review, thanks!
Thank you so much.
Thank you for the clarification that this is on UA-cam, I thought it was on LiveLeak and I was worried.
Which battery pack do you have?
Nice review! What's that chonky battery you've got there? Link?
How long does it take for the battery pack to charge?
So this can run vr chat? since it has steam vr? not sure what you mean by apps that allow.
What kind of wireless mic are you using? I like the sound quality 😁
When does this ship?
How are the black levels at the edges in dark scenes? I just bought the Quest Pro a week ago and in dark scenes it is quite awful with light bleed in the corners from the headset itself. Will be returning if the XR Elite does this better.
Quest Pro has local dimming now for better black levels.
Do you know how this would work with current full body tracking? Is it able to connect to SteamVR?
Yes, I believe it would work if you have the necessary base stations. HTC have also announced a new tracker with inside-out tracking (no base stations required) for this headset, but I don't know when its releasing.
I saw them post about that and those will work with the new headset, I'm just worried about it working with steam VR as an avid VR chat player. Haha
can you load steam game on to the headset an then play then standalone?
Good video. You deserve more recognition
Great review, Cant wait till I get mine!
Wait, were you supposed to release these? I can't find any other reviews of this headset.
Yeah it came out in the UK start of this month, I think a lot of the Americans are still waiting to receive them for review.
There is likely a review embargo on UA-camrs who received a unit from HTC. This guy bought it himself so no embargo for him.
You didn't mention anything about graphics in standalone vs pcvr mode. Can we expect that PCVR games will look like the full PC versions or will they look watered down as in the case for Quest 2 games?
Considering the XRE uses the same chip as the Q2 it will not be more capable. Games will look the same
Where did you buy your XR Elite from as UK release date isnt apparently until 11th April ?
Hi. I got it yesterday. Bought from vive website. Don’t recommend it at all!!! Sent it back same day. Got meta pro which is much much better!!!! Xr is a big mistake.
@@melon1979 Thanks for that information I own the Quest Pro and wouldnt sell it as love it far too much the only headset I am waiting to see really tested is the Bigscreen Beyond
@@RobertDodge i 100% agree!!!
@@RobertDodge do you see yellow glare around displays edges in dark environment (meta quest pro)
@@melon1979 I cant say I have ever noticed that no I think the only dark environment game I have played it probably Synth Riders oh and NFL Pro Era neither of them I can recall having a yellow glare around the edges I will check tomorrow for you when I am in Ghosts of Tabor Artful
I have a oculus rift s will this be worth the upgrade ?
Go for meta pro
If you have a good PC, Get a quest 2, still best bang for buck
@@RobBob555 Quest 2 is trash. It's just a starter headset for VR beginners, not something you should stick with.
Hey Simon! Following your vids on this headset, have you done a review of the controllers? I have limited mobility and the controller inputs would determine if I can operate this or not. All reviews I see are for the headset itself you're the only one really breaking it down! Been a joy watching you
Thank you Daniel. The controllers are comfortable and feel very natural to hold for me. However, I do not have mobility issues myself so can’t really say how much accessibility has been factored into he design choices here.
@@SimonsDrones is there any input of squeezing the entire handles like on index controllers or is that side button only input on the handles?
Good review. There's also a strap that goes across the bands to help balance out the weight.
My favorite feature is the 16 MP color passthrough. I am kind off baffled why meta quest 2 doesn't have the better camera's on their headset. They can't be that expensive considering what phones have now. However, $1100 is just too much for such a small stand alone game store.
Quest 2 is over 2 years old, was released when there was less competition in the standalone inside out tracking market and is priced for average consumer.
Assume it supports OpenXR?
1920 x 1920 = 3686400
3840 x 2160 = 8294400
Both eyes are still only 44% of 4k resolution. 1920 x 1920 is equal to 2560 x 1440, which is 1440p resolution. Remember this guide:
4k is 4 times the number of pixels as 1080p.
4k is 2 times the number of pixels as 1440p.
If you've been following along, maybe you've noticed the Pixmax 5k with it's dual 2560 x 1440 resolution is actually the same number of "pixels" as 4k on a flat screen. Funny how that works out.
a joint venture ^_^ I did really like the quality of htc headseads i had.'Im on pimax were i stay becaus of the FOV, but this is also one of the devive i do like.
Guy Godin is working on a HTC version of Virtual desktop due soon. Artful
Not sure why they couldn't do the 120 fov like they did with the pro 2 and Focus 3, probably will pass, tnx for the vid.
Thansk for the review.
I would had bought it if it had facial and eye tracking. But after the meta quest pro price drop its a hard sell :/
Since they now cost the same
Great review ! this is the reason why meta quest pro price was slashed to compete with this headset , what about eye tracking & foveated rendering on this headset ?
No eye tracking so no foveated rendering.
@@bensneen plus the quest pro controllers are way better with no ring
@@1uponu705 they might be amazing but the battery in them last 1 hour and can't be charged and used at the same time. legit unusable.
@TAGE FPV something is wrong with yours. Mines be working fine on my quest 2 for awhile now
@@TAGE_FPV Yours are defective then, I get 7 - 8 hours out of mine.
Prescription is it 0 to +6 or -6?
It is definitely to -6. Though they're labelled without positive/negative symbols, they are intended to address near sightedness so they would be negative.
620grams is what Pico4 has. My prescription glasses have 34 grams (thirty four)
I fail to see the portability and its purpose for that matter.
New update as stoped phone mirroring I just get black screen but my phone is still showing movie
纵向fov是多少度
Any serious glasses user should. Just go for a custom lens (they cost like 40$ for cheap end which works more than well enough) so having this adjustable lens built in kinda is the half way in between here it does neither a good job of both method, I think it is a mistake
To be fair not many glasses wearers have prism lenses, these are only for people who have double vision problems ( thats pretty rare)
FYI: The XR Elite has only 12GB of RAM, not 16GB. Also, the Quest Pro is now $999.99 in the United States.
The XR Elite is also a lacking with its XR2 Gen 1 processor and basic controllers for its $1,100 price tag. The standalone game lineup is also severely lacking.
huh? it comes with controllers. there's no way to buy it at that price point without controllers.
Looked like Jimi Hendrix on the VR guitar
this is the first legit review that actually feels helpful.
only thing I'm mising is if i has jack for headphones and how it works with pcvr.
Overall, thank you so much, this has honestly been helpful!
Hi, thanks for your comment. I have been using it over PCVR (wirelessly, wifi 6e) without issues every single day. However, other people I see have reported a few problems - I think it is fine if you have a good network setup with little radio interference. No audio jack sadly, so can only connect to headphones via bluetooth.
Have you streamed using the included USBC cable, or is it just for charging? I realize its short but for seated gaming is it usable?
Without the 'extra features' it's going to be a hard sell in the future. Eye-tracking, face tracking, etc. If companies start supporting these key components in the future (since HMDs are out or coming soon with them), it will severly limit the potential audience for this.
Shame we still aren't getting HMDs that can even match the FoV of the Index either. Everyone seems to think 'quest 2 is good enough' and maybe barely exceed it, leaving us all wondering when the *actual* next generation of HMDs finally hit the market
HTC talked about this in the keynote. The reason they didn't include eyetracking/face tracking out of the box is for the security of its users. They wanted users to be in control of their own data, especially considering that a company like Facebook is very known for stealing data even though they say that they're not.
HTC will be releasing official attachments though that will give users the ability to utilize eye/face tracking in the future.
@VinnyHaw you couldn't be more wrong. HTC is owned by the CCP, and they only exist to collect data from US users.
@@VinnyHaw That is complete BS. The issue is that they're not able to produce a headset at the same price point as Meta so they decided not to include this important features natively as a way to cut costs. Unfortunately Meta slashed their price by 33% which kills any potential reason someone would buy this.
@@pakman184 That isn't BS. They mentioned exactly what I said in their keynote while you're pulling 100% of what you just said out of your ass. Get out of here with your fake ass conspiracy theories with no backbone to hold em up.
@Ranger Kayla The XR Elite has a moderately better passthrough though depth sensor does not work and a bit better form factor. Everything else it has going for it is worse than the Q Pro, which is in fact a very solid gaming headset, and doesn't remotely compete with it at the price point. The only reason to avoid the Quest is because of Meta. HTC is just incapable of producing a competitive product and haven't done so since the first Vive Pro
Oh, it’s $1100 for this unit?😳 while I can see the benefits of pancake lenses, the trade offs seem steep, comfort, low battery life, inferior fps, inferior resolution, no haptics, low storage capability. Is all that really worth the added price? I’m definitely seeing a disparity between this and having the psvr2 + ps5 console at that price point. Someone is going to need to budge, either on price or tech, and I don’t think it’s Sony at this point.
Good to see people seeing through journalists BS about the PSVR2 being "too expensive" without additional context. The PS5 is a gaming console just like the PS1-PS4. For the features it offers and what 3rd parties have been able to do with the headset so far, the PSVR2 is pretty impressive for $550.
Not every company is like Meta that can afford to lose billions of dollars trying to create a monopoly on the market.
Wow super underrated channel nice work
1300£ in Sweden 🙄
Quest Pro seems better design and build. More features and way better standalone software and ecosystem.
I totally agree about the build quality of the Quest Pro but it is very heavy and uncomfortable at least for me. The biggest drawback is it is not modular which I think is the one of the XR's main selling points let alone privacy concerns with Meta.
@@satcruiser555 Choice is good, none the less! I find the Quest Pro to be great and based on the resolution of this, apparently no better than the QP. QP is great with visual quality, so that would be good.
Oh my god.. HTC added a good mic to their VR Headst?! that's amazing! Would of been nice if maybe you compared it to the current king of VR mics, the valve index, but that's leagues better than all of the other HTC headsets before it.
Thank you for the good review. Looking forward to trying this out myself.
I wouldn't exactly call it a good mic xD it's usable though which is more than the vive pro mics were
A good mic? Ehh, I guess it's a lot better than what they had before. But I was just thinking as I was watching this that I'd still want to add a modmic
Makes me realise the Value of PSVR2 if you own a PS5
Too bad it can't be used on PC.
Would have bought one.
Nothing beats OLED.
Even then you could either get vibe xr elite or PS5 and PSVR 2
@@Crecross Too bad the Quest can't be used on PS5.
@@michaelp.3485 why ? I use my quest 2 on my PC pretty much exclusively, tonnes of games.. I have a OS5 but won't be buying VR for it, not enough games and not backwards compatible with older PSVR titles ( I bought loads) 🙁..ATM, PCVR offers so much more for me than PSVR2 ..I don't think this new elite vive XR would benefit me much..not at this price.
All this new tech ! You need WiFi 6e bro !
It’s coming lol :)
If they made a PC only with none of the android CPU in it I would be interested. Too expensive when the quest 3 is about to come out or even the quest pro is 1000. I want a Rift S2 to come out which it never will. Plus the Meta pro controllers are way wayy better
The PSVR2 headset DOES have eye tracking BTW, this guy just made it sound like it didn't..bad syntax and grammar.
Psvr2 is just a better deal all-around
It is a great headset! For me I do require PCVR, but if Sony ever decide to support that then I will a happy chap!
I really do not understand the reason for using LCD displays, OLED looks so much better something Sony realized.
OLED has many downsides. There is a reason high-end headsets use LCD
@@dark_winter8238the biggest downside to LCD is the colors and Blacks, they look like trash compared to OLED. I play Elite dangerous in VR with a vive pro -gear VR lens mod and I've also used quest 2, rift s and index, all look bad with blacks and washed-out colors.
The main trade off is mura. I can’t stomach it, it is a deal breaker for me. Although I would like to know if oled fairs better with pancake lenses?
@@FalconLX911 I play Elite dangerous and have tried multiple headsets and I absolutely cannot live without an OLED screen
@@lanceobe6801 To each his own my friend. I loved my Vive pro with the gear vr mod. However I would not go back after putting on the Quest pro with pancake lenses. In the end the more people in vr the better. I guess I’m just disappointed in how long it’s taking to truly get to a next gen headset. It seems as though everything that is coming out has comprises. 😢Oh yeah, and the lack of AAA titles doesn’t help either
The absence of top head strap is sad.
huh? did you watch the review? it comes with an optional one you can attach if you want. He said he didn't need it.
I'm pretty sure Wifi 6 e is a subset of Wifi 6. It's the same thing really.
Wifi 6e runs on a different frequency, so it greatly decreases interference from other nearby devices. I imagine this benefit will diminish over time as more and more newer devices develop support for it, although I did ponder recently that since the higher frequencies have less penetrating power (so they can't go through walls as well as lower frequencies), if that means that individual devices using the 6ghz band that wifi 6e uses will generally have to worry less about interference in general. I guess we'll see over time.
@@Uncomfortable Yeah but is there a such a thing as a WiFi 6e PCIe card?
@@jona_KardCiv1 There are indeed networking cards that specifically support Wifi 6 but not 6e, and those that support both. So for example, one of my motherboards came with an Intel AX200 card which only supports Wifi 6 (it's not exactly a PCIe card, but an E-Key card similar to M.2 drives. Another one comes with an AX210 preinstalled, which supports both Wifi 6 *and 6e.
If your motherboard has Wifi preinstalled, it likely has a similar card, and they can be swapped. I think a 6e capable AX210 E-Key card runs under $30.
Wish I learnt something new here, more sales jargon. When will you do a proper review using half life alex or something demandind and high fidelity? You own other headsets what’s the comparison of image quality?
Quest pro sounds a lot better to me
There is def eye tracking on psvr but okay bud
Yep which is what I said. In contrast to this headset, where there isn’t.
At this price point that PSVR looks better and better
@@rangerkayla8824 I can definitely agree they are different markets in the same niche, this is a great headset, I think PSVR 2 is great due to PS5 install base and the number they expect to sell has risen sense it's release and good reviews, I'm in reverse camp from you in that I have a good PC for 1080p gaming ,maybe 1440p if I had the screen ,but I have to wait until I upgrade my PC to enjoy VR fully on it ,that's where me having a PS5 comes in ,the tether doesn't bother me or ppl once inside the headset,the price point makes up for it's shortcomings when a console gamer ,I'm both PC and console but my PC isn't ready I feel for AAA games at 120hz ,this is where options are great so we both can VR 😃
@@rangerkayla8824 I have totally ignored the Sony route because you are stuck with one vendor and their software offering. A steam VR solution may be initially expensive gives you way more leeway in the long run by providing the opportunity to pick/choose/upgrade VR headsets from different vendors as well as not having to repurchase your favorite games. I have the Quest 2, Pico 4, Rift S, and will soon own the XR Elite, Big Screen Beyond and maybe the Shiftall MeganeX depending on reviews. This gives me a diversified hardware selection all running my favorite steam games as well as whatever each vendor may offer on their own platform. It is all a matter of choice.
@@satcruiser555 I think Sony struck a great balance between adding useful features while keeping the cost from blowing the roof with PSVR2, plus devs are more likely to take advantage of its tech.
It would be an issue if their headset was an overpriced, underperforming cash-in
@@ark14700 Your point is well taken but I am looking at it from a completely different point of view... whereby within the next year or so as technology evolves, and you get smaller headsets with better resolutions you will be waiting on Sony for their next hardware release since now you have invested into Sony's software library, whereby picking a product with steamvr compatibility provides the ability to reuse all the games you have invested in. I am by no means putting the PSVR2 down, it is just the idea of being stuck with one vendor and limited freedom of upgradability does not appeal to me.
@@satcruiser555 i can see your POV , I just like that im already in Sonys eco system so the games I already own are getting upgrades etc but if I had no investment Is surely go PC VR and may still go it once the tech catches up with value and prices ,PC VR is a steep dive for me ATM but I can see you being a PC VR guy already so it makes sense