The HTC Vive is a high-end, Virtual Reality (VR) system that requires special equipment to use. It is not available for purchase without it!
The Vive features a VR room, where users enter an isolated environment and are guided through a series of exercises to get ready for the experience. After entering the environment, users wear a headset that tracks their eyes and movements, as well as an audio system to deliver experiences into their head.
This system allows users to move around in its virtual world without any trouble, so it is best if users are feeling good before they take on the experience. Users also receive some medical evaluations before trying the headset out, so there is no reason to feel nervous or sick during those sessions either.
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Premium experience
As the name suggests, premium experience is designed to give you the most out of virtual reality. These experiences can be more interactive, like watching a game or movie in your head with supernatural abilities, or they can be more immersive, like being able to walk around in your own home.
wasted money! In order to have a premium experience on the Vive, you have to pay up. At $600 USD+ tax + shipping + handling, that’s almost $800 USD!
Most of these experiences are expensive due to the extra technology that goes into creating them. For example, companies must use specialized software to create and run these experiences, and then they have to pay for the output if it gets used.
You get what you pay for
While it is fun to try new things, you have to be careful what you are spending your money on. You can find very affordable VR solutions, but those are only for high-end systems.
For example, the Gear VR is a low-end headset that requires the user pay extra money for additional sensors and devices to function. It is not ideal for daily use as the immersion is lost after some time.
The Vive Pro is a slightly improved version of the standard Vive Pro, and costs an additional $10. It comes with a silver face mask and hand controllers instead of no accessories.
Both of these headsets create a boundary between you and the virtual world, making it more intense and serious when using them in VR. By having more components required for experience, it makes it cost more than an equivalent non-VR experience.
Optimized for VR
While the Vive is not the most inexpensive VR headset out there, it does come with some perks that add cost to lesser VR headsets. Most notably, the Vive requires a powerful computer to run.
Due to its increased computing power, the Vive needs extra power from your computer to work. This can be an annoyance if you have to always plug your headset in for it to function. Some computers do not recognize the headset immediately and/or require a restart before it works.
Another notable cost-to-power ratio piece of hardware is an earpiece or mike. While not required for sound quality on Vive, this added piece of equipment helps optimize the Vive’s internal sound system and hears you when you speak!
Lastly, consider whether or not you would want to upgrade your headset in the future.
Cost of innovation
Despite being one of the leading virtual reality (VR) headsets on the market, HTC Vive is quite limited in availability. You must purchase it from retailers that have it in stock, and only a limited number of them.
Most large-scale retail chains have at least a few in stock, makingAvailability is very limited! This is because once people start selling them out, no more will be ordered.
This is not the case with Vive; it is always available online, but you would need to have a Vive to use it.
Limited availability
While the HTC Vive is currently only available through select high-end computer system manufacturers, this limited availability should not affect your enjoyment of the product.
If you are a gaming enthusiast, you know how important high-end computers are. While playing on a lower-end computer can be enjoyable, having the ability to look into the VR world on a much higher level is worth it!
If you are already a gamer and want to add VR to your collection, now is the time to buy! The HTC Vive costs around $1000 USD, making it one of the most expensive headsets out there.
HTC Vive vs. Oculus Rift
Both HTC Vive and Oculus Rift require high-end hardware. While the HTC Vive features a standard LCD screen, the Oculus Rift uses a lower-res OLED screen.
Both headsets are designed for computer systems, with the Rift using its own software, and the Vive featuring its own SteamVR application. Both require powerful computers to run efficiently, as well as immersive headphones or speakers so you can hear your computer or headset.
However, while the Vive costs more than the Rift, it offers more comprehensive virtual reality (VR) experiences. With the Rift, you receive only stereo audio which is both ears must hear it in order to feel what is happening in your head.
However, with the Vive, you receive additional VR experiences such as presence technology which supposedly makes you feel like you are really there with your audience. This supposedly makes them feel like they are there and experience what you are seeing and feeling.
Which one should I buy?
Both of these headsets are very high-end products, and cost a little more expensive than the average VR headset. However, you will also get much more out of it which is worth the extra money!
The Vive comes with an integrated camera that tracks your movements. This helps create a more immersive experience by giving you confidence in your surroundings.
However, the normal price of the Vive is not always correct. A number of times, retailers have had it for less! Once they realize how much better their customers are experiences-focused people buyers are, they drop the price even further!
Either way, when buying a headset it is important to look at both the camera and audio quality.
Does it work with my phone?
No, the HTC Vive requires a PC, phone-compatible headset, and a power source to work. It does not connect to your phone via Bluetooth nor does it work with mobile devices such as iPhones or Android phones.
The HTC Vive requires a powerful computer running Windows or Mac OS X with a monitor and/or television set up as well as the required power supply unit. The HTC Vive features its own built-in power supply unit, meaning you will need to purchase another one if you wanted to use the headset without the additional power source.
The phone-compatible Vive Headset features integrated Bluetooth and a mini USB connection, making it much easier to connect and use.