HTC · VIVE

VIVE

Released April 2016

The original consumer VIVE is a PC VR system with dual OLED displays, Lighthouse room-scale tracking and two included motion controllers. Its launch headset uses fabric straps and separate earbuds.

Works: Needs a PC or console
Per eye: 1080 × 1200
Refresh: 90 Hz
Weight: 555 g

What reviewers say

PC Gamer and WIRED praise immersive room-scale play and intuitive motion controls, while criticising weight, cables and cost. Setup differs between reviewers: PC Gamer finds it straightforward, while WIRED finds it troublesome. PC Gamer also criticises the strap fit and supplied earbuds.

From pcgamer.com and wired.com

Specifications

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Display

Resolution per eye: 1080 × 1200
Panel: OLED
Refresh rate: 90 Hz
Display details: Dual 3.6-inch AMOLED displays; 1080 × 1200 per eye at 90 Hz. HTC's stated 110° field of view has no specified axis.
Lenses: Fresnel lenses (PC Gamer); separate eye-relief adjustment
Lens spacing (IPD): Physical lens-spacing knob; 60.2–74.5 mm range reported by Ars Technica

Tracking and input

Eye tracking: No
Hand tracking: Yes
Controllers in the box: Yes
Colour passthrough: Yes
Sensors: SteamVR Lighthouse tracking with two external base stations; seated, standing and room-scale use. Later VIVE Hand Tracking SDK supports controller-free skeleton tracking in compatible apps; its 3D print mode is not supported on original VIVE. No built-in eye tracking.
Controllers: Two wireless tracked wands with trackpads, grip buttons, dual-stage triggers and haptic feedback; Micro-USB charging. Controller battery life is separate from the PC-powered headset.
Passthrough: Single front camera; SteamVR offers boundary outlines or a small full-colour live view (Ars Technica)

Performance

Works: Needs a PC or console
Connections: PC connection through powered link box; HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 2.0 or newer. Original tether combines HDMI, USB and power (Ars Technica).

Design

Battery: None (powered by a PC or console)
Weight (headset): 555 g
Audio: Integrated microphone, 3.5 mm headphone connection and separate earbuds; original headset has no integrated headphones. Deluxe Audio Strap is a separate later accessory.
Strap: Adjustable fabric straps; original launch headset is 555 g without cables according to Ars Technica. Later hardware revisions may differ.
In the box: Headset, two controllers, two base stations, link box, tether, earbuds, cables, chargers and mounting accessories; gaming PC separate

Pros and cons

Pros

Two tracked controllers and two base stations included
Physical lens-spacing and eye-relief adjustment
OLED displays at 90 Hz

Cons

Requires a compatible PC and powered external base stations
No integrated headphones in the original package
Tethered headset with fabric straps

Closest rivals

Model	Works	Per eye	Refresh	Weight	Released
SonyPlayStation VR	Needs a PC or console	960 × 1080	120 Hz	610 g	Oct 2016
MetaOculus Rift	Needs a PC or console	1080 × 1200	90 Hz	470 g	Mar 2016
MetaOculus Rift S	Needs a PC or console	1280 × 1440	80 Hz	561 g	May 2019

Sources

Photo: vive.com

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