HTC Vive Pro vs. Oculus Rift: How much better is the new VR headset?

HTC Vive Pro vs. Oculus Rift: Newer and bigger, but better?

HTC's Vive Pro was appear at CES 2022 and will bring a bunch of key upgrades that many VR enthusiasts have been asking for. The Oculus Rift is all the same 1 of the leading headsets, with an enormous library of quality games, but its age is get-go to evidence, particularly when up against the upcoming Vive Pro. Let's take a close look at these two headsets to run into exactly how they compare.

Oculus Rift

Category	HTC Vive Pro	Oculus Rift
Display	Dual AMOLED 3.5 inches	Dual AMOLED 3.54 inches
Resolution	ane,440 x one,600 (2,880 ten 1,600)	1,080 x 1,200 (ii,160 x 1,200)
PPI	615	461
FOV	110 degrees	110 degrees
Refresh rate	90Hz	90Hz
Connectedness	USB-C 3.0 DisplayPort 1.2	HDMI USB-A ii.0 USB-A 3.0

HTC Vive Pro vs. Oculus Rift: Display

HTC Vive Pro

Like the Rift, the Vive Pro has dual AMOLED displays with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 110-degree field of view (FOV). You're looking at the same max framerate and you lot'll notwithstanding become the feeling that you're looking into goggles. All the same, the Vive Pro's displays have a higher resolution, for a combined total of ii,880 x one,600, as opposed to the Rift's combined two,160 x 1,200.

That'due south a pretty big difference, especially when y'all break information technology down to pixels per inch (PPI). You lot're no doubt going to notice the 615 PPI of the Vive Pro, upward from the Rift's 461 PPI, and at that place'south also going to be less screen-door effect in the new headset. If you want the best picture possible, go with the Vive Pro.

HTC Vive Pro vs. Oculus Rift: Design and features

Oculus Rift

The Rift'south headstrap is more often than not plastic, with adjustment Velcro on each side and on the elevation. The sides have headphones hanging off of them, which can be removed or replaced. The Vive Pro has a plastic caput strap, although it'southward far bulkier due to the extra padding. It also has ii headphones congenital into information technology, and there's an adjustment knob on the dorsum to tighten or loosen the straps. 1 thing the Rift has going for it is replaceable earbud headphones. In one case I swapped the one-time cups out, I haven't gone back.

The confront gasket on the Rift, the padding and olfactory organ cover that make a seal between your face up and the display, is standard foam that'south decently comfortable. There's not much of a cover for your olfactory organ, however, and you might observe low-cal seeping in often, particularly if you're playing in a well-lit room.

Vive Pro wireless adapter

HTC seems to understand that people don't want any light coming in. The company increased the olfactory organ comprehend and confront padding by 24 percent over the original Vive, and the foam now has a cloth lining for extra comfort. It seems like you should be able to play longer without experiencing discomfort. The Vive Pro also has dual cameras on the forepart, allowing for an improved Chaperone system that should let you navigate a room without pulling off your headset.

Finally, a wireless adapter for the original Vive and Vive Pro will be sold separately and is expected sometime later this year. At that place's no official price set up yet, just if information technology'southward cheaper than the Rift-uniform TPCast wireless adapter (about $350), yous can bet that it will play heavily into buying decisions.

HTC Vive Pro vs. Oculus Rift: Audio

Oculus Rift

Having headphones congenital into each headset means fewer cables to fence with, and that's a skilful thing. The cups on the Rift practise a decent chore of delivering sound, and you can swap them out quickly and easily for the crawly earbuds (about $l). Want to use your own headphones? Just remove the built-in pair on the Rift.

The Vive Pro is post-obit in these footsteps with its own built-in headphones. These are How-do-you-do-Res Audio certified, significant yous're getting seriously high-quality sound without heavy hardware. There are also some new features for the dual-microphone setup that anyone interested in multiplayer games volition dear. You're looking at active noise counterfoil that volition still alert you if something'southward going on outside your headset.

HTC Vive Pro vs. Oculus Rift: Sensors and motility controllers

Vive controller

Getting gear up up for a room-scale experience, the Rift needs at least three sensors for decent tracking, though sometimes a fourth is called in to reach the corners of a big space. Optimally, you lot're looking at near a 10-foot by 10-human foot playspace with USB cables snaking back to your PC. Those cables all need ports, plus another USB-A and HDMI from the headset.

The Vive Pro volition initially work with the original lighthouse sensors, which but require a power supply. The headset requires DisplayPort and USB-C, requiring newer ports simply leaving far more free on your PC and creating far less cable clutter. At that place are new sensors expected to be released subsequently this year (along with updated wand controllers) that will offer up a play space of about 32 feet by 32 feet.

Touch controllers

Oculus Touch controllers are my favorite of the bunch, as they offer up a durable, compact, comfortable package. With the right number of sensors they rail with precision, and all controls feel like they're shut nether your fingers.

The Vive'southward wands aren't exactly uncomfortable, merely they are definitely bulky. After using them for an extended catamenia, they begin to experience similar a couple blocks in your manus, whereas the Touch on controllers always seem to just sit at that place naturally. Instead of using something entirely new — similar Valve's in-progress knuckles controllers — the Vive Pro bundle will include updated wands. What exactly those updates entail we've still to see.

HTC Vive Pro vs. Oculus Rift: Conclusion

Vive Pro

HTC has appear an $800 price tag for the new Vive Pro headset alone, which is expected to release Apr 5, 2022. This does non include the new lighthouses and controllers, merely whatsoever purchases before June volition include a six-month subscription to Viveport. It's nonetheless expected that after this year there volition be a bundle that includes the Vive Pro and all of its updated accessories.

Come across Vive Pro at Microsoft Store

The Oculus Rift is available now and costs nearly $400 for a headset, Touch controllers, and two sensors. You lot will need to drib well-nigh $60 for an extra sensor for a quality room-scale setup. Thinking about a relatively cheap withal quality VR headset that's available right now? The Rift is still a solid pick.