In January during the CES 2019 technology event in Las Vegas, HTC Vive announced its next virtual reality (VR) head-mounted display (HMD), the Vive Cosmos. Today, pre-orders have now gone live, pricing the device at £699 GBP/$699 USD whilst revealing further details for interested customers.
While the HTC Vive Pro is designed more towards enterprise use cases, the Vive Cosmos is the company’s new high-end headset for consumers. Featuring inside-out tracking for easy setups and reduced clutter thanks to no external sensors, Vive Cosmos features a combined resolution of 2880×1770 (1440×1700 per-eye) using an LCD display, a hinged front to easily drop in and out of VR and a vented removable faceplate.
This modular faceplate will allow users to add accessories over time with the first being the Vive Cosmos External Tracking Mod which will be made available in Q1 2020. This new faceplate will allow customers who have the Lighthouse tracking system (which comes with HTC Vive) to use it with Vive Cosmos whilst making use of the headset’s other features.
On top of this, Vive Cosmos will be compatible with the Vive Wireless Adapter for those who want untethered gaming.
It’s not just a new HMD HTC Vive has created. The Vive Cosmos will be the first to offer the new Vive Reality System (VRS), a reimagined hub for connecting with the latest videogames and apps. Cosmos will feature a redesigned user interface called Lens to navigate XR and Viveport Infinity applications, and a new, dynamic home space called Origin.
“Since Vive began our VR journey, we’ve continued to refine and improve on what a premium VR experience can and should be,” said Graham Wheeler, GM Vive Europe in a statement. “Cosmos offers an unmatched experience and is also our most versatile headset yet—with, inside-out tracking, options in the future for different faceplates, unlimited content in the box, and the new user interface, we see limitless possibilities for XR customers. We’re thrilled to be delivering the promise of premium VR to an ever-growing audience, as Vive Cosmos stands to be our widest European retail launch to date for a VR product.”
The Vive Cosmos is available to pre-order today via Vive.com or through select retailers in the US such as Amazon.com, Best Buy Canada, B&H Photo, GameStop, Newegg.com, and Walmart.com. The kit retails for £699/$699 with the launch taking place on 3rd October 2019. As a special bonus, customers who pre-order Vive Cosmos by 2nd October will receive a 12-month Viveport Infinity redeem code. For further updates on Vive Cosmos, keep reading VRFocus.
Vive Cosmos Specs
- Resolution: 1440 x 1700 pixels per eye (2880 x 1700 pixels combined)
- Screen: Dual 3.4″ LCD diagonal
- Refresh rate: 90 Hz
- Field of view: 110 degrees
- Audio: Built-in stereo headphones
- Required PC connectivity: USB 3.0, DisplayPort
1.2 - Peripheral Ports: USB-C 3.0, proprietary connection to mods
- Tracking: no minimum space requirements for standing/seated, minimum 2m x 1.5m for room-scale mode
- Module Faceplates: Vive Motion Mod (Ships with Cosmos) and Vive Cosmos External Tracking Mod (Sold separately)
- Vive Wireless Adapter support: Yes, sold separately with attach kit. Available PCIe slot required