HTC has kicked off pre-orders this morning for their previously announced HTC Vive Pro Head Mounted Display, setting the price on the standalone HMD at $799. Furthermore, any Vive Pro HMDs purchased by June 3rd, which will begin shipping on April 5th, includes a free six-month trial to Viveport Subscription where owners will get the chance to play 30 titles with their new HMD. Meanwhile, the company has also announced a $100 price drop for the current Vive full kit. This price reduction brings it down to $499 globally.

The HTC Vive Pro VR HMD is aimed towards consumers and professionals who love want to be on the bleeding edge of VR hardware. While not a full generational update over its predecessor, the Vive Pro comes equipped with dual 3.5-inch OLED displays with a combined resolution of 2880x1600 at 90 Hz refresh rate. This increase in resolution over the current Vive (78% more pixels) significantly increases the resulting image clarity. However, it's worth noting that the FOV remains at 110° - the same as the Vive (non-Pro). Additionally, the Vive Pro features integrated headphones with a built-in amplifier as well as dual microphones which HTC says creates a ‘heightened sense of presence and sound through noise cancellation capabilities’.

The Vive Pro was also redesigned for increased comfort using a head-strap which balances the weight of the headset more evenly and features simple adjustment buttons for users who wear glasses. The Pro works with both SteamVR tracking 1.0 and 2.0 so existing Vive customers are able to upgrade the headset only while continuing to use current generation controllers and base stations. In essence, users are receiving a unit with increased resolution, integrated audio, and a redesigned headset strap for comfort.

We are hoping to hear more about the Vive wireless adapter using Intel’s WiGig technology to get rid of the cords. However it would seem that HTC isn't revealing anything about its availability at this time.

HTC Vive and Vive Pro HMDs Vive Vive Pro Screen Dual 3.6" diagonal AMOLED Dual 3.5" diagonal AMOLED Resolution 1080 x 1200 pixels /eye

(2160 x 1200 Combined) 1440 x 1600 pixels /eye

(2880 x 1600 Combined) Refresh Rate 90 Hz Field of View 110° Audio Not integrated Hi-Res certificate headset

Hi-Res certificate headphone (removable)

High impedance headphone support Input Multifunction trackpad

Grip buttons

Dual-stage trigger

System button

Menu button

Integrated microphone Integrated Microphones

Multifunction trackpad

Grip buttons

Dual-stage trigger

System button

Menu Button Connections HDMI

USB 2.0

Stereo 3.5mm headphone jack

Power

Bluetooth USB-C 3.0

Displayport 1.2

Bluetooth Camera Yes Yes, 2 x Sensors Steam VR Tracking

G-sensor

Gyroscope

Proximity Steam VR Tracking

G-sensor

Gyroscope

Proximity

IPD sensor Ergonomics Interpupillary distance and lens distance adjustment Eye relief with lens distance adjustment

Adjustable IPD, headphones, head strap Price $499 (Complete Kit) $799 (HMD Only)

Related Reading: