The new HTC VIVE Pro Eye is the first commercially available HMD with integrated gaze tracking, meaning the new Virtual Reality headset will support Variable Rate Shading, enabling Foveated Rendering.

Foveated Rendering is based on the observation that the resolution that our eye can perceive depends on viewing angle. We have maximum visual resolution for objects in the center of our field of view, but much lower visual resolution for objects in the periphery. Therefore, if the viewer’s eye position is known, we can shade at lower rates in the periphery, and higher rates in the center of the field of view, maximizing image quality at all times.

Foveated rendering gives VR increased performance and visual quality surpassing previous performance by pushing more pixels where the player is looking.