HTC announces gaming-centric Vive Focus Vision VR headset: Check details

HTC Vive Focus Vision is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 and features dual 16MP cameras with colour passthrough and automatic lens adjustments to accommodate distance between users' eyes

Taiwan-based virtual reality gear maker HTC has announced the launch of its new VR headset, the HTC Vive Focus Vision. This headset expands on the HTC Vive Focus 3, launched in 2021, and includes features such as colour passthrough and improved PC tethering support.

The HTC Vive Focus Vision can be connected to a PC via USB-C or function as a standalone device. Like the Vive Focus 3, the headset is powered by a Snapdragon XR2 chip, features a resolution of 2448 x 2448 per eye, and offers a 120-degree field of view. New features include dual 16MP cameras with colour passthrough and automatic lens adjustments based on the distance between users' eyes.

The Focus Vision includes 128GB of storage (with a microSD slot for up to 2TB more) and 12GB of RAM. It also features a built-in battery that can power the headset for up to 20 minutes, allowing users to replace the main power pack if its approximately two-hour battery life is depleted.

To enhance its gaming capabilities, HTC has incorporated foveated rendering, which directs graphical resources to the area users are looking at, rather than distributing them across the entire field of view. Additionally, the VR headset supports DisplayPort via USB-C, providing a lossless connection when connected to a PC. Following an update later this year, DisplayPort tethering will enable the display's refresh rate to increase from the standard 90Hz to 120Hz.

According to HTC, the device features a new fan that draws 30 per cent more air for improved cooling. The Vive Focus Vision headset is compatible with all Focus 3 accessories. HTC’s Vive XR Elite, launched last year, also offered colour passthrough video, but it utilises lower resolution screens than the Vision.