HTC VIVE Focus Vision

Display and Visuals

Resolution: The dual 2448 x 2448 pixel LCD panels (one per eye) deliver a combined 5K resolution. In practice, this translates to crisp, detailed visuals that significantly reduces the screen door effect I've noticed in some other headsets.

Field of View (FOV): While HTC claims up to 120 degrees FOV, in my experience, it felt a bit smaller. This was especially noticeable in passthrough mode, where the field of view seemed more constrained.

Refresh Rate: Currently running at 90Hz, which provides smooth motion. HTC plans to support 120Hz in DisplayPort mode later in 2024.

Lenses: The Vive Focus Vision uses Fresnel lenses, a common choice in VR headsets. These lenses offer advantages like lightweight design and lower manufacturing costs, allowing for a wider field of view. However, they can introduce some visual artifacts like "god rays" and may contribute to eye fatigue during prolonged use. Compared to aspherical or pancake lenses found in some other high-end headsets, Fresnel lenses generally offer moderate image quality but maintain a good balance of cost and performance.

Processing and Memory

Processor: The Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 1 chipset handles most tasks well. I noticed quick load times and generally smooth performance, though I did experience some app crashes in standalone mode.

RAM: 12GB LPDDR5 RAM keeps things running smoothly, especially when multitasking or running more demanding applications.

Storage: The 128GB internal storage is ample for most users, but the option to expand up to 2TB via MicroSD could come in handy for those who want to load up more games and apps.

Cameras and Sensors

Passthrough Cameras: The dual 16MP color cameras for stereoscopic full-color passthrough work well. The view of my surroundings was clear, though not amazing. However, the passthrough quality is significantly better than it was in the ViveXR Elite, especially when it came to proportions and perspective.

Tracking Cameras: Four front-facing cameras handle inside-out tracking. While generally accurate, I did notice some occasional issues, particularly with shooter games where my hand would sometimes float to incorrect positions.

Eye-Tracking: Two dedicated eye-tracking cameras power features like automatic IPD adjustment. This worked seamlessly in my testing, making the initial setup a breeze.

Additional Sensors: These include a depth sensor, infrared sensor, G-sensor, proximity sensor, and gyroscope.

Ports: The headset features two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C ports, one of which supports DisplayPort. This came in handy for connecting to my PC and for charging.

Wireless: Bluetooth 5.2 + BLE and Wi-Fi 6/6E support ensure fast, stable connections. I experienced some controller latency issues, likely due to the inside-out tracking nature of the headset rather than internet connectivity. Your experience may vary depending on your internet connection. HTC recommends a high-speed, low-latency connection for optimal wireless performance.

Battery and Audio

Battery Life: The headset lasts up to 2 hours on a single charge. The hot-swapping capability could be useful if you decide to purchase additional batteries. My review unit only came with one battery, so I couldn't test this feature.

Audio: The dual driver speakers with privacy mode provide good sound quality. I was impressed by the spatial audio capabilities. The dual microphones with noise and echo cancellation worked well in my tests, picking up my voice clearly even in a noisy environment.