The HTC Vive XR Elite is a new and exciting step toward the future of VR and AR hardware.
In this review, we see how this pair of black mirrorshade glasses offer a glimpse into what’s to come.
These sleek and portable goggles may look like a pair of VR glasses, but they are so much more. The HTC Vive XR Elite comes with a battery pack strap, VR controllers, and an adapter to fit over glasses if needed.
This kit is similar to the Meta Quest Pro but with the option to strip it down to a smaller size and run from a separate battery pack or laptop.
During the testing of the Vive XR Elite, the reviewer used the device for a week with various apps and games in standalone mode.
They tested it in both VR and mixed reality modes using the passthrough cameras, controllers, and onboard hand tracking.
The Vive XR Elite also works as a connected PC VR headset, but the reviewer focused on its standalone capabilities. They even tried the adapter to fit the hardware over their own glasses to see how it felt.
The HTC Vive XR Elite is an impressive piece of hardware that feels like a glimpse into the future of VR and AR. HTC’s aggressive next step in VR hardware is an indication of the evolutionary steps that are to come for all VR and AR hardware.
The HTC Vive XR Elite is a sign that VR and AR are going to become even more portable, sleek, and accessible to everyone.
The Vive XR Elite has a unique design compared to other VR headsets, with many components being removable, making it feel smaller and more like glasses.
However, this can also lead to a tighter fit on the face without glasses, or exposing more ambient peripheral vision when worn with glasses.
This feature is called “mixed reality mode” and allows the user to see bits of the real world around them while wearing the headset.
While it may sound distracting, the reviewer notes that they got used to it over time. The XR Elite also offers mixed-reality features, but there aren’t many apps yet that take advantage of this.
Despite this, the device is seen as a stepping stone towards some future-form product that isn’t entirely here yet. The XR Elite is available ahead of Apple’s expected mixed-reality device and Meta’s Quest 3, and is priced at $1,099.
