HTC Vive Pro

HTC Vive Pro
Basic Info
VR/AR	Virtual Reality
Type	Head-mounted display
Subtype	PC VR
Platform	SteamVR
Creator	HTC, Valve Corporation
Developer	HTC
Manufacturer	HTC
Announcement Date	January 8, 2018 (CES)
Release Date	April 5, 2018
Price	$799 (headset only), $1,099 (full kit)
Website	https://www.vive.com/
Versions	HTC Vive Pro (HMD only), HTC Vive Pro Full Kit, HTC Vive Pro Starter Kit
Requires	Gaming PC with DisplayPort, USB
Predecessor	HTC Vive
Successor	HTC Vive Pro 2
System
Operating System	Windows, Linux (via SteamVR)
Chipset	N/A (tethered PCVR)
CPU	N/A (PC-powered)
GPU	N/A (PC-powered)
Storage
Storage	N/A
Memory	N/A
SD Card Slot	No
Display
Display	Dual AMOLED (PenTile)
Subpixel Layout	PenTile Diamond
Peak Brightness	~100 nits
Resolution	1440 × 1600 per eye (2880 × 1600 combined)
Pixel Density	~13 PPD
Refresh Rate	90Hz
Persistence	Low persistence
Image
Field of View	110°
Horizontal FoV	~110°
Vertical FoV	~110°
Average Pixel Density	~13 PPD
Peak Pixel Density	~13 PPD
Foveated Rendering	No
Optics
Optics	Dual Fresnel lenses
Ocularity	Binocular
IPD Range	60.8-74.6mm (mechanical adjustment)
Adjustable Diopter	No (glasses compatible)
Passthrough	Yes (dual front-facing cameras, grayscale)
Tracking
Tracking	6DoF outside-in (Lighthouse/SteamVR Tracking 1.0/2.0)
Tracking Frequency	1000Hz (base stations)
Base Stations	Required (Lighthouse 1.0 or 2.0)
Eye Tracking	No (available via VIVE Pro Eye variant)
Face Tracking	No
Hand Tracking	No
Body Tracking	Via VIVE Trackers (accessory)
Rotational Tracking	Yes
Positional Tracking	Yes
Update Rate	1000Hz (tracking)
Tracking Volume	Up to 10m × 10m (with 2.0 base stations)
Play Space	Roomscale
Latency	<22ms motion-to-photon
Audio
Audio	Integrated hi-res headphones
Microphone	Yes (dual microphones with noise cancellation)
3.5mm Audio Jack	Yes
Camera	2× front-facing cameras
Connectivity
Connectivity	DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0
Ports	DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0, 3.5mm audio, DC power
Wired Video	Yes (DisplayPort)
Wireless Video	Yes (VIVE Wireless Adapter, sold separately)
WiFi	No
Bluetooth	Via base stations
Power	Link Box powered
Battery Capacity	N/A
Battery Life	N/A (tethered)
Charge Time	N/A
Device
Dimensions	~196mm × 136mm × 115mm
Weight	555g (headset only)
Material	Plastic, metal frame
Headstrap	Integrated rigid strap with dial adjustment
Haptics	Controller haptics
Color	Blue/Black
Sensors	Lighthouse tracking photodiodes, IMU, dual front cameras, proximity sensor
Input	VIVE Controllers or VIVE Pro Controllers
Compliance	FCC, CE

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The HTC Vive Pro is a PC VR head-mounted display developed by HTC in partnership with Valve Corporation, announced at CES on January 8, 2018, and released on April 5, 2018. Positioned as a professional-grade upgrade to the original HTC Vive, the Vive Pro featured a 78% increase in resolution with dual AMOLED displays at 1440 × 1600 per eye (2880 × 1600 combined), integrated high-resolution headphones with active noise cancellation, dual front-facing cameras for enhanced passthrough, and a redesigned comfort system with better weight distribution. Priced at $799 for the headset-only package (requiring existing base stations and controllers) or $1,099 for the full kit, the Vive Pro targeted enterprise customers, professional VR developers, and enthusiast consumers seeking the highest-fidelity VR experience available at the time.

History and Development

Original Vive Success

The original HTC Vive launched in April 2016:

First consumer room-scale VR headset
Lighthouse tracking system revolutionized VR
Strong enterprise and consumer adoption
Established SteamVR as a major platform

Professional Market Demand

Enterprise users requested improvements:

Higher resolution for text readability
Better comfort for extended use
Integrated audio solution
Professional-grade build quality

CES 2018 Announcement

Vive Pro unveiled at CES:

Surprise announcement
78% resolution increase highlighted
Blue color scheme revealed
Spring 2018 availability promised

Pre-order and Launch

March 2018 pre-orders opened:

$799 headset-only price announced
Original Vive reduced to $499
April 5, 2018 shipping began
Full kit later at $1,099

Design Philosophy

Professional Focus

Designed for professional and enterprise use:

Higher resolution for productivity
Extended comfort features
Premium build quality
Backward compatibility with existing setups

Evolutionary Upgrade

Improvements over original Vive:

Same tracking technology
Enhanced displays
Integrated audio
Refined ergonomics

Blue Color Identity

Distinctive appearance:

Professional blue color scheme
Distinguished from consumer Vive
Brand recognition
Premium positioning

Display Technology

Dual AMOLED Panels

Significant resolution upgrade:

Resolution: 1440 × 1600 per eye
Total: 2880 × 1600
Improvement: 78% more pixels than original Vive
Panel Type: AMOLED with PenTile Diamond

Visual Quality

Enhanced viewing experience:

Reduced screen door effect
Better text readability
Improved color saturation
True black levels maintained

Refresh Rate

Standard VR timing:

90Hz refresh rate
Low persistence display
Smooth motion rendering
Motion blur reduction

PenTile Subpixels

Display arrangement:

Diamond PenTile pattern
OLED benefits maintained
Some SDE still visible
Better than original Vive

Optical System

Fresnel Lenses

Similar optics to original:

Wide field of view
God rays present
Good sweet spot
Established design

Field of View

Matched original Vive:

Total: ~110°
Excellent immersion
Good peripheral visibility
Industry-leading at launch

IPD Adjustment

Physical lens movement:

Range: 60.8-74.6mm
Knob adjustment
Wide user accommodation
Same as original Vive

Lighthouse Tracking

Backward Compatibility

Works with both tracking versions:

Lighthouse 1.0: Original base stations
Lighthouse 2.0: Newer, improved base stations
Existing users can upgrade headset only
Investment protection

Lighthouse 2.0 Benefits

Improved base stations:

Smaller form factor
Single motor design
More reliable
Up to 4 stations supported
10m × 10m maximum area

Tracking Quality

Sub-millimeter precision:

Excellent positional accuracy
Reliable at room scale
Consistent performance
Enterprise-grade reliability

Controllers

VIVE Wand Controllers

Compatible with original controllers:

Same design as original Vive
6DoF tracking
Trackpad and trigger
Haptic feedback

Upgrade Path

Later controller options:

Valve Index controllers compatible
Third-party accessories
Tracker support
Ecosystem flexibility

Integrated Audio

Hi-Res Headphones

Major upgrade over original:

Built-in over-ear headphones
High-resolution certified audio
Adjustable and removable
No separate audio needed

Dual Microphones

Enhanced voice capture:

Noise-canceling microphones
Clear communication
Improved for VR chat
Professional quality

Audio Quality

Professional-grade sound:

Wide frequency response
Good spatial audio
Comfortable fit
Quick adjustment

Physical Design

Redesigned Head Strap

Significantly improved comfort:

Rigid construction
Dial adjustment system
Better weight distribution
Easy to put on/off

Weight Distribution

Balanced design:

Rear counterweight
Reduced facial pressure
Better for extended use
Professional comfort

Build Quality

Premium construction:

Metal internal frame
Quality plastics
Professional durability
Blue color scheme

Weight

555g headset only
Similar to original
Better distribution
Comfortable weight

Dual Camera System

Passthrough Cameras

Two front-facing cameras:

Stereo passthrough possible
Grayscale view
Better room awareness
AR potential (limited)

Chaperone Enhancement

Improved boundary system:

Stereo camera view
Better depth perception
Enhanced safety
Quick real-world check

VIVE Wireless Adapter

Wireless Freedom

Optional accessory for tetherless VR:

Intel WiGig technology
60GHz wireless transmission
September 2018 release
Full compatibility

Technical Specifications

Wireless adapter features:

Low latency streaming
2.5 hours battery life
Head-mounted battery option
Requires PCIe card in PC

VIVE Pro Eye Variant

Eye Tracking Addition

Released 2019:

Tobii eye tracking integrated
Foveated rendering support
Enterprise focused
Higher price point

Enterprise Applications

Eye tracking uses:

Training analytics
Attention studies
Performance optimization
Research applications

Enterprise Features

Business Deployment

Professional advantages:

Better display for text
Integrated audio simplifies setup
Robust build quality
Enterprise support available

Industry Adoption

Professional use cases:

Training simulations
Design visualization
Medical applications
Architectural reviews

Connectivity

Cable System

Three-in-one cable to Link Box:

DisplayPort 1.2
USB 3.0
Power
Link Box connects to PC

PC Requirements

Recommended specifications:

NVIDIA GTX 1070 / AMD RX Vega 56 or better
Intel Core i5-4590 / AMD FX 8350 or better
4GB RAM minimum
DisplayPort 1.2 or newer

Comparison with Original Vive

Feature	Vive Pro	Original Vive
Resolution/eye	1440×1600	1080×1200
Total Resolution	2880×1600	2160×1200
Audio	Integrated headphones	Earbuds (included)
Cameras	2× stereo	1× mono
Head Strap	Rigid with dial	Elastic with velcro
Color	Blue	Black
Price	$799 (HMD only)	$499 (full kit)

Legacy

Professional Standard

Established enterprise VR baseline:

Resolution standard for professional use
Comfort design influenced successors
Enterprise feature set defined
Wireless VR viability proven

Successor Development

Led to further improvements:

Vive Pro Eye added eye tracking
Vive Pro 2 significantly upgraded resolution
Lessons applied to Focus series
Continued enterprise focus

Technical Specifications Summary

Specification	Details
Display	Dual AMOLED, 1440 × 1600 per eye
Total Resolution	2880 × 1600
Refresh Rate	90Hz
FOV	~110°
Tracking	Lighthouse 1.0/2.0 (outside-in)
Audio	Integrated hi-res headphones
Microphone	Dual noise-canceling
Cameras	2× front-facing
Weight	555g
Connection	DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0
Wireless	Optional (VIVE Wireless Adapter)
Price	$799 (HMD) / $1,099 (full kit)

References