Vive Flow
The VIVE Flow is a portable virtual reality glasses device developed by HTC, announced October 14, 2021 and released November 2021 at $499. Ultra-compact immersive VR glasses weighing just 189g (lighter than most smartphones), featuring dual 1600x1600 LCD displays with pancake optics, 100° field of view, 6DoF inside-out tracking, adjustable diopter lenses eliminating need for glasses, Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 processor, spatial audio, and built-in cooling fan. Requires external power via Android phone or power bank. Designed for media consumption, meditation, and casual VR experiences.
| Vive Flow | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | VR Glasses |
| Subtype | Portable VR |
| Platform | VIVE Flow, Android companion |
| Developer | HTC |
| Manufacturer | HTC |
| Announcement Date | October 14, 2021 |
| Release Date | November 2021 |
| Price | $499 USD / £499 / €549 |
| Website | https://www.vive.com/ |
| Successor | Vive XR Elite |
| System | |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| Display | |
| Display | LCD (dual) |
| Resolution | 1600x1600 per eye |
| Refresh Rate | 75 Hz |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 100° |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Pancake lenses |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF (inside-out) |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, spatial audio, dual mics |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Device | |
| Weight | 189g |
History and Development
HTC announced VIVE Flow on October 14, 2021 as a new category of immersive VR glasses, distinct from traditional VR headsets. Pre-orders began immediately with retail availability in November 2021. The Flow won "Best Wearable Tech" at the Esquire Gadget Awards 2021. A Business Edition was also released for enterprise applications. The Flow's compact form factor and pancake optics pioneered HTC's direction toward the later Vive XR Elite.[1]
Design and Hardware
Display
Compact high-resolution:
- 1600x1600 per eye resolution
- 3200x1600 combined (3.2K)
- Dual 2.1-inch LCD panels
- 75 Hz refresh rate
- 100° field of view
Optics
- Pancake lenses
- Thinner than standard VR lenses
- Enables compact design
- Adjustable diopter
- No glasses needed inside
- Vision correction built-in
Processing
- Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1
- 4 GB RAM
- 64 GB storage
- VR-optimized chipset
Tracking
- 6DoF inside-out tracking
- Dual-hinge-fit design
- Head tracking
- Smartphone as controller
Audio
- Stereo speakers
- Spatial audio
- Dual microphones
- Echo cancellation
- Noise cancellation
Build
Ultra-lightweight design:
- 189g weight
- Foldable design
- Portable form factor
- Dual-hinge fit
- Active cooling fan
- Draws heat from face/eyes
Power
External power required:
- No internal battery
- Android phone powered
- Power bank compatible
- USB-C connection
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth 5.0
- USB-C (power)
Features
Media Consumption
- Netflix streaming
- Hulu streaming
- Disney+ streaming
- Cinema-sized virtual screen
- Protected content support
Wellness
- TRIPP meditation app
- Relaxation experiences
- Calming environments
Companion App
- Smartphone as controller
- Wireless pairing
- Android phone required
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 1600x1600 LCD x2 |
| Combined | 3200x1600 (3.2K) |
| Refresh Rate | 75 Hz |
| FOV | 100° |
| Optics | Pancake lenses |
| Processor | Snapdragon XR1 |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| Tracking | 6DoF inside-out |
| Battery | External required |
| Weight | 189g |
| Price | $499 |
Reception
Praise:
- 189g ultra-lightweight
- Pancake optics compact
- Adjustable diopter convenient
- No glasses needed
- Netflix/streaming support
- Portable foldable design
- Active cooling fan
- Spatial audio quality
- Meditation apps available
- Esquire award winner
Criticism:
- $499 expensive for features
- 75Hz low refresh rate
- No internal battery
- Phone/power bank required
- 1600x1600 vs Quest 2
- Limited app ecosystem
- Android-only companion
- No controller included
- XR1 chip dated
- Not a gaming device[2]