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HP VR

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HP VR
Information
Type Virtual Reality Platform
Creator HP
Manufacturer HP
Operating System Windows Mixed Reality on Windows 10 and Windows 11 (removed in Windows 11, version 24H2)
Devices HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset, HP Reverb, HP Reverb G2, HP Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition
Accessories HP Z VR Backpack PC, HP VR Backpack G2

HP VR is a Virtual Reality Platform created by HP: the family of virtual reality headsets, wearable VR PCs and developer software that HP Inc. sold from 2017 onward. Its headsets, from the first HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset to the HP Reverb G2 and HP Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition, are PC-tethered headsets built on Microsoft's Windows Mixed Reality platform with camera-based inside-out tracking, and they also run SteamVR content.[1][2] Alongside the headsets, HP sold backpack-mounted VR PCs such as the HP Z VR Backpack PC for untethered use, and in 2020 it introduced HP Omnicept, a sensor-equipped headset and SDK for enterprise developers.[3][4]

The Reverb G2 was developed with Valve and Microsoft and released in late 2020. Microsoft deprecated Windows Mixed Reality in December 2023 and removed it in Windows 11, version 24H2, so HP's headsets no longer work on that version of Windows. Microsoft states that existing Windows Mixed Reality devices keep working with Steam through November 2026 on Windows 11, version 23H2, after which the platform receives no further updates or support.[5][6]

Reviewed 27 September 2026. Checked every dated fact, spec, price, quote and attribution in the expanded text against the 22 cited HP, Microsoft, Road to VR, UploadVR, PCWorld, DEVELOP3D, Windows blog and Virtual Report sources. About review dates.

History

Windows Mixed Reality headset (2017)

HP was one of the PC makers that built headsets for Microsoft's Windows Mixed Reality platform. In May 2017 HP opened pre-orders for the HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset Developer Edition at US$329 through Microsoft Stores and HP.com. The headset had a resolution of 1,440 x 1,440 pixels per eye, a single 2-in-1 cable combining HDMI 1.4 and USB 3.0, and front-facing cameras for tracking, so it needed no external room sensors. HP product manager John Ludwig said at the time that "Windows Mixed Reality is not just about gaming, but how we will interact with computers in the future."[7]

The consumer launch of Windows Mixed Reality headsets was tied to the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update on October 17, 2017, and Microsoft said the HP headset would be sold bundled with motion controllers.[8] The Virtual Report listed HP's pricing as US$329 for the headset alone or US$449.99 with controllers.[9]

Backpack PCs (2017-2019)

HP's first backpack VR computer was a gaming product. In June 2017 it announced the OMEN X Compact Desktop, a US$2,499 PC with a GeForce GTX 1080 that could be worn with an optional US$599 backpack harness holding four 73-watt-hour hot-swappable batteries; PCWorld reported that it was designed to run for roughly one hour per pair of batteries.[10]

On August 1, 2017, HP announced the HP Z VR Backpack, which it called a professional wearable VR PC, as part of a wider set of commercial VR products and services. It used an Intel Core i7 vPro processor and an NVIDIA Quadro P5200 GPU with 16 GB of video memory, had hot-swappable batteries, and could be docked to work as a desktop workstation. HP priced it from US$3,299 with availability in September 2017. The same announcement listed VR immersion centers that HP planned to open in 2017 in 13 cities, including Palo Alto, Houston, London, Beijing and Tokyo.[3] UploadVR reported a weight of 10.2 pounds and noted a docking station that turned the backpack into a desktop.[11]

Its successor, the HP VR Backpack G2, was announced in May 2019 with an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 and a GeForce RTX 2080 in place of the Quadro card. DEVELOP3D reported a starting price of US$3,299, availability in summer 2019, and HP's positioning of the unit for free-roam VR as well as design and content creation work.[12]

HP Reverb (2019)

HP announced the HP Reverb on March 19, 2019, at its HP Reinvent partner event in Houston. HP listed a resolution of 2160 x 2160 per eye, a 114-degree field of view, a weight of 1.1 pounds, integrated headphones and dual microphones, and support for both Windows Mixed Reality and SteamVR. It came in a Professional Edition at US$649 and a Consumer Edition at US$599.[2] HP first targeted late April; Road to VR reported that the release moved to May 6, 2019, and that the displays were RGB-stripe LCD panels running at 90 Hz with software-only IPD adjustment.[13]

HP Reverb G2 (2020-2021)

On May 28, 2020, HP announced the Reverb G2, developed with Valve and Microsoft. Valve designed the lenses, the new speakers sat 10 mm off the ear, and Microsoft supplied a four-camera version of Windows Mixed Reality tracking that HP said doubled the controller tracking volume of the first Reverb. It kept a resolution of about 2K by 2K per eye and a 114-degree field of view. Pre-orders opened the same day at US$599 through HP.com, the SteamVR homepage and channel partners, with availability planned for fall 2020.[1] In a September 2020 update, HP said pre-orders placed before September 24 would start arriving in early November 2020 and later orders in early December. The same update described late changes to the lenses to reduce Fresnel ring reflections, a redesigned controller menu button, and an included USB-C to USB-A adapter.[14]

HP released a revised Reverb G2 in the US by November 2021. Road to VR reported that it added a facepad spacer that could reduce eye relief from 15 mm to 9 mm, which widened the reviewer's field of view, along with tracking changes and better compatibility with AMD GPUs.[15]

HP Omnicept (2020-2022)

On September 30, 2020, HP announced the HP Omnicept Solution, pairing the Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition headset with a developer SDK. HP listed sensors for eye tracking, heart rate, pupillometry and a face camera, and said the SDK used machine learning to interpret the data, including an estimate of cognitive load. The eye tracking also enabled foveated rendering. HP said the headset's firmware protected sensor data and that no data was stored in the headset.[4] The headset went on sale in the US in May 2021 at US$1,249, more than twice the price of the standard G2.[16] At launch the SDK had several plans, including a free Core tier, a Developer tier that took a 2% revenue share, and a paid Enterprise tier with run-time licenses.[17]

HP later dropped the paid model. In a post on its developer portal, the Omnicept team said the three plans would merge into a single free "Developer" plan that kept all earlier SDK functions, including core sensor data and the Cognitive Load inference, that developers and enterprises who had bought the SDK had been refunded, and that the changes would take effect from June 1, 2022.[18]

Decline and end of platform support (2022-2026)

In October 2022 UploadVR looked into an unconfirmed claim that HP would end Reverb G2 production and leave the VR market. It noted that the G2 had been discounted to US$350 in a flash sale and that Joanna Popper, HP's global head of VR for the Reverb launches, had left the company earlier that year. HP replied only that "the work of our HP Extended Reality (XR) team has led to exciting innovation", and Microsoft said it supported devices including the Reverb G2. UploadVR also reported that Windows MR headsets made up 5% of SteamVR users in the Steam Hardware Survey for September 2022.[19]

Microsoft announced the deprecation of Windows Mixed Reality in December 2023. The deprecation covers the Mixed Reality Portal app, Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR and Steam VR Beta.[5] Windows 11, version 24H2 was released on October 1, 2024, without Windows Mixed Reality, and Road to VR named the Reverb G2 among the affected headsets; staying on Windows 11, version 23H2 keeps them working until November 2026.[6]

Products

Product Type Announced Launch price (US) Notes
HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset Windows Mixed Reality headset May 2017 (Developer Edition)[7] US$329 headset only; US$449.99 with controllers[9] 1,440 x 1,440 per eye; inside-out tracking with front cameras[7]
OMEN X Compact Desktop with VR backpack Gaming backpack PC June 2017[10] US$2,499 (PC); US$599 (backpack)[10] GeForce GTX 1080; four hot-swappable batteries[10]
HP Z VR Backpack PC Workstation backpack PC August 1, 2017[3] From US$3,299[3] NVIDIA Quadro P5200 with 16 GB; docks as a desktop[3]
HP VR Backpack G2 Backpack PC May 2019[12] From US$3,299[12] GeForce RTX 2080; 8th-generation Intel Core i7[12]
HP Reverb Windows Mixed Reality headset March 19, 2019[2] US$599 (Consumer); US$649 (Professional)[2] 2160 x 2160 per eye; 114-degree field of view[2]
HP Reverb G2 Windows Mixed Reality headset May 28, 2020[1] US$599[1] Valve-designed lenses; four tracking cameras[1]
HP Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition Enterprise headset with sensors September 30, 2020[4] US$1,249[16] Eye tracking, heart rate, pupillometry and face camera; Omnicept SDK[4]

Software and platform

HP's headsets do not run their own operating system. They connect to a Windows PC and use Windows Mixed Reality for tracking and the home environment, and HP advertised plug-and-play support for SteamVR, which reaches Windows Mixed Reality headsets through the Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR component.[1][5] HP's own software for the line was the Omnicept SDK, which UploadVR reported supported Unity and Unreal Engine.[16] HP also cited upcoming support for Microsoft Flight Simulator when it updated G2 buyers in September 2020.[14]

On the business side, HP presented VR as part of its workstation range. The 2017 announcement grouped the Z VR Backpack with the ZBook 17 mobile workstation and Z desktop workstations, and named ecosystem partners including Intel, NVIDIA, Technicolor and HTC Vive.[3] At the launch of the first Reverb, Spike Huang, HP's vice president and global lead of VR, said that "the time for commercial VR is now".[2]

Reception

Reviews of HP's headsets praised the displays and criticized the Windows Mixed Reality controllers. In its review of the first Reverb, Road to VR found the image sharp but affected by visible mura, and called the Windows VR controllers "the worst 6DOF controllers on the market" because they lost tracking whenever the user's hands left the cameras' view.[20]

For the Reverb G2, Road to VR wrote that the visible screen door effect was "virtually non-existent", giving it "easily the greatest clarity of any headset in its class", but said tracking dead zones remained above and below the headset.[21] UploadVR called its display "the best visual experience in VR today" and praised its comfort and audio, but found the controller tracking unreliable when hands dropped below the waist and in close-range actions such as archery and boxing, and described the Windows Mixed Reality platform as neglected.[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "HP, Valve, and Microsoft Removing Distance Barriers with Next-Gen Virtual Reality Headset". GlobeNewswire. HP Inc.. 2020-05-28. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/05/28/2040442/0/en/HP-Valve-and-Microsoft-Removing-Distance-Barriers-with-Next-Gen-Virtual-Reality-Headset.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "HP Unveils Cutting-Edge Virtual Reality Headset at Global Partner Conference". HP Newsroom. HP Inc.. 2019-03-19. https://www.hp.com/us-en/newsroom/press-releases/2019/hp-unveils-cutting-edge-virtual-reality-headset-at-global-partner-conference.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "HP Debuts Virtual Reality Solutions and Services for Businesses". HP Newsroom. HP Inc.. 2017-08-01. https://www.hp.com/us-en/newsroom/press-releases/2017/hp-inc--commits-to-enhancing-education-for-more-than-100-million0.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "HP Introduces New Era of Virtual Reality for Developers and Enterprises". HP Newsroom. HP Inc.. 2020-09-30. https://www.hp.com/us-en/newsroom/press-releases/2020/new-era-vr-developers-enterprises.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Deprecated features in the Windows client". Microsoft Learn. Microsoft. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/deprecated-features. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Scott Hayden (2024-10-02). "Windows 11 No Longer Supports Microsoft's Windows VR Headsets Following October Update". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/windows-11-drops-wmr-support-24h2/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Sarah Murry (2017-05-12). "More than just gaming: HP Windows Mixed Reality Developer Edition". HP Newsroom. HP Inc.. https://www.hp.com/us-en/newsroom/blogs/2017/more-than-just-gaming-hp-windows-mixed-reality-developer-edition.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  8. ↑ Elana Pidgeon (2017-10-03). "Windows Mixed Reality headsets available today". Windows Experience Blog. Microsoft. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2017/10/03/how-to-pre-order-your-windows-mixed-reality-headset/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Steve Takle (2017-10-03). "Windows Mixed Reality: Prices And Release Dates". The Virtual Report. https://www.thevirtualreport.biz/news/64625/windows-mixed-reality-prices-and-release-dates/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Gordon Mah Ung (2017-06-06). "HP's Omen X Compact Desktop can morph into a backpack VR PC". PCWorld. https://www.pcworld.com/article/406938/hps-omen-x-compact-desktop-can-morph-into-a-backpack-vr-pc.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  11. ↑ Ian Hamilton (2017-07-31). "HP Reveals $3,300 Z VR Backpack G1 With NVIDIA Quadro P5200 and Intel i7". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/hp-reveals-high-end-z-vr-backpack/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Greg Corke (2019-05-28). "HP VR Backpack G2 blurs boundaries between consumer and professional". DEVELOP3D. https://develop3d.com/develop3d-blog/hp-vr-backpack-g2-blurs-boundaries-between-consumer-and-pro/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  13. ↑ Ben Lang (2019-05-02). "HP's High-res 'Reverb' Headset to Launch May 6th Starting at $600". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/hp-reverb-vr-headset-announcement-price-release-date/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 John Ludwig, Joanna Popper (2020-09-24). "Latest Update on the HP Reverb G2 Virtual Reality Headset". HP Newsroom. HP Inc.. https://www.hp.com/us-en/newsroom/blogs/2020/hp-reverb-g2-vr-update.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  15. ↑ Ben Lang (2021-11-02). "New Reverb G2 VR Headset Tweaks Make a Solid Headset Even Better". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/new-hp-reverb-g2-tweaks-hands-on-review/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Harry Baker (2021-05-11). "HP Reverb G2 Omnicept Now Available In US". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/hp-reverb-g2-omnicept-shipping/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  17. ↑ Ben Lang (2021-04-07). "Reverb G2 Omnicept, with Eye, Mouth, & Heart Rate Sensors, Priced at $1,250 for May Launch". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/hp-reverb-g2-omnicept-edition-release-date-price/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  18. ↑ Scott Rawlings, HP Omnicept Team. "Omnicept Changes". HP Developer Portal. HP Inc.. https://developers.hp.com/omnicept-xr/blog/omnicept-changes. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  19. ↑ David Heaney (2022-10-19). "Will HP End Reverb G2 Production & Exit The VR Market?". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/rumor-hp-reverb-g2-exiting-vr/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  20. ↑ Ben Lang (2019-05-06). "HP Reverb Review - An Impressive Headset Stuck with Windows VR Controllers". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/hp-reverb-review-vr-headset/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  21. ↑ Ben Lang (2020-11-18). "HP Reverb G2 Review - Screen Door No More". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/hp-reverb-g2-review/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  22. ↑ Jamie Feltham (2020-11-16). "HP Reverb G2 Review: Great Headset, Bad Controllers". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/hp-reverb-g2-review/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
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