HTC Vive Pro 2
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| HTC Vive Pro 2 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | PC VR |
| Platform | SteamVR |
| Creator | HTC |
| Developer | HTC |
| Manufacturer | HTC |
| Announcement Date | May 11, 2021 (VIVECON 2021) |
| Release Date | June 3, 2021 (headset); October 2021 (Full Kit, United States) |
| Price | US$799 headset only (US$749 pre-order loyalty price); US$1,399 Full Kit (launch prices) |
| Website | https://www.vive.com/us/product/vive-pro2/ |
| Versions | VIVE Pro 2 Headset, VIVE Pro 2 Full Kit |
| Requires | Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC with DisplayPort 1.2 or higher and USB 3.0; SteamVR base stations |
| Predecessor | HTC Vive Pro |
| Successor | HTC Vive Focus Vision |
| System | |
| Operating System | Windows (host PC) |
| Display | |
| Display | Dual RGB low persistence LCD |
| Subpixel Layout | RGB |
| Resolution | 2448 x 2448 per eye (4896 x 2448 combined) |
| Refresh Rate | 90 Hz, 120 Hz (90 Hz only via VIVE Wireless Adapter) |
| Persistence | Low persistence |
| Image | |
| Field of View | Up to 120 degrees horizontal (HTC figure) |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Dual-element Fresnel lenses |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | 57-70 mm (HTC specification) |
| Passthrough | Yes (two front-facing cameras) |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | SteamVR Tracking V2.0 (outside-in, compatible with SteamVR 1.0 and 2.0 base stations) |
| Base Stations | Required (SteamVR Base Station 1.0 or 2.0) |
| Face Tracking | Via VIVE Facial Tracker accessory |
| Body Tracking | Via VIVE Trackers |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes |
| Positional Tracking | Yes |
| Play Space | Roomscale |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Hi-Res Audio Certified on-ear headphones (removable); USB-C analog output for high-impedance headphones |
| Microphone | Integrated dual microphones |
| Camera | Two front-facing cameras |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, USB-C port for peripherals; Link Box to PC via DisplayPort and USB 3.0 |
| Ports | USB-C (headset); Mini DisplayPort, USB 3.0 and power (Link Box) |
| Wired Video | Yes (DisplayPort via Link Box) |
| Wireless Video | Via VIVE Wireless Adapter (up to 3264 x 1632, 90 Hz) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Power | Link Box with 18 W AC adapter |
| Device | |
| Weight | 855 g without cable (Tom's Hardware) |
| Headstrap | Rigid strap with rear tension dial |
| Color | Black with blue accents |
| Sensors | G-sensor, gyroscope, proximity, IPD sensor, SteamVR Tracking V2.0 |
| Input | VIVE Controllers (2018), Valve Index Controllers or other SteamVR controllers |
| Cable Length | 5 m (headset to Link Box) |
The HTC Vive Pro 2 (styled VIVE Pro 2) is a tethered PC VR head-mounted display made by HTC. HTC announced it on 11 May 2021 at its VIVECON 2021 event, together with the standalone HTC Vive Focus 3.[1][2] The headset has two RGB LCD panels with 2448 x 2448 pixels per eye (4896 x 2448 combined, marketed as "5K"), refresh rates of 90 Hz and 120 Hz, dual-element Fresnel lenses and a field of view that HTC gives as up to 120 degrees horizontal.[3][2] HTC described it as the first VR headset to use Display Stream Compression (DSC), developed with NVIDIA and AMD.[1]
The Vive Pro 2 keeps the shell, headstrap and on-ear headphones of the original HTC Vive Pro and uses external SteamVR Tracking base stations, so it works with existing Vive and SteamVR accessories.[4] The headset alone went on sale in June 2021 at US$799, with a US$749 pre-order price for existing owners, and the Full Kit with base stations and controllers followed in October 2021 at US$1,399.[2][5] Reviewers praised the sharpness and refresh rate, but measured a smaller field of view than HTC's figure and criticized the narrow lens sweet spot, the dated wand controllers and the price.[6][7]
HTC's product pages now state that the Vive Pro 2 "is no longer available" and point buyers to the HTC Vive Focus Vision, which needs no base stations and can run standalone or connected to a PC.[8]
Announcement and release
HTC presented the Vive Pro 2 and the Vive Focus 3 at VIVECON 2021, which HTC's Cher Wang described as "our first global VIVECON event". The Vive Pro 2 was the PC-connected model; the Focus 3 was an all-in-one headset with a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chip aimed at business customers.[1] At the same event HTC introduced VIVE Business, a set of device management, app store and training tools for companies.[1]
Pre-orders for the headset alone opened on 11 May 2021. According to the press release text, existing owners could pre-order at a loyalty price of £659, US$749 or €739.[1] Road to VR reported a standard headset price of US$800 with a US$50 pre-order discount and a release date of 3 June 2021.[2] At launch, reviews listed the headset alone at US$799.[4][7]
The Full Kit release slipped several times. HTC's launch announcement gave 4 June 2021 for the kit at £1,299, US$1,399 or €1,399, while Road to VR reported a July release.[1][2] In September 2021 UploadVR reported that Full Kit pre-orders were already open in the United States and would open in Europe, the Middle East and Africa on 23 September, that the pre-order window would close on 14 October, and that units were expected to ship in the second half of October.[5] Auganix reported on 15 September 2021 that United States pre-orders had opened that week, with shelf availability expected in mid-October, at US$1,399 in the United States and CA$1,849 in Canada.[9] The kit contains the headset, two Vive wand controllers and two SteamVR 2.0 base stations, with a two-month Viveport Infinity subscription.[5]
HTC also sold the headset and the Full Kit through its business channel, where the product is also named VIVE Pro 2 Office; the business Full Kit's listed contents include a mounting kit, and every unit came with VIVE Business Warranty and Services, a two-year limited commercial-use warranty with support that must be activated within 90 days of purchase.[10]
Pricing
| Date | Region | Configuration | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | United States, United Kingdom, Europe | Headset only | US$749, £659, €739 | Pre-order loyalty price[1] |
| June 2021 | United States | Headset only | US$799 | Launch price[4][7] |
| September 2021 | United States, United Kingdom | Full Kit | US$1,399, £1,299 | Launch price[5] |
| September 2021 | Canada | Full Kit | CA$1,849 | Launch price[9] |
| January 2025 | Europe and Middle East | Headset only | €699 (from €849) | HTC price cut[11] |
| January 2025 | Europe and Middle East | Full Kit | €1,299 (from €1,499) | HTC price cut[11] |
Discontinuation
In January 2025 HTC cut the Vive Pro 2's prices across Europe and the Middle East; GamesMarket linked the cut to the newer HTC Vive Focus Vision, which HTC had unveiled in September 2024.[11] HTC's consumer page now carries the notice "VIVE Pro 2 is no longer available. Check out VIVE Focus Vision", and its business page likewise lists the product as no longer available and directs customers to the Focus Vision or to the sales team.[8][10] HTC has not published an end-of-sale date.
Design and hardware
The Vive Pro 2 was not a new industrial design. Tom's Hardware noted that it shares its shell with the original Vive Pro, the HTC Vive Pro Eye and the Vive Pro Secure, and differs on the outside mainly by its black housing with blue accents around the front cameras and on the headstrap.[4] The rigid headstrap and rear tension dial carry over from the Vive Pro, along with the eye-relief button, the IPD dial and the two front cameras used for passthrough view.[4] Tom's Hardware lists the weight as 855 g without the cable.[4]
Display and optics
Each eye has an RGB low persistence LCD with 2448 x 2448 pixels, for 4896 x 2448 pixels in total. The panels run at 90 Hz or 120 Hz.[3] HTC's announcement describes them as fast-switching panels with real RGB subpixels and says they give minimal motion blur and virtually eliminate the screen door effect.[1] The original Vive Pro used 1440 x 1600 OLED panels per eye at 90 Hz, so the Pro 2 moved from about 2.3 megapixels to 6.0 megapixels per eye.[2] Road to VR noted that the switch from OLED to LCD gives up some color richness and contrast in exchange for the higher resolution.[6]
HTC credits a new dual stacked-lens design, which Road to VR lists as dual-element Fresnel, for the wider view.[1][2] Road to VR first reported the 120 degree figure as diagonal, then updated its report after HTC clarified that it is horizontal; Road to VR gave the original Vive Pro's rating as 110 degrees.[2] The specification sheet lists an adjustable IPD of 57-70 mm and eye relief adjustment through lens distance; Road to VR's specification table gives the IPD range as 57-72 mm.[3][6]
Independent measurements came in below HTC's figure. Road to VR measured the following with a 64 mm IPD at minimum comfortable eye relief, without glasses, using the TestHMD 1.2 tool:[6]
| Measurement | Vive Pro 2 | Vive Pro | Valve Index | Reverb G2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measured horizontal FOV | 102° | 94° | 106° | 82° |
| Measured vertical FOV | 78° | 102° | 106° | 78° |
| Theoretical maximum horizontal FOV | 117° | 107° | 108° | 99° |
| Theoretical maximum vertical FOV | 97° | 108° | 109° | 91° |
Road to VR attributed part of the gap to the eye-relief adjustment, which does not bring the lenses close enough to reach the full field of view, and pointed to the flat top and bottom edges of the lenses as the reason the vertical view feels cropped.[6] MIXED cited measurements of around 116 degrees horizontally, depending on how close the eye is to the lenses.[12] Tom's Hardware also found that the new lens shape adds horizontal field of view at the cost of vertical field of view compared with the original Vive Pro.[4]
Display Stream Compression and PC requirements
At full resolution and 120 Hz the headset needs about 719 megapixels per second, which Road to VR reported HTC handles with Display Stream Compression.[2] HTC said DSC was developed with NVIDIA and AMD and is backward compatible with DisplayPort 1.2, so graphics cards that supported the original Vive Pro would also benefit.[1] Full resolution, however, requires a DSC-capable card together with the VIVE Link Box (2.0) and headset cable (2.0) supplied with the Pro 2.[13]
| Component | HTC minimum requirement | Requirement for Full Resolution mode |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD Ryzen 1500 equivalent or greater | - |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 480 equivalent or greater | GeForce RTX 20 Series (Turing) or AMD Radeon 5000 (Navi) generations or newer |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM or more | - |
| Video output | DisplayPort 1.2 or higher | DisplayPort 1.4 or higher with DSC |
| USB | 1x USB 3.0 or newer | - |
| Operating system | Windows 11 or Windows 10 | - |
Engadget's reviewer reached smooth performance at full resolution on a system with an NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti, an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and 32 GB of RAM, and wrote that users could "probably forget about getting anything truly usable" from the headset at its minimum system requirements.[7]
Tracking and controllers
Tracking is external, through SteamVR Tracking V2.0, and the headset works with both SteamVR 1.0 and 2.0 base stations.[3] HTC lists compatibility with the original Vive controllers and the VIVE Controllers (2018), with base stations and controllers sold separately for the headset-only package.[8] The Full Kit pairs the headset with two Base Station 2.0 units and two VIVE Controllers (2018).[5][10] HTC confirmed that Valve Index Controllers work with the headset, and HTC also listed VIVE Trackers of any generation, the new VIVE Facial Tracker and the VIVE Wireless Adapter among compatible accessories.[5][1] Road to VR found the tracking accuracy, latency and coverage the same as other SteamVR Tracking headsets.[6]
Audio, cameras and sensors
The removable on-ear headphones are Hi-Res Audio Certified, and a USB-C analog output supports third-party and high-impedance headphones.[3][1] Tom's Hardware describes the headphones as mounted on a 360-degree swivel with vertical adjustment, with volume and microphone mute buttons on the earcups.[4] The headset has integrated dual microphones, Bluetooth, a USB-C port for peripherals, and a G-sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor and IPD sensor.[3] Reviewers judged the microphone and the passthrough cameras weak: Road to VR called the passthrough cameras "very low quality", and Tom's Hardware said HTC retained the "sub-par microphone" of the original Vive Pro.[6][4]
Link Box and box contents
A single proprietary cable carries power, USB and DisplayPort signals from the headset to the Link Box, which connects to the PC by Mini DisplayPort and USB 3.0 and takes a 12 V power plug.[4] Road to VR lists the cable length as 5 m.[6] The new Link Box also works with the original Vive Pro and the HTC Vive Cosmos, but the Vive Pro 2 does not work with the older Link Boxes.[4] The headset package contains the headset, the all-in-one cable, the Link Box, a Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort adapter, an 18 W AC adapter, a DisplayPort cable, a USB 3.0 cable, ear caps, a lens cleaning cloth and a lens protection card.[3]
Wireless operation
The VIVE Wireless Adapter transmits over a high-bandwidth 60 GHz signal. At launch UploadVR reported that with the Vive Pro 2 it ran at 1224 x 1224 per eye and 90 Hz, without the 120 Hz mode, and that HTC promised to raise this to 1632 x 1632 per eye "soon".[14] HTC's product page now states that the adapter supports up to 3264 x 1632 resolution at 90 Hz with the Vive Pro 2.[8] The specification sheet also lists 90 Hz as the only refresh rate supported through the adapter.[3]
Software
The Vive Pro 2 runs SteamVR content, but unlike HTC's earlier headsets it requires a companion app, VIVE Console for SteamVR, which is installed during setup and controls display resolution and frame rate.[15] HTC distributes the free utility on Steam, where it is described as tuning video and display settings for the Vive Pro 2 and including drivers for SteamVR.[16] MIXED listed the console's display modes as follows: Extreme (full resolution at 120 Hz), Ultra (full resolution at 90 Hz), High (3672 x 1836) and Performance (2448 x 1224).[12]
Road to VR advised raising the VIVE Console resolution first and only then increasing the SteamVR render resolution above 100 percent. It also noted that SteamVR sometimes crashed when settings required restarting the VIVE Console, and that audio did not switch automatically between the headset and other outputs.[15] The setup also installs HTC's Viveport store, which is optional; a Viveport dashboard shows Viveport apps inside the SteamVR dashboard.[15]
Reception
Reviews agreed that the Vive Pro 2 had one of the sharpest images in PC VR at launch, but differed on whether it justified the price. Engadget's Devindra Hardawar wrote that its "5K 120Hz display delivers the sharpest desktop VR experience I've ever seen" and that buying the full package would be worth it for gamers who want to play Half-Life: Alyx in the best quality possible. He also found the displays and headphones warm in use, called the bundled wands "archaic" next to Valve's Index controllers, and recommended the cheaper Oculus Quest 2 for most mainstream buyers.[7]
Road to VR's Ben Lang concluded that "the headset's performance doesn't quite justify the Pro price". He found the image sharper than the Valve Index and the original Vive Pro but less sharp than the HP Reverb G2, reported outer glare from the dual-element lenses on top of the usual Fresnel god rays, and described a sweet spot that "at times feels oppressively small". He saw no visible screen door effect and only minor ghosting, mura and chromatic aberration.[6] Road to VR compared the prices with its two closest rivals:[6]
| Package | Vive Pro 2 | Valve Index | HP Reverb G2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headset only | US$800 | US$500 | - |
| Full kit | US$1,400 | US$1,000 | US$600 |
Tom's Hardware's Kevin Carbotte called it "a good headset but not a great value", well suited to HTC's business audience, with high resolution, high refresh rate and accessory compatibility on one side and a narrow visual sweet spot, headphones lacking bass, a poor microphone and a high price on the other. He rated it one of the more comfortable PC VR headsets.[4] Space.com's Gerald Lynch wrote that the hi-res screen and refresh rate make it "worth your time" despite heat, cost, a finicky tracking setup and aging controllers.[17] MIXED's Benjamin Danneberg was the most critical, calling it "an inconsistent VR headset with a flawed lens design" and "the VR headset with the biggest discrepancy between price (including additional costs and other expenses) and actual performance so far".[12]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 "HTC Announces VIVE Pro 2 and VIVE Focus 3 VR Headsets". Guru3D. 2021-05-12. https://www.guru3d.com/story/htc-announces-vive-pro-2-and-vive-focus-3-vr-headsets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Ben Lang (2021-05-11). "Vive Pro 2 to Launch With 6MP Resolution, 120Hz, 120 degree field-of-view, on June 3rd, Starting at $800". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/htc-vive-pro-2-specs-price-release-date-announcement/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 "VIVE Pro 2 Specs". VIVE United States. HTC. https://www.vive.com/us/product/vive-pro2/specs/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 Kevin Carbotte (2021-07-01). "HTC Vive Pro 2 Review". Tom's Hardware. https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/htv-vive-pro-2-review. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Jamie Feltham (2021-09-12). "HTC Vive Pro 2 Full Kit Ships In October For $1,399". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/htc-vive-pro-2-full-kit-october/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 Ben Lang (2021-06-01). "HTC Vive Pro 2 Review - "Pro" Price with Not Quite Pro Performance". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/htc-vive-pro-2-review/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Devindra Hardawar (2021-07-23). "HTC Vive Pro 2 review: An excellent 5K headset for the VR faithful". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/htc-vive-pro-2-review-5k-vr-headset-133100685.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "VIVE Pro 2 Headset - High-Resolution Virtual Reality for PC". VIVE United States. HTC. https://www.vive.com/us/product/vive-pro2/overview/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Sam Sprigg (2021-09-15). "HTC VIVE announces availability of its 'VIVE Pro 2 Full Kit' VR headset and base station package". Auganix. https://www.auganix.org/htc-vive-announces-availability-of-its-vive-pro-2-full-kit-vr-headset-and-base-station-package/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "VIVE Pro 2". VIVE Business United States. HTC. https://business.vive.com/us/product/vive-pro2/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Stephan Steininger (2025-01-31). "HTC Lowers Prices for Vive Pro 2". GamesMarket. https://www.gamesmarket.global/en/stephan-steininger/xrvr-htc-lowers-prices-for-vive-pro-2-edfedcc81464ac8c777727c997448a39. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Benjamin Danneberg (2022-05-07). "HTC Vive Pro 2 review: The price-performance loser". MIXED. https://mixed-news.com/en/htc-vive-pro-2-review/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ "What's the highest resolution on VIVE Pro 2, and how do I enable it?". VIVE Business Support. HTC. https://business.vive.com/us/support/vive-pro2/faq/how-to-enable-full-resolution.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ David Heaney (2021-05-12). "HTC's Wireless Adapter Doesn't Support Vive Pro 2's Full Resolution Or 120Hz". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/vive-pro-2-wireless-limitations/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Ben Lang (2021-06-01). "HTC Vive Pro 2 Review - "Pro" Price with Not Quite Pro Performance (page 3)". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/htc-vive-pro-2-review/3/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ "VIVE Console for SteamVR on Steam". Steam. HTC Corp.. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1635730/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- ↑ Gerald Lynch (2021-11-08). "HTC Vive Pro 2 review". Space.com. https://www.space.com/htc-vive-pro-2-review. Retrieved 2026-10-12.