The features of HTC Vive at a glance

• Two OLED displays with 1,080 x 1,200 pixels each
• 110° field of view and built-in camera
• Adjustable headset strap
• Glasses-friendly design
• Make calls without removing the Vive
• Smartphone notifications displayed on the HMD
• 360° motion tracking with integrated laser sensors
• Free movement within a 5 x 5-meter area
• Includes two VR controllers and two tracking base stations

Vive: HTC's new VR system for unlimited entertainment

The heart of the Vive VR system is the head-mounted display (HMD), the actual VR headset. For maximum comfort, the VR headset features an adjustable strap, while replaceable foam inserts and nose pads make it comfortable for glasses wearers. The HMD includes a 3.5 mm audio jack for connecting headphones directly to the headset. But HTC's Vive is more than just a VR headset!

The Vive VR system offers not only total gaming immersion but also a complete dive into virtual reality, known as Vive Reality! This is made possible by two motion-tracking sensors, called "Lighthouse," that cover a 5 x 5-meter area. This space, achievable when the base stations with the motion-tracking sensors are five meters apart, allows free movement, which is then translated into the game itself!

Experience Vive Reality safely with HTC's Chaperone system

This 360-degree motion tracking enables players to move as if on the Star Trek Holodeck. When approaching the edge of the play area, a barrier appears on the OLED displays as a grid. This technology, known as the Chaperone system, can be customized via software settings.

The Chaperone system activates automatically when players get too close to an obstacle but can also be manually triggered via VR controllers. The barriers appear as a digital grid, similar to the Matrix in "The Matrix" or the virtual reality in "Tron." An integrated camera in the VR headset also allows physical elements to be displayed in virtual reality.

Movements are tracked using 32 sensors embedded in the VR headset's design. These sensors transmit every movement, whether a head turn or a quick crouch, significantly enhancing gameplay. Motion tracking is achieved via two laser sensors, called "Lighthouse." These "beacons" are the Vive's standout feature, transforming a very good VR headset into a perfect VR system.

Virtual reality controllers and Vive's technology

Two ergonomically designed VR controllers serve as input devices, enabling interactions in virtual reality. Depending on the game or application, these controllers act as brushes, firearms, or tools for assembling car parts. Since the VR controllers also have motion-tracking sensors, their position is always displayed during gameplay, usually as predefined items like a brush or pistol.

The VR controllers feature a trigger button for the index finger, a menu button, and a large round touchpad on the top. The wireless VR controllers have built-in batteries that last up to four hours and can be recharged via a Micro-USB port. An adjustable strap secures the controllers to the wrist.

HTC uses OLED displays in the Vive, providing a 110-degree field of view with near-perfect color reproduction at a resolution of 1,080 x 1,200 pixels per eye. The refresh rate of both displays is 90 Hz, and the motion-to-photon latency is less than 20 ms. For improved visuals, edges are smoothed with 8x MSAA.

Motion-to-photon latency

This is the time required to translate a player’s movements onto the VR headset’s screens. To convince the brain that you are in another place (presence), a latency of under 20 ms is necessary. High motion-to-photon latency worsens the VR experience and can cause nausea.

Interleaved reprojection

This technique compensates for delays in image rendering to maintain a motion-to-photon latency of under 20 ms. It works by using previously rendered frames in cases of brief rendering bottlenecks, reorienting them instead of calculating entirely new frames.

As a special feature, the Vive can connect with smartphones to display notifications or text messages through the headset. For typical use, Vive owners should allocate about 1.5 x 2 meters of free space. If a game or application requires more room, this will be indicated in the game's technical specifications.

System requirements for HTC Vive

To achieve the high refresh rate of 90 Hz for the two OLED displays at a resolution of 1,080 x 1,200 pixels each, the connected PC system must consistently render 90 FPS (frames per second). HTC recommends the following minimum system requirements:

Minimum system requirements

• Graphics card: AMD Radeon R9 290 or higher
• Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or higher
• CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 / AMD FX-8350 or higher
• RAM: At least 4 GB
• Video output: HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2
• USB port: 1x USB 2.0 or higher
• Operating system: Windows 7 SP1 or newer
• Free space of about 1.5 x 2 meters
• PC with internet access and a free Steam account