HTC Vive Pro 2 Virtual Reality Headset

This is my third headset, the others being an OG (original) Vive and an Index. So that is what I am comparing with. My first impressions of the VP2 were decidedly mixed; however, after several ah ha moments, I've come understand better how to bring out the best aspects of this HMD and now really like itFirst, in order to use this headset to its full capacity, you need to run it in Ultra (or Extreme) mode--which requires a minimum of an RTX (i.e. 20 series) nVidia card. I have a 2080Ti, which fits the bill, but if you have an older card, you will definitely miss out on its full sharpness. So keep that in mind. The only reason I would buy this card with anything less, would be if I were getting it for wireless (which can't go up to Ultra resolution anyway), or you ... MoreThis is my third headset, the others being an OG (original) Vive and an Index. So that is what I am comparing with. My first impressions of the VP2 were decidedly mixed; however, after several ah ha moments, I've come understand better how to bring out the best aspects of this HMD and now really like itFirst, in order to use this headset to its full capacity, you need to run it in Ultra (or Extreme) mode--which requires a minimum of an RTX (i.e. 20 series) nVidia card. I have a 2080Ti, which fits the bill, but if you have an older card, you will definitely miss out on its full sharpness. So keep that in mind. The only reason I would buy this card with anything less, would be if I were getting it for wireless (which can't go up to Ultra resolution anyway), or you plan to upgrade your card soon. To ensure you know what resolution you are running in, be sure to turn off the automatic resolution mode.Also, the Vive software defaults to 150% supersampling, which is crazy high and will rob you of performance. Do yourself a favor and set it to 100% (2448x2448) which is the native resolution. Only after starting there should you try raising it higher to see what benefits you get. I find that 100% to maybe 120% is all that is generally needed at the resolution of these screens, and I think you will find that too.I also find that by default, the screen is kind of dim, but that can be largely alleviated by setting EnableBrightnessControl to false in default.vrsettings, which turns off automatic brightness control (which I really don't care for).Beyond this, the performance of this headset can be stunning. The main reason for getting this headset is for sims like XPlane, Assetto Corsa, Elite Dangerous, Star Wars Squadrons, VTOL, etc. or for titles where the resolution and increased field-of-view add immensely to the experience, like Subnautica, Alyx, or Skyrim (but only if you've upgraded to 4K textures). These sort of titles are where this headset shines. For lowest-common-denominator titles like Beat Saber, you won't find this headset adds much though; however, if you couldn't before, you will be able to play them at 120hz now (providing you system has the power), which can increase smoothness substantially. Even older titles like The Blu can re-impress you once again.There are a few compromises with this headset; however, I consider all of them relatively minor. Sound is average (though by no means bad), the microphone won't win any awards, and there is some glare in high-contrast situations (like white on black text)--though hardly evident while actually playing most games). It also gets kind of warm after extended use. So I took a star off for those things. Still, compared to my Index (which I now moved to a second room for coop gaming), it is a truly nice upgrade in visuals, almost eliminating the screen door effect that has always been an obvious shortcoming to VR.Is it expensive? That depends on what you are comparing it with. Most will compare it with the G2 and the Pimax 8KX, and pricewise its right in between, so to me its probably priced where it belongs.In the end, I can definitely recommend this HMD; however, it is clearly not for the casual gamer, or person who isn't willing to futz with it a bit. I think of it more like one of those workshop tools that takes a bit of time to learn and adjust before its capabilities can be fully realized. If you're ok with that, I think you'll come to really like this headset too.

After seeing some reviews on the Vive Pro 2, I was a little skeptical. They say the sweet spot is terrible, the glare is bad, the visuals aren't as good as they say. I had a Rift S, then a Reverb G2, and finally running the G2 in a hybrid setup with lighthouses and index controllers. After picking this bad boy up, I can say that the reviews exaggerate. The sweet spot is small, but no smaller than the Reverb. The glare is there in high contrast scenes but it's only really noticeable when you aren't actively doing anything, and the visuals are fantastic if you crank the resolution to extreme. By default the vive console automatically changes resolution for optimal performance. The colors are vibrant and gorgeous, the screen is crystal clear, and the Field of View is ... MoreAfter seeing some reviews on the Vive Pro 2, I was a little skeptical. They say the sweet spot is terrible, the glare is bad, the visuals aren't as good as they say. I had a Rift S, then a Reverb G2, and finally running the G2 in a hybrid setup with lighthouses and index controllers. After picking this bad boy up, I can say that the reviews exaggerate. The sweet spot is small, but no smaller than the Reverb. The glare is there in high contrast scenes but it's only really noticeable when you aren't actively doing anything, and the visuals are fantastic if you crank the resolution to extreme. By default the vive console automatically changes resolution for optimal performance. The colors are vibrant and gorgeous, the screen is crystal clear, and the Field of View is great with some amazing edge to edge clarity. If you already have lighthouses and controllers, this is definitely a SOLID upgrade from everything except possibly those running the first Vive Pro. Another note is the audio is a little heavy on the treble until you use the bass boost function built in to windows either with or without dolby atmos.

This is my first experience with VR and overall quite positive. The FOV isn’t quite what I was expecting it to be but for the games I mostly play anyway it’s not really a complaint since it does feel more like wearing a helmet. Aside from it being a little bit finicky to get the right adjustments for the best clarity I’ve been quite happy with the experience. I find in order to get the clearest image I sort of need the screen facing a bit more downward which is a little difficult with the range the headband is able to adjust, but once things are set up well it’s fantastic. 120hz is great in the games I’m able to achieve it in, I don’t find any “screen door” effect; however in extremely contrasted scenes like menus there is a fair amount of bloom from strong light ... MoreThis is my first experience with VR and overall quite positive. The FOV isn’t quite what I was expecting it to be but for the games I mostly play anyway it’s not really a complaint since it does feel more like wearing a helmet. Aside from it being a little bit finicky to get the right adjustments for the best clarity I’ve been quite happy with the experience. I find in order to get the clearest image I sort of need the screen facing a bit more downward which is a little difficult with the range the headband is able to adjust, but once things are set up well it’s fantastic. 120hz is great in the games I’m able to achieve it in, I don’t find any “screen door” effect; however in extremely contrasted scenes like menus there is a fair amount of bloom from strong light sources, but not too noticeable in game. Since this is my first VR experience I’m not exactly qualified to go into the nitty gritty, but I highly recommend this headset especially for Sim Racers to get that extra bit of immersion and really put yourself in the seat.