When it launched in 2019, the HTC Vive Cosmos flopped. Setting up the VR headset on a PC was tedious and complicated for most users, and sometimes the basic setup process failed completely. But even worse, its upside-down driver tracking, which used six cameras on the faceplate, was ineffective at best. In short, the original version of the Vive Cosmos wasn't a VR headset we could use for very long, let alone one we'd feel comfortable recommending to anyone. However, after some major software and firmware updates, along with the new Cosmos Elite faceplate that allows for more precise room-scale tracking, the Vive Cosmos is now a much better headset. Of course, it still can't compete with the Valve Index for next-gen VR or the Oculus Quest and Quest 2 for convenience, but it can competently hold its own with the Oculus Rift S. Indeed, unlike the Oculus Rift S, the Cosmos is the only modular headset on the market. What we mean by this is that you can go from a basic four-camera tracking headset (that's the Vive Cosmos Play), to a six-camera headset (the Vive Cosmos), to a full-face helmet with base stations. (this is the Vive Cosmos Elite), while removing the front panel. In fact, aside from the track styles, the helmet has the exact same design and specs, which is why we're looking at them together here. The bad news? The faceplates will cost you more, and buying them all will cost you more than if you had bought a single multi-function headset up front. With that in mind, the value of the Vive Cosmos depends on what you're willing to spend up front (on headsets, faceplates, and games) and how much you're willing to spend more if you want. to start with the simplest option, then add bits later.
- HTC Vive Cosmos (Blue) at Walmart for € 695.99
Price and release date
The HTC Vive Cosmos launched on October 3, 2019, and is now available to buy in its basic packaging that includes a six-camera tracking faceplate for €699.99 (£699, AU$1,299). If you want better hand tracking, the Vive Cosmos Elite is available for $899 (£899, AU$1,699) for the earcups and faceplate, or $199 (£199, around AU$299) for the faceplate only. front plate. For comparison, the Valve Index is one of the most expensive headsets at $999.99 (£919, around AU$1,425), which puts it $100 above the full HTC Vive Cosmos Elite package, while in the lower Lower down, the Oculus Rift S costs £399 / £399 / AU$649, about £300 less than the standard HTC Vive Cosmos number. HTC is also launching an even cheaper version of the headset, called the HTC Vive Cosmos Play, which it says will be comparable in cost to other headsets on the market like the Oculus Rift S, but hasn't had a consumer version yet. and appears to be designed for corporate use only. However, something new is showing up on the official HTC Vive Twitter account. This advancement, given the mention of "hover", is likely a new tracking expansion device, improving motion tracking beyond the wand-style controllers that come with the headset. But there is speculation that it could be a new helmet, we'll let you know when it's official.
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(Image credit: future)
Cosmos and Cosmos Elite design
Regardless of which version of the Vive Cosmos you buy, whether it's the Vive Cosmos Play, Cosmos, or Cosmos Elite, the screen and the strip that contains the screen are the same, so don't feel like you're running out of extra pixels, higher field of view or better refresh rate by buying a cheaper version. The entire Cosmos family has a 3.4-inch 2880 x 1700 resolution LCD screen that has a 90Hz refresh rate and delivers a 1440 x 1700 image per eye. This resolution is higher on both the Valve Index (2880 x 1600) and the Oculus Rift S (2560 x 1440), meaning you don't really notice the screen door effect. The downside to the design, though, is that the lenses can't be moved back and forth like they can with the valve index, which means the 110-degree field of view doesn't exactly fill your entire visual area. If you move your eyes to the left or right, you'll see black borders on the image, which isn't ideal for immersion. There's hardly any light leak around the nose though, so it's not too bad.
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(Image credit: Future) As for the design of the headband itself, HTC decided to go with a traditional halo design with a top Velcro strap and a wheel on the back that tightens and loosens the headset. The result is a very front-heavy helmet that puts most of the pressure on the forehead and can feel a bit heavy at times, even if it stays in place. All of the HMDs in the Vive Cosmos family can be flipped up to view the world around you without having to remove the entire headset, which is great if you're someone who occasionally wants to use the computer between VR games. Similarly, the helmet's dual front cameras have a shortcut mode that can be accessed by double-pressing the Vive button in any game or app, but if you're feeling down or want to see what's going on around you in the world without having to wear a helmet. , it is convenient to simply lift the sun visor. The last part of the design to cover is the set of connectors that run from the included breakout box to your PC, but remember that the Vive Cosmos must be connected to your PC, unless you're buying a wireless adapter. Live (not included). On your PC, you'll need an open USB 3.0 port, as well as a display port for headphones. The junction box also needs its own power source, so make sure you have extra power outlets or a power strip handy.
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(Image credit: future)
HTC Vive Cosmos Controllers
There's usually not much to say about the controllers, but the Vive Cosmos is a bit different because it's the first time HTC has used the reverse tracking type. Compared to the original all-black Vive controllers, the Vive Cosmos controller has a ring of light that surrounds the face buttons, giving the front of the controller a bit of weight. The aforementioned buttons include the standard ABXY buttons on an Xbox One gamepad, but also two concave joysticks, a grip button, and a bumper and trigger. It's probably the most complicated controller we've seen in VR, at least in terms of total buttons, and that can make it difficult to manipulate. These controllers are not only unwieldy due to their size, but they don't do five-finger tracking like the Valve Index does with their Knuckle Controller. The Cosmos comes close (four fingers if you include your thumb, forefinger, index finger, and ring finger), but the end result isn't quite as comfortable or intuitive as the Valve Index. To power the controllers you'll need four (four!) AA batteries, with two for each controller, but the Cosmos seems to maximize the battery life it gets from its power supply, seeming to last a few weeks without needing new ones. .
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(Image credit: future)
When it comes to performance with the HTC Vive Cosmos, you now have to specify which faceplate you're using – a quirk no other handset has, for better or worse. The advantage of having multiple front faces is that you can swap them around when a game requires more precise tracking, or if you want to move your setup to another room without having to move base stations with it. To get started, let's talk about what the Cosmos experience looks like with the six-camera interior tracking faceplate. It's the one you get with the headset if you buy the basic package, and the one you'll likely see most often in stores and online. With the six-camera tracking faceplate, the Vive Cosmos is a great experience without basic tracking. It's the one that runs in just about any room with enough light without having to hang track units on the wall. However, if you expect this to be less than perfect given the placement of the cameras, you're right: HTC clearly uses predictive algorithms to better guess where your hands are if they leave the camera's view. view, but these assumptions are not always excellent. This is inaccurate when your hands are too far out to your sides or behind your back, and there's a rubber band effect that occurs when your controllers are in line of sight, making it difficult to play games - games where you constant monitoring is crucial. When you're playing sports games like VR Baseball, you really don't want the controller to suddenly disappear and then reappear after the ball has already slid past home plate.
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(Image credit: Valve/Steam) Where less precise tracking works, though, is in games that require your hands to be in front of you at almost all times. One of the original HTC Vive hits, Space Pirate Trainer, plays perfectly on the Cosmos with reverse tracking just like Beat Saber. This is because while your hand can sometimes drift out of the camera's field of view in these games, they don't require pixel-perfect tracking to succeed. So how are the games? Well, they're pretty sharp on the 3K screen. There's limited screen gate effect, though it's there if you're looking for it, and at 90Hz it's comfortable enough to play for long periods of time at a time. That said, gaming latency performance will ultimately depend on the graphics card you're using. In terms of recommended specs, HTC suggests using an Nvidia GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 480 or better GPU, an Intel i5-4590 / AMD FX 8350 or better processor, and at least 8GB of memory. It's possible to get it to work with less, we've made it work flawlessly on a GTX 980, but you should try to stay within the recommended specs if possible.
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(Image credit: future)
Switching to HTC Vive Cosmos Elite is a...