The HTC Vive Cosmos A future-proof Rift S alternative
We originally reviewed Vive Cosmos in October 2019. And as we expected at the time, the headset has undergone some improvements and updates since then. Not many of them have software updates to improve the usability and track room size.
Now HTC is also expanding the range of available Cosmos headphones – with the Cosmos Play, the Cosmos Elite and the Cosmos XR added to the lineup – as well as promising new interface panels to upgrade your Cosmos .
On paper, the HTC Vive Cosmos still looks like a true winner. It comes with some interesting design changes, tracking improvements, ease of use and a great looking design. But is a VR headset worth the money?
There is no denying that Vive Cosmos is awesome at first glance. It is a bold blue headset with an interesting mesh front and a multi-camera setup that really makes it stand out. It is very much a Vive headphone and we can see inspiration in designing this headphone based on the company’s previous head-mounted display.
It also takes into account other devices we have tested. There is an adjustable head strap and an adjustable protective pattern similar to the Windows mixed reality headphones we have seen. The design of the all-in-one headband is reminiscent of the original Deluxe audio strap upgrade but with some improvements. However, it’s not as fancy as the Vive Pro and Vive Pro Eye look more solid, which is not surprising since the Vive Cosmos is cheaper than what can be seen as the flagship HTC Vive.
This is the whole point of Vive Cosmos: to provide a more affordable virtual reality experience. It is not difficult to compare immediately with the Oculus Rift S because of the similarity in design of these two headphones. The first is the bold tracking camera, spread over the front and side of the headphones, eliminating the need for external tracking sensors and making setup much easier.
Like the Rift S, Vive Cosmos has also been upgraded to other areas, the most important of which are clearly visuals. The headset features a dual 3.4-inch LCD screen capable of displaying 1440 x 1700 pixels (2880 x 1700 pixels combined) per eye. According to HTC, this is an 88 percent increase in pixel resolution over the original Vive. It is higher than the Rift S (which has a 2560 x 1440 pixel display) and higher than the Vive Pro (which has a 2800 x 1600 pixel screen). Does this make Vive Cosmos the company’s flagship new VR headset? it is very likely.
Not only is the Vive Cosmos effect limited to the number of pixels, it is also based on a refresh rate of 90Hz and a field of view of 110 degrees. It beats the Rift S, which has been dropped to 80Hz for the new model. But it’s not just the specs of that, of course, how you feel either.
One of the other things of Vive Cosmos can be the IPD (side lens adjustment or repositioning) adjustment on the Rift S. Many have complained about how the Rift S was used for digital IPD modulation, and the Vive Cosmos maintains the same manual tuning wheel that was featured on previous headphones. It is therefore easy to ensure that the lenses match the distance of your pupil without much fuss.
Unlike the improved visuals, the main draw for the Vive Cosmos could be its indoor tracking system – meaning you don’t have to install additional sensors around the room. We really like it on the Oculus Rift S and it’s great to see HTC moving in the same direction. The new internal external tracking system means the headphones do all the work; Six built-in cameras at the front, top, side and bottom to monitor outdoor space.
In basic Vive headphones and other HTC Vive headphones, you need at least two external tracking stations that plug into headsets, controllers, and elsewhere in the room to track and monitor your movement in the play area. The system has always had some sort of benefit until you have a dedicated space to play and the space to permanently install these base stations. This is still the case with the likes of the Vive Cosmos Elite, although this device combines indoor-out-outdoor tracking with outdoor tracking base stations for added accuracy.
The standard Vive Cosmos uses a more convenient in-house tracking system resulting in a much easier setup process. It also means that you can theoretically plug it in and use in more places. All you need is a free DisplayPort output and a USB 3.0 port on your game console and you can get started easily.
Like other HTC headsets before it, the Vive Cosmos connects first to the link box and then to your gaming rig. But apart from that, it is a simple plug-and-play setup process (although you will obviously need to run the VR room setup as before).
The only downside is that if your device does not have a DisplayPort output, the box does not include an adapter to help you. This can make it difficult to play on a laptop, as not all of them will have the right connections. Nothing will be solved when purchasing the adapter, but the problem you may encounter with the Oculus Rift S is not out of the box – as it comes with the necessary adapters.
Another design feature of Vive Cosmos is its modular interface settings. The front of the headset can be removed and replaced with other “upcoming” adjustments.
The first of these is an external tracking mode, which will allow you to integrate the Vive Cosmos with the HTC Beacon for better tracking. The Cosmos XR is also due to come later this year and is said to have a front cover that “Vive brings high-quality XR Corridor cameras for the Cosmos”. This would allow a pathway that could bring things from the real world to virtual reality.
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