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VR-All-Art Tests HTC Vive Cosmos Ahead Of October Launch
HTC Vive Cosmos is scheduled for global release next week, and we had the chance to test it out on our home turf before it hits the stores.
Since HTC Vive Cosmos was initially announced back in January of this year, little else has been said about HTC's newest VR headset until September 12 when full specifications were revealed. Ahead of its official release on October 3, VR-All-Art had the privilege to test the device and all of its new features.
HTC Vive Cosmos has six camera trackers and uses inside-out tracking. Unlike previous HTC Vive headsets which required external trackers, the Cosmos doesn’t, although they can be purchased separately for an upgraded experience. Likewise, an optional faceplate add-on, the External Tracking Module, will also be available to ensure Cosmos is compatible with 1.0 and 2.0 Lighthouse base stations. During live testing, we did notice some issues with the tracking, but we expect these bugs will be fixed when the final version of Cosmos is released.
One of the biggest benefits of HTC Vive Cosmos is how straightforward the setup is. As most of our clients are first-time users, making sure we provide them with gear they can easily use is our top priority - and HTC certainly did not disappoint. Moreover, Cosmos is much more mobile than its predecessors. By packing the headset and PC into a backpack, our clients have mobile galleries at their fingertips. And because Cosmos doesn’t require external trackers, a large number of headsets can be utilized at the same time in a small space without causing mutual interference.
In terms of building the best commercial headset on the market, HTC has decidedly taken a big step in the right direction with Cosmos’ inside-out tracking. Oculus Quest recently announced Oculus Link, a software update that will enable a connection between Quest and a PC via a USB-C cable. With this upgrade on the horizon, HTC is facing strong competition on the market. However, it seems to us like Cosmos isn’t aiming to compete with Quest at all, but is rather designed to be the direct successor of the original HTC Vive. Based on our first experience with Cosmos we have high expectations of HTC, and hope to see even better commercial headsets in the future as the market for VR headsets is becoming increasingly more competitive.