HTC Vive Flow Lightweight VR Glasses Launched: Price, Features

HTC on Thursday, October 14 unveiled a new virtual reality (VR) headset called HTC Vive Flow with a lightweight design. The latest wearable that HTC calls VR glasses looks like a VR headset that can be worn like a pair of glasses. The foldable VR headset has two cameras, adjustable diopter dials, and dual inbuilt speakers. It is compatible with the Vive app. HTC Vive Flow comes with a 75Hz refresh rate with a 100-degree field-of-view (FoV), 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of onboard memory.

HTC Vive Flow price, availability

HTC Vive Flow is priced at $499 (roughly Rs. 37,400) and will be available for purchase starting November 2. Pre-orders for the device are live now in the US and Europe, and users ordering the VR Glasses before October 31 will get a protective Vive Flow Case free of cost. The case is compatible with all Vive Flow series products and will be dispatched from the same date. Apart from this, the HTC Vive Flow also comes with a two-month Viveport Infinity membership.

As of now, HTC has not shared any information on the availability of the VR glasses in India.

HTC Vive Flow specifications, features

HTC Vive Flow features two 2.1-inch LCD displays with a resolution of 1600 x1600 per eye. It supports a 75Hz refresh rate and a 100-degree FoV. The device has adjustable diopter dials for easy focus adjustment for each lens.

The foldable VR glasses have a sleek, dual-hinge fit design to match different head shapes and sizes, and an active cooling system to ensure comfort while wearing. There are replaceable face gasket and temple pads, making them easier to clean.

HTC Vive Flow offers 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The headset does not come with controllers and can be paired with Android smartphones — and not iOS devices yet — via Bluetooth v5 connectivity that acts as a controller. Users can cast phone apps onto a screen in VR using the Miracast option. It also works with the Vive app.

The wearable is equipped with two front-facing cameras for motion tracking. It also supports video pass-through for environmental awareness.

HTC Vive Flow comes with inbuilt stereo speakers with spatial audio support. It has dual noise, echo-cancelling microphones to eliminate interruptions. Additionally, the VR headset supports all Bluetooth headphones. Other connectivity options on the HTC Vive Flow include USB Type C-port and Wi-Fi.

The wearable does not include a power adapter in the retail box and it can be connected to an external power source. It is compatible with the HTC Vive Flow Power Adapter, which is sold separately. HTC has given hot-swapping feature to the latest VR glasses that gives users up to 5 minutes to switch power sources — like smartphones and power banks — when the battery of the source device is running low. This ensures the device does not reboot while changing power sources.

HTC Vive Flow weighs 189 grams. The headset's cable is 1.2 metres in length and the total weight of the headset with the cable is 239 grams.