This week, HTC expanded its line of Vive Cosmos virtual reality headsets with three new models on top of the revised flagship model - the newcomers are named Cosmos Elite, Cosmos Play, and Cosmos XR respectively. Each of them are modular and feature removable faceplates, allowing you to modify and upgrade your VR headset according to your needs.
Vive Cosmos - Flagship
The Cosmos is HTC's successor to the original Vive, and features six sensor cameras for additional waist and vertical tracking. Thanks to its modular design, you can choose to upgrade it to the Cosmos Elite later on by simply purchasing a few accessories.
Price: US$700 (~RM2,932)
Vive Cosmos Elite
The Cosmos Elite is sitting comfortably at the top of the range, and is a direct upgrade from the original Vive. Its faceplate works with external tracking - which is the most accurate form of tracking available with current technology - and includes two Lighthouse base stations and two Vive controllers. This means that external sensors will track the headset's and controllers' movements, as opposed to inside-out tracking. HTC is positioning the Cosmos Elite as the best choice for advanced VR games such as Superhot.
Price: US$900 (~RM3,770)
Vive Cosmos Play
The Cosmos Play is an entry-level model that uses inside-out tracking, which means that head and controller movement is calculated using cameras on the headset itself. Its faceplate comes with only four cameras as opposed to the six on its flagship model, and is designed to suit simpler games such as Angry Birds VR.
Price: TBD
Vive Cosmos XR
The Cosmos XR is the most interesting of the lot - it comes with 'high-quality XR passthrough cameras' that allow you to see the real world outside of the headset. This effectively enables augmented reality (AR) applications as well as VR. We are still unsure how well this would perform in practice, but it is certainly a great option for those who would like to experience AR without having to buy a second dedicated device.
Price: TBD
