HTC Vive Cosmos VR headset announced for $699, starts shipping on 3 October

HTC is launching the Vive Cosmos VR headset that was earlier announced at CES this year. This will be the company’s fourth VR headset after the original HTC Vive, HTC Vive Pro, and HTC Vive Focus. It will be available from 3 October at a price tag of $699.

While the original Vive required external trackers or the Lighthouse base stations, the new Cosmos doesn’t need them. Both the base stations were required to track the motion controllers, however, the new headset is capable of tracking the controllers on its own. The connection is still hardwired, so you will need to stay tethered to your PC.

The Vive Cosmos has upgraded LCD panels that have a combined resolution of 2880 x 1700 pixels and a refresh rate of 90 Hz. You get a wide 110-degree field-of-view and stereo headphones. For the PC connection, it requires a USB 3.0 and DisplayPort 1.2 connection. If you hate cables, then you can buy the Vive Wireless Adapter that’s sold separately. However, it will require a free PCIe slot on your PC.

The Vive Cosmos is a modular headset and the company says that new features can be enabled in the future with new mods. Among the first mods is the Vive Cosmos External Tracking Mod that will make the Cosmos compatible with the base stations. Although the headset can track independently, the base stations will enhance the tracking. It will be available in the first quarter next year, followed by an unknown second mod.

Cosmos’ launch also introduces the Vive Reality System, a new redesigned interface to make opening and switching between apps more immersive. It’s being called Lens and it should enable easier navigation across XR and Viveport Infinity apps. There’s also a new homepage called Origin from where all the applications and interactive experiences will be showcased.

If you pre-order the headset by 2 October, you will be eligible for a year’s subscription of Viveport Infinity, the company’s VR game marketplace. Usually, a monthly subscription to the service costs you $13 giving you unlimited access to VR games, apps, and videos such as A Fisherman’s Tale, Fujii, and Ninja Legends.