Vive Pro 2 Headset Review

The Vive Pro 2 stands out for its precise tracking and ability to accommodate a wide range of PC hardware configurations. It features some of the best glasses compatibility we've ever tested in a VR headset and has among the highest screen resolutions on the market. However, it's diminished by the high price of required components and low overall comfort.

Tracking

This metric gauges the response and accuracy of headsets and motion controllers as they appear in virtual reality. The HTC Vive Pro 2 relies on two external sensors and two motion controllers with 24 built-in sensors each. Throughout our testing, we've observed superior tracking from the external sensor-based kits, and this one is no different. The Vive Pro 2 kept up with anything we could threw at it in our test applications, Beat Saber and Half-Life Alyx.

In Beat Saber, it flawlessly cut through the 360-degree songs that can trip up headset-integrated sensors, even when we went ham and flailed the controllers around trying to confuse it. It did about as well in Half-Life Alyx, where we noticed only minor blurring of in-game hands and weapons when we tried to upset the tracking with exaggerated motions. Tracking on the Vive Pro 2 is among the best available in any VR headset.

Comfort

We weighed the Vive Pro 2 at just over one pound and 15 ounces with a slight pull to the rear left side, where the cable runs down to the PC. The face mask padding is okay, if not a little on the squishy side, but the velvet fabric that covers it felt abrasive to the skin. We had to crank down the tightness to try to get this headset to stay in place during intense gaming sessions, and we suspect that's because the foam in the face mask compresses too much to support the heft of the visor properly. In an intense game like Beat Saber, where quick head-panning movements are required, the Vive Pro 2 tends to slide around on the face. This is uncomfortable because, as the headset slides around, it bashes the nose bridge and leads to loss of focus when the position of the lenses in front of your eyes changes. To make matters worse, the Vive Pro 2 heats up faster and hotter than other units, with noticeable heat radiating between the eyes after a short time in VR.

We do have one comfort-related accolade to give it, though. The Vive Pro 2 is better than most at fitting glasses inside the visor, thanks to its interior room and some ergonomic cutouts on the side meant for glasses arms. Again, this metric is subjective and will depend on your face shape and glasses.

Visuals

At over 2,400 pixels per eye, the Vive Pro 2 has among the top screen resolutions of all headsets we've tested. It's capable of a 120hz refresh rate (90hz with Vive wireless adapter) and has a field of view (FOV) listed at 120 degrees, in addition to mechanical interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment, from 57-70mm. When put to the test in the Realovirtual Workshop app, we could see 110 degrees horizontally and around 35 degrees vertically. Again, this can depend highly on personal IPD and eye socket depth, but the Vive Pro 2 should offer a decent FOV for most people.

Although the Vive Pro 2 offers up a visual feast, it is not the most comfortable device. Extended wearing of this two-pound headset does start to feel like there is just dead weight on your face. Along with the weight, one tester found the fuzzy fabric on the Vive Pro 2 to be somewhat uncomfortable. The fuzziness against bare skin causes some discomfort, and the fabric very quickly becomes warm. Although this headset does keep cooler than others, the warm fabric is a downside. The foam on the headset, although keeping relatively cool, feels a little too squishy against the face. Our testers repeatedly felt like they needed to crank down the headset excessively to keep the foam in place.

In our testing with Beat Saber, we found the Vive Pro 2's visuals to be above average, with very little of the haze effect we've seen in some other headsets in this game. Likewise, the screen door effect (SDE), where the human eye detects the spaces between pixels, as if looking through a mesh screen, is minimal. The story is the same in the Half-Life Alyx tests. The visuals were great overall. The SDE is only noticeable if you're looking for it, but we noticed a few wavelike color shifts when we got close to light-colored objects in-game.

The Vive Pro 2 didn't perform quite as well in the Realovirtual Workshop text tests. The text was more challenging to read in this headset than much of the competition, and there was a pronounced “god ray” effect where blurry light emanated around words.

Daily Use

Setting up the Vive Pro 2 for the first time is pretty straightforward. You just put it on and hold the visor up as you tighten the ratcheting tension knob on the back until it feels snug on the face and around the sides of your head. Next, you pull the top strap to snug up the vertical fit. To get in and out of the headset, from there on out, you need to ratchet the rear dial to loosen and tighten the side strap, but you never have to mess with the top strap again. The face mask can be abrasive and too tacky to slide around your face, so dialing in a comfortable fit there is more challenging than with other VR headsets, but it will work out with some trial and error.

The mechanical IPD adjustment is dialed in from a knob on the bottom right side of the visor, which works well, but the IPD menu interface lingers a little too long on the screen and becomes annoying if you have to adjust it. The headphones on the Vive Pro 2 are the over-ear pop-out variety, which are great but must be moved up out of the way before putting the headset on. We appreciate that the physical volume and mute controls are located on the headphones rather than the visor, like other headsets. The integrated dual microphones could be better, however. We noted poor sound quality and even some crackling.

If you're sharing a headset with friends or family, the Vive Pro 2 is one of the better options. Thanks to the rear tension dial and mechanical IPD dial, ratcheting in a quick fit is simple. If needed, the top strap can be reset quickly.

Ease of Setup

The Vive Pro 2 has one of the most involved initial setups we've experienced. You'll start by downloading and signing into Steam, then ensure that your play area is free of obstructions. Next, you'll need to place and connect your external sensors and follow on-screen instructions to find and connect to your motion controllers. After all of the hardware is ready, you'll be guided through the VR boundary settings, where you set floor height and establish a safe perimeter for VR. It's all fairly straightforward but a lengthy process in all.

Minimum computer specs are average for VR, requiring an Intel i5 equivalent and a Geforce 1060 or better graphics card. However, the Vive Pro 2 VR experience will be much better with a higher-spec PC.

Should You Buy the HTC Vive Pro 2?

The HTC Vive Pro 2 has impressive tracking, nice visuals, and supports a wide range of PC configurations. It also offers a better fit for glasses than most other VR headsets. This could be a great option if you're someone with a PC that can currently meet the minimum specs for the Vive Pro 2 and who wants a headset to grow into with future PC upgrades. And, if you're concerned about fitting your glasses into VR, this headset does it better than most, but remember that the bang-for-buck could be better with Vive Pro 2, and there are more comfortable VR headsets around.

What Other VR Headset Should You Consider?