Valve Index everything revealed: Off-Ear Audio that fits your ears without touching them, the audio feels like it comes from the environment. 87 sensor finger tracking controllers that make the VR user interface feel natural.
Pre-order May 1st for $999. 120Hz frame rate (up to 144Hz), 5x lower persistence than first gen HTC Vive, improvements in image sharpness, reduced screen door effect, quick-swap face pads, works with your existing VR Ready PC.
Vive Index has 20 degrees more Field of View than the HTC Vive for most users. It has less distortion when you look around with just your eyes.
Each of your eyes gets its own 1440x1600 RGB LCD with 50 percent more subpixels than OLED. You get greater sharpness and a reduced screen door effect.
Unlike the Oculus Rift S the Valve Index runs at 120Hz, and it also supports a 144Hz mode as well as backwards compatibility with 90Hz apps (and 80hz Rift S runs at 80hz). SVGN.io News has learned that 144Hz Virtual Reality looks amazingly better than 90Hz, the higher frame rate makes a huge difference especially when you move around.
It also has even lower persistence, a 5 times improvement over first gen PC VR HMDs so images remain just as sharp when your head is moving as when you are staying still.
In short you get a much better display and you don’t have to upgrade your VR Ready PC. It also uses Base station 2.0 tracking so you get the same great quality outside in tracking that you have known in the HTC Vive, actually the tracking quality is even better in 2.0
Interestingly Valve introduces a new kind of headphone system, it’s an “Off-EAR” audio solution. The Valve Index speakers do not touch the ears, the sound interacts with the geometry of the outer ear and the head. The audio feels like it comes from the environment around you rather than from inside your head.
It features adjustments for everyhead, anti-microbial fabrics, and quick-swap facepads. There is also room for add-ons, it has a front expansion slot, and it has cameras for computer vision.
With the new Valve controllers you get full hand and finger tracking, you can reach out and grab and objects directly, or drop objects just by opening your hand. Each controller has 87 sensors to determine your intention, increasing immersion, satisfaction, and fun. It also feels natural to throw stuff in VR, unlike with all previous VR controllers.
The new Valve Index Base Stations allow you to add up to four base stations for VR in a 10m x 10m playspace.
Check out the new brochure here:
Pre-Order here:
