October 07, 2024
If you love video games, then you’re going to love the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite. This virtual reality headset gives you access to over 2,000 VR titles with an impressive 110-degree field of view, designed to keep you immersed in your favorite game or entertainment experience longer than ever before. Here’s our full review of the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite.
The HTC Vive Cosmos is a very high-quality VR headset that has many great features. Although it lacks in some areas such as field of view, it makes up for in its wide range of controllers and price. The one main drawback to having so many controllers is that they can easily get tangled when not being used which means they need to be organized away from where you are using them at all times or else risk getting tangled again. The good thing about having so many different controllers is that you will never want for something new to do in VR, even though there aren’t a lot of apps yet for it most games work just fine with a regular controller and things like 360 photos work well with a standard controller too.
Set up was simple and painless, thanks to most of my hardware being included in a single box (headset, base stations, and controllers). I was up and running within minutes. The headset fits comfortably over my glasses without issue. A few updates were required before I could actually start using it, but that’s a pretty standard step with any new device – especially one as sophisticated as an HTC Vive system. Once everything was up to date and ready to go, things really got interesting. I launched Steam VR to set it all up properly and let me tell you: This is where things started getting awesome! I picked from several colorful themes for my room setup, then selected some options for audio balance.
In addition to graphics, Oculus and HTC both focus on making sure that users feel comfortable in VR environments. Both companies want you to walk around within their virtual reality environments without feeling sick. And that’s why Rift and Vive have pass-through cameras on their headsets that allow for a virtual screen so you can see your surroundings as you move about within VR. This is also great for multi-player gaming, as it makes it easy to communicate with other players. You can easily see if they’re reacting appropriately to your in-game movements or if they’re experiencing nausea from moving too quickly.
I was skeptical of what a tethered VR experience would entail, but I have to say I'm quite impressed with Cosmos' quality. The visuals are crisp and vibrant and easy on my eyes; however, they aren't as sharp as Oculus or other mainstream brands that use high-end components. Additionally, while there are plenty of games in both first-person and third-person playstyles available for me to choose from, many of them feel choppy or laggy when I move through them (perhaps because I'm on a wired connection?). Regardless, the visual aspect isn't lacking at all - instead, it's strong enough to keep you immersed in VR for hours at a time without issue.
The HTC Vive Cosmos is one of those headsets that makes you feel like virtual reality has just been elevated to a whole new level. While other headset manufacturers were busy making slightly improved versions of their current models, HTC has gone and built something entirely different from what’s already on shelves. It isn’t cheap, but it’s definitely worth checking out for any VR aficionado who values immersion over anything else. The premium price tag is hard to justify when there are so many more affordable options available, but you have to hand it to HTC for putting together a quality device. A couple of compromises aside, we can confidently say that anyone considering buying a VR headset should seriously consider investing in a premium experience like what’s offered by HTC here.
To start, we’ll look at how easy it is to play different games. The HTC Vive offers great content control with its Chaperone system and app. With Chaperone, you can set up walls in your real-world space that appear onscreen if you get too close to a real-world wall or object, keeping you immersed in VR without bumping into things. Plus, there are many options for game selection. The company's site has numerous demos and games available through SteamVR Home and other collections. Some of your choices include Job Simulator 2050: The 2050 Archives, Google Earth VR, Sairento VR, Space Pirate Trainer Pro, Superhot VR Beta Demo Version 1, and Tilt Brush 2 - Art That Moves You!
For someone who isn’t familiar with virtual reality or wants a great headset without spending too much, it is ideal to get. If you have never tried VR before, I would definitely recommend starting here. The advanced features and controllers are something that will take some time to learn but are not necessary for having fun in any of their games. I would even go as far as saying that those aren’t needed for most games. This is a solid piece of hardware that has quality throughout its design and provides hours of entertainment. It is exactly what a brand should make if they want people to recognize their name right away.
