HTC Vive Pro 2 vs Valve Index: Hands-on VR headset comparison
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- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2021
- The two best premium VR headsets in gaming are the HTC Vive Pro 2 and the Valve Index, but which one is right for you? Finder technology expert Chris Stead has been reviewing all the latest virtual reality hardware as he looks to discover the best VR headset of 2021. In this video, he compares the Valve Index vs HTC Vive Pro 2 across five categories. They both have clear pros and cons, and a better suited to certain types of gaming experiences.
For a full review of the Valve Index = www.finder.com.au/valve-index...
For a full review of the HTC Vive Pro 2 = www.finder.com.au/htc-vive-pr...
To learn about PSVR 2 = www.finder.com.au/playstation-vr
To read up on the best VR headsets of 2021 = www.finder.com.au/virtual-rea... 
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Can I just say that I absolutely loved the balance of clarity, honesty, and simplicity of this review? For a sit-down review with just a side-by-side comparison, this was extremely engaging and helpful.
Thank you Manuel, such amazing feedback and so great to hear!
My Vive just developed red and green verticle lines. does that mean it will soon fail like Valve Index does?
Just got reccomended this randomly, loved how you just jumped into the review with no overly long intro! 👍
Thanks Ash, great feedback. I will continue with that approach.
Thank you for this quality review!
Literally was the exact match up I was looking for
Awesome! Thank you for lettin me know!
@@motivatedtravel no problem! Keep up the great work your channel has a great future
@@motivatedtravel Audio was very quiet. I had my phone on max volume and could barely hear you.
@@ConnorT. Hmm, might be in isolated issue. Just tested it again and it sounds fine on my end, so can't replicate the bug. Recorded it with a mic, which you can see on my shirt. Do you get the same audio problem on desktop? If so, will look into it further. Thanks for letting me know.
@@motivatedtravel Tried on a different device, and it worked fine. 👍
I personally like this channel as the reviews seem more honest and not like paid commericals then the larger channels.
Thank you Typhon, that's awesome to hear.
I made the purchase to upgrade from the Index to Valve Pro 2 because of this video. I'm regretting my decision as contrary to this videos claims, the FOV is significantly smaller with the Vive Pro 2 compared to the Index. The Index may have less pixels but whats the point if you can't look around and have a wider sense of your surroundings. The microphone is also worse with the Vive Pro 2 and the index is lighter on your face.
I just looked to double check this - sorry, I missed your message at the time. The internet isn't sure and I don't have the headsets anymore to test again. But from what I can see, Pro 2 is 116° horizontal FOV and Index is 108° horizontal.
I have noticed though that the FOV can tighten depending on the software/hardware combination. I'm not sure if this is the case, but I apologise that the outcome wasn't what was expected.
That was a nice objective comparison. Thanks!
Thank you so much for the feedback!
So far happy with the Index, I've been lucky and haven't had any issues with mine. Good enough for now until an Index2 comes out for me. I've found the index for me at least, has the best compromise for clarity, tracking, FOV, and fit and comfort. An Index 2 with aspherical lenses, automatic diopter, and with at least current index FOV would be a dream. Varjo is nice but for the price, Index is still serving me fine.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
thanks so much for this review. i watched so many reviews about these two headsets but they were just never very conclusive. i have the lucky opportunity to purchase either of these headsets. They're being sold at the same price ($1400) and they will both come with valve controllers and base stations. after seeing this, i'll go for the htc vive pro 2; generally just more value in it for my situation.
Thanks so much for the kind words. I'm really glad this video helped you make a decision on which way to head. Thanks for letting me know.
Main reason I want an index is the controller, individual finger tracking is an amazing concept for gaming and unless another headset can implement that, there is just no comparison. Is it possible to use the index controllers with another headset however? Best of both worlds so to speak?
Yes you can use it with the Vive Pro 2 or any of the Vive headsets. They all use the same BaseStation and SteamVR ecosystem. It's actually just as easy to pair the Index controllers as the Vive wand controllers and use them. So that is certainly an option.
I just read that yes! Yes you can! ^_^
@@motivatedtravel Do you happen to know if the valve index set work with the vive 3.0 trackers?
@@123OGNIAN Yes, I believe they do. Although I didn't try to set this up personally.
Perfect overview thanks mate
Thanks so much for letting me know!
Great review, thanks!
Cheers Josh, much appreciated.
Marvelous review. Very helpful
Thanks so much Tom.
great review
Thank you
You say that the visuals aren't hugely different between the 2 headsets, but do you think the higher resolution and PPI of the Vive Pro 2 might be more worth it for people who want relatively clear text in VR? I enjoy flight sims and similar games and I often find myself unable to clearly make out HUD text and whatnot with my OG Vive. The wider FOV of the Valve Index interests me, but I'm worried that fine text might still be difficult to read compared to the Vive Pro 2.
It's a great question. With a lot of titles, they are made for the lowest common denominator when multiformat, so you don't get the improved resolution as standard. That said, Flight Sims rarely aim for anything short of the best. You could definitely see a benefit with reading rendered text for sure. Although, again, Flight Sims are definitely a genre that would benefit from a max FOV, too. Tough one! I wonder if there is a subreddit with anyone who has flight sim in Valve Index experience who may be able to help?
This is a great and simple review, thanks for your honest opinion.
I was a first adopter of the first wave of pcvr and bought a htc vive in 2016. I left it in a drawer for some years since I had kids but picked it up again recently and I'm loving it, and so are my kids. I want to upgrade but I'm unsure to which headset. It seems like the HTC Vive Pro 2 with Index controllers would be the best solution, albeit the most expensive. But I believe I wouldn't be taking advantage of the full capabilities of the headset since I own a ryzen 3600 and a 3060ti with 16gb of ram, don't you agree? What GPU must I have to take advantage of the Vive Pro 2? The headset costs 800, the controllers 300 and if I have to buy the 4080, for instance, I'll spend 1200 euros on top of all of that, which is pretty steep. But the Index was released some years ago and can't use a wireless adapter. Have you tried a wireless adapter and believe it's worth the extra cost?
As someone who experienced both headsets, can you please share some of your thoughts regarding this? Cheers!
Andre I'm so sorry I missed this message when it came through. I was dealing with a house fire at the time. There is now a headset, the HTC XR Elite that does offer a best of both worlds. Better controller, wireless as an option and quality panels. But yes, you still need a decent PC to run it. There's no getting around that unfortunately with HTC.
There is, of course, the Meta Quest 3, which could be an affordable option that you and the kids will still get plenty of value out of.
@@motivatedtravel Thanks for the answer. I ended up buying a 3080, the HTC Vive Pro 2 and the index controllers. It's great. A couple of months ago I won a Pico 4 wireless VR Headset, its better than I thought but I think I'll sell it since my PC gaming portefólio is on Steam and Pico has its own store. Cheers
@@andrepamendes Awesome, so glad to hear you jumped on the VR train and have enjoyed it. And I agree, the lure of Steam's library holds many competitors back. Even high profile ones like PSVR2.
I'm watching this 2 years later and at the moment HTC has a deal going on with the Vive Pro 2 headset which is all I need as I already have the HTC Vive original and I have a pair of the Valve Index controllers. I was wondering which is the better choice and I reckon I'll go with the VP2 especially given how pricey the Index still is and is still not available through Valve here in Australia.
Yeah I think that is a good call. Valve really don't seem to care about us down here. Not just with VR. Steam Deck is another one that they have been hesitant on. Instead of building up to us, they seem to have just written us off, which is disappointing.
Only one thing is that the valve indexes fov can vary depending on how close the lenses are to your eyes, good video❤
Thanks mate. FOV does make a big difference, but a lot of the advertised figures across the brands seem to be a bit exaggerated.
I’m so conflicted after seeing this.
I was set on getting the Pro 2 because I didn’t think the Index was competitive, but since it’s so close, I think it has to come down to who participates in a black Friday sale this Friday
valve index never goes on sale.
How did you go; did you find any sales?
@@motivatedtravel sorry on the late reply. No sale on the Index. i got the Pro 2. But now I’m regretting not getting the Pro 1 😅
Although the resolution is incredible. You can barely see the pixels even when you try, but the dark areas are totally washed out. Like I heard it would do that and I didn’t think it’d be a big deal, but as it turns out, it’s a pretty big deal.
Next time I get a VR headset, it will definitely have to be Oled
@@blacksheep7576 Thanks for the update! I've got a PS VR2 unit arriving shortly, which has OLED screens. I'll let you know how it goes and if there's an obvious difference. Although the res isn't as good as the Pro 2.
For me considering I have half the ecosystem for both I still will choose the Vive Pro 2. My reasoning is the potential for mouth and wireless tracking. I already own knuckles (which are NOT easy/cheap to get in Australia) and I have the needed Lighthouses. Since the Vive Pro 2 supports those Controllers/Lighthouses I can just buy the Headset only kit. It will cost me a little more but I still think it's a better bet. The Warranty and dealing through first party can NOT be overstated here in it's value - in Australia we have to buy any Valve products essentially through Ebay so it's a struggle. I have a Rift S so I know my upgrade either way will be substantial.
If anyone is wondering why I have the lighthouses and knuckles, that's because I went the route of buying the third party USB adapters and using software to sync the knuckles with where my normal controllers would be. Super keen to buy the Vive Pro 2 once money permits, rent and cost of living here is ridiculous so probably in 3 months time :(.
You forgot to mention the vertical FOV being quite low on the Vive Pro to the point its considered worse than the Index overall. Also I would like to add while your opinion is your own people should know most people prefer the audio of the Index over the Vive. I have not used the Vive pro 2 myself but have that same audio strap that came with my OG Vive and the off ear speakers on the Index are just about the best way to experience virtual reality for most people due to their design making it feel like the sound is coming from your room and not a set of headphones. OFC personal preferences are a thing and i won't force mine on you but figured others should be aware of the experience most people do prefer. Another bonus to off ear headphones is people reporting less motion sickness because they can hear the environment around them which helps with balance. With that said I hope you enjoy what works best for YOU.
By all means, I love hearing other experiences. I'm trying to remember now as I've tested quite a few headsets, but I think the Pro 2 headset was upgraded from the Pro 1? I will try and double check. The FOV is always a bit of a furphy I fear. I tend to focus less on the numbers and on how it feels. Super interesting point about the motion sickness and off ear headphones. I could see how that would be a big deal for people. I might mention that in future reviews.
@@motivatedtravel The pro 2 has good horizontal FOV but very low vertical and its quite noticeable.
Considered worse by who? You?
Unironically a good review. I liked how candid your were about the software being not that great. That's a huge deal that not a lot of people talk about. However just something i wanna sprinkle in here incase someone stumbles on this looking for research... I had an absolutely abysmal time with the vive pro 2. Something that I've heard sparingly but NEEDS to be talked about for more hardcore users is the lens distortion for the vive pro 2. These lenses are sacrificing A LOT in order to get that high FOV... and its really not worth it at all. One thing that you may notice jumping from something like the quest or OG vive is that the pro 2 has this weird blurriness at the edges of the lenses. There is a very very narrow sweetspot to get the center of your vision clear, and when it is the image looks great... but everything outside of that narrow cone isn't the best. Not to mention the canted lenses cause a distorted shimmer as your turn your head. God rays are a huge issue so light sources will smear like nobody's business, and a HUGE issue i didn't ready anywhere was this odd rendering problem where you need to set your headset to ultra or extreme performance, and then you HAVE to set your Steam VR super sampling rendering setting to 150%. If you do not do this, or if your GPU cant handle the Encoding the Pro 2 uses over DisplayPort (DCS i believe its called), the image will render poorly and come out in the headset looking very flat. The screens also dim dynamically which is sorta lame... you cannot turn this feature off.
My take is the Pro 2 is fiddly, but will be able to give you more modularity, but with some serious sacrifices to image quality and consistency. The index on the other hand has much less modularity, is a bit fragil (Vive products are absolute tanks), has a slightly lower FOV, but is much more of a "plug and play" experience with much less fiddling required. If you are an FOV chancer... Id sooner recommend a Pimax HMD. I will be returning my Vive pro 2 for the index personally. Im happy to lose some resolution on paper if it means my functional image quality in vastly improved.
Thank you so much for adding such amazing insight for everyone else watching this video. Invaluable personal experience there. Adding to what you've said it's been interesting to see how lower speced headsets like the PSVR2 outshine the Vive Pro 2 in visual "wow" factor. I've currently got the XR Elite here, so hopefully diving into that soon. That will be interesting to see how it evolves the HTC experience.
Really helpful thnx
Thanks Ben!
It’s all fun and games until the index 2 comes out
When will this be, thats the question!
@@BeyondPostalSometime in the first half of this year hopefully
This did not age well
I'm saving up HTC Vive pro 2.
I have glasses, so the HTC is supposed to be one of the best one’s for this. That’s most of my decision. Thanks for the great review!
Thanks for the feedback Eric. I don't wear glasses myself so I'm not fit to comment other than to say that they are indeed built with enough space for glasses.,
great video!
Thanks Matt!
the quest started to annoy me with meta trying to make it into something its not forcing me to make some godamn meta profile connect my facebook and stuff so i wanted to switch to other vr headsets like htc vive and index but i was unsure what to pick cause i like the htc vive but dont like the fact that its controller doesnt have many buttons but the index has more buttons but i didnt know which was better and this video really helped me decide which one to pick thanks
Thanks so much for letting me know! Glad it helped!
I was looking into the Vive Pro 2 because of the Issues I've been having with my Index.
Controller Stick Drift
Cables breaking signal
and then now my Headset Died.
Had my Headset for 2 years so I'm not sure if Support will cover that
I was more of wondering how the Foam on the Vive Pro 2 compared to the Index
Hi Momo, sorry to hear all that has been happening. Not good. It's been a while since I have had both headsets side-by-side, but I do recall the Pro 2 having much improved padding on the Pro 1 and being quite comfortable. I suspect it's an improvement, but not a big leap on the Index.
I was just wondering for a new vr headset and saw that they were both available but wondered if the extra price was worth it spec wise
Hi Zodiac! Probably not worth it at this point, because we should see some new and improved headsets later this year or early 2023.
I never had any tracking issues with my index, but I did when I used to own an og vive.
The OG Vive base stations weren't as good as well.
Hey Chris
im looking to buy a vr headset and i dont have a budget
im looking for THE BEST of the best
my main focus is resolution and fov
is there anything you recommend?
I'm actually expecting a delivery of the Varjo Aero in the coming days, which I'm told is the best for FOV and res. I can't vouch for it as yet, but will hopefully be able to give you some good feedback soon.
I might buy the knuckles but getting the pro 2 or should I wait for the valve index 2?
Hi Tray - it's interesting, because I keep anticipating some sort of announcement on a Pro 3 and Index 2, but month after month rolls past with no concrete details. So, it's unclear how long you will be waiting. It could be more than a year.
What one did u buy? Or are u waiting
@@GetOwnedJVC Well the HTC announcement came and it wasn't a Pro 3, it was www.finder.com.au/htc-vive-xr-elite
I wish I could get the Valve index's controllers but just the Vive headset but no one sells the Valve controllers for under 1000 which is weird because isn't the whole valve kit only 1000?
Yeah, Valve hasn't done a great job making access to its headset user-friendly for many people around the world. The company has a long history of arrogance.
did you Know that you could Connect the Valve Index Controllers with the vive pro 2?
Definitely my preferred setup for sure! But added expense of course if you get the Pro 2 kit.
i personally favor the htc vive pro 2 because my valve index suffered display failure in the first 2 days after i received it.
Fair enough!!
Having played with the new HTC VP2 and I have gone back and forth between my Index and the HTC playing MSFS2020 ad HL2:A.
The HTC is definitely a keeper. The VP2's higher res helps big time.
Awesome Viet, thanks so much for letting us know. Glad it worked out for you!
Is HL:Alyx just as playable with the HTC controllers? Im 75% through playing Alyx and my Index just shat itself. Got a full refund but had to return the controllers along with the headset...
I just ordered the Index because I’ve had the OG VIVE for years. But I see VIVE Pro 2 is on sale. Should I get the headset and keep the index as well? Or try to return the Index and get the VIVE pro 2 set for same price?
Not sure if the sale is still on. Index controllers are better, and that input experience may be enough not to make it worth your while to do the whole refund process.
Hey, where did you get the valve index from. Eb games?
It was sent to me by Valve for the purpose of a review. I've been in close contact with the company's PR for a couple of decades. At the time I reviewed it, there were a few places in Australia - including EB Games - that were stocking it, but it seems like they're harder and harder to come by nowadays. Seems like everyone is waiting for the Index 2!
Chris,how long does the Htc pro Last
Sorry, not sure what you mean? It's powered, so there's no battery involved that you need to charge like with the HTC Vive Focus 3.
I already own a Steam Index H/S. Would the HTC Vive Pro 2 be a waste of money or one should consider the HTC is worth the upgrade over the Index?
Are the Steam's controllers and base stations compatible with the HTC?
The Steam imo is weak on display resolution. That's the whole reason I am considering the HTC Pro 2 at the moment.
Yes it's all compatible so you can just update to the Pro 2 headset and use current controller and base station set up. However, I'm not sure the resolution bump up is worth the spend unless you find a great deal. Only because the vast majority of VR games go from an unrealistic aesthetic and style that isn't as dependent on res to succeed.
@@motivatedtravel I'll give it a try. Got a good deal on Amazon. Will report back. Thanks
@Pfaff1911 I bought just the headset since I already own the Index for sub $500 (used) via Amazon Prime.
You're in Sydney so you should have made a mention that the Valve Index STILL isn't available in Australia. There doesn't seem to be any controllers to match the Index yet either so the wait continues.
At the time they were telling me they were going to ramp up availability. But Valve is still, all this time later, not giving our market its dues.
I want to thank you for this review. I have lost a bit of faith in Valves next HMD, I keep hearing that Index2 Code name Deckard, will be stand alone. which im not interested in. I wish more people owned the Aero, so I can hear about that. I currently have the Index, and im looking to upgrade to something soon. I was a huge fan of Vive Pro1 which was a great HMD.
Thank you for the kind words. It does feel like we're in a lull at the moment. Almost as if the PSVR 2 will be the litmus test for a new run of hardware. We'll have to wait and see.
1:09 sorry but wasnt the whole selling point of the valve index that it has 120-130 fov??
FOV is a funny one. Manufactures report it in different ways. Some say horizontal, some diagonal, some vertical (less so). Then software can throttle it, too.
the way I understand it, get vive pro 2 and index controllers. cool.
Worth noting that the individual Index headsets are actively hunted by scalpers and resold on Amazon to for up to 3X the price. Vive Pro 2 is more readily available at MSRP. The Vive may be necessary over the Index if your HMD is out of warranty and you need to replace just the headset.
Thanks for adding this to the conversation - it's a good point!! Especially in area like Australia where Valve haven't done a proper release.
Great review mate. I opted to go with the Vive Pro 2 kit and bought a pair of Index controllers and find that setup works for me the best.
In games like Beat Saber I couldn't imagine using Index controllers but in stuff like Half Life Alyx the Index controllers provide such a huge leap in immersion.
Thank you and glad to hear it worked out. That's my preferred set-up, this overall it's the best of both worlds. How good is Half-Life: Alyx!!!
@@motivatedtravel Haha I know right, I just had to do it for Half Life Alyx. I had been looking forward to it for soo long and wanted to fully enjoy the experience in the best way possible.
With all the different headsets and kits out in the wild I was finding it hard to figure out what setup would work best for me but your review helped out heaps and was the deciding factor in my purchase.
Really glad I finally got it all setup now, the Index controllers really are a game changer! Also happy that we finally were able to purchase Index gear here in Aus, it's taken a while but it's been worth the wait.
Im thinking about getting a vive pro 2 but also buying index controllers cause those just seem better
That is my preferred set-up, too.
Thank you for the video. You look like a Viking 👍
I've been accused of this before, lol.
Skol!!
with the prices right now, I think the best combo is the HTC Vive Pro 2 headset + the index controllers and base stations.
That was always my favourite combo, but I think the Pimax Crystal Light may be a serious challenger now.
@@motivatedtravel except price. Where I'm at, the VP2 goes for 535 now and the Crystal Light with local dimming is arround 1000. Both new of course.
@@ioandragulescu6063 Really!! Here in Australia the Vive Pro 2 is still $2,000+ for the full kit. Unbelievable!
@@motivatedtravel sorry to hear that. I just got the VP2 from a local shop and 2 base stations and the index controllers from steam. I ended up paying 50 euros more then the full index kit which is 1079 euros here. I am a bit worried though about some reviews but fortunately I have the opportunity to do a vs with an index from a friend.
@@motivatedtravel well I got it today and tested it VS an frends Index. Yes picture quality is better, tracking is the same (ish, I did get some tracking inconsistencies) and for my face it is slightly more comfortable but almost everything else is worse:
-glare is worse, with distinct Fresnel rings visible;
-smaller sweet spot and worse edge to edge clarity;
-because of the small focused area, the image overall has a blurry vibe to it;
-speakers are worse, less dynamic range as far as I can tell;
-gets noticeably hotter and I didn't even try to disable the Variable Automatic Lighting, which is supposed to make it even hotter, if that is still a valid option with the current drivers/software;
-the software is still buggy. I just played two games, HL Alyx and Beat Saber for 4-5 hours in total and I got a decent amount of errors, from the games POV just breaking, and me getting in a random position unable to move, to the VIVE console reporting all sorts of errors that required restarts;
Needless to say that in the same scenarios, the Index behaved flawlessly.
im thinking about selling my vive pro to get the valve index, is it worth doing?
Hi Gurney, I would personaly hold off a little bit to see what Valve announces in the next few months. There's some thought that an Index 2 will be revealed soon.
In conclusion if you want the best experience with no budget, buy the htc vive pro 2 and use the valve index controllers right?
More or less. Although there are other headsets - like Varjo - which cost a bomb, but if you had no budget... (although not sure of software access with that headset)
The big thing to think about, is how will VR change in 2023. Come Feb, it could be PSVR 2 miles ahead? We'll have to wait and see.
@@motivatedtravel I really appreciate the helpful video and the thoughtful reply I’ll definitely wait for at least the start of 2023 to see if there’s any announcement for any new headsets. Also I’ll look into the headset you mentioned.
Considering the final goal is complete hand(s) tracking for VR. It's reasonable to assume that full digit tracking will be the direction the VR industry develops going forward.
It doesn't mean games will include it. Just that the enterprise consumer level demanded and still continues to demand a truly immersive experience.
One of the main things that could hold it back in gaming is the fact that it's a multiformat environment for the most part. So you have multiple headsets plugging into places like SteamVR. As such, games are frequently made to the lowest common denominator. We have seen this with multiformat games on consoles for years (when compared to exclusive titles).
on steam it says you can use the valve index controllers with any vr that supports steam vr so cant i just use the valve index controllers with the vive pro 2?
Yes you can, and this is the preferred method of many people. Just note that the Valve Index controllers may work with any Steam VR game, but it doesn't mean the game will make use of the controllers features (namely finger tracking).
@@motivatedtravel awesome I've been wanting to upgrade I have the rift s and it's starting to feel it's age and I want the vive pro 2 but my buddy has one and hates the controller
@@magfed_battleborn9516 Yeah, I much prefer the Index controllers!
I want to get my first VR headset and I saw that the VIVE PRO 2 is a good VR. so I was wondering if the VIVE PRO 2 is worth buying?
No it's not worth buying I have purchased two of these and I have returned both of them both were very blurry I would not recommend you spending your money where your time on this
They have binocular overlap issues and heat issues
@@JD-fo6gs which should i get then
Did you end up buying one? There's quite a few options in the market now.
Never had even one tracking problem with my Index EVER so maybe you didnt set up the base stations right?
Hi Ratcat - was the same setup and base stations for both reviews, so don’t think that was it. But glad to hear you have had no problems!! Good feedback!
If I get the htc could the valve controller be connected?
Yes, it all uses the same ecosystem. I use Valve Index controllers with the Pro 2, it's my preferred setup.
I'd pick index controllers any day. I only play vrc. Which is why I'm watching this tbh.
Definitely! They're much better imo.
I've had it for almost 3 days now but so far I am not overly impressed. Ialso have had the Index for almost a year and a half so I can use it as my reference for comparison. Since I have a pretty beefy PC (i5-12600k/RTX3080ti) so I have everything cranked up to max at 120hz refresh rate @ Ultra max on the VP2 display settings.
The screen door effect seems the only thing positive about the VP2 otherwise the resolution is just a tiny bit better than the Index. I do most of the VP2 testing in msfs2020 sim. WIll report back again soon.
i'm keen on mfs vr testing soon. I use vp eye on p3d v5.2 and its so bad visual wise. this is even without active sky and chaseplane running. I run p3d at medium average at all heavy sliders and my custom overclocked rtx 3090 suprim x struggles to keep the stutters minimal. Despite getting average 40 fps on big orbx cities, some how vr at medium setting p3d v5.2 fully saturates this gpu, sheehs!!! but meanwhile elite dangerous at near max settings get me up near 350 fps crystallll!
Im very interested in your opinion on this, im thinking about buying VP2 currently using a index, I spend most of my VR time in Skyrim VR (ENB +250 mods - AMAZING) With haptic vest and sleeves. My biggest question is how do nights look on the VP2, and based on what you said, its not a big bump in resolution. I am also seriously considering the Aero. Please let me know what you think overall. Thanks!
@@BeyondPostal Defintely better than the Index in regards to resolution (pixel counts) but FOV is worse than the index. I guess that is the trade off. I played MSFS2020 night flying which looks very acceptable IMO. I also play HL-2 VR which looks absolutely fantastic.
Which would you say is the most immersive?
It comes down to software a bit, too. Many games just don't try and max out the specs anyway, creating an impression of little difference between the headsets.
Any word on when a new Index will come out?
No word on this I'm afraid. Possibly 2022.
Probably 2024.
You keep mentioning the difference in design being a 2 year difference in development time. But I don't think you can actually provide that as a valid justification, the original vive deluxe head strap is what they've been using since the original vive release as a new 'baseline' of comfort and stability or even the built in speakers. They haven't really changed at all except it comes as standard on the vive pro/pro 2. I don't yet have the pro 2, but i have the vive with deluxe audio strap + the vive pro. And they provide the same experience overall and as you may or may not know. The deluxe head strap itself has been an accessory almost as long as the vive has been out, roughly a year after. The ONLY difference between the pro and pro 2 that i see is the display and FOV's, perhaps the audio but that remains to be seen. I don't see the index as a pinnacle of comfort nor the pro2 as an upgrade in that respect so neither have truly innovated in that respect, probably becuase it isn't necessary. Neither have truly innovated beyond the display qualities. And as a decent note of interest that isn't always questioned is you can (not always so obviously) mix and match the controllers being used, so objectively if you have any of the above headsets and you wish to upgrade experience over the visual clarity, you can do so at any point by buying the index controllers over vive wands. Good luck getting them in Aus though 🙄
Really appreciate you adding your insight to the conversation. Agree that a more titantic evolution - rather than iteration - the VR headsets is due. I haven't used the deluxe head strap myself, but will be very keen to hear what you think if/when you get a Pro 2.
Personally I'd use the Pro 2 with the Valve Index controllers. But I reckon the price gap between the new and old headsets isn't justified through the lens of the actual playing experience. The improvements to the displays are marginal on most games I've found. Perhaps FOV making the most difference for me.
@@motivatedtravel thanks for replying, I would love to provide that insight when it becomes a possibility for me :) I think I would do the same (regarding the index controllers + pro 2) personally I'd like to collect a few extra 20Ah batteries to power the vive wireless a bit longer for the pro 2 first :P
Which is probably my main consideration, the index I would have considered sooner had it been available buuuutttt Australia. And so wireless became the answer and I think that may actually be the best experience you can have foremost. You can be in for hours and forget which direction you are actually facing!
2nd would be the displays/fov as you said. But comfort I would consider a VERY close 3rd or maybe even an equivalent 2nd. If you plan to immerse yourself deep then you don't want it to pinch, strain, weigh you down etc. And the experience isn't hampered as much by what you see because nearly all headsets provide you that feeling of being in the environment. It's GOOD but not as necessary sometimes I think.
And yes the price gap is unjustifiable in that respect. Having and being able to play however you can, regardless of headset is the number 1 jump between having no experience at all vs. an amazing time. You can make a lower resolution headset look 'good enough' and then you're dragged into the rabbit hole ;P
But then an increase in pixels/visible FPS (displays refresh rate) truly is only marginal increases from that first jump of 'I'm in the Skyrim world! This is awesome!' or 'i just pulled the magazine from this guy's gun!' :P
5:00 I wouldn't say the lack of inside-out tracking is "unfortunate." That's extra tech to pack in and importantly, extra processing. That means extra battery drain and extra *heat*, which most VR gamers will know the importance of. I think inside-out tracking is great but is best used in those headsets intended to be used as stand-alones or that are intended to be used that way as a primary but have an *option* to tether to a PC.
The Index and Pro 2 are pretty clearly targeted a little more toward the higher-end PC gaming market -- for people who want to play games that can use the power of a high-end desktop gaming PC. That comes along with a preference for higher degrees of quality in many areas, including tracking. Outside-in tracking has traditionally better accuracy and refresh rates without eating so much of the headset's resources.
That being said, I think there would be a market for an accessory that allows for inside-out tracking as an add-on.
This was exactly the rundown I was looking for between these headsets. I would like to see some comparative reviews of actual use, but I can find those elsewhere. It was hard to get a generally unbiased comparison. Great video! Thank you!
Many thanks for adding to the conversation with your thoughts and I'm glad the video was of help.
My take on inside-out tracking mostly came from the added setup side of things, and requirements regarding space in you room.
You're right thought that target prosumers would likely have a dedicated space for VR and more knowhow when it comes to getting everything working. But for consumers keen to get in on the act, it feels to me like base stations are a further barrier to entry.
Most PCVR headsets don’t use batteries.
I play VRchat for about 5+ hrs a day, I have a 1060, which one should I get?
well Vive pro wont run and index will struggle
Yeah, you probably don't need a VR headset that expensive.
Screen door effect in Lone Echo 2 in the Index is bad, that why I'm selling mine and buying a Vive pro then mnodding with the GEAR lens mod. comfort/sound/tracking are not a concern.
I suspect this is a stupid question, but it's not your PC throttling the resolution at all? Just wondering if it's specific to one game, if it's something in the settings or that game being a particular resource hog?
@@motivatedtravel No its just that one game. Medal of honour looks great but you can definitly see the Screen door. I just upped my RAM to 48GB so that and its an i9 9900K running off a 1 TB M.2 and an RTX 3070. I should point out it doesnt look fuzzy all the time more like - things in the distance. Its all about clarity - that is all I am interested in. By the way I live in "Oz" too. Down South/East. I'm using Revive dashboard to play Oculus games, that may have something to do with it and in game its saying... well there is a big red 'X' on GPU like its doesnt meet minimum specs which it clearly does.
@@ratcat7668 Yeah that's a decent rig!! Can you test without the Revive dashboard in operation and see if issue persists. Or try them through Steam? Just curious as I didn't face too many issues with clarity, although it sounds like you're looking for a level beyond what I may have been.
@@motivatedtravel Its all good. I'm probably just expecting too much and I'm a bit of a perfectionist at times. Oculus games only work through Oculus or Oculus dashboard - I'm lucky to be playing it at all. There isnt a great deal of decent content for VR as you know so I'll take anything I can get lol. Thanks for you help truly appreciated.
My man tried sooo hard to not crap on the Index lol. God bless him
Valve is a company I struggle to respect to be honest.
is the vive still worth its money? because its still a 800€ headset without controller
It has been massively left in the distance by newcomers, so it's still in the mix. But it's not very futureproof.
i guess, the only real futureproof headsets atm are the aero, crystal and beyond. all of them 1600+ $ packs. and the other side of the market, is standalone midrange. upper midrange /lower highend pcvr seems to be dead market atm.@@motivatedtravel
The vive pro 2 can use index controllers
Yeah that is an interesting option if you weren't getting the full kit. You could buy just the headset and the controllers separately.
Following up on this, I tested it out myself today and the paring process was easy and the controller experience felt great! Definitely worth considering this option.
The specs on the Vive pro 2 are really just not how it feels when in use, I also own both of these and i laughed at the quality of the vive pro 2... it's soo bad. My index is way way better. Audio, visuals, clarity, sound, microphone, comfort, you name it the index was by far winning.
Personally, I found the audio and comfort beter on the Vive Pro 2, but definitely not the leap in visuals/immersion you'd expect from so much extra time in development.
Thank you for this comment, I’ve seen a few other comments saying the same thing and I’m pretty sure I’m getting the index instead of the vive pro 2.
Valve index fov is actually 130 degrees not 107.
Hmmm... seems to be some debate about this - www.reddit.com/r/hoggit/comments/c2cgg2/finally_some_clarity_on_the_valve_index_fovppd/
I'm not sure where I got the figure from when I first shot this video tbh. Must have been in the press release.
Doesn't HTC haev almost double resolutions? Doesn't that actually what matters in VR? Rest is not at all that important.
Not so much. Resolution is great, but many games aren't developed to maximise the resolution so you don't see the benefit. Field-of-View is likely a beter metric, as that really adds to immersion. Resolution is not to be ignored, but rarely utilised properly.
can the vive pro 2 use the index controllers? xD
Sure can!! My preferred setup.
please reduce the music in the future videos, I am not is fluent in english to understand correctly
Thanks for the feedback Vanderlei, apologies!
theres a thing that i directly notice. The makers of the headsets go for FOV, HZ, and res. 2.5K instead of 1.5K People will still go for index tho because maybe they like it more OR. their pc can only handle that much. i get it. vive is kinda better.. but meh.. not really. they are equal Best tip. dont always compare. Just go for what you can even handle :D
It's a good point. You need a serious rig to run VR at those specs. I guess a lower-specced headset at a cheaper price then competes directly against Meta Quest. But it would be nice to have an affordable, mid-spec, PCVR headset.
I would go with valve index. The controllers are just so much better
Agree on the controllers, although worth noting that you can use Valve Index controllers with HTC Vive Pro 2 with zero problems.
@@motivatedtravel OMG I would be in heaven. That sounds like pure bliss. Best of both worlds
11k views barely any subs, damn people are dicks 🤣 show some love for the little guy (figuratively, you don't look small) thanks for sharing a review on these pricey items!
I love the way you think!! :)
The index has access to viveport, actually.
Duly noted!! Thank you. www.viveport.com/user-guide-valve-index
Yeah this is kinda misleading, besides the resolution (both of them have pretty bad godrays)and the option to go wireless the index is a better hmd in every way. There are a lot of games wich support finger tracking. The games that doesn’t support it are either very old vr games or early access games
I get the feeling we may seem some tech in 2022 that will step up the experinece from both these headsets, especially given the age of the Index. Will be an interesting year!
Index is worse in nearly every way.
@@ninthslayer This is false.
@@ninthslayer very wrong
@@moncimoov yes, you are very wrong. 🤷♂️
Don't buy the HTC Vive Pro 2 just don't many other videos can tell you why and you can see where I'm coming from. But if this is the case should I buy the Index? Yes and No because spec-wise it's excellent it may not have the best resolution and it might have a considerable glare issue but it has a wide FOV with vibrant colors and contrast with pretty deep blacks. The headset also has the best audio in any headset (contrary to the vid) tieing the same audio in the HP Reverb 2, then it also has the best mic. The index has great comfort (but it's more depends on the user the controllers and headset can feel uncomfortable for some and others not). The knuckle controllers are also best in class for comfort and features and the base stations are the 2.0s so they have better tracking with a wider FOV and allow bigger play spaces. This is all just praise though where's the no? a reason for not getting it is because of reliability issues there's a lot, you can watch some vids on it or go on forums but yeah there's a lot. I mean sure you can replace things in RMA under the 1yr warranty but what happens after that when something breaks? it's just too risky for some people. So now what no Pro 2 and no Index? what should I get? It's honestly hard to say, you can stay with the Quest 2 you have or maybe upgrade to a reverb but that has tracking issues and it has no sensors in the controllers for finger expressions. So you could go higher in price, like a Pimax, or even higher an Areo but the Pimax doesn't come with controllers or base stations same for the Aero and the Pimax has distortion and not the best audio and mic, as well as the Aero that doesn't have audio or a mic at all. You can make your decision on what headsets to buy with more research but I'm giving you a basic overview of what that research would be none of these headsets are perfect so you just have to choose and see I guess good luck.
Thank you for addng these great insights to the chat. Sometimes its access to software that is a key decider. Index gets Steam accesss with finger tracking support, but no VivePort, for example. More pros and cons. Personally I feel like we are about to see some announcements around a Pro 3 and/or Index 2. Hoping there's a decent upgrade there that focuses on consolodating those cons.
8:43. You asked, "which is the better headset?" Clearly the Vive Pro 2. I'm not sure why you're proceeding to compare controllers. You can buy the Index controllers without the Index HMD, and you can buy the Vive Pro 2 as just the HMD, so there is no reason to make a purchasing decision because of the controllers. Buy which ever you want of both.
It depends which country you are in. It's not always easy to separate and get just the HMD or just the kit. Especially with the Valve Index. And even when you can, the cost of splitting them up is also not always agreeable.
@@motivatedtravel But yeah that's more of a price comparison than quality comparison though. If you're in the U.S. then you can mix and match.
@@kit7412 All the better if you can. I'm in Australia, and it's not quite that easy. Yes it's a price comparison. But to Buy HTC Vive Pro 2 then base stations and controllers separately is an expensive and timely endeavour.
Valve Index all the way!!!
Especially since we're still waiting on an Index 2. We'll get Half-Life 3 first!!
Too bad in the land of Oz, the Index officially is 'unavailable in your country' two and a half years after release. Good work Valve......
Luckily some retailers have brought it in, but yes, not easy to get.
I think you missed the wireless capability of vive. I hate that cable
Yeah I hate it, too. I did just get the Wireless Adaptor, so keen to check that out and see how it performs.
@@motivatedtravel about the wireless module, it was barely enough to cover vive cosmos, and it was only one way communication, I mean that the usb in the headset was disconnected. They really need to take advantage of wigig2 promptly, it is two way data transfer, and the capability is something insane, like 20x capability of early version of wigig,
@@mrelisard Wigig2 does look great. It was certified in August I think. Surely the next-gen of headsets from HTC will leverage it.
@@motivatedtravel The only time it has been mentioned was with that Pimax Frontier madness, and they made it look like a little usb dongle. The two way connection is important, I believe headsets will have eye tracking and face tracking as standard, and the usb gets deactivated with wigig as it stands right now. (took me hours with HTC support to figure that out)
@@motivatedtravel I re-visited my wireless adapter vive cosmos elite, and it feels off. it's a lot more taxing on the gpu than oculus 2 as airlink. If I'm comparing to airlink, I must say, airlink feels better. Sure, the picture doesn't look condensed at all, but that latency is killing me, I never get sick, and I'm feeling sick. My timing is all off in Audica, I throw a punch and I see my arm dragging slowly after me. There are endless obstacles that can interfere, especially with AMD cpu. I still kind of like it, as it's the only way I can have something resembling a mo-cap suite, but man, it's a tough recommendation. They better come out with wigig2 faster than soon
Are you sure VALVE helped make the vive pro 2? I'm pretty sure VALVE just helped HTC lots only with the OG Vive, and from then on valve cut contacts with vive
And I was surprised you didn't talk more about the controllers. I'm biased, though I very strongly feel that the wands while capable, should not exist in 2021. They're too expensive, bukly, feels heavy, has too little inputs, and is uncomfortable. Compared to the knuckles and especially in BONEWORKS, the difference is insane. It's your hands v your inputs, in vr.
Hi Bob. The Vive Pro 2 still relies on some of the tech that Valve contributued. I'm not sure how much the ties have been cut, but the two are still linked at the moment by that reliance on the previous arrangements.
As for the controllers, totally agree. They should have released new controllers. That said, the new Focus 3 controllers aren't great either.
I would suggest the Pro 2 and Vive basestations with the Index controllers. Also, if you're going to spend most of the time sitting at your desk or otherwise not moving around too much, you can save some cash and buy just one base station. From the research I've done it seems that it would work perfectly well - they just want you have two base station in case you move around in such a way that you often occlude the headset from the one base station.
Can’t wait for my wallet to burn
But seriously, pretty good suggestions
Vive pro 2 + index controllers = best vr experience right now.
With the HTC Vive XR Elite, we may be seeing the end of base stations from the premium headset makers.
My Vive just developed red and green verticle lines. does that mean it will soon fail like Valve Index does?
I haven't come across that one before. Sounds like the panel has warped or been busted in some way. Did it go through any trauma?
The microphone is the worst error vive ever made on the vive pro 2. Hope In the vive pro 3 they make the microphone the index mic.
I'm expecting a very different device with the Vive Pro 3... it feels like there's a mini-gen leap coming with the next run of headsets.
@@motivatedtravel I hope. I really really hope.
One of the main reasons why I went with the index. As a VR content creator, the HTC mic is atrocious.
As far as visual quality for the Vive pro 2 it is absolutely terrible I have tried and returned 2 vive pro 2's My Reverb G2 is by far superior to visual quality over the pro 2 since I currently have the index controllers and base stations I tried the SteamVR dongles with the Reverb G2 I just don't get a good experience with it too much disconnecting and recalibrating. I will just purchase the Valve index headset only for FPS games and keep my Reverb G2 for sim racing I would not recommend the Vive pro 2 to anyone.
Thanks for the valued input J D, love hearing others' opinions. I'm actually trying to get in a Reverb G2 now - there's an update to the headset coming before the end of the year. Looking forward to comparing it.
the pro controllers are a little petter for me ngl cuss stick drift dosent exist
That's interesting, I didn't notice drift with the Index, but maybe I didn't get as many hours up as you.
Index controllers with vive pro 2 xD
The new option is the HTC XR Elite, which gives you best of both worlds.
I got the Pro 2 because I already have the 1.0 base stations and controllers, so was only a headset upgrade.
I never even considered the Index could use them also.
I’m now less confident of the decision I made
I don't think it's well advertised or even that publicly talked about. What I'm not sure of, however, how the Index controllers go with the Base Station 1.0 setup. Have only used with 2.0 myself.
@@motivatedtravel Works fine. I use my 1.0 Base Station from my OG Vive with Index Controller and a HP Reverb G2.
Valve had nothing to do with the creation of the Vive Pro 2. 0:28
Otherwise I enjoyed the video!
Hi Randy, my understanding is they provide the OS/software (Steam VR) and they also worked on some of the technology, namely the base stations (tracking tech). As to the actual tech in the headset itself, they may have become less involved, I'm not too sure.
Index 144hz isn't an official thing
Well it kind of is, but it's called experimental mode.
@@motivatedtravel Again that's not official then is it.. 1 year to respond, and that crap still isn't official
@@Saradomian Sorry, my house burned down and I missed a lot of comments at the time.
I'm not sure how official you want it to be. It's on their website - www.valvesoftware.com/en/index/headset
@@motivatedtravel An experimental release doesn't mean official!
@@Saradomian Official to me means it's Valve saying it has up to 144HZ, and not not someone unofficial, like a gaming website.
omg... this accent is difficult to understand actually. and the subtitles are off(((
Really?! I'm sorry to hear that. Just normal Aussie accent, but didn't realise it could be difficult to understand in differnet cultures. My apologies.
@@motivatedtravel i like the accent. You were very clear to me.