Expert opinion: We tested the XR Elite and its compatible accessories for you

Last year, HTC VIVE released its versatile, customizable virtual reality headset, the XR Elite. Its many features and technical specifications made it the most awarded VR headset at the 2023 CES and MWC editions. 

Today, let's take a look at the XR Elite and the accessories that go with it: the VIVE Ultimate Tracker and the Full Face Tracker. 

We tested them at Immersion and give you our opinion. 

VIVE XR Elite: a headset focused on the user and his needs

First, a quick reminder about the XR Elite headset and its technical specifications. 

"Depending on the manufacturer, everyone's eyesight is different, and that's why VIVE offers us the possibility of customizing our headset, to achieve a sharper, more natural visual experience. In a classic XR headset fashion, the XR Elite offers IPD (or inter-pupillary distance) adjustment to suit each user's morphology. However, VIVE has also added a more original diopter adjustment, independently for each eye, to adapt vision correction to each individual's visual impairment. A plus that allows users to dispense with prescription glasses inside the helmet. "

On the technical side, the XR Elite is equipped with high-quality lenses for a 110° field of view, and screens offering a total resolution of 3840x1920 pixels and 19 pixels per degree. Stand-alone, with a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor capable of delivering a 90Hz refresh rate, it can stand alone for a wide range of uses and applications. But you can also use it connected to a PC, either wired or wireless (WiFi 6E) to take advantage of your machine's power, for a high-fidelity VR experience with low latency. 

The headset boasts high performance and therefore offers a high-quality XR experience. The 16MP RGB camera provides convincing real-world feedback. However, there are occasional difficulties in appreciating distances in passtrough mode. 

The XR Elite natively integrates hand tracking. You'll be able to navigate, type or browse the interfaces of compatible applications without controllers. This feature delivers an intuitive experience with precision. 

It also boasts immersive audio where the user is plunged into total sensory immersion thanks to crisp, clear sound. 

Finally, the VIVE headset can be used without the battery. This makes it lighter, but requires it to be wired to a continuous power source. As for the battery, it can be used continuously for 2 hours. Another advantage is that, should you wish to extend the experience, the battery can be hot-swapped with another. However, when the battery is removed and you switch to bezel mode, the weight distribution is less good, creating a feeling of discomfort.

Headset highlights: 

• Multi-usability (PC VR or standalone mode, with battery or without)
• Comfort and design: very pleasant to wear
• Lens settings to suit all users
• Well-finished headset, smaller than the competition 

Weak points or limitations :  

• The side arms are very thin and could become brittle over time
• UI navigation with hand tracking not responsive enough
• The fan is sometimes a little noisy 

"In terms of competition, today's Quest Pro and Quest 3 are available at around the same price, but with a worse camera. However, Meta has made it clear that it does not want to make external accessories to add eye tracking or face tracking, which are not natively present on the headset like the XR Elite. In terms of usage, the headset is suitable for all types of use, whether for training or other professional purposes." 

VIVE Ultimate Tracker: optimum precision with every movement

The VIVE Ultimate Tracker is an accessory compatible with the VIVE XR Elite headset in particular, which tracks your movements in real time. It's the first all-in-one position tracker to use AI-powered automatic tracking to improve accuracy. 

Compact, lightweight and autonomous (up to 7 hours' use), it is easy to attach thanks to TrackStraps sold separately, and is comfortable to wear. It uses two wide-angle cameras and computer vision for autonomous, instantaneous spatial recognition. Virtual and physical movements are precisely synchronized. Last but not least, the Ultimate Tracker is OpenXR compatible, offering great freedom for developers. To use the tracker, simply connect it to the XR Elite headset or the Vive Focus 3 via an appropriate dongle. From then on, tracking movements in the environment becomes possible and easy thanks to 6DoF inside-out tracking, all with low latency. PC VR headsets running SteamVR are also compatible as part of the VIVE beta program.  

Additional VIVE Ultimate Trackers can be added for even greater precision. In total, up to 5 trackers can be connected for enhanced precision of all user movements without the need for lights-houses as with previous trackers.  

Highlights : 

• Weight: the trackers are relatively light, so you won't feel them on your feet or waist. 
• Multiple trackers can be connected at the same time 
• Trackers are connected directly to the helmet  

VIVE Full Face Tracker: an expressive, insightful complement

Let's move on to the VIVE Full Face Tracker. Designed to push back the boundaries of immersion, this innovative tracker takes interaction to the next level as it enables eye and face tracking with a foldable dual tracking camera to capture facial expressions. 

This accessory's discreet design, magnetic attachment and adjustable inter-pupillary distance make it perfect for your helmet. It's easy to install on your helmet, and quickly ready for use. 

With Full Face Tracker, every movement of your face is easily captured.  

Eye movement tracking offers deeper engagement and foveal rendering, reducing GPU load in peripheral vision. Foveal rendering optimizes performance by reducing image quality in the user's peripheral vision. The further the user moves away from what he's looking at, the lower the image quality. 

"A test was carried out via an application to test the effectiveness of face tracking and eye tracking. A 3D face was created which reproduced the facial expressions captured by the mask. The result was quite faithful, especially at eye level. However, there were a few problems with the rendering of facial features, particularly the jawline.  

In addition to the 3D model, there are also two targets, one at 1 meter and the other at 2 meters, which check whether the eye-tracking is working properly: the targets are separated into several parts, and change color when fixed to the gaze, which works very well, up close or at a distance." 

The Full Face Tracker accessory also offers more advanced functions linked to eye-tracking, such as Gaze control, which enables interaction using the gaze for controller-free interaction for people with reduced mobility, for example.  Heat Mapping measures and represents the duration of the user's focus on a specific object or location. The mask can also be used to collect other data, such as pupil size, position and eye opening. 

In short, the XR Elite headset combined with its Ultimate Tracker and Full Face Tracker accessories offer full body movement tracking. Whether it's movements of the face or of the legs and waist, the helmet and accessories adapt to your needs, and you'll benefit from optimum precision in every movement. The accessories look promising, despite a few weak points. For example, during our test, the Full Face Tracker's rendering of facial features wasn't up to scratch. We hope that HTC Vive will be able to remedy this in the future. 

Other accessories for the XR Elite include the MR Gasket, which you'll soon find in our Corner Shop. The MR Gasket is an accessory for the VIVE XR Elite Business Edition that holds the headset in place when the blackout ring is removed, allowing unobstructed peripheral vision. This accessory provides visual comfort and reduces uncomfortable pressure points when the headset is pressed against the temples. 

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