HTC Vive XR Elite VR headset
Chipset
Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2
Storage
128GB
RAM
12GB
Display resolution
1920 x 1920 per-eye
Battery Life
Up to 2 hours, comes with a hot-swappable 26.6Wh Battery
Weight
1.37lbs/0.62kg
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CHECK PRICEVive XR Elite vs PICO 4 VR: Premium vs budget VR
New guy vs the old dog
Updated: Mar 21, 2023 3:27 pm
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PICO 4 VR headset
Chipset
Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2
Storage
128/256GB
RAM
8GB
Display resolution
2160 x 2160 per-eye
Battery Life
2.5 hours
Weight
1.29lbs/0.58kg
Shop on Amazon
CHECK PRICEToday, we’re going to put the Vive XR Elite vs the PICO 4 VR to see if paying a pretty penny produces a premium VR difference.
It’s worth considering too, as the PICO 4 VR has been out for a while now and has been reviewed very positively, yet the Vive XR Elite has yet to be released.
So, if you’re trying to figure out whether its worth spending another $500, or if you should just stick to the budget friendly price bracket occupied by the PICO 4 VR.
So, Vive XR Elite vs PICO 4 VR, which is the better value? Let’s take a look.
Vive XR Elite vs PICO 4 VR: Specs
Given the ~£920 price difference between these two headsets, the specs wont be comparable, not even close.
For this reason, we’re going to be avoiding a direct head to head with the specs and we’re instead going to go over them with value in mind.
As a reminder, value is ‘distinct’ from ‘cheap’. So yes, the Vive XR Elite is around 3 times the price of the PICO 4 VR, but is it 3 time better/more power/more enjoyable? These are more important questions for today.
Right out of the gate, we are surprised to see that both headsets are using the Qualcomm XR2 chip, a curious shared spec given the price difference.
However, this doesn’t explain everything, as the processor isn’t the be all and end all of performance, and we see a more expected difference when it comes to our next spec: RAM.
Here we see the Vive XR Elite with 12GB vs the PICO 4 XR’s 8GB. RAM or Random-Access Memory can have a more significant affect on performance than the processor, and with 4GB more than the PICO, the Vive XR Elite. While we don’t know specifically how the Additional RAM will be utilised, we can say that it will have a positive affect on latency and visual fidelity.
Vive XR Elite vs PICO 4 VR: Price
AS we alluded to earlier, the massive gulf in price means that directly comparing the Vive XR Elite vs PICO 4 VR is an inherently flawed idea, however, it’s worth mentioning nonetheless.
To be honest, we have to side with the PICO 4 VR on this one. The Vive XR Elite’s release date appears to have been pushed back again, whereas the PICO 4 VR has already proven itself with an accessible price and largely positive reviews.
So, you have to ask yourself whether the purported features and performance of the Vive XR Elite are worth the premium over the already-verified and strong value proposition offered by the PICO 4 VR.
Vive XR Elite vs PICO 4 VR: Final verdict
Given that the Vive XR Elite is yet to release, we have no choice but to crown the PICO 4 VR as the winner here, as it has proven itself as a worthy contender in the standalone VR market.
Of course, if the Vive XR Elite turns out to be a virtual reality tour de force that’s totally worth the price premium, we’ll happily reverse our verdict. For now, though, we have to go with the PICO 4 VR
