HTC Vive Flow VR headset revealed with insect-like goggles

HTC is trying once again to get people excited about virtual reality. Today, after a number of previous leaks,  the company officially announced the HTCVive Flow. This VR headset is designed to be an all-in-one device, meaning that it doesn’t need to be tethered physically to a PC or smartphone.

Read more: Best VR games for most headsets

The HTCVive Flow has also been designed to be lightweight. It weighs just 189 grams, which hopefully means you can wear it for hours. The two lens displays each have a resolution of 1.6K-per-eye and a 75Hz refresh rate. It also has a 100-degree field of view.

Instead of including a controller, the headset connects via Bluetooth to an Android smartphone (sorry, no iOS support), which serves as a kind of virtual laser pointer. It will also need to connect to a separate battery pack, which should allow the headset to work for up to five hours on a single charge.

The HTCVive Flow is being marketed as a VR headset that’s both easy to use and easy to transport. HTCwants users to not only consume media on the Vive Flow but also use it for help in meditating and sleep. About 100 apps will support the Vive Flow when it launches.

The Verge got some brief hands-on time with the HTCVive Flow and reported mixed results. There is no strap system to keep it in place, and as a result, the reviewer’s headset kept sliding off. Also, working with a smartphone as a controller is reportedly awkward.

The HTCVive Flow is scheduled to launch in November with a $499 price tag. There’s a separate $79 price for the battery pack. It remains to be seen if this will compete with the current leader in the VR hardware space, Oculus, which currently has control of 75% of the market.