HTC to reveal new VR headset at CES, rivalling Meta Quest

As we creep closer to the CES 2023 tech show in January, brands are starting to doll out early previews of upcoming gear. The latest to do so is HTC. While we already knew the gadget-maker was headed to CES, it’s now confirmed plans to unveil a new virtual reality headset at the show.

In a report on The Verge, HTC confirmed it will launch a new VR headset on January 5 at CES. It’ll be a smaller, lighter, all-in-one headset with both virtual and augmented reality features on board. HTC also teased a first look at the new goggles (see the lead image above), indeed boasting a goggle-esque look with a shiny glass front. It’ll rival Meta’s Quest 2 headset on both price and features.

This isn’t the first we’ve heard from HTC about this new headset. Back in October, the brand tweeted out a vague teaser for the upcoming device. There wasn’t too much information we could gleam from that initial teaser. Thankfully, the brand has given us a lot more to work with this time around.

HTC’s new headset will likely follow the Vive Flow released last year, even sharing some design elements. The original headset only scored three out of five stars in our review, so we hope for big upgrades. Additionally, in the new teaser image, we can spot front-facing and side-facing cameras. HTC confirmed these cameras will allow an AR feature similar to Meta’s Passthrough, which lets you see your surroundings in full colour with the headset strapped to your face.

The brand also confirmed the new headset will pack two hours of battery life, new controllers, and hand-tracking. While HTC didn’t confirm it, the report hints at eye-tracking (like the recently launched Meta Quest Pro), and encryption for more secure data storage. Pricing and availability will be revealed at CES in January. Thankfully, there’s not too long to wait until we find out!

• Read more: CES 2023: what to expect from tech’s biggest show that starts the new year

Connor Jewiss

About

Connor is a writer for Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. He has been writing for around seven years now, with writing across the web and in print too. Connor has experience on most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech. Just like everyone else around here, he’s a fan of gadgets of all sorts! Aside from writing, Connor is involved in the startup scene. This exciting involvement puts him at the front of new and exciting tech, always on the lookout for innovating products.

Areas of expertise

Mobile, macOS, EVs, smart home