The HTC Vive Flow is a new headset that puts meditation and media consumption front and center and is looking to shake up the VR market dominated by the Oculus Quest 2

In a press release, HTC Vive announced the Vive Flow, a more casual VR headset for those looking for non-gaming content The headset costs $499, considerably more than the Oculus Quest 2, which starts at $299

No release date has been set at this time, but it is expected to ship in early November The main selling points seem to be the lightness of the design and the clever cooling system

"Taking time to calm your mind has never been more important, and Vive Flow provides the perfect opportunity to escape the four walls and immerse yourself in an ideal atmosphere," said Cher Wang, CEO of HTC, in a press release

"Meditation, gentle stretching, brain training, streaming your favorite shows, or even meeting with friends and colleagues in VR with Vive Sync can all be enhanced by a device so light and compact it fits in your pocket"

Here's what we know so far about HTC Vive Flow

HTC has not revealed an exact release date for the Vive Flow However, prospective buyers should know that pre-orders will open on October 15 and the headset will ship in early November

The major drawback of the Vive Flow is its high price; $499 may not sound expensive when compared to headsets like the Valve Index, which sells for $999, but the Vive Flow is much more expensive than its main competitors

Facebook's Oculus Quest 2, which tops our best VR headsets list, is aggressively priced at $299 for the 128GB model It also comes with a standalone headset and controller, which the Vive Flow does not

HTC Vive's own press release did not give many detailed specs on the Vive Flow, but Tech Crunch's Lucas Matney was able to get an early hands-on

The HTC Vive Flow is powered by the previous generation Qualcomm XR1 processor In comparison, the Oculus Quest 2 uses the Qualcomm XR2 processor This is usually a major disadvantage for any technology product, but given that the Vive Flow is not intended for gaming, it is honestly not that big of a deal The question remains as to why Vive Flow is so expensive

In any case, unlike the Oculus Quest 2, the Vive Flow weighs only 189 grams; the Quest 2 weighs 532 grams Therefore, the Vive Flow should be more comfortable to wear

As for the screen, the headset boasts a resolution of 16K per eye, although HTC Vive did not reveal the exact pixel count The screen updates at 75 fps, which is fine for content consumption; the Vive Flow has a 100-degree viewing angle

The Vive Flow features "pancake" optics, which are thinner than standard VR lenses; the Vive Flow's adjustable diopter lens allows users to easily correct their vision within the headset, eliminating the need for glasses

A unique feature of the Vive Flow is its huge outer lens, which looks like a fly's eye Apparently, there is a camera built under it There is also a fan inside the headset to keep the heat away from the user's face and eyes, which is significant for those who enjoy working out in VR

As for battery life, none at all Oddly enough, the Vive Flow does not have a battery on board and must be powered by an Android phone or an external power source This also means that the Vive Flow is not technically a wireless headset Even if it is merely a Meditation 20 app like TRIPP, Route 66, or Mynd VR

The Vive Flow is not a gaming device and does not include a controller

We haven't had a hands-on with the Vive Flow yet, but it's definitely an odd device This product is trying to cater to the casual VR user, which we are not sure exists Furthermore, at $499, it is probably harder to sell than the Oculus Quest 2

Vive Flow certainly has some interesting ideas, some of which we believe other companies are experimenting with At this stage, however, the Vive Flow feels like a powered-up version of a cardboard VR headset that works with a smartphone It is certainly light and compact But would consumers be willing to pay $500 for a headset that can only be used for media and meditation?

The cooling feature that uses a fan to direct hot air away from the face and eyes is nifty and could be a game changer when working out in VR, but it may not be enough But until reviewers and fans spend a significant amount of time with it, we won't know if it's worth it