HTC Valve ‘Vive’ VR Headset Release Date & Features: Oculus Rift’s Biggest Rival?

Created by HTC and powered by Valve's SteamVR platform, Vive has definitely turned prying heads in the ongoing Mobile World Congress. The gear is incredibly huge, but this could be its response to the promise of bigger and greater experiences prospects can enjoy soon.

For a preview, The Verge reported that Vive seeks to provide a visual experience that "spans the scale of a full room." The simulated 3D environment allows users to dwell in the experience and interact with things around.

As told by The Guardian, Vive is set to hit the market later this year. Interestingly, the commercial Oculus Rift is expected for the same release, so we could only look forward to steaming competition. Both are making use of virtual reality technology.

Gizmodo's Carlos Rebato was able to try his head on the new gear. In his article, Rebato highlighted Vive's "sense of presence," which he described to be the feeling of one's body in a different world.

The reviewer wrote, "Strap on the Vive and you are somewhere else. I slapped at fish in a shipwreck, walked like a giant through a battlefield, cooked in a virtual kitchen, and it felt so unbelievably real."

"I saw the future today. I mean that... It's absolutely incredible. This thing is just...my god you guys I can't even," he expressed.

Vive packs two 1,200 x 1,080 displays that refresh at 90 frames per second, Engadget noted. Set above the hardware are two USB ports, an HDMI port and a headphone jack. Overall, the device grants users a 360-degree visual experience.

Engadget is also convinced that Vive competes with the Oculus Rift, and more recently, the updated Project Morpheus from Sony. The outlet pointed one unique feature about Vive: SteamVR base stations that work with laser position sensors.

In simpler words, Vive has the ability of tracking the user's physical location.

At present, Vive's downside may be attributed to convenience issues, since it required several heavy wires which "run down the back onto a belt that attempts to keep everything together," Polygon wrote. We're excited to see how the consumer version is applied.

The smartphone market certainly knows HTC, while Valve could be more popular in the gaming community. For those who may not know, Valve is known for games such as "DOTA 2," "Half-Life," "Portal" and "Left 4 Dead."

Excited to get your head on a Vive? What do you think about HTC and Valve's partnership? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Check out HTC's introductory clip below.