HP unveils $3,300 revamped VR backpack that prevents users from getting tangled up in cords
- An upgraded VR backpack from HP is faster, more compact, and desktop ready
- The upright PC can be swapped into a backpack for an immersive VR experience
- It can also be placed into a dock and used as a more traditional PC
- The cost indicates HP may be marketing to training applications and companies
HP has released a hardware update to its transportable backpack-based VR rig that helps save users from latency and the cord conundrum of its tethered kin.
The machine, called HP VR Backpack G2, is the first upgrade of the company’s wearable VR rigs since the release of the Omen in 2017 and comes with several improvements on the original.
HP’ says its newest iteration is more compact than its predecessor, and is equipped with two new processors — the Intel Core i7 CPU and the Nvidia RTX 2080 GPU — which provide 30 percent faster speeds and 25 percent smoother graphics.
A VR Backpack helps wielders avoid the mess of cords often associated with other tethered systems from companies like Occulus and HTC
While the external batteries in the latest model still only last about an hour according to a review by Gizmodo, HP includes two batteries in the cost that can be easily swapped from a a two-battery slot charger and into the device.
What makes HP’s device truly shine above other tethered VR rigs, however, isn’t necessarily its processing power, it’s the machine’s portability.
Unlike other more standard desktop computer which are decidedly not portable HP’s rig can be easily strapped to customers’ back where cords are neatly contained.
Other headsets have been notoriously hampered by requiring users to safely navigate a dangerous web of cords.
In theory, this allows customers using the machine to enjoy a more immersive experience than others wielding tethered headsets like Occulus Rift or the HTC Vive on a normal desktop, says HP.
Like its predecessor, the G2 also allows users to plug and play with any high-powered headset on the market, meaning headsets like the aforementioned and more would be able to attach to the machine without a problem.
The G2 also serves as a traditional desktop by way of a dock where the device can be plugged in and then equipped with a keyboard and mouse
To help make the machine more versatile, the G2 also comes with a dock and an external mouse and keyboard that allows the machine to transition seamlessly from on-the-go VR rig to a more traditional high-powered desktop PC.
For many, the biggest hurdle to adopting one of HP’s VR Backpacks will likely be the price tag.
The machine will set customers back a hefty $3,300 this summer.
As noted by several reports, the price point may indicate that HP is marketing the backpack to companies who would use the device in VR-based training exercises or potentially VR theme parks over individuals.
As HP looks to improve the functionality of the tethered VR experience, other companies like the Facebook-owned Occulus have been moving to due away with cords entirely.
The company’s most recent product, the Occulus Quest, offers a standalone VR experience that does away with external cameras used for motion-tracking and the need to plug into an external desktop.
