The HTC Vive Flow virtual reality headset was officially revealed at a live event this week, to most an underwhelming respsone in the tech community. Many had hoped that this could be a genuine standalone headset rival to the massively successful Oculus Quest 2. But it seems that most were left scratching their heads as to the point of a new headset with significantly lower specs than the Quest 2, and a much higher price tag ($499).
Well according to HTC, the point of the new headset is primarily to watch media on. The chief selling point is its incredible lightweight design – just 189g compared to the 503g for the Quest 2. In this regard, it would appear to hold some exciting promise as a VR porn headset. Watching VR porn in a bulky, heavy headset for long periods can certainly be difficult, never mind if you are actually masturbating (and especially if using a sex toy too). The massive increase in portablity is counterbalanced somewhat by an slightly inferior display. The resolution in each eye is 3.2 pixels for the new HTC headset, compared to the 3.5+ of the Oculus Quest 2. Both headsets have LCD screens (the original Quest had an OLED screen). But the most obvious negative difference is in the price. The Vive Flow, available to pre-order now, will cost you $499, compared to the $299 of the Oculus Quest 2.
Some have been making comparisons between the Vive Flow and the Facebook’s first try at a standalone headset – the now discontinued Oculus Go. When the Oculus Go was launched, there was a lot of anticipation in the adult VR world that this would be the relatively lightweight and portable headset that would be ideal for viewing VR porn movies in, and consequently bring in millions of new fans and consumers. This didn’t happen, and it took the release of the second itineration of the Oculus Quest 2, almost exactly one year ago, to really see the VR porn market grow significantly for the first time since the launch of the original launch of the Oculus Rift and then the PSVR. Of course not all these new VR porn fans had bought their Quest 2 simply to watch porn on. Possibly the large majority had primarily purchased it to play games on. But either way, its not a given that the Vive Flow will generate significant new numbers of VR porn fans. Gaming fans will not be buying it, as it doesn’t even play most of the current high end games. And although it is aimed at those wanting to primarily watch media, the example of the Oculus Go would suggest that a leap forward in portability for watching movies (and VR porn) is not by itself a huge selling point.
The VR porn connoisseurs of r/OculusNSFW discuessed the pros and cons of the new Vive Flow headset both before and upon its official specs announcement. Looks like they weren’t overly hyped or impressed by the device, with one comment being quite typical :
What are HTC on? 2 x 1600 LCD panels on a £500 headset designed for media! May have been impressive 3 years ago.
However, I have seen several quite positive reviews. For example, at ‘TrustedReviews.com‘, the Gaming editor Ryan Jones praises the Vive Flow for it’s ‘impressively sharp display’, and for the fact that the headset felt as comfortable and easy to fit on as a pair of glasses. He also notes that the Vive Flow has ‘an active cooling system helps to pull warm air away from your face’, which of course prevents a sweaty face. I know I’m not the only person who tends to get sweaty in my Oculus Quest 2 if I’m masturbating for more than 5 minutes, and it’s not a comfortable feeling. This has to be a big plus for the Vive Flow’s potential as a VR porn headset, although nobody in the Reddit conversation mentions that.
The Pros And Cons Of The HTC Vive Flow For VR Porn
Pros For Watching VR Porn On :
- Weighs only 189g (compared to 503g for the Oculus Quest 2).
- Active cooling system prevents sweat on face during masturbation.
- Operated via your smartphone, and can also directly stream VR porn from smartphone.
Cons For Watching VR Porn On :
- Inferior screen to the Oculus Quest 2.
- Costs a whopping $499 compared to $299 for the Oculus Quest 2.
- Must be attached to an external battery to be used.
Summary – Is The New HTC Vive Flow The Best Headset For VR Porn?
I was somewhat underwhelmed when watching the live HTC reveal of their new ‘standalone’ headset. But upon further reflection, I can see this being a great device to watch VR porn on. The sheer lightness and comfort that its slim design affords, as well as the face cooling system, has the potential to transform the experience of masturbating in virtual reality. This comes at the cost of a slightly inferior screen to the Quest 2, but it should be more than capable of showing 5 and 6K movies at their best. If you already own an Oculus Quest 2, and are a hardcore VR porn fan (i.e. you watch it regularly and are subscribed to 2 or 3 sites), then the lightweight nature and face cooling system might well be worth it for you. If you do not own an Oculus Quest 2, and are deciding whether to purchase that or the new Vive Flow to watch VR porn on, then I think it comes down to whether you can afford the extra $300 that the Flow costs. I do believe it promises to make masturbation in VR ten times more enjoyable than it is at present.
However, bare in mind that although the Oculus Quest 3 itself is probably at least a year away, that there is expected to be some form of upgraded headset available soon – either an Oculus Quest Pro, or an Oculus Quest Plus (or even both, with the former aimed at enterprise and the latter at consumers). Furthermore, the Vive Flow does remind me greatly of the Oculus Go and what followed. It seems to me that this may be more of a trial and error product from HTC. They are going to see what works and what doesn’t, and how the people who buy it use it, and perhaps in 12 – 18 months, they will release an upgraded version just as light and comfortable, but packing more power, a better screen, and hopefully a little cheaper too.
