Unboxing the Valve Index!
It has certainly been a year of virtual reality (VR) surprises, especially when it comes to hardware. One of the biggest came from Valve, with the company unveiling the Index headset in March. The revelations continued when VRFocus got some hands-on time with the head-mounted display (HMD) and it instantly impressed thanks to a number of features. In the run-up to launch VRFocus is going to have plenty more Valve Index coverage coming, but for now, here’s a teasing unboxing video to whet your appetite.
As you’d expect from Valve and for a kit retailing for £919.00 GBP/$999 USD, presentation is everything. There are no cheap materials here, with a solid cardboard exterior and a dual layer design. Up top and nicely snuggled into their own cutouts are the Lighthouse Base Stations 2.0, the rather gorgeous Valve Index Controllers (Knuckles was much catchier), and of course the headset itself, with a small box containing the quick setup guide locking the HMD in place.
Underneath is cable central, with power adaptors for the headset as well as one each for the Base Stations. There are USB-C cables for the controllers and wall mounts for the Base Stations. As you’ll notice in the video below on first inspection VRFocus couldn’t quite work out what the soft squidgy thing in the centre was. After creating the video we suddenly realised what it was, a cushion for the back of the headstrap. Not so much for comfort – Valve Index is already comfortable – but for those with small heads to give a decent fit.
As VRFocus has previously reported, Valve Index has been designed with high fidelity and maximum VR awesomeness in mind. Which is why it isn’t cheap or trying to pander to entry-level consumers. It’s a premium product that’s dressed to impress.
A full review will be coming in due course but for now, take a look at the video or read our hands-on. Demand has already proven to be high. Customers who got their orders in on day one will be applicable for the original 28th June shipping date. If you order now you’ll have to wait until September.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Valve Index, reporting back with the latest updates.
https://www.vrfocus.com/2019/05/unboxing-the-valve-index/
