The HTC VIVE Flow is a lightweight, foldable pair of VR glasses built for casual, on-the-go use rather than full room-scale gaming. It pairs with a compatible smartphone or an optional controller, folds down like a pair of sunglasses, and skips the wired PC tether that most headsets still need. If you’re weighing other options, our guide to the top virtual reality headsets covers newer picks worth comparing against the Flow, and it’s still one of the more distinctive entries in our top tech gadgets worth trying roundup.
VIVE Flow price and availability
The VIVE Flow carries a $499 list price but is regularly discounted through HTC’s own store and other retailers, sometimes down to around $199.99. It’s sold as a standalone headset or bundled with the separately-designed Controller for VIVE Flow, which is worth adding if you plan to use it for more than just watching video or browsing apps hands-free.
VIVE Flow specs
The Flow uses two 2.1-inch LCD panels at 1600 x 1600 pixels per eye (3200 x 1600 combined), a 100-degree field of view, and a 75Hz refresh rate. It ships with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. The foldable, dual-hinge design adjusts to fit different head shapes, and the face gasket and temple pads are replaceable, which makes it easier to keep clean with regular use.
There are no built-in controllers by default — you pair it with an Android smartphone over Bluetooth 5, which acts as your input device, or add the optional VIVE Flow controller for a more traditional VR interaction model. iOS pairing isn’t supported. Two front-facing cameras handle motion tracking, and video pass-through lets you see your surroundings without taking the headset off.
Audio comes from a built-in stereo system with spatial sound support and dual noise/echo-canceling microphones, and it also works with any Bluetooth headphones you’d rather use instead. Connectivity is USB-C and Wi-Fi; there’s no power adapter in the box, and the Flow needs an external power source to run, drawing power the same way a phone or power bank would. HTC’s hot-swap design gives you about five minutes to switch power sources without the headset rebooting.
The headset itself weighs 189 grams; with its 1.2-meter cable attached, total weight comes to 239 grams.
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