The HTC Vive Cosmos Elite is the latest tethered VR headset in the expanding Cosmos lineup. It attempts to address some of the issues of the original HTC Vive Cosmos, but retains the core specifications of that model, primarily the dual 4.3-inch 1440 x 1700 displays running at 90Hz. Cosmos Elite comes bundled with Half-Life: Cosmos Elite comes bundled with Half-Life: Alyx and a 6-month Viveport Infinity subscription.

Cosmos Elite is essentially the original Cosmos bundled with a first-generation base station and controller, with a separate faceplate for the headset. If you have already purchased a Cosmos, you can upgrade to the new faceplate for $200, but you will need to purchase the base station separately to use it. This modular approach also means adding goodies such as wireless adapters, but at $350 by itself, this solution quickly becomes expensive.

Currently, the Valve Index is the high-end headset of choice, with the Oculus Rift S covering the slightly more affordable end of the market; Cosmos Elite replaces the inside-out tracking of the original Cosmos and improves accuracy back to the base station. This also increased the price, making it another expensive VR headset; another version of Cosmos, the Cosmos Play, is due out later this year and uses four-camera inside-out tracking, but should be comparable in price to the Oculus Rift S. The question now is whether Cosmos Elite will do well enough to dethrone Valve Index.

Base-station-based VR has several setups and a regular order to get everything up and running; it's not just a matter of plugging in the headset and throwing yourself into a virtual world, as with the Oculus Rift S and the original Cosmos. Luckily, the first call of the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite is to download the installation wizard.

The first step is to install the base station. These are the same two units that shipped with the original Vive, and each requires its own power connector and must be installed in a way that is out of the way when you throw your body out of the way. There is standard hardware for mounting to a tripod or light stand, and a mounting bracket is included in the bundle for mounting directly to the wall (wall plug and screws included).

These base stations should face each other, ideally above head height, but angled downward to enclose the floor reserved for VR. A minimum space of 6 x 6 feet is required, but in some homes, that space is surprisingly difficult to secure. Especially if you don't want to put furniture in that space, the coffee table goes from a convenient place to put books to a place that can be a death trap if you can't see it.

At this point, it is worth pointing out that the bundle comes with a lot of hardware, wires, and power cables. The latter is a bit worrisome when laid out in front of you; while you don't absolutely need to connect everything to use the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite, trying to charge both controllers at the same time amounts to a total of five power plugs, not including those required for the PC.

Typically, Cosmos Elite requires only three plugs, one for the headset itself and two for the two base stations. You can also use a spare USB port on your PC to charge the controller, but in any case, it is still a lot of wiring. If you want to update the firmware on the base station as well, you will need to use the included USB cable, but this will not happen very often.

The main cable (the cable you will most likely stumble upon) is the one that connects from the PC to the headset. As already mentioned, this also requires power, but it connects to the graphics card via DisplayPort and to the machine via USB 3.0. It is a very long, sturdy cable (just under 16 feet), but we found that it twists easily and its weight tends to hinder immersion. The wireless connection option is surprisingly attractive, even at $350.

The headset itself is a bit on the heavy side at 2 pounds, but the foam is soft and the headband provides a comfortable experience. The head-mounted display (HMD) weighs down the entire headset and puts pressure on the forehead, but the headband is not too bad, as it stays in place thanks to a tightening ring at the back. The display can be easily flipped up away from the face, which is convenient for changing orientation.

It does get hot, however, and the small fan behind the faceplate gets noisy during use. Fortunately, this is offset to some extent by the included headphones, especially since they can be held close to the ear. The speakers are really easy to use and can be held close to the ear without actually touching it. Quality sound is essential to the VR experience, and this speaker fulfills that requirement well.

The included controller is comfortable, well balanced, and intuitive enough to use once properly synchronized. There is a mini-USB port on the bottom for charging, and the power level is clearly visible in the VR. However, the LEDs on the unit are only there to indicate power on and initial pairing, and are not visible with the headset on, so there would not be much point in having them.

General hand tracking works well, but on several occasions my hand suddenly appeared on the floor in front of me. The large touchpad, which fits naturally under my thumb, is very responsive, and the trigger, which fits under my index finger, has a wide range of sensitivity and clicks when held all the way to the end.

The menu button below the touchpad is easy to toggle, but the system button above it is somewhat awkward. On either side of the main grip are two buttons that detect when the controller is held, which took some getting used to, but overall the design is fine.

However, these are the same controllers that shipped with the original Vive, and while there is no question that they work, it feels like something more is needed in this department. the Valve Index shows that there is room for innovation when it comes to controllers and these are holding Cosmos Elite back.

So how comfortable is the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite? Good, but not perfect. I have experienced synchronization issues with both the controller and the headset. The display is great, and with a resolution of 1440 x 1700 in one eye, the screen door effect was not an issue, but it can be difficult to get both eyes to focus when flipping the display up and down. The headphones were good and added to the immersive experience. However, those long mains cables were annoying and I found myself wrapping them around myself several times. The good news is that I never once got motion sickness, even after long periods of play. I did, however, experience vertigo when looking over the shelves a few times, which is a plus in terms of immersion.

I don't think the general ecosystem for VR is overwhelming yet. Aside from Half-Life Alyx and a few notable exceptions, the assortment of games is still sketchy. There are a lot of interesting ideas, but also a lot of boring ones, and very few games that are actually decent; just looking through the hundreds of titles on Viveport illustrates the situation: VR has not yet reached its golden age. In some respects, it has a long way to go; I applaud the fact that Half-Life is available: but the fact that Alyx and Viveport Infinity will be offered with the headset for six months is commendable. Overall, however, the VR situation calls into question any serious investment in it.

Should I buy the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite? It's hard to recommend for the money, but ultimately it comes down to what you expect: the $899 launch price is not a comfortable match for a first-generation controller or base station. The headset itself is a good one, and a lot of thought has been put into the user experience as far as setup. Still, for $100 more, you can get the Valve Index.