HP announced today that its upcoming Reverb G2 headset will begin shipping in “early November” to those who pre-ordered, and new pre-orders starting today will ship in December.

Reverb G2 is HP’s highly anticipated upcoming headset which brings a range of improvements and refinements over its predecessor. Sporting the highest resolution of any major headset, improved controllers, and some of the best parts of Valve Index (like its excellent off-ear headphones), the Reverb G2 is shaping up to be the first ‘next-generation’ Windows VR headset.

The headset was initially announced all the way back in May, at which time HP began taking pre-orders for the $600 device and said that it would launch in the Fall.

Today HP announced that the Reverb G2 release date would fall in “early November,” at which point the first headsets will be shipped out to pre-order customers. As for anyone ordering from today and beyond, HP expects that new orders will be delivered in December.

SEE ALSO
Rumor: HP is Building a Reverb G2 Model with Eye, Mouth, & Face-tracking

The company also says it’s made a few additional tweaks since first introducing the headset. For one, the lenses have been improved “to reduce the Fresnel ring reflections and improve clarity.” The menu button on the controllers has gotten a convex shape so that it’s easier to distinguish from the similarly sized ‘Windows’ button that’s on all WMR controllers. Included with the headset will be a full-size to mini DisplayPort adapter and a USB-C to USB-A adapter. Additionally the company says that after improving low persistence of the display, Reverb G2 will now require its power adapter to be plugged into a wall outlet.

Wondering why people are excited for Reverb G2? Check out our exclusive hands-on preview from earlier this year:

Hands-on: HP’s Reverb G2 is the King of Clarity

Hands-on: Part Two – Everything New About Reverb G2

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Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."

  • Can anybody remind me… does this have a better FOV than the first model?

    • Bob

      Yes and no.

      First model had display orientation issues so you had less than the advertised 114 degrees diagonal field of view. This new model has fixed the problem so you get the full advertised 114 degrees FOV which means yes it is better than the first model.

  • Ron

    Well poo. I was hoping for Oct, but Nov is better than next year.

  • TrumpSupporter

    My next headset will be from Nreal.

    • asdf

      theyll spy and steal from you like they did to others

  • Jistuce

    It was bound to happen eventually. There’s a limit to how much power you can source from a USB port, and they can’t count on the user’s machine to supply a USB-C port that supports high-power devices or the end users to even know what their USB-C port can do*. Past a certain point the headset will have to either limit specs to remain within the power budget or require an AC adapter to guarantee the needed power is available.

    *(Because USB-C is a horrible mess of a semi-standard that has optional support for everything under the sun, but very little in the way of mandatory features, and apparently the USB-IF charges a per-port royalty for every optional feature you implement so it is in manufacturers’ interests to NOT support most options.)

    • SKD007

      true

    • mellott124

      Yep, exactly. Powering off USB is messy because people start plugging into ports that cannot supply the power. As for the 5G comments and wireless ones above in the original message. Not ready for prime time. Look at the two first HMDs on the market with XR2, Lynx and Oculus Quest 2. Both without 5G. That tells you a lot.

  • Shem

    I’ll consider it when it hooks up to the XSX

    • Andrew Jakobs

      Technically it will be possible. And I really think MS already has MR SDK in even their current xbox one available (but not publicly).
      The biggest problem with console VR is the prices of the games, they are mostly much more expensive than on PC..

  • ArtemiyNeko

    If it requires a power adapter I might cancel my preorder or resell it, don’t think being tethered to two different places, one of which is the wall socket, would be safe or comfortable enough to move around. I’d much rather have higher persistence.

    • dimmadome

      The valve index also requires a power adapter to be plugged into an outlet. it doesn’t add any discomfort to the headset since the power cable is combined into the same cable and only has a seperate power plug at the end next to the displayport and usb. so the power adapter cable even adds a little length to the power part of the cable which means it’s easier to put out of the way https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6451953bb682d061ce81b57aee395540a127747f4ae77e0a6f9fb1b7a99c4c3b.jpg

      • ArtemiyNeko

        I see, perhaps it’s alright then, thanks for clarifying.

        • dimmadome

          No worries. it was worded kinda badly in the article. i can see how people would think you’d have to plug a second cable into the headset itself. but really (from my experience using a regular vive and an index) there really is no difference between them cable wise

        • gothicvillas

          I have 3 headsets: Vive, Index and psvr. And all of them requires power connection.

        • Ace of Spadеs

          Actually external power is a HUGE plus!

          1) Many people have issues with Internal USB not providing enough power, especially laptop users and people with older PC [it can be older but still have new GPU good for VR]

          2) Even on Modern PC [like mine], I had z370 AORUS Gaming 7 + 9900K and now ASUS z490 + 10700K, with Rift S every second reboot i get “Unknown USB device” error, i solved it by buying aPCIe USB card with chipset recommended by Oculus.
          But if Rift S used external Power and USB was only transferring data, none of this would happen.

          3) More power, better display like in this case.

          4) If you dont use VR and dont want it to always be powered on, and most dont have power button now, with external power you can either get plugin Switch that goes into the socket or you get barrel extension cable that has on/off switch.

          Im sure there are more pluses.

    • Andrew Jakobs

      it’ll be just like all the other headsets like the Vive(Pro)/Index which all have external power supplies..

  • dimmadome

    The valve index also requires a power adapter to be plugged into an
    outlet. it doesn’t add any discomfort to the headset since the power
    cable is combined into the same cable and only has a seperate power plug
    at the end next to the displayport and usb. so the power adapter cable
    even adds a little length to the power part of the cable which means it won’t get in the way since you can easily put it out of the way https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6451953bb682d061ce81b57aee395540a127747f4ae77e0a6f9fb1b7a99c4c3b.jpg

    • SKD007

      Hope so. I wish the FOV was better like 140 or so. Since HP has 2 displays it’s easy to angle it well to get maximum FOV..

  • TechPassion

    This is unserious. Seriously unserious from such big company. I will not wait 2 months for G2 and keep using my Odyssey+.

    • ArtemiyNeko

      They might have felt the need to announce it before the new Quest as it would’ve likely flopped in sales otherwise. As much better as it is, for most people it’s not $300 better, after all. So we’re getting the usual for HP last minute QA/spec issues.

      Well, personally I don’t mind as I’m not letting go of my OG Odyssey either anyway, and I’ll figure out quite fast which one of the two is a better fit for me.

    • Ciaran O’ Neill

      “additional tweaks since first introducing the headset.” “to reduce the Fresnel ring reflections and improve clarity.” The headset was introduced months ago. You’re literally complaining about an upgrade that was dished out MONTHS ago. Months, not days. Relax, we’re getting a superior headset.

      • silvaring

        Its ok, he’s obviously a facebook shill. At least thats what I may recall from seeing him gushing around the time of the Quest announcement.

    • wheeler

      Early reports already indicated that the prototype lenses were an improvement over earlier lenses–the lenses just got better. They also improved the displays, which were already great. They also improved power management and reliability. In short, the original offering was on par or better than what was already available, and now they’re making it even better at their own cost.

      Also, if they hadn’t opened up preorders earlier in the year, many enthusiasts like us would’ve been crowded out by the larger market when this gets put on the front page of the Staem store. It was an opportunity for us to get in earlier, and they’ve stuck to the Fall release date without rushing things out the door to try and get ahead of the Quest 2.

      Is there *really* anything to complain about?

    • mellott124

      The last minute changes are a concern but quite frankly not unexpected. Projects get delayed all the time for unforeseen issues. The delay isn’t too bad if they really start shipping in November. I was expecting 2021.

    • Andrew Jakobs

      It’s positive changes, not negative.. so what the hell are you blabbing about? And for OLED panels, seeing that most headsets now don a LCD display I doubt new headsets will use OLED in the near future.. Maybe Samsung will release a new headset which will rival the G2, but it’s very quiet on the Samsung side, it’s been more than a year when they annouched they would show new VR hardware in a couple of months, well couple IMHO is not 15+ months…

    • Erilis

      Omg. I love the odyssey, but those lenses are wack! The fov has prioritized height rather than width. Concentric circles are the most pronounced of all. Panels are nuts as well, don’t get me wrong, they are great in many ways, but color aberration was intolerable for me. I mean, if any headset should have gone through the design process one more time, it’s that headset.

    • chuck

      in all serious unseriousness ….i think you butt has a problem

      • Zantetsu

        Sorry I can’t be bothered to read comments from juvenlies. You are blocked so as to allow me to see the adult comments in the discussion.

        • chuck

          nooooooooooooooooooooooooo

    • Ace of Spadеs

      The problem is that except PSVR there are no OLED HMD’s out there, what you think is OLED is actually AMOLED, cheap technology made for mobile phones that uses pentile pixel arrangement and has less pixels density on given resolution and has giant holes between pixels.
      For example when Oculus came out the first model, i calculated how many pixels it had vs PSVR that had lower resolution, but in reality PSVR had higher pixel density then Oculus and VIVE

      • The closest….StarVR One uses, in their own words

        “Proprietary full RGB AMOLED displays”

        It’s not aimed at consumers, but the displays are commercially available (perhaps a little dated now)

    • Adam Broadhurst

      Do you really think your Odyssey comes close to the Reverb G2, OLED display or not?

  • Bumpy

    This is going to be an amazing headset.

    If I didn’t already have the Reverb, I’d by this in a heartbeat.

    • chuck

      i think you butt is gona be amazing

  • entalzar

    HP Japan doesn’t offer pre-orders. Current listing is mid October to purchase via their website. No other retailer or distributor in Japan will be selling the G2 at launch next month.

  • It’s all awesome, but the power adapter is a nuisance in every headset that features it…

    • gothicvillas

      Really? I had power adaptor on Vive, then psvr and now with Index.

    • Andrew Jakobs

      How so? Most PC headsets have had one.

  • Jonathan Winters III

    I was going to buy this awesome headset….then Quest 2 came along, and for someone on a budget, Quest 2 was a no-brainer.

    • sebrk

      except it comes with the load of horse shit called Facebook

      • Adam Broadhurst

        Small price to pay when the Quest 2 is by far the best price to performance headset on the market.
        I do see how the Facebook account thing is intrusive but unless your one of the 1% of the people on the planet that doesn’t have a fb account, is it really that big of an issue?

        • sebrk

          I am one of those who still value their integrity and privacy. Facebook filming my home is a big NO.

          • Adam Broadhurst

            I assume you don’t have a Facebook account?

          • sebrk

            That is what I meant. I never had one and never will. If it matters I an an engineer and know fully well what Facebook can and will do with your data.

      • MusicCityTiger

        Why? Because you need a FB account, which almost every single person in the US has already anyway? Really, how much “more” of your privacy and data do they even have left to “steal” at this point??? lol

        • sebrk

          What an absolutely brainless argument.

          • patty

            actually surprised at almost no support for your argument. i dont think they are shills or anything but just people used to having their data stolen. dont lose perspective tho, the headsets are good, im probably getting a reverb g2 because i want pcvr not standalone. they have they upsides and downsides

  • sebrk

    This can be used with the Knuckles right?

  • sebrk

    Add to that their history of shittyness and well there you go. Nothing good will come out of Facebook and eventually we will find that all our data belongs to them. I mean you ARE their product. I’m a bit sad that people justify it with ”I have already sold my soul so Indon’t care”. You already think they did a shit move but still use it. That is how they operate; by pushing the envelope a bit at a time. Before you know it they know you better than you do yourself.

    • Adam Broadhurst

      Tin hat much?
      I’ve had a Facebook account for abiut 15 years and…… nothing. Some products are suggested to me on Facebook.
      90% of the world sem to by coping fine with having a Facebook account.

      What exactly do you think is going to happen to you having a fb account, what catastrophic effect is it going to have on your life?

      • sebrk

        Nevermind. Do your thing.

        • Jason David Bird

          I just sign up on this website using facebook lol just to comment!

          Doesn’t hurt me facebook knowing whats my favorite games, so I pre-ordered quest 2. :)

          • Mradr

            Dont worry:) these people are what we call FB shells – they act much like Apple shells.

          • Adam Broadhurst

            Do you means ‘shills’?

          • Jason David Bird

            Why would you worry? If someone offers a decent product at a great price I will surely get it… I do not care about the brand and the people behind it. If its meets my needs then am happy, they can enjoy the data about which cake I like lol I do not care as there nothing am hiding. If the data is a major thing for you, why the hell are you using the internet?!

          • MusicCityTiger

            Exactly… when pretty much every piece of tech requires a login to someone’s site anyway. Are we really thinking that FB is the ONLY company selling / using people’s info???

      • Mradr

        FB shell much:)?

  • Sion12

    I hope similar headset but with bigger FOV, i hate what feels like looking through a small hole

    • Reverb G2 has as big FOV as index.

      • Sion12

        Valve Index Max 108°/130°
        Valve Index Min 100°/112°
        HP Reverb G2 98°/114°

        and i never said Index FOV is good. i want like 140/130 at least

        • Brent Irwin

          Check out Pimax headsets.

          • Sion12

            Pimax has too much distortion at the edge(or so i heard), plus its ultra expensive. the lowest end model Artisan has lower res that G2.