Most of the time spent since the HTC Vive’s original debut back in May 2015 has been dedicated to giving tests the virtual reality headset and getting people excited for it. HTC recently revealed the Vive's pre-order date, though, and today we’re finally learning how much the thing will cost.
The HTC Vive will cost $799, and it’s expected to begin shipping to buyers in early April. For that $799 asking price, you’ll be getting the Vive headset itself, which includes a headstrap with better balance and stability than past versions of the Vive, as well as a front-facing camera. You’ll also be getting two wireless controllers with dual-stage controllers and haptic feedback, two games to play on your Vive — Job Simulator and Fantastic Contraption — and movement sensors.
HTC today also revealed a new Vive feature called Vive Phone Services. With it, you can receive and respond to incoming calls, view text messages and send quick replies, and check calendar invites, all without removing your Vive headset.
The first thing that most folks interested in VR will notice about today’s announcement is that the HTC Vive costs $200 more than the Oculus Rift, a competing VR headset from the Facebook-owned Oculus VR. Both devices come with the headset itself and a couple of games, but the big difference between the two devices are the controllers that you’ll use with them. The HTC Vive comes with two controllers — one for each hand — that are made especially for the Vive, while the Oculus Rift comes with and Xbox One controller and remote.
So now that we know how much HTC’s Vive will cost, are any of you thinking about buying? Pre-orders open on February 29, so you’ve got a little more than one week to decide.