HTC has dropped the price of the original Vive kit to $499 as they prepare for the launch of the upcoming Vive Pro headset. The discount saves consumers $100 from where it was priced previously, and allows them to be ready for the upgrade to the new headset later since the Pro will make use of the original controllers and beacons.
Pre-orders have started today for the HTC Vive Pro Headset which will be launching (and shipping) beginning April 5th, 2018. The new headset supports an upgraded resolution of 2880×1600 (pixels) via dual OLED displays (each being 1400×1600 by themselves), as well as two front-facing cameras, and built-in audio support with noise cancellation. Resolution is one of the most important variables right now in VR since the screens are so close to your eyes. The ability to eventually eliminate the pixel grid completely from sight will allow VR to take a giant step as it will be easier to deliver the immersion players seek, without causing any stress to your eyes.
No price is available for buying the Pro in a kit form just yet, so only the headset is available for pre-order. For those buying into the Vive for the first time wanting to begin with the new Pro model will more than likely want to wait until a bundle deal is made available.
Despite the new drop in price, HTC’s Vive is still more expensive than Oculus’ pricing for the Oculus Rift, which can be purchased for $399 (still making Rift the most affordable between the two companies).
Although we haven’t had chance to sit down with the new headset just yet, we look forward to experiencing it ourselves, solely due to the successful performance of the original. Although the resolution isn’t comparable to something like 4K, the enhancement is sure to make a noticeable improvement.
Meanwhile, the Oculus Go VR headset is set to release this May during Facebook’s F8 developer conference. The new Oculus headset will be a standalone option that won’t be required to have a PC connected for operation, and feature a price tag of only $199. Although it will more than likely not come near the performance and capabilities of its tethered alternatives, it should more than likely make a splash that will pressure the defaulted elimination of all cables in the future (and a more affordable VR market).
