HTC and Valve's first VR headset will cost a cool $799

HTC and Valve's first VR headset will cost a cool $799

22 Feb 2016 | Rasmus Larsen |

HTC’s Vive VR headset, which was created in collaboration with Valve, will be even more expensive than Oculus Rift. Pre-orders will start on February 29 for $799.

Based on Steam VR

Exactly one year ago, HTC unveiled the Vive headset at Mobile World Congress, but like many other VR headsets it was hit by delays. It was consequently pushed into 2016, which could be a big year for VR.

HTC will start taking pre-orders on February 29 in 24 countries. Vive will be priced at $799, which is $200 more than Oculus Rift. It comes bundled with two wireless controllers, a pair of “Vive base stations”, the “Vive Link Box” and headphones. In addition to this you need a powerful PC with a Geforce GTX970 or AMD R9 290 graphics card or higher. Vive connects to the PC via cable.

- “Ever since the first day HTC Vive was announced, we knew that it would be widely applied beyond the gaming and entertainment industries. HTC Vive now applies across a wide spectrum of sectors, such as healthcare, education, retail and automotive with this disruptive innovation, demonstrating the potential of a world without limits”, said Jack Tong, North Asia President at HTC. “It is a pleasure to leverage the VR ecosystem to enhance the cultural and creative industries with Jimmy SPA. Together, we bring a new concept on stage to spark of creativity and innovation, and to open up a new era of vision and intelligence.”

The Vive headset has been created in a partnership with Valve, who is probably best known for its Steam gaming platform. For Vive, Valve has created a new Steam VR platform that gives the user access to VR apps.

During the presentation, HTC said that "there is nothing else that can do what the Vive does" with reference to its motion sensor system that can translate physical movement into virtual movement. Vive has an OLED display with 2160x1200 pixels and 90 Hz.

The price in Europe has not been announced. The first orders will ship in early April and early birds will receive two free games; Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives and Fantastic Contraption.