HTC has opened preorders for the highly anticipated Vive Pro virtual reality headset while dropping the price tag of the original Vive VR headset to its lowest ever.
VR fans can now preorder the HTC Vive Pro for $799, while the price of the HTC Vive goes down to $499.
HTC Vive Pro Preorders Now Open
HTC Vive Pro preorders are now open through the VR headset's official website, with a price tag of $799 and shipping to start on April 5.
Compared to the HTC Vive, the HTC Vive Pro features higher-resolution displays, built-in headphones for improved audio, and a redesigned head-strap that will make it more comfortable to wear.
Customers who purchase the HTC Vive Pro before June 3 will also receive a free Viveport subscription for six months. The subscription service allows users to access up to five VR apps per month from a library of about 400 apps.
The HTC Vive Pro is being sold at the original price of the HTC Vive when it was first released. However, the new VR headset is actually more expensive than its predecessor. This is because the $799 price tag only covers the HTC Vive Pro VR headset itself, without the necessary controllers and base stations, which cost $130 and $135 each, respectively.
HTC is selling the Vive Pro as an upgrade for current Vive users. Customers looking to make their first jump into virtual reality with the HTC Vive Pro will need to spend over $1,000, in addition to the cost of building or buying a powerful enough PC to support it.
HTC Vive On Lowest Price
HTC has dropped the price of the original Vive VR headset by a further $100 to $499, including a pair of controllers and base stations. This represents a $300 discount from the original price of $799 when the bundle was launched two years ago.
It would have been awkward to keep the Vive at $599 while the Vive Pro is being sold at $799, so HTC made the decision to widen the gap in the price points of the two VR headsets.
HTC Vive vs Oculus Rift
With the Vive Pro, HTC is looking to provide users with a more powerful VR experience with a price tag that is also heading up. The same, however, could not be said of the Oculus Rift.
Oculus, HTC's rival in the VR space, is heading into the other direction. The Facebook-owned company unveiled late last year the Oculus Go, a $200 standalone VR headset that will look to attract more people to the technology with its cheap price.
