A PC-powered headset is a must for premium virtual reality experiences. The companies behind the two leading headsets – the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift – are battling for early adopters by lowering the barriers to obtaining a VR-capable PC. Today, HTC announced package deals to woo potential customers.
HTC announced three offers. The first bundles an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition graphics card with a Vive headset for US$1,000 (or financed at $49 per month for 24 months). This offer runs until April 24 and represents a $200 savings from the suggested retail price for both. It should be ideal for individuals that already have a capable PC which needs only a powerful graphics card to become VR-ready.
HTC is also launching a second bundle with an MSI VR-ready laptop and Vive headset/controllers. The full retail price is $2,498, or if financed, about $125 per month over two years. The MSI GS73VR has a 17.3-inch display, Intel core i7 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card and 16 GB of RAM.
Lastly, there is a desktop bundle which pairs the Vive with a Cyberpower GXi970, available financed for less than $99 per month for two years. The GXi970 includes an Intel core i5 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card and 8 GB of RAM.
While HTC has mostly tried to win potential customers over with discounts and financing, the competition is stiff: Oculus has not only given the Rift a permanent price drop, it has also taken steps to lower the minimum requirements for Rift-ready PCs.
Source: HTC