With prices for two of the three major upcoming virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays (HMDs) now known in both the $599 USD cost of the Oculus Rift and $799 tag for the HTC Vive, analysts have begun adjusting predictions of how these products will perform when they launch in a few months’ time. Wedbush Securities Research Analyst Michael Pachter recently chimed in on this topic, stating that HTC Vive’s higher price point has ‘set up’ the Oculus Rift to beat it, while PlayStation VR for the PlayStation 4 could ‘dominate’ if the price is right.
“Wow, Vive priced at $800,” Pachter recently wrote on Twitter. “This sets Oculus up to win at $600, and sets Sony up to dominate if they have the ability to price sub $500″. Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) hasn’t yet announced the price and release date for PlayStation VR, though its hoped that its lower resolution screen, set at 1080p, and less elaborate tracking system will help keep the cost down. SCE also has the advantage of offering a VR ready console for $349, while Oculus Ready PCs start at $1,499 with the HMD bundled and HTC’s ‘VR Certified’ rigs currently start at $1699.
Pachter didn’t mention if he thought that release dates for these devices could factor in to the competition at all. That said, the Oculus Rift is set to make its first shipments on 28th March 2016 while the HTC Vive is only a few days behind on 1st April. It’s thought that PlayStation VR will be launching in the first half of 2016, though GameStop recently suggested the launch may have been delayed into this autumn. SCE recently dismissed that claim, but remains tight-lipped on when the kit will be releasing.
Stay tuned to VRFocus for the latest updates on the progress of each of these VR devices.
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