Oculus VR, the company that is unmarried-handedly responsible for the modern virtual reality movement, appear in early January that its long awaited Rift headset would retail for a whooping $599. The admission sparked outrage online, leaving many to wonder what drove Oculus to that terminal asking price and when did the promise of a sub-$400 headset evaporate.

Some went so far as to characterization the Rift, and VR as a whole, a failure before it even arrives.

A month and a half afterwards, HTC said its Vive VR headset would sell for $799 – a total $200 more than the Rift that had anybody up in arms, though packing motility controllers which Oculus will sell after separately. And but this by week, Sony revealed its virtual reality headset, the aptly-named PlayStation VR, would arrive in October for $399. A few days later, Sony corrected themselves by announcing a PlayStation VR bundle that includes everything needed to get up and running – sans a PlayStation iv – for an boosted hundred bucks.

Samsung, meanwhile, has been selling the Gear VR headset (which requires a Samsung smartphone) since November priced at just $99.

What seems pretty cut-and-dry out gets complicated in a hurry when you consider that none of these are standalone platforms; they all rely on boosted hardware – be it a computer, a game console or a smartphone – to power the feel.

To help brand sense of it all, we've gone through the hassle of analyzing everything to see what the true cost of buying looks like. Some of the findings may surprise you.

Oculus Rift

The $599 Oculus Rift kit arrives next week and includes the headset itself with built-in headphones and mic, a remote, a sensor, an Xbox One controller, a re-create of EVE: Valkyrie, a re-create of Lucky's Tale and all of the necessary cables to connect the headset to your computer.

Oculus VR recommends a PC with an Intel Core i5-4590 equivalent or greater CPU, an Nvidia GTX 970 / AMD R9 290 equivalent or better video menu, at to the lowest degree 8GB of RAM, a compatible HDMI ane.three video output, three USB iii.0 ports, a USB ii.0 port and at least Windows 7 SP1 64-bit.

Those in need of a new computer to power the Rift have a few choices. If building or upgrading an existing machine isn't an selection, Oculus VR offers a pick of bundles to choose from that include the core Rift kit and a PC that meets its recommended specifications.

Pricing starts at $1,499 for the Asus G11CD-B11 bundle which, when compared with building your own gaming PC, is a surprisingly good deal. Don't believe me? Consider this.

Using Newegg, I put together a organisation consisting of an Intel Core i5-4590, an Nvidia GTX 970 from Zotac, a Gigabyte GA-B85M-DS3H-A motherboard, 16GB of K.Skill DDR3 memory, a 240GB Kingston SSD, a 700W EVGA PSU, a Samsung DVD drive and a copy of Windows 10 Home 64-bit, all loaded in a Thermaltake V3 Blackness Edition case for $888.66. Add the price of the Rift kit and you've got a total of $1,487.66 – just a few bucks cheaper than the entry-level Rift PC bundle.

The Asus G11CD-B11 desktop includes an Intel Core i5-6400, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 970, 8GB of DDR4 RAM and a 1TB 7,200RPM difficult drive. I'd personally all the same lean towards the custom-built configuration equally it offers more RAM and a faster – albeit less spacious – storage drive but every bit y'all can see, they're matched much more evenly than y'all might take anticipated.

The other option, of grade, is no new PC at all. If you existing gaming PC already meets or exceeds the recommended specifications, yous'll need to fork over just $599 to become started with the Rift.

HTC Vive

Developed in collaboration with Valve, the HTC Vive will arrive in early on April. In add-on to the headset, buyers get two wireless controllers and two base station tracking sensors besides as copies of Tilt Castor, Fantastic Contraption and Job Simulator.

Similar the Rift, the Vive requires a respectable figurer to drive the visuals. In fact, HTC recommends the exact aforementioned CPU and GPU every bit Oculus VR but with half the RAM at 4GB. A PC besides needs at least ane USB 2.0 port, HDMI i.4 or DisplayPort 1.2 or newer and Windows vii SP1 or later.

HTC has besides partnered with several PC makers, offering up "virtual reality certified" machines that are Vive-ready. The cheapest we could notice was the HP Envy Desktop 750-220 which retails for $1000. For your money, you get an Intel Core i5-6400, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 GPU, 8GB of DDR3 and a 1TB 7,200RPM difficult drive.

Alternately, the custom Newegg motorcar configured for the Rift would work equally besides with the Vive and set you back less than $900.

In summary, yous're looking at $1,798.99 for the HP Envy and the HTC Vive or $1,687.66 for the custom-built automobile plus the Vive. Or again, if you already accept a capable gaming PC that meets the recommended specs, yous only need to beat out $799 for HTC'southward VR platform.

PlayStation VR

Sony's virtual reality platform will make it later this yr (October, to be exact) at a cost of $399.99 for the core kit or $499.99 for the PlayStation VR bundle. What'south the difference and which should you spring for?

The cadre PlayStation VR kit includes the headset, all of the necessary cabling, a fix of stereo headphones and a PlayStation VR demo disc. Critically, the cadre kit doesn't include the PlayStation Camera which is a must-have accessory for Sony'due south VR platform. The $499.00 bundle includes everything listed to a higher place as well as the PlayStation Camera, two PlayStation Move motility controllers and one of the platform'southward launch titles, PlayStation VR Worlds.

If you lot already happen to have a PlayStation Photographic camera, there's very niggling reason to go with the more expensive parcel.

Regardless of which kit yous choose, you'll also need a PlayStation 4 console to power information technology. As of writing, the cheapest price on a PlayStation iv with 500GB of storage is $349 which too includes a copy of Call of Duty: Blackness Ops Iii.

To recap, you lot'll spend at to the lowest degree $399.99 for the PlayStation VR cadre kit bold yous already have a PlayStation four and a PlayStation Camera. If you don't have the photographic camera and also want the Motion motion controllers (they aren't required as you tin can instead utilise the PS4'south DualShock controllers), be prepared to spend $499.99.

If you don't already have a PlayStation 4, you'll be looking at spending a minimum of $798.77 for the PlayStation VR core kit, a PlayStation 4 console and a PlayStation Camera or $848.88 if y'all buy the PlayStation VR parcel to get the photographic camera and the 2 Move motion controllers.

Gear VR

Samsung's Gear VR is the only standalone VR device of the bunch and the just one currently on the market. Despite being adult in collaboration with Oculus VR, information technology offers the to the lowest degree immersive feel.

The good news is that it's also by far the cheapest of the devices discussed here today, assuming of course that you lot already own the necessary supporting hardware. Here'southward the breakup.

The Gear VR headset itself sells for $99.99. Rather than rely on a desktop / laptop computer or game panel, the Gear VR requires a newer model Milky way smartphone which snaps into the front of the device. As of writing, the Gear VR is compatible with the following handsets:

  • Milky way Note 5
  • Milky way S6
  • Milky way S6 Edge
  • Milky way S6 Edge+ (a variant of the Note 5)
  • Galaxy S7
  • Milky way S7 Edge

Once again, the adept news hither is that if y'all ain i of the phones listed in a higher place, you lot'll but need to beat out out $99.99 to bring together the VR club.

If not, the cheapest compatible phone – the Milky way S6 32GB – volition add $579.99* to the equation, bringing the full cost of entry to $679.98. On the high finish, the brand new Galaxy S7 Edge with 32GB of storage goes for $779.99 which comes out to $879.98 when adding the Gear VR.

Pricing recap

  • PlayStation VR Core Kit – $399.99
  • PlayStation VR Bundle – $499.99
  • PlayStation VR Cadre Kit + PS4 + PlayStation Photographic camera – $798.77
  • PlayStation VR Bundle + PS4 – $848.99
  • Oculus Rift Kit – $599
  • Oculus Rift PC Bundle – $1,499 (starting price)
  • Oculus Rift Kit + DIY PC – $1,487.66 (recommended spec custom built PC)
  • HTC Vive – $799
  • HTC Vive + HP PC – $one,798.99
  • HTC Vive + DIY PC – $i,687.66
  • Gear VR - $99.99
  • Gear VR + Galaxy S6 32GB – $679.98
  • Gear VR + Milky way S7 Border 32GB - $879.98

Equally an Early on Adopter, I Am Ready

The cost involved in bringing a new product to market – much less one that's driving an entirely new, cut-edge market place itself – isn't cheap. A contempo report from Goldman Sachs (via UploadVR) guestimates the beak of materials for the four virtual reality platforms covered in this commodity. Unsurprisingly, huge profit margins are nowhere to exist institute.

Aside from the Gear VR -- keep in mind that these are just preliminary estimates -- we'll no doubt get more accurate reports once consumer models are on the market and teardowns are performed. What's more than, we accept to cistron in the price of R&D, marketing and distribution into the overall equation.

Unless HTC, Oculus and Sony want to sell at a huge loss, one could presume that, at least at this early stage of the game, the hardware is reasonably priced.

I've been involved with technology for nearly 2 decades. During that fourth dimension, I've witnessed the rise of the Internet, mobile devices and social media, the fall of Nokia, a shift to digital (and later, streaming) music, apps replacing applications, the ongoing movement of television to the Cyberspace and more. Suffice to say, I've seen a lot play out over the years just it'southward difficult to recall being more than excited well-nigh an emerging product category than I am nearly virtual reality.

Perhaps the intrigue correlates to the fact that I oasis't yet tried whatever of the modern virtual reality platforms. In fact, the last time I had a go at virtual reality was in 1995 with the Nintendo Virtual Boy.

Nosotros're finally on the cusp of proper virtual reality and unsurprisingly, it isn't cheap. Why that's surprising to some is honestly a bit puzzling. It's chosen the toll of beingness an enthusiast, an early adopter. The truth of the matter is, virtual reality isn't yet ready for mainstream consumption as there'due south non enough content and experiences to go on the attending of the average user.

And really, the current cost of admission isn't all that high when y'all suspension it downwardly. An enthusiast or hardcore gamer that's really interested in virtual reality more than probable already has a PC capable of delivering the goods. Even the HTC Vive at $799 isn't unheard of equally people – everyday Joes – spend nigh that amount or more on a new smartphone every couple of years without batting an eye. Just because the price of the phone is spread out over the course of two years and you brand monthly payments doesn't negate the fact that you're still paying several hundred dollars for it.

If HTC, Oculus VR and Sony offered to permit buyers purchase their virtual reality platforms on a payment plan, would nosotros be hearing every bit much well-nigh their "high prices" and how they're already destined for failure? I highly doubt it.

Also read: A List of Oculus Rift & HTC Vive VR Games to Wait Out for in 2022

As virtual reality matures, the quality will inevitably meliorate and more importantly, prices will come down. It'south the same formula with virtually (no pun intended) any new product category – HD televisions, 4K televisions, solid land drives, solar power, computers in full general, Blu-ray players – the list goes on and on. Assuming that virtual reality is indeed the next large thing (there's trivial evidence to suggest otherwise), it'll eventually become affordable enough that grandma won't think twice about picking upward a headset so she can chat with the grandkids half manner beyond the country.

A few words to the wise. If yous're considering a virtual reality platform at this stage of the game, do your homework. Effort to demo the model yous're interested in likewise as the contest so you can make the most informed decision possible. Should you determine you can't live without VR in your life but your PC isn't quite up to snuff, consider overclocking or just upgrading the components that may be holding you lot back like the processor, graphics card or RAM. Heck, even buying refurbished or second-mitt hardware can relieve you lot a few bucks.

Incremental speed bumps every yr just don't do much for me anymore. Sure, modern virtual reality is a largely untested technology and I'm a natural skeptic but I'chiliad looking forward to seeing what all the fuss is about.

(1) * = smartphone pricing via T-Mobile every bit of March 19, 2022. (2) Commodity was updated a few hours afterwards publishing to add BOM estimates from Goldman Sachs.