2019 saw some massive price cuts on virtual reality equipment, as both the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift dropped in price by hundreds of pounds in efforts to lure more customers into their ecosystems, and with the release of new headsets, including the Oculus Rift S and Vive Cosmos, this trend has continued.
The end result is that VR is more affordable than ever before. We’ve done our best to sort through the best offers around on VR headsets and games to help you get the best price.
Best virtual reality deals
Top 10 VR Deals
PlayStation VR Starter Kit
From: Laptops Direct
Was: £269.97
Now: £219.97 (£50 off)
With £50 off, this PlayStation VR bundle is amongst the cheapest in the market right now, and comes with the PlayStation Camera and a copy of PlayStation Worlds too.
HTC Vive Cosmos
From: Currys PC World
Was: £699
Now: £579 (£120 off)
You can save an incredible £120 on the HTC Vive Cosmos from select retailers at the moment. The headset is still PC-powered, unlike the Oculus Quest, but offers an upgraded experience when compared to the original HTC Vive.
For ease, we’re going to break down the sort of deals you can expect to see by platform.
PlayStation VR deals
Despite being the cheapest of the VR sets on the market right now, we’ve seen impressive discounts and bundles for the PSVR headset, cameras and games.
If you’re looking to buy the headset itself, the best bet is to go for one of the various bundles, which tend to include the headset, the PlayStation Camera (which you need to run the headset), and a game or two. Also keep an eye out for the optional (but fun) Move controllers, and remember you’ll still need a PS4 or PS4 Pro to play it all on.
if you already have a headset, you can still find discounts on games – especially the launch titles that are now looking slightly less polished than more recent games.
HTC Vive deals
Vive saw a massive price drop in 2018, from £759 down to £499, and was recently discontinued by HTC, but it’s still one of the most expensive consumer-focused VR set on the market. You’ve also got the standalone Vive Cosmos, the next-gen PC-powered headset, but it’s not cheap at £699.
Remember that you’ll need a decent-spec PC to power the VR experience – if you don’t have one, keep an eye on gaming PC deals – any high-end rig will run VR well, though some specifically advertise themselves as ‘VR-ready’ now to show they meet the required specs for Vive and Oculus.
Oculus Rift S deals
The Oculus Rift S was released earlier in 2019 as a replacement to the original Oculus Rift, and boasts the same attractive £399 price tag despite the various upgrades on offer.
Look out for bundles including the hardware, controllers, and games – if they drop below the £400 with games included, it’s worth considering.
Games themselves also get discounts, so check out the likes of Steam , the Oculus Store and Green Man Gaming . And, as with the Vive, remember to look out for bargains on VR-ready PCs too, if you don’t have one yet.
Best VR deals of January 2020
Top 10 VR Deals
PlayStation VR Starter Kit
From: Laptops Direct
Was: £269.97
Now: £219.97 (£50 off)
With £50 off, this PlayStation VR bundle is amongst the cheapest in the market right now, and comes with the PlayStation Camera and a copy of PlayStation Worlds too.
HTC Vive Cosmos
From: Currys PC World
Was: £699
Now: £579 (£120 off)
You can save an incredible £120 on the HTC Vive Cosmos from select retailers at the moment. The headset is still PC-powered, unlike the Oculus Quest, but offers an upgraded experience when compared to the original HTC Vive.
When is Black Friday 2020 – should you wait for a better deal?
Black Friday will take place on Friday 27 November, immediately followed by Cyber Monday on 30 November. Traditionally the biggest sales event of the year, it may yet throw up some even greater tech deals – but with so much uncertainty around finance and retail, and no guarantees regarding what discounts we will see, we advise you not to wait: if you see a deal you like , on a product you need , and you can afford the outlay, buy it today.
Author: Lewis Painter, Contributor, Tech Advisor
Lewis Painter was once a Tech Advisor Senior Staff Writer. He covers everything from iPhone to AirPods, plus a range of smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming hardware.
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