Technoglitch
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Availability and pricing
As previously mentioned, neither VR headset has is available yet. The Rift is currently available for pre-orders, which will ship on March 28, 2015. HTC pushed back the release of the Vive to April 2016, likely due to the addition of the new camera.
Related: The Oculus Rift is $600: Here’s what you need before pre-ordering
The Rift will cost $600 at launch. Pricing for the Vive is still a mystery, although statements from HTC imply that it will be more expensive than the Rift, which makes sense given the hardware on display. Regardless, neither headset is cheap, and that’s not even taking into account the powerful computers needed to run the devices.
Conclusion
An apt comparison doesn’t always reveal a winner, especially when so many of the crucial components of said comparison remain a mystery. The Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are two of the most prominent VR headsets soon to be jostling for position alongside Sony’s PlayStation VR, however final prices for PlayStation VR and the Vive are still unknown.
Many of the hardware specs, such as the internal display and field of view, are virtually the same. Other facets — notably the controllers and tracking system unique to each device — differ, though we haven’t had enough hands-on time with each to declare one experience better than the other. And then there’s the whole question of content to consider; strictly for gaming, the Rift seems to have the edge right now, with a number of flashy exclusives and a platform geared towards games.
In short, it’s too early to call a winner, and the similarities in specifications don’t help. The main difference to note is freedom of movement. While the Rift is designed primarily for use in a seated position, the Vive is meant to track a user’s movement within a small space. This means the Rift will be more restrictive, but will also require less space and setup to use. Until final specs and pricing for the Vive are released, it is hard to render a verdict, however, HTC’s device certainly seems more impressive in terms of hardware.
Oculus Rift vs. HTC Vive | Spec Comparison | Digital Trends
