HTC Vive is now selling the original Vive Headset for a discounted price with used units. You if have been torn between the decision of a Vive or Oculus headset, the price is now going to play much less of a factor. The original Vive Headset cost a lump $800, now the used units are being sold half of the price of the originals. This $400 price tag will include the controllers and two Steam tracking systems, the first generation of the trackers.
This is coming as a shock to many, but the move is a bold one from Vive. Instead of reducing the price of the Cosmos to promote more sales, they are bringing back the old headset to sell at an insane discount. This move is going to bring a lot of the hardware sales back to HTC Vive and will keep them relevant for the time being.
This is no accident that the price is going to be exactly the same as the Oculus Rift S and the Oculus Quest. Those two headsets are both inside out tracking, something that they have taken a knock for. They aren’t perfect with tracking, and it is widely known that the Steam trackers are better when looking at the overall quality of the two options. Inside-out tracking often has dead spots, where the area trackers are often more effective.
This is a much cheaper than the Vive Cosmos, the newest consumer headset that Vive released just last month. The Cosmos has faced plenty of problems early on, and the Vive software teams are still working on overhauling updates that will hopefully drastically change the way the headset works. Until those headsets are absorbed by the community and adopted onto the headset, getting more sales through the original Vive is going to smart going forward.
Many have compared the original Vive to the Rift S, and with all of the external hardware now coming with the original Vive for only $400, you are going to get a true bargain. Both headsets require nearly the same power from your PC, so picking between the two is simply down to preference now, and not price.
On the flip side, the Oculus Rift original headset is nowhere to be found. The Rift S is cheaper yet better in every single way. There is no reason for Oculus to resale their old headset, as their new ones are doing a fantastic job top to bottom.
If you are worried about the quality that you would be receiving your used Vive headset in, the company has added their stamp of approval on the headsets that they’ll be sending out. They say next to the purchase button that “VIVE Certified Pre-Owned VR Systems have been carefully tested by HTC to ensure all features and functions work properly. They have been inspected to ensure they have little to no cosmetic damage and may contain used components and refurbished parts.”
This is a good way to get some sales, but some people may be cautious buying used headsets, and rightfully so. However you look at it, this is a plea for more sales. HTC has clearly taken a hit with the Cosmos being the price it is without the market to buy it. It is not every day you see a headset like the Cosmos with its price tag and the big company making it not do well at all on its initial release. Only time will tell if selling used Vive’s is a smart idea. For more VR news and community updates, make sure to check back at VRGear.com.
