HTC Vive January sale: VR headsets discounted by up to £250
Save money on the Cosmos, Cosmos Elite and Pro Eye.
HTC Vive has launched its winter sale offering savings of up to £250 on some of their top VR headsets. The HTC Vive sale is for a limited time only and runs up until 30th of January 2022 - making it the perfect opportunity to snap up a great discount on a VR headset and immerse yourself in virtual worlds on PC.
In addition to these promotions, HTC is also offering customers a code allowing them 2-months free of unlimited VR with Viveport Infinity - which means you'll get access to endless VR games, apps and videos. If you want to continue subscribing after the 2-month trial period, it's either £12.99 for a monthly membership, or £8.99 for the annual subscription.
Here's the VR headsets included in the promotion:
HTC Vive Cosmos
The HTC Vive Cosmos is normally £699 but right now you can pick up the headset and controllers set for £499 - saving you £200.
The VR headset features a high resolution of 2880x1700 and a 90hz refresh rate. Its LCD screen gives you a full three subpixels per pixel, which boosts the image clarity. The headset also uses inside-out tracking and doesn't require a base station - making it simple to plug in and play.
Its physical design is slightly more robust than the Vive Pro and also features a handy flip-up visor- making it a lot easier to take a quick break or interact with family and friends during play.
Digital Foundry's Will Judd included the HTC Vive Cosmos in their best VR headsets for PC gaming in 2022, praising its high fidelity. Will notes, however, this VR headset does have some issues. They notes that while the overall hand-tracking accuracy is decent, the peripheral can lose track if the controllers come too close to you. It's also more light-sensitive than others, and recommends to 'game in a well-lit living space for optimal results'.
To help improve tracking, you can buy an external tracking faceplate separately for £199 - however, if you're thinking of buying the Cosmos now and the faceplate further down the road, it would be cheaper in the long run to buy the Cosmos Elite during this sale.
But if you're looking for an entry-level VR headset with simple set-up, crisp visuals and fairly decent hand tracking accuracy, this could be a great option for you.
- Cosmos VR headset - £499 from HTC Vive (was £699)
HTC Vive Cosmos Elite
Compared to its base model, the Cosmos Elite is better value for money and offers a more immersive VR experience, thanks to its external tracking faceplate and base station support. You can currently buy the HTC Cosmos Elite with controllers for £649 - saving you £250.
While the HTC Cosmos Elite's display, design and controllers are the same as its predecessor, one of the most significant reasons to opt for this headset is its improved tracking accuracy and external base station support. Will Judd says 'this improvement solves the HTC Cosmos' biggest weakness'.
This VR headset is ideal if you want more accurate tracking and a more in-depth VR experience. It might not be on par with the Valve Index, but the Cosmos Elite has a lot to offer in terms of visual quality and comfort.
- Cosmos Elite VR headset - £649 from HTC Vive (was £899)
HTC Vive Pro Eye
After discontinuing the Pro and Focus, HTC focused on the Vive Pro Eye. It's essentially the same as the Pro but with a few more premium features such as enhanced eye tracking. You can get a £200 discount on the Pro Eye VR headset right now, bringing the price down from £1,299 to £1099.
The Pro Eye boasts dual OLED displays with a 2880 x 1600 resolution and 90hz refresh rate. Why is it more expensive than the Cosmos Elite? Well, it comes with two 2.0 Vive Base Stations offering wider tracking space, features enhanced precision eye tracking, re-chargeable controllers and high-impedance headphone support. It's lighter than the Cosmos and features a more comfortable head strap design.
If you wanted to stay in the HTC lane, we reckon you'd get better value for money investing in the HTC Vive Pro 2. It might not be on sale but the newer model costs the same amount as the Pro Eye at full price and features higher resolution, refresh rate and field of view, making it a stronger choice. You should also check and compare the minimum system requirements of each to make sure your PC is compatible.
- Pro Eye VR headset - £1099 from HTC Vive (was £1,299)
- HTC Vive Pro 2 - £1,299 from HTC Vive
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