Best VR Deals for January 2020
2019 saw some massive price cuts on virtual reality equipment, as both theHTC ViveandOculus Riftdropped 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
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.
From: Currys PC World
Was: £699
Now:£579(£120 off)
You can save an incredible £120 on the HTC Vive Cosmosfrom select retailersat 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.
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.
Vivesaw 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 ongaming 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.
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 ofSteam, the Oculus Store andGreen 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.
For all of these platforms, Amazon has some of the biggest bargains.
Best VR deals of January 2020
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.
From: Currys PC World
Was: £699
Now:£579(£120 off)
You can save an incredible £120 on the HTC Vive Cosmosfrom select retailersat 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 Fridaywill 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 youlike, on a product youneed, and you canaffordthe outlay, buy it today.
Author: Lewis Painter, Contributor
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.
