Get ready for the HTC Vive – pre-orders open on February 29

HTC Vive Pre
The HTC Vive Pre.

We've barely had time to get over the excitement of pre-orders opening for the Oculus Rift and the next virtual reality headset of note is joining the party.

HTC will open pre-orders for the Vive on February 29, according to chief executive Cher Wang who confirmed the date to The Telegraph.

Orders start shipping in April, which we already knew, but the price is still a secret. The question is whether it will undercut the $599/£499/AU$649 tag of the Oculus Rift.

The other big player launching this year, the PlayStation VR, is rumoured to be costing a massive $800 (about £550/AU$1,140).

Virtually ready

If you're wondering what the differences are between these VR headsets, the answer is not all that much. Software and content may well be two of the biggest differentiators, along with what other kit you need to run the sets. PlayStation VR runs with Sony's console, while the Rift and Vive need a pretty heavy-duty gaming PC to power their apps and games.

Those ready to join the early VR adopters can order their HTC Vive direct from the manufacturer very soon, and HTC is promising the final design and price will be revealed before pre-orders go live.

At CES last week we also got a glimpse of Pre, the latest developer version of the Vive.

David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.