HTC slashes price tag for Vive XR Elite, its premium standalone headset, reducing it from a whopping $1,100 to a more palatable $900.
The Vive XR Elite appears exclusively available in the US market, with no international pricing yet announced, except for a launch price of €1,449 in Europe and £1,299 in the UK.
Introduced in February 2023, the Vive XR Elite was originally marketed as a Quest Pro rival, boasting a compact and lightweight standalone form factor that seamlessly integrates virtual and augmented reality features.
Following its debut, Meta swiftly addressed the price disparity by slashing the Quest Pro’s tag from $1,500 to $1,000, effectively neutralizing one of Vive XR Elite’s key selling points.
At a price point of $900, HTC likely aims to clear Vive XR Elite inventory in the US market, which has consistently been the most lucrative region for consumer unit sales.
Until August 31st, the corporation is offering a pair of limited-time promotions for Vive XR Elite and Vive Final Tracker bundle purchases within the United States. Discover all available options at Vive.com.
- Vive XR Elite and Final Tracker Bundle: A Premium Experience for $1,398?
- Experience immersive gaming with Vive XR Elite and enhance your playstyle using the included Final Tracker 5 trackers and a single dongle for just $1,696.
Meanwhile, HTC unveiled a cryptic video last month, hinting at an imminent release of its next-generation XR headset with a tantalizing “coming soon” promise.
While the corporation has not disclosed further information beyond the initial video, rumors have emerged suggesting that the headset may be a more iterative design, potentially building upon the Vive Focus 3 and delivering features similar to those found in the anticipated Vive Focus 4.
The latest rumors suggest that HTC’s upcoming headset will replicate the display and optical setup found in Vive Focus 3, while also incorporating the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 1 chipset used in Vive XR Elite, as well as built-in eye-tracking, USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode functionality, and compatibility with Vive Focus 3 accessories – although these claims remain unverified.
If the leak proves accurate, the corporation may indeed put itself at risk of compromising Vive XR Elite’s performance, effectively transforming it into a Quest Pro equivalent, with Meta’s Quest 3 boasting nearly identical specs at roughly half the cost.
