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# The Cost of VR or: Why Sony has a Huge Edge
- URL: https://birchtree.me/blog/the-cost-of-vr-or-why-sony-has-a-huge-edge/
- Published: 2016-10-06T21:30:11.000Z
- Updated: 2016-10-06T21:30:11.000Z
- Author: Matt Birchler
- Tags: Game, #Import 2023-06-01 22:41, #Import 2025-03-29 19:29

The [HTC Vive](https://www.vive.com/us/?ref=birchtree.me) is a high powered VR headset, and retails for $799\. It's most similar competitor is the [Oculus Rift](https://www.vive.com/us/?ref=birchtree.me), which has an entry level price of $599, but you really need to spend $199 more for the controllers that go with it. So no matter which version you go with, it's $800 for the VR hardware, plus probably another grand or so for a PC that is powerful enough to play VR games at any reasonable resolution.

So all in, about **$1,800** to go all in on a PC-based VR experience. I'm sure you can probably skimp on some components and build a PC for a bit less than $1,000, but not by much. No matter what, it's a hefty price tag.

And then we have the [PlayStation VR](https://www.playstation.com/en-us/explore/playstation-vr/?ref=birchtree.me), which clocks in at an entry price of $399, which is half the price of the Vive, and $200 less than the base Oculus price. However, if you want the controllers and camera that are essential to using the PlayStation VR, that will cost you another $100, bringing to full price to $499\. In fairness, you need a PS4 as well to use the VR, so that's another [$299](https://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-Slim-500GB-Console-Uncharted-2/dp/B01LRLJV28/ref=sr%5F1%5F2?ie=UTF8&sr=1-2&s=videogames&keywords=playstation%2B4&tag=birchler02-20&qid=1475786730&ref=birchtree.me) if you don't have one already.

To recap:

|                 | HTC Vive | Oculus Rift | PlayStation VR |
| --------------- | -------- | ----------- | -------------- |
| No controllers  | N/A      | $599        | $399           |
| W controllers   | $799     | $798        | $499           |
| With console/PC | $1,800   | $1,800      | $800           |

That's a pretty remarkable price edge for the PlayStation VR, and considering the [reviews for Sony's new VR headset are pretty damn glowing](http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/5/13167954/playstation-vr-review-ps4-psvr-virtual-reality-headset-controllers?ref=birchtree.me), and it's releasing as we enter the holiday season. Sony sold about [5.7 million PS4s](http://www.cnbc.com/2016/01/06/sony-playstation-4-sales-top-35-million-after-holiday-boost.html?ref=birchtree.me) last holiday quarter, and there are no signs that number is going to decrease at all this year. In fact, with the intro of PlayStation VR as well as the [PlayStation 4 Pro](https://www.playstation.com/en-us/explore/ps4-pro/?ref=birchtree.me), it's likely Sony will move more hardware than last year.

The Vive and Rift came out in March and April of this year, but I'm putting my money down now: the PlayStation VR will sell more units by January 1, 2017 (in 2.5 months) than the Vive and Rift in their \~9 months on sale.