Despite costing a whopping $999 / £919, Valve’s Index VR headset has been in excessive demand ever since pre-orders went live at the beginning of May. So a lot in order that the headset bought out inside half an hour of pre-orders opening within the US, inflicting Valve to push again the Index’s authentic transport date of June 28th to the top of September. Now, nevertheless, it appears Valve have lastly bought their VR geese in a row, because the ‘full kit’ Index (which incorporates the headset, controllers and two base stations) is “now available for immediate shipping in the US”.
“Initial quantities were outpaced by demand so, as a result, users were asked to reserve their hardware as new kits were in production,” Valve mentioned in an emailed assertion. “Starting today, immediate orders are available for customers in the US and a similar announcement will be forthcoming for other US SKUs as well as those in other international territories. All prior reservations will be honored.”
Those different SKUs, you could recall, embrace the standalone headset, which prices £459 / $499, and the headset plus controllers, which is able to set you again £689 / $749. These Index bundles are for anybody who already owns an HTC Vive or Vive Pro headset, as each the controllers and base stations utilized in HTC’s VR setup are cross-compatible with the Index headset. Alas, each of those cheaper Index choices are nonetheless on back-order in the meanwhile, though hopefully we gained’t have to attend too lengthy earlier than they, too, begin transport instantly.
I haven’t had an opportunity to check the Index myself but, however thus far most critiques have been fairly optimistic. The display screen itself isn’t really any sharper than the Vive Pro’s, with every lens providing a decision of 1440×1600, however the mixture of a better 120Hz refresh fee (which may be lowered again right down to 90Hz to make it appropriate with older VR games) and finger-tracking controllers appear to have bought so much folks very enthusiastic about it.
I have to admit, the controllers do sound fairly cool, particularly when their built-in strap means you don’t essentially should be holding them to ensure that them to maintain monitoring your hand actions. However, that’s nonetheless that’s a heck of some huge cash to splash out on headset that you simply’ve nonetheless bought to have tethered to your PC, and I don’t assume even nifty finger-tracking controllers would tempt me into shopping for one over, say, the tether-free Oculus Quest.
If you feel tempted, although, then be sure to obtain Valve’s free Steam app earlier than you click on that order button to examine your PC’s bought beefy sufficient innards with a purpose to run it.
