HTC Vive Pre-Orders Live: 'Tilt Brush' Included, International Pricing Revealed

Exactly one year ago, HTC announced its Vive virtual reality system at MWC, and today you can finally pre-order one for yourself.

Since it was announced, the Vive has been demoed to both the media and the public at various trade shows and public events and has gone through a number of iterations. At CES, we were able to try out the updated Pre developer edition that included a large number of improvements across the board (headset, controllers and tracking system). It also incorporated some software improvements and a front-facing camera for additional mixed-reality functionality.

Then last week at MWC, we got a chance to look at the final consumer version of the Vive, the unit that you can pre-order today, and it included some additional small refinements. What was also announced last week was the date it could be pre-ordered (today), the two games that will be included (Job Simulator and Fantastic Contraption), the price in U.S. ($799), and that it would start shipping April 5. What was not shared was the pricing for the twenty-three other countries it would be available in, and HTC announced that information just yesterday.

The chart below lays out the pricing for the Vive in every country in which it can be ordered, and we have also included the shipping costs as listed on HTC’s pre-order page for each country. Of note, the U.S. and Canadian prices do not include applicable sales tax, whereas the other prices do (such as European VAT).

HTC Vive Pricing

Swipe to scroll horizontally
CountryPrice & Shipping
U.S.$799.00 (sales tax not included)Shipping: $30.00
AustraliaUS $817.27Shipping: US $110 (shipping starts May 2016)
CanadaCDN $1,149.00 (sales tax not included)Shipping: CDN $65.00
ChinaRMB ¥6,888.00 (¥1,500 order deposit)Shipping: ¥0.00
TaiwanNT $28,288 ($6,000 order deposit)Shipping: NT $0.00
JapanUS $906.48Shipping: US $90.00
United Kingdom£689.00Shipping: £57.60
New ZealandUS $825.22Shipping: US $120.00 (shipping starts May 2016)
Austria€899.00Shipping: €61.20
Belgium€899.00Shipping: €73.81
Czech Republic€899.00Shipping: €61.71
Denmark€899.00Shipping: €91.25
Finland€899.00Shipping: €90.52
France€899.00Shipping: €73.20
Germany€899.00Shipping: €60.69
Iceland€899.00Shipping: €96.00
Ireland€899.00Shipping: €75.03
Italy€899.00Shipping: €74.42
Netherlands€899.00Shipping: €73.81
Norway€899.00Shipping: €74.00
Poland€899.00Shipping: €72.57
Spain€899.00Shipping: €88.33
Sweden€899.00Shipping: €91.25
Switzerland€899.00Shipping: €74.00

What is a little odd is that some countries still have the pricing shown in USD (Australia, New Zealand and Japan) when you go to pre-order it on HTC’s website, instead of their respective local currencies. Also of note, shipments to Australia and New Zealand start a month later, in May.

The HTC Vive comes with the Vive headset, two wireless controllers, two base stations (for tracking), a link box, earbud headphones and “Vive accessories.” We’ll need to find out exactly what these “accessories” are, but we assume it refers to the various cables and power adapters included. As I mentioned before, the Vive comes with the games Job Simulator and Fantastic Contraption, but now a third “game” is included: HTC announced yesterday that Google’s VR painting application Tilt Brush also comes free with your pre-order.

Update, 2/29/2016, 9:50 a.m. PST: Shipping costs listed above are for 2-day delivery.

Alex Davies is an Associate Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware and Tom's IT Pro, covering SmartphonesTablets, and Virtual Reality. You can follow him on Twitter. Follow Tom's Hardware on TwitterFacebook, and Google+.

TOPICS
  • toddybody
    Sorry to gripe, but the shipping charges are bogus. I get that it's new tech...but in the scope of the cost, HTC/Valve shouldn't add (up to)10% to the entire platform.
    Reply
  • Bloob
    Yeah, no way I'm going to put 1k on a first gen product, that is very likely to be obsolete in 4 years. I'm not that rich. That said, it's great that there are people able and willing to pay that so the tech gets further funding.
    Reply
  • kinney
    Expecting a VR headset with roomspace support to ever be cheaper than a high-end single LCD like a ROG, then you'll be waiting a long time. At least until high end LCDs are driven lower. And that's not even a 4K panel.

    There's amazing value in that $800 package and this is essentially 3rd gen in my book. Oculus Rift would be closer to 2nd gen and the 90s headsets were the 1st gen.

    As well as the price never dropping to something like $199 or $399 (without an inferior experience)- if you're old enough to have owned a 3dfx Voodoo card in 1996, you'll know there will never be anything quite like the "1st gen" experience ever again. The magic isn't quite the same down the road. Even for people who are having THEIR first experience later on- because everyone else around them has done it.

    I'm sympathetic to the younger kids who can't or others who don't want to spend $800 on this, but I think this is one case where it's worth going in.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236405&cm_re=asus_rog_lcd-_-24-236-405-_-Product
    Reply
  • overgrower
    Well I might have to buy the vive now. I returned to the USA and cant change my shipping information for the OR :( 740 euro is about the same as the vive in the USA.
    Reply
  • l33tforza
    Expecting a VR headset with roomspace support to ever be cheaper than a high-end single LCD like a ROG, then you'll be waiting a long time. At least until high end LCDs are driven lower.

    There's amazing value in that $800 package and this is essentially 3rd gen in my book. Oculus Rift would be closer to 2nd gen and the 90s headsets were the 1st gen.

    As well as the price never dropping to something like $199 or $399 (without an inferior experience)- if you're old enough to have owned a 3dfx Voodoo card in 1996, you'll know there will never be anything quite like the "1st gen" experience ever again. The magic isn't quite the same down the road. Even for people who are having THEIR first experience later on- because everyone else around them has done it.

    I'm sympathetic to the younger kids who can't or others who don't want to spend $800 on this, but I think this is one case where it's worth going in.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236405&cm_re=asus_rog_lcd-_-24-236-405-_-Product

    Ahh "3dfx Voodoo in 1996" ...i great time in online gaming history. The Quake community was flourishing.... Action Quake 2 FTW ;)
    Reply
  • jaber2
    I will wait until all show price
    Reply
  • hoofhearted
    You know how this goes. Production won't be able to keep up with initial demand, so buy, try it, ebay it an double your money. Then buy the fixed one for a couple hundred cheap in 6 months or so.
    Reply
  • hoofhearted
    I can't see Gabe staking Steam's reputation on this unless it is good, albeit 1st gen.
    Reply
  • Realist9
    ... if you're old enough to have owned a 3dfx Voodoo card in 1996, you'll know there will never be anything quite like the "1st gen" experience ever again. The magic isn't quite the same down the road...
    I remember Jedi Knight Dark Forces II on my PC. I went from the stock video card to the 3dfx voodoo. Once I updated the video drivers, the difference was nothing short of amazing. I will never forget that feeling.

    The Vive is going to need a real AAA game for me to go for it. It would be Elite Dangerous, but I've read that Vive performance on ED is not really ready yet.

    We shall see.
    Reply
  • Ludopathic
    Irritating they don't ship to Luxembourg
    Reply