Getting into PC VR will be the cheapest it’s ever been this Black Friday thanks to Microsoft’s Windows-based ‘mixed reality’ VR headsets.
Microsoft this week announced its deals for its upcoming Black Friday sale, and they include a huge $100 off the Lenovo Explorer headset with bundled motion controllers. That makes the kit just $299; easily the cheapest we’ve yet seen for a major PC-based VR headset with six degrees of freedom (6DOF) tracking.
If you need a PC to go with your headset, then Microsoft is also offering an Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop bundled with the Acer display for $999. The Nitro packs an Intel Core i5-7300HQ , 8GB RAM, a GTX 1050 card and 1TB HDD. From what we can tell this should put the laptop in the Ultra category of Mixed Reality PCs, meaning it will run VR apps at 90fps instead of 60fps (you can check the requirements here).
While these Windows headsets may not be quite as good as the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, their inside-out tracking means less clutter in your room and the reduced price might well make it worth it for you. Later this week these devices will also get a SteamVR preview, allowing you to play VR games previously released on Steam, though this does require better-spec PCs.
Microsoft’s deals start at 12:00 am on November 23rd. We’re sure to see plenty more Black Friday deals before the season of spending is upon us, so check back often.
