Samsung’s Odyssey+ PC VR headset is down to just $229 this week for Black Friday, down from last week’s sale price of $279.
That’s $270 off the MSRP of $499, but keep in mind this headset is often on sale for $399 and sometimes even down to $299.
If you’re a PC gamer eyeing Valve’s recently announced “flagship” game Half-Life: Alyx but you don’t have $400 to drop on an Oculus Rift S or $1000 for a Valve Index, this could be the perfect way for you to get into VR.
The Half-Life: Alyx website specifically shows a picture of the headset in the supported hardware section.
Samsung Odyssey+
The Odyssey+ is a PC VR headset that leverages Microsoft’s Windows MR platform built into Windows 10. This platform is the default experience for the headset and the Microsoft Store is the default store, but it also works with SteamVR by using Microsoft’s SteamVR drivers.
The headset is a refreshed version of the original Odyssey, which was Samsung’s first PC VR headset released in 2017. The Odyssey+ launched just over a year ago, adding a new “anti screen door effect” technology to the OLED diplays, as well as ergonomic and weight improvements.
When we reviewed the 2017 Odyssey we we impressed, concluding that it “sits among the best VR headsets on the market”.
Higher End Headsets
While the Odyssey+ is an unmissable deal at $230, it does have some limitations. Mainly, the headset uses “inside-out” tracking via two cameras on the front of the headset which sense the position in the room and the controllers. The problem with this kind of tracking is that if the controllers are out of the range of the cameras their tracking will quickly freeze.
The Oculus Rift S uses five cameras to expand the active controller range, and the Valve Index uses external base stations so the controllers can be tracked at almost any angle.
The Oculus Touch controllers are generally considered to have better ergonomics than Samsung’s. Valve’s Index controllers go even further, with full finger tracking and the ability to “let go”. Valve has revealed that some optional Half-Life: Alyx interactions will only work on Index.
But again, if you’re looking to get into VR in time for Valve’s flagship title, you won’t find a better deal than the Odyssey+ at just $230.
