Today’s Best Virtual Reality deals – March 26-27, 2016
Welcome to the inaugural VR deals thread. I’m in the market for a new GPU that will support the line-up of VR headsets coming my way. Since I’m tracking prices, I figured I’d post my catches as I come across them. I hope someone finds this helpful.
GPU: All meet the minimum requirements for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive
EVGA GeForce GTX 980: 4.8/5 Stars
This GPU exceeds Oculus Rift and HTC Vive’s minimum requirement for this component and is sitting at an all-time low at $619.99 going back to June 2015. It beats Newegg.com’s $649.99 and Bestbuy.com’s $679.99. With free shipping, this looks like a solid buy right here if you’re in the market for a high-end GPU that can handle just about any VR system you throw at it.
GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 980: 4.6/5 Stars
This GPU also exceeds Oculus Rift and HTC Vive’s minimum requirements. With a price tag of $479.99 it sits $10 above its all-time low and is well off it’s high of $559.99. Newegg.com only beats it by $7 with a $20 rebate. If you want to avoid rebates and shipping costs, this is a good price to jump on.
The TI version is worth checking out as it approaches it’s low. Same story here as it beats both Newegg.com and Bestbuy.com by $20 and $80 respectively.
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 G1 Gaming: 4.4/5 Stars
This GTX 970 sports the minimum specs required by Oculus and HTC and is well priced at $323.99, $4 off of its all-time low. It’s matched by Newegg.com (when you factor in shipping), but if you want to avoid the rebate Amazon.com is the way to go.
MSI GTX 980 TI: 4.6/5 Stars
Seven bucks above it’s all-time low, this VR spec-ed GPU is a good value. Coming is at over $50 under its recent all-time high on Amazon.com. Bestbuy.com’s hefty $763.99 and Newegg.com $659.99 are both put to shame.
Headsets/Viewers:
V2 EightOnes VR Kit: 4.6/5 Stars
If you don’t know already, EightOnes is my fav Google Cardboard manufacture. At $19.99 it’s at an all-time low, off of highs in the upper $20s. If you’re looking for a reliable and cheap entry level smartphone-assisted headset (goggles), then pick this up. You won’t be disappointed.
The VR XL Kit is the exact EightOnes model I have. I love it. It also happens to be at its all-time low. This one made my best budget Virtual Reality Headsets list. BUY IT!
VR Ready PCs:
Alienware Area 51: 3.6/5 Stars
I’m not happy with this VR ready system’s star rating, but the price drop has been pretty significant that it should be considered. Sitting at $1,699.99 it’s down from $2,250 as recent as the end of January. You can build a better desktop for much cheaper. If you don’t have the time for that process, and you need something for your shiny new Oculus, this will get the job done.
Comment with deals or promotions you found while searching for your perfect Virtual Reality system.