Overview
Only a few years ago, virtual reality seemed like a foggy, far distant dream that would probably, like most new technology, take a few decades to become readily accessible and genuinely user-friendly. We've come a long way since the halcyon days of computers the size of a room and, in no time at all, we have the first generation of virtual reality headsets at our fingertips, all vying for our attention.
Today, Oculus has officially announced that Rift, arguably the VR headset with the most recognisable name, is available for purchase to anyone with a spare suitcase of cash schmackos lying around — it's retailing for AUD$792.88 plus shipping. It's not cheap as chips, but it's not tens of thousands either. The eager beavers who pre-purchased their headset from the Oculus kickstarter will receive their headsets soon, and the rest are back ordered until July. It's slightly more expensive than the Playstation VR which retails at AUD$549.95 (available in October) but much cheaper than the HTC Vive which will set you back AUD$1226.98 (available in April).
As a few savvy bloggers have pointed out, the cost of the Rift itself is a little deceptive as the real VR magic happens in the power PC you'll have to have hooked up to the device to render the graphics. If you already have a high-powered gaming computer with a hefty, dedicated graphics card and a fair whack of RAM, great! You're good to go. If not, a basic make PC is going to set you back another $1000.
But we wouldn't be too quick to jump in straight away. Buying first generation technology can be a gamble, as we learned from the great iPhone 6 Plus Bendgate of 2014 and they're definitely still working out the kinks of VR technology (nausea caused by motion sickness is still a biggie). We're still a while away from full immersion but at least it's progressing quickly.
Images: