HTC launching $1,100 starter kit to trim $150 off Vive Pro buy-in

HTC is adding a new purchasing option for those looking to pick up a Vive Pro that bundles the headset and required accessories like controllers and base stations together for $1,100.

Previously the upcoming Vive Pro was offered only as a standalone headset; customers would need to either repurpose their original Vive gear or pick up a separate accessory kit for $450 to actually use the VR upgrade. In a blog post, the Vive team now notes that the earlier structure was less than ideal, in addition to being a mite confusing for consumers as well.

Starting on April 5, the company will be offering a Vive Pro Starter Kit to address those concerns. The new Starter Kit trims a slim $150 off the total price tag by bundling the Vive Pro, a pair of SteamVR Tracking 1.0 base stations, and two 1.0 controllers for $1,100.

According to the post, the reduced price is also part of a conscious effort to highlight some of the strides they've made in reducing material costs since the Vive debuted around 2 years ago.

“We pushed for an aggressive price and value package here because we want our customers to realize the savings we’ve made in material costs since Vive was introduced and get the most content available,” reads the post.

The team goes on to restate that the Vive Pro headset is comparable with both StreamVR Tracking 1.0 and the yet-unreleased SteamVR Tracking 2.0 and that it plans to share more details on the 2.0 kits in the near future.