HTC Vive could cost $1500

The new HTC Vive virtual reality headset has been tipped to cost as much as one thousand five hundred dollars on release

We recently learned that the HTC Vive virtual reality headset would be available to pre order from the 29th of February 2016, with a release date in April. That's all the official information out right now, which doesn't include any word on what the system will actually cost.

Now a Taiwanese outlet has speculated on the cost of the Vive, based on the hardware specifications and some insider information. The result - you could pay as much as $1500 for one.

This price comes from an examination of the materials you'll be getting and also compares the specs to the Oculus Rift - which was recently confirmed to have a price tag of $599. That figure received quite a negative reaction from consumers who were expecting something a good deal lower.

The Vive features wireless controllers at launch and two sophisticated sensors which are used to create a 3D space in your home which you can move around in that is replicated inside the VR application you are running. These elements, and other factors, practically ensure the unit cost will be higher than Rift.

So while we don't yet know exactly what users will have to pay, it's all but guaranteed to be close to $1000 or higher. And that's before you factor in the need for a new PC which will be capable of running the advanced graphics used to create the illusion of virtual reality.

The next entertainment revolution is going to be an expensive one.