vive-cosmos-argos — Image courtesy HTC

Vive Cosmos Listed for £700 at Major UK Retailer

The listing has since been removed

By

-

Aug 2, 2019

Vive Comos, HTC’s upcoming PC VR headset, is confirmed to launch at some point in Q3 2019, meaning any time between now and September 30th. While the company has been tight-lipped on the headset’s pricing and exact launch date, as well as a few remaining specs, major UK retailer Argos seems to have not only listed Vive Cosmos, but appended the specific price of £699.99.

Update (August 3rd, 2019): An HTC spokesperson provided us with this statement regarding Argos’ price info:

“We’re aware a price was listed by mistake on a retail partner website. We look forward to sharing more details with you about Cosmos soon, but have no further comment at this time.”

The original article follows below.

We’ve reached out to HTC to confirm the price, and will update when/if we hear back.

As of 11:30 AM CEST, the page was replaced with an error message indicating that “this product hasn’t been released yet.” You can still check out the listing via a web archive; the price is also visible through the retailer’s search function.

The only supposedly novel piece of information to come from the listing was the purported price, as it was shown out of stock and without any specific release date.

Image captured by Road to VR

However the headset is priced though, it’s important to keep in mind that international pricing rarely converts directly, meaning Vive Cosmos likely won’t cost the exact USD or EUR equivalent of those £700 ($850, €760). As a point of comparison, the Oculus Rift S currently sells for £400 in the UK, €449 in the Eurozone, and $400 in the US.

HTC Releases 3 Vive Cosmos Trailers Ahead of Confirmed Q3 Launch

Moreover, European pricing typically includes the Value-Added Tax (VAT), which fluctuates from country to country, whereas US pricing is most often listed without state and federal taxes applied until the time of purchase. If the £700 price point is to be believed, it could put the US price at $700, of course not including any eventual taxes paid at checkout.

It’s also possible that Argos jumped the gun with a placeholder price, however the level of specificity as well as the retailer’s standing as a premier high street shop casts some doubt on this. Considering HTC was quick to strike down claims that Vive Cosmos would sell for $900, stating that the figure was “incorrect (and high),” we’ll be interested to see whether HTC squashes the Argos’ supposed price as well.

The Bard

Interesting. Still waiting for Samsung’s move. Odyssey 2?
- Andrew Jakobs
  
  But not even a hint has been dropped by Samsung they’re gonna even release an Odyssey 2.. So how long do you think you’ll have to wait?
  - dk
    
    what do u mean by a hint roadtovr.com/samsung-reportedly-release-multiple-ar-vr-products-coming-months/ ….this is what people mean when they say they will wait to see what samsung will do
    - Andrew Jakobs
      
      I forgot about that one as it’s been very quite at the Samsung end after their Fold debacle..
Rudl Za Vedno

Well it really is under 900 bucks ($850 inc. taxes), LOL
C’mon Samsung come and save the day with $500 wide fov OLED HMD that will blow S, Valve and HTC out of the water. If anyone, you can do it!
- FrankVVV
  
  With an OLED screen, say hello to more screen door effect.
  - Rudl Za Vedno
    
    Samsung has developed curved RGB OLED panels since Odyssey release. Mainly for their ultra high end foldable phones, but also for potential use in VR products. This thing would be a blast if we get it as consumer product. HMD with this panels has been already patented in combination with 180 H FOV lenses in Q2/2019, saying it’s intended to be used in consumer product. If so, my O+ will be soon seeking new owner.
    - Jarilo
      
      I think costly to get high resolution+ OLED + RGB at this time for an HMD, maybe that’s an issue. PSVR has already had OLED RGB for a while, but it’s a single screen with a resolution that is insanely low.
    - Andrew Jakobs
      
      Doesn’t mean they’ll use the curved panels for a new headset any time soon.. Biggest problem with high resolution is still the GPU’s needing to drive them, still far from mainstream.. So it’s cheaper to actually produce a new headset with ‘lower’ resolution displays and better tracking, than produce a new headset with a higher (and much more costly) resolution displays..
  - Peyton Lind
    
    And also say hello to better colours, black level, and overall contrast.
    - FrankVVV
      
      Sure, but right now the screen door effect is pretty bad. I would love a solution to have both, but it seems the tech is not yet ready :(
      - Fabian
        
        Pretty bad with what? The Odyssey+ has zero SDE and the next gen HMD will obviously not be worse.
      - Mike
        
        “the next gen HMD will obviously not be worse”
        Unless they follow HTC’s example.
      - Ratm
        
        Lets hope they use a higher resolution ,and avoid the blur filter this time.
      - Jarilo
        
        My solution was to have both. Vive Pro and Index owner lol.
      - A. Rojas
        
        I have several headsets, but the Vive Pro. How does the Index compare to the Vive Pro in SDE and sharpness.
        
        Aside from the black levels, I much prefer the Index and Rift S displays to my Vive, Odysee+ and Quest.
      - Jarilo
        
        My HMD arrived for me yesterday. I so far agree, but man the colors in general suck compared to the Vive Pro. It just can’t do a dark environment like that OLED can, still fair trade off for the refresh rate and sharpness of RGB.
      - Ratm
        
        So.. in what device the matrix is more ? I m not talking about comfort or controllers,only visuals, what looks more ?
      - Jarilo
        
        The Valve Index. If we are talking about just the visuals and frame rate.
      - Mike
        
        The Samsung Odyssey+ is OLED Pentile, yet it has basically zero screen door effect, because of its anti-SDE filter.
      - FrankVVV
        
        Interesting, I didn’t know about that. I wonder why a high end set like the Valve Index doesn’t use it.
      - Mike
        
        Maybe only Samsung has figured how to do it right so far. Maybe other companies have tried coming up with an SDE filter and it didn’t look right.
      - Jarilo
        
        Because it introduces a blur that layers over the image to help mask the SDE.
      - A. Rojas
        
        Yes, but that anti-SDE filter makes is look much less sharp then the Index or Rift S. I have all of them much prefer the Rift S and Index over the Odyseey+ because of how sharp they looks even when not looking straight on. Tthe peripherals look sharp and far better to my eyes.
        
        It’s all trade offs.
    - Adrian Meredith
      
      And hello to black smear and mura noise.
    - Ratm
      
      Sharpnes..staff is poping out just like in the real world from oleds
  - Adrian Meredith
    
    Oled doesn’t automatically mean pentile. The screen in the galaxy s 2 had an rgb oled. Samoled+ it was called, real shame they didn’t continue it.
    - A. Rojas
      
      When someone offers a new HMD with and RGP striped OLED then we’ll talk. Until then OLED will have more SDE or use the Odyseey+’s Anti_SDE tech which works well for SDE, but at the cost of clarity.
  - Jarilo
    
    PSVR is RGB and OLED
    - Sion12
      
      and thats the only one so far, so i did say chance is stacked against RGB
      - Jarilo
        
        Yes, I’m just saying that the tech is possible. As a mention.
    - A. Rojas
      
      But is also the lowest res of all. An OLED RGB display is hard, and likely be too expensive.
      
      Maybe one day….
- Jarilo
  
  You make that headset for 500 and lose 300 profit on each sale. lmao
  - Rudl Za Vedno
    
    Odyssey+ is selling for $299… If Pimax can sell high end HMD for $800 ($700 excluding taxes) I bet Samsung can sell it for $500 and still make decent profit. They can produce all the parts needed in the house including panels and optics.
    - Jarilo
      
      WMR tracking , controllers, and platform are cheap. That’s why. I bought my Acer for $188.
      - Rudl Za Vedno
        
        Odyssey+ has much better controllers tracking than My previous HMD Lenovo Exolorer.
      - Jarilo
        
        It’s not really about better, though barely those controllers are more or less the same. Point is it’s a cheap platform for MS to produce. This shows, it’s why HP Reverb can get class leading 4k screens over the competition for 600 cause they can get them for 400 when the rest of it costs only 200. lol
      - Chris Blackburn
        
        Microsoft made a standard, it’s not the them that makes the headsets, it’s still the individual companies if you want to hit on them xD but yeah I’ve only ever really heard praise of the odyssey plus
      - Jarilo
        
        Not knocking the platform, I’m just saying it’s cheaper by now to manufacture. Thanks to Microsoft. For all the praises, I think most people agree the tracking by now could use a face lift.
- Mike
  
  The currently-available Samsung Odyssey+ already blows all of those out of the water. But definitely looking forward to when they blow them out of the sky too with their upcoming new HMD.
  - david vincent
    
    Unfortunatly Odyssey+ has terrible hand tracking (when compared to current standards). But it’s a great headset for watching movies and playing space-sims, thanks to its OLED screens + decent resolution.
    - Mike
      
      The hand tracking is a weakness, though if you keep your hands within your field of view then it’s just as good as the other headsets.
      
      All current VR headsets have their pros-and-cons. It’s just that after owning 9 different headsets, I’m convinced that the pros-and-cons of the Odyssey+ win out over the pros-and-cons of all the others.
  - FalconLX 911
    
    Maybe with their display, but their controllers and tracking make the odyssey plus sub par for FPS games. Really they just need to ditch WMR add more cameras come up with real controllers and they win
  - Yoann Heurtel
    
    The display was so blurry that I had to return mine. Black smearing was terrible too. I bought a Rift S and comfort and display are way better. I do not regret a second.
    - Mike
      
      You may have been having an issue with a known bug with the early-2019 update to Windows 10 – it was causing all WindowsMR headsets to be very blurry. The latest release of Windows 10 that came out recently fixes this problem.
  - Ratm
    
    Good advertising for index made cheap Lcd’s sound better,people dont realise the oled difference and they repeat making huge the micro- difference in sde between oled and lcd. I believe the old odyssey and vive pro have the best screens out atm.Cosmos is using an lcd because is the vive version ;)
    - Andrew Jakobs
      
      Who says the displays of the Cosmos are cheap crap LCD’s? Even the index is using LCD now..
      - Ratm
        
        Thats why the vive pro uses oled and its more expensive. Oled is the high end vr for htc.
      - Andrew Jakobs
        
        Because those headsets use OLED doesn’t mean they are the best, they are what was available at that time (to them) and they wouldn’t change the specs while that model is being sold even though new LCD displays might actually also have good visuals (don’t forget about the blacksmears with OLED). I’m not saying the new screens of the Cosmos will be excellent or better than what we’ve already seen,as not many people have actually seen them already.
        And others think the Index has better visuals than the Vive pro even though it doesn’t have the same contrast as the amoled’s of the pro.
      - Ratm
        
        Xtal is not the best headset you can buy ?
        The new Varjo with the micro oleds then?
        Its not contrast and not just the blacks, everything is more its a huge difference between these two techs.
        Smearing and sde is nothing enouph to compare the two techs those are just small excuses used by companies to sell the cheaper lcd Hardware in a small market.
        When the market gets bigger things will clear up.
      - Andrew Jakobs
        
        LOL, you’re really comparing 5000+ euro headsets with 1000-euro headsets? If those headsets were sub 1000 I would agree with you, but they are A LOT more expensive, and yes, money get’s you better headsets (there are even better custom headsets out there, but they costs tens of thousands of dollars..)
      - Ratm
        
        I didnt compare headsets, i compared technologies. Oled is far above lcd,and its not that expensive for some companies but it is for others,wait for the next samsung or sony device.
        I m saying to you that the cheap, old samsung odyssey,that failure for a headset is far above index, in visuals, thats just a fact.
      - A. Rojas
        
        I have Vive, Odyssey+,Quest Rift S and Index.The Index and Rift S are by far the sharpest looking displays. The black levels are noticeable inferior though. I still prefer their sharper looking LCD though.
        
        If you play a lot of dark games though, it would be a tough call. For me clear sharp picture is worth it.
      - A. Rojas
        
        The Vive Pro is more expensive because HTC is grossly over charging. OLED does have it advantages, but the Index and Rift S are the sharpest looking displays. I was blown away how good they looked compared to my Vive, Odyseey+ and Quest.
        
        Admittedly the black levels are not as good, and that is a consideration if you play certain games (dark games). Otherwise the Index and Rift S look really really good and sharp.
    - A. Rojas
      
      Don’t have the Vive Pro but have the Vive, O+, Index and Rift S. The Index and Rift S are sharper looking displays. The black levels arn’t a good, But I’m willing to trade that for the Crisp sharp picture with less noticeable SDE.
      
      THe O+ is better with virtually no noticeable SDE, but the anti-SDE implementation used make the picture less sharp, again a trade I’m willing to make.
- Lin Alexandra Sanderson
  
  so it’s worth noting that this headset will more than likely cost 700 dollars, not 850, as UK pricing is raised to include tax and imports, usually to the point where they match the dollar value numerically,
- Ratm
  
  Samsung and sony are the only ones that can deliver in this market atm.
Dynastius

VAT in the UK is 20%. So if they sell the headset in the US for $699 (plus tax) it means that HTC is really selling it for roughly the same amount they do in the UK. Take $700 US, add 20% for VAT and you come to $840, which is very close to the £699.99 converted to USD. Lucky for us Americans, our VAT (called sales tax here) is a lot less. Where I live it’s 8.5%
- TDUBS
  
  VAT and sales tax are two different things bud.
  - Dynastius
    
    https://tradingeconomics.com/united-kingdom/sales-tax-rate
    
    No bud, they aren’t.
    
    The only difference is in countries with VAT, it’s already included in the price you see in stores whereas sales tax is assessed in the US at the register.
Trenix

For $800, I rather just wait for the Index to go on sale. HTC just shot themselves in the foot. Oh well, was nice knowing you. Not spending $800 for inside out tracking, must be out of your mind. Maybe if it was $700… just maybe.
- Rudl Za Vedno
  
  I agree 100 %… $500 would be reasonable even $600 at launch, but $850 is a no go. They’d have to offer much, much more for that price to fly with me
  - dk
    
    it’s $700 …$850 is the UK price
    it’s exactly between the rifts and the index
- Jarilo
  
  How about we wait for the reviews ? I think people might be surprised at the 2880 x 1700 RGB screens. I think they are not the 3k Samsung ones anymore.
  - Trenix
    
    For $200 more, I can get a 10x better headset with better controllers, tracking, basically everything except resolution. And of course, eventually the valve index will go on sale. I’m sorry, but I wont even bother, not even with reviews. I also don’t trust VR reviews, I rather test them myself. Lots of dishonest people on youtube who are being paid to make junk look great.
    - Andrew Jakobs
      
      uhh, you do know the Index has it’s fair share of problems too, inlcuding the knucklecontrollers.. And at this point, the index is far from 10x better than the rest, even compared to the Rift S..
      - Trenix
        
        Electronics usually, those that rely on software, tend to have problems upon release. That’s why I don’t buy anything until a few months after initial release and preferably when on sale. You act like the Index is the only VR headset that didn’t have issues.
    - Jarilo
      
      If you’re not in the market for an HMD anymore or can get the Index then sure, the Index will probably be the enthusiast choice over it as well. I’m just saying don’t write it off yet till we see how the kit really feels and works when released, I rather test headsets myself too obviously.
      - Trenix
        
        Why would anyone spend this amount for better alternatives. If you’re on a budget, you’d get a Rift S, if you’re aiming for something better, get Index. This device has no real place.
      - Jarilo
        
        Well it would be the budget in between? but the displays could be the res of the Index with far less glare issue, for those that are heavily effected on the Index. Or want higher end than Rift S but want inside out tracking or the halo headset. Those coming from the Vive platform who have a wireless adapter can go right away wireless on it.
      - Trenix
        
        It’s a slight improvement from the Rift S. Why on earth would you spend double the price for something that is slightly better? Cosmos is also incomparable to the Index, having far less capabilities in refresh rate, worse tracking, worse controllers, and I can go on and on. But whatever floats your boat man, I rather just get an Index at this point. Very disappointed.
      - Jarilo
        
        I mean, I would rather go with the Index as well.
oompah

HTC VR products r too pricey
if they continue like that
soon they’d be gone with wind
as their phone did
(pssst .. when waveguide optics comes mainstream on VR , HTC VR products will be forgotten)
- Andrew Jakobs
  
  But waveguide optics haven’t even been seen for VR, only some for AR….
ShaneMcGrath

I’ll wait for the next Samsung Odyssey.
Give us more FOV and I would already be very interested, Even if everything else stays the same.
- Andrew Jakobs
  
  and when will that be, the next Samsung?
kakek

What’s missing in VR for now is not good headsets. It’s games. Good, high quality, polished, and long games. Wich would need budgets, AAA budgets. Wich would need a bigger audience.
Soon we’ll have more headset to choose from than actual games to play. I think someone that own all available Pc headset (Occulus rift, rift S, vive, vive Pro, multiple WMR headset, index …) would already have spent more time setting up headsets than playing with them.

Wether it’s good or not, this headset will bring nothing to VR as a whole.

I’m not a big fan of occulus, I hate their exlusivity politic, but right now they’re the one actually pushing the VR market. Not by pushing high end tech, but Easy to use, affordable, balanced hardware to actually play games.
- Yoann Heurtel
  
  Amen.
- NDrake
  
  Exclusives are a necessary evil. VR market is so small right now for 3rd party publishers to take risk on it with AAA titles. So, without Sony or Oculus funding, those AAA VR games wouldn’t even exist.
  - adasd
    
    man i hate exclusivity but also, exclusivity is a often a timed thing. so exclusive doesnt mean it will never come to other systems
- Trenix
  
  I keep hearing this and you’re not just slightly wrong, you’re completely wrong. Games will only come with potential customers. If no one is buying a headset, no one is going to make a game.
  - kakek
    
    Are you serious ?
    That what I say in the first 3 lines. Need a bigger audience for more budget for games.
    Jsut think a bit further.
    
    Why are there not more people buying VR headsets in you opinion ?
    
    Is it because the experience from the rift S is not good enough, so people are waiting for another 800$€ headset, with a high resolution that will require 800$€ a graphic card to run the few games already released ?
    Or might it be because there are not enough notable VR games to convince them it’s worth even a 450€$ purchase ?
    
    Based on you response, what is the best solution to get more people buying VR headsets ?
    
    1 / Release a new better and more expansive headset, without
    more games. People who had not bought a vive or a rift or index will certainly start buying if we keep releasing expensive headsets.
    
    2 / Release a decent but cheaper headset, and push it with games and communication.
    - Trenix
      
      I don’t know a single person who didn’t buy a headset because it lacked games. Who are you kidding? People aren’t buying because it’s too expensive. Not many people can afford a decent computer and a device at the same time, this is why free to play games are popular. Also just give it time. Many people haven’t tried VR to know it’s potential. Once more people buy it and let others try it, the more people that will purchase it.
      
      Honestly all my friends that don’t like VR, haven’t even experienced it. Yet once they try it, they have a smile on their face and realize the potential in gaming.
      - kakek
        
        I do know people ( multiple ) that tried my headset, enjoyed it, but are not investing because after looking a bit at the library they don’t see enough games. At least nothing they feel they could really get into.
        
        Have you ever heard the term system seller ? Well, that’s what VR is lacking. Something that’s so big and so engaging that people are willing to buy into the system just for THIS game, and others are just bonus.
        
        That’s Zelda and Mario. That’s Uncharted and God of war. That’s Halo and gears of war.
        VR have nothing like that. The closest there is might be beat saber. And that’s not enough.
        
        I still agree with you though, the price is the other big factor. No need to discuss this. It’s obvious, and I agree 100%.
      - Trenix
        
        VR gaming is not mainstream enough for the developers of these devices to be fighting over exclusives. Also there are plenty of games available already, some which are free and can keep you entertained for years. Sure, some people will buy a device just for the games it has, but I don’t believe the majority do.
        
        Playstation didn’t rip away the console market because of it’s great collection of games, which I admit they did have, but because it was just an overall better system in every way. Nintendo didn’t succeed with the switch because of games alone, but also because it also was a handheld device. Games will come, just give it time. For example, people didn’t buy a smartphone because of the apps they had available or any exclusive apps. Apps came from popularity alone.
AJ_74

Unfortunately for HTC, you’ll be able to buy a Quest and a Rift S for the price of one Vive Cosmos. And why wouldn’t you? Oculus has the deep pockets of Facebook behind them, which means you actually have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting some good games on the platform, not to mention the fact that the Cosmos’ phone tethering option will A) not be convenient and B) will likely only work with a yet-to-be-released HTC smartphone.

Maybe Taiwan will keep bailing out HTC, year after year, much in the same way Canada bailed out Blackberry, so they can keep breaking records for profit loss.
- aasd
  
  yeah but there are way better options than the rift s…. so sure you can get 5 mcdonalds meals but id rather go to a real restaurant….
oompah

too costly
if its tethered , it should not cost
more than 300 US$
But I’d prefer a standalone
which I can power it using a 20000 mah powerbank kept in pocket
RockstarRepublic

HTC’s’ headset designs are tacky. I wish they would learn from Oculus and Valve on how to design hardware from a visual standpoint.