Once described as the “next wave,” Windows Mixed Reality is already heading for the bargain bin just three months after its initial release. But there’s a silver lining to this development: At roughly $200, a Windows Mixed Reality headset is pretty close to “no-brainer” territory.

What’s not clear is whether these prices are permanent or just a temporary sale. So if you were on the fence with regards to buying one, now is the time to jump. Here’s what’s available:

(Note: These are affiliate links, but to my knowledge, Amazon.com is the only place offering them at these prices right now.)

My advice is to get the HP, as these devices—which all come with the Motion Controllers too—are basically identical from a specifications/functionality perspective. You might as well save as much as you can.

As for the fate of Windows Mixed Reality, I don’t see the platform disappearing even if these prices are permanent. I’ve never seen this as “the next wave,” as Microsoft claimed for quite some time. (It’s since backed away from that.) But it really is pretty good, and as I noted previously, the addition of SteamVR compatibility does put it over the top. The next cheapest PC-based VR headset, the Oculus Rift, is about $400 now.

Go forth and save, yon VR fans.

Tagged with Windows Mixed Reality