AOC VR headset release date rumours: When will the AOC VR headset be released in the UK?
So, when can we expect to see AOC’s virtual reality headset hit the market? While the company is keeping its cards close to its chest, AOC has revealed exclusively to PC Advisor that a German release is planned before the end of 2016, although the company couldn’t comment on a wider launch. If the AOC VR headset is a Germany exclusive at launch, we imagine it won’t stay that way for too long – the UK and US both have a huge VR fan base and if AOC wants to compete with the likes of the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, they’d have to be made available in those markets sooner rather than later.
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AOC VR headset feature and spec rumours: What will the AOC VR headset feature?
So, what do we know so far about the AOC VR headset? Not much, admittedly, although AOC recently disclosed a few details to us. The AOC VR headset is set to be part of the OSVR (Open Source Virtual Reality) initiative, with the company claiming that the headset should be compatible with existing SteamVR games, putting any potential compatibility worries to bed. As well as this, the current AOC VR headset boasts retractable headphones, which are slightly different in design to the Oculus Rift’s removable headphones, but apart from that, it’s rumoured to be very similar to Oculus’s headset. For example, AOC’s VR headset boasts two OLED displays with a resolution of 1080×1200 per screen and a 90Hz refresh rate, just like the Rift. It’s said that the hardware requirements for AOC VR is similar to that of the Oculus Rift too, although specifics are yet to be mentioned. Essentially AOC is developing a virtual reality headset similar to the Rift, but with a much more attractive price point – which we come to below.
AOC VR headset pricing rumours: How much will the AOC VR headset cost in the UK?
Early rumours suggested that the upcoming AOC VR headset would be half the price of the Oculus Rift, which to us in the UK would be around £275 (the Oculus Rift recently had a UK price hike, and now costs £550). However, when we contacted AOC, we got a more specific answer. While AOC couldn’t confirm UK pricing at this time, the company did say that the headset would cost close to 399 EUR in Germany when it’s released later this year, which equates to around £345-350 (thanks Brexit!) for those of us in the UK. As ever, we’ll update this section with the latest news as soon as we receive it, so make sure you check back periodically! Lewis Painter is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor. Our resident Apple expert, Lewis covers everything from iPhone to AirPods, plus a range of smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming hardware. You’ll also find him on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.
