Made by Microsoft's PC maker partners -- Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo -- designs for the new Windows mixed-reality headsets were shown at the end of August at IFA Berlin, one of the world's biggest consumer technology trade shows. Prices start at $299 (roughly £250 or AU$400 converted) for the headsets, but expect to pay an additional $100 to get them bundled with motion controllers. That's not exactly cheap and still isn't impulse-buy territory for many, but it is less than bundles for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
Though it's priced at $299 (equivalent to £250 or AU$400), that doesn't include the motion controllers, which you'll be able to get with the headset for $399.
Dell designed the headset so that it's comfortable and easy to adjust for different users. A thumbwheel on back lets you quickly adjust the well-cushioned headband, and the balance and extra padding on the face take pressure off your nose and cheeks.
When it's available in October, it will be priced at $349 (roughly £270 or AU$440 converted) for the headset alone or bundled with controllers for $449, which is about £350 or AU$565.
The "1440" imprint on the headset is a reference to the two high-resolution 1,440x1,440-pixel LCDs with up to 90Hz native refresh rate used in all of the WMR headsets.
HP said the additional cost goes toward extra design touches like a knob on the head strap for quick fit adjustments (the Acer has a sliding buckle). It also has more head strap padding and, HP claims, a bigger cutout for your nose.
Lenovo's entry into the headset market is perhaps the most boardroom-ready in appearance. The Explorer follows the same design and feature sets as the others.
All of the headsets use a pair of cameras and a set of built-in sensors to map your physical position. Called inside-out tracking, the design allows for six-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) movement tracking without the need to buy external sensors and set them up in a dedicated space.
The Explorer and the other headsets are expected to arrive around October 17 with the release of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. The Lenovo Explorer will cost $349 alone or $449 with a set of motion controllers. Those convert to £270/£350 and AU$445/AU$570.
