One of the outcomes of the historic Brexit vote that began the process of taking the UK out of the EU was the imposition of higher prices for computer hardware. As we reported last month, Dell jacked its prices by ten percent to compensate for the cratered value of the pound sterling, while HP and Lenovo were reportedly considering similar moves. Today there was more bad news, as HTC announced that the price of the Vive VR headset has jumped from £689 to £759.
“HTC continuously monitors and adjusts pricing to ensure we are providing our customers with the best value possible,” the company said. ”Due to recent currency valuation changes and the current value of the GBP we are adjusting the price of the HTC Vive in the UK to £759 + P&P. The adjustment will come into effect on Monday 1st August.”
The value of the pound has recovered slightly from its Brexit-induced low point of less than $1.30, a mark not seen since the mid-80s, but it remains well below its former numbers and seems likely to remain there for the foreseeable future: A number of analysts cited in this Poundsterlinglive.com report expect it to continue to decline as a result of ongoing political uncertainty in both the UK and the US.
Price hike notwithstanding, the HTC Vive remains the VR headset of choice if you simply must have one now. We declared it “the most complete package” on the market in our VR Buyer's Guide thanks to its 3D space tracking, room-scale functionality, and bundled controllers, although the Oculus Rift got the nod for providing the more "refined experience."
Speaking of the Rift, its price in the UK is still holding steady at £499, but if the pound settles in at this mark, you can expect that to go up as well. We'll keep an eye on it.
