Microsoft announces a VR headset for $299

Microsoft announced a new line of virtual reality headsets today which are much more affordable than others on the market. The headsets will come from Microsoft's partners including HP, Dell, Lenovo, Asus, and Acer, and will start at just $299.

The announcement came during the Microsoft Windows 10 event today, and the headsets will be the first to ship with "inside out six degrees of freedom sensors." What this means is that there won't be any need for any cameras or laser tracking systems. Not much information was given about the headsets today, but they appear to use a similar technology to Oculus' Santa Cruz prototype. The headset itself looks to have a headband with the visual part attached to the front, much like Sony's PlayStation VR headset.

Microsoft unveiled the Windows 10 Creators Update recently, and you can use this in conjunction with a headset to create, share, scan, and print in 3D. In a demo we see an image created in Paint 3D and viewed in a virtual world. Another demo entitled "HoloTour" sees you enter a 3D video of real world locations.

Microsoft says you won't need a separate room for VR, and of course the big talking point here is the price. The likes of the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift cost $800 and $600, so Microsoft's headsets will cost half as much. These appear as though they'll be much more consumer friendly than the $3,000 Microsoft Hololens mixed reality headset.