Razer is taking preorders for the OSVR virtual reality headset

Razer has opened preorders for the HDK 2, a VR headset made by its open-source VR initiative OSVR. The $399 headset will start shipping on August 12th, and if you order before July 28th, you’ll get two free VR games as well: the shooter Descent: Underground and racing game Radial G. Its predecessor, the original lower-resolution HDK, will remain on sale for $299.

OSVR, which is co-led by Razer and VR company Sensics, is focused on the same kind of tethered VR as Oculus, HTC, and Sony. But right now, the HDK 2 probably isn’t a great fit for most people considering buying a VR headset. OSVR hasn’t announced any motion controllers, although the HDK 2 will work with third-party peripherals. Its price — $200 lower than the Oculus Rift — sounds good until you realize you’ll still need to pay for a full gaming PC, and you won’t get easy access to Oculus’ library of exclusive games the way you would with a Rift.

Despite being sold to consumers, the HDK 2 is still a device that’s probably best for developers interested in the open source OSVR platform itself, or anyone who already has a gaming PC and just wants the cheapest headset on the market. If that sounds like you, head over to the preorder page at your leisure.