HTC Vive pre-orders are officially open

Starting today, as of right now in fact, you can pre-order your own $799 HTC Vive virtual reality device for an expected early April delivery.

What do you get for your money? "Vive will be delivered as a complete kit allowing users to instantly jump into a fully immersive virtual environment using two wireless controllers, 360 degree tracking and room scale movement sensors," the official page states. "The integration of SteamVR into the bundle ensures that all Vive equipment is kept up-to-date with the latest features."

The hardware will also come with free copies of Job Simulator, Fantastic Contraption, and pre-orders will be given Tilt Brush as well, a bundle that will be offered "for a limited time." If you're not in the US, you can check on international pricing on the official blog.

You can read our hands-on experiences withs some of the games launching alongside the system, as well as our thoughts on the innovative chaperone system that will allow you to interact with your surroundings while still wearing the Vive headset.

The consumer version will also be able to interact with your current smartphone. "Enabling you to stay connected to the real world, without exiting the virtual world, Vive Phone Services demonstrates the ability to combine both realities without losing touch of either," the description says. "By allowing you to receive and respond to both incoming and missed calls, get text messages and send quick replies and check upcoming calendar invites directly through the headset, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities for both consumers and businesses."

You can use the Steam VR Performance Test right now to see if your gaming PC is up to the challenge, and we'll have more coverage of the Vive Pre, the developer-facing precursor to the final retail hardware, this week.

Update: Valve's press release states the first shipment of Vives will be released on April 5.