Microsoft HoloLens Price, Release Date and Demo: Shipping Begins March 30

Mar 11, 2016 01:25 PM EST

The HoloLens Development Edition pre-orders started on Feb. 29. The much-awaited virtual reality (VR) headset from Microsoft costs $3,000, and its shipping starts at the end of March. The consumer edition of the device is expected to be released very soon. Here's the latest update about Microsoft HoloLens release date, price, games and apps.

Compare to Oculus Rift and Gear VR, Microsoft HoloLens offers an authentic augmented-reality experience, meaning the images coming from the device are projected on the user's actual environment. The device is doing it by projecting light directly to the user's eyes to draw images.

Furthermore, HoloLens introduces a self-contained and untethered VR experience, so users don't have connect it in a PC or mobile phone. Samsung Gear VR and Oculus Rift needs to have an external support to use.

PC Advisor reported the HoloLens is compatible with Windows 10 and is powered with three processors: GPU, CPU and HPU. The latter is the Holographic Processing Unit that handles data from camera sensors. The device can also understand the gestures of its users to map the virtual-reality world.

Aside from stunning visual elements, HoloLens has terrific sound system to make the VR world realistic. The device has spatial sound so users can hear holograms even when it is behind them.

 Kudo Tsunoda, corporate vice president at Microsoft, said the upcoming VR device has built-in games that buyers will definitely enjoy. Prepare to experience VR gaming in Fragments, Young Conker, and RoboRaid -- the game NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly played in outer space.

The Development Edition of HoloLEns is intended for game developers and businesses. As for the updates in HoloLens consumers edition, SuperData Research CEO Joost van Dreunen believes Microsoft will release it next year.

Dreunen added the VR technology could trigger huge developments in engineering and healthcare sector.

In the next months to come, VR headset from Oculus, Valve, Sony, Google and many others will be available, and the competition will increase dramatically throughout the year. Estimates show the VR market could grow into a $90 billion industry by 2020. Moreover, this technology has the potential to change not only entertainment, but also education, world and health.

According to Huffington Post, VR has been effective in treating soldiers who have returned from war zones. The technology can also help surgical students to practice techniques.

Check out the capabilities of Microsoft HoloLens below: