In comparison, the Gear VR can seem quite simple, but it does offer a unique entry point into the world of virtual reality for those with a limited budget. Unlike other devices that have their own built-in display to offer, the Gear VR works with a Galaxy or Note phone from Samsung, which snaps into the front and connects to the headset. The Samsung Gear VR is spacious and reasonably comfortable, fitting well over glasses and reducing some of the heat associated with similar headset. Although it feels a little odd to strap a smartphone in front of your eyes at first, the Gear quickly delivers an immersive experience that helps you to forget all about that.
When you first connect your device to the Gear VR, you’ll be prompted to install an Oculus app to use it, which will sync with any accounts you have on your PC. If you’re using the S9 from Samsung, for instance, you’ll enjoy Quad HD technology and exceptional resolution, as well as an AMOLED display.
However, this product does offer a good entry point to the world of VR for companies that don’t have a lot of cash to splash on extra technology.
Samsung Gear VR review
If you own the latest Samsung phone, or one released two years ago, this headset and controller combo is the best option available. If you own the latest Samsung phone, or one released two years ago, this headset and controller combo is the best option available. The new Samsung Gear VR is available now to the tune of $129 (about £100, AU$117) and includes both the updated headset and its new accompanying controller.
For those already rocking a Gear VR headset, Samsung plans on selling the controller separately for $39 (about £30, AU$50).
The look of the new versus the old Samsung Gear VR isn’t night and day, though it has shed about a quarter pound in weight. Compared to the older model, the cushion that rests around your eyes and nose is noticeably cozier and more supportive.
To match the layout of the new controller, the new headset’s touchpad now features a home button to take you straight out of any app or game that using you’re using. Samsung touts it as a multifunction port, so it’s very likely that we’ll see more accessories coming that expand its capabilities, much like how the controller has done. The motion-enabled wand matches the dark aesthetic of the new Gear VR, though it also goes nicely with the older model.
Powered by two AAA batteries, the small controller features a volume rocker, as well as a circular touchpad and the back and home button duo to mimic what’s found on the side of the headset. There are a handful of games that offer controller compatibility and they work in a manner that you’d expect if you’ve played anything on Google’s Daydream headset or even the Nintendo Wii.
Samsung Gear VR review: The Gear VR supports all four Galaxy S10 phones
While many gamers were hoping for a 4th-Gen Gear VR headset announcement to go along with the Galaxy S10 launch it’s promising that Samsung is at least keeping the device alive. One might argue that it doesn’t really need to because each new flagship Samsung phone will improve the display and performance of the Gear VR. The Gear VR has the first two covered, at least – but a device like the Oculus Go, which requires neither a phone nor a PC to run, has it beaten in the third category.
The newest Gear VR is a tad larger than the original, with dimensions of 12 x 2 x 9.9 cm and a weight of 345g (not including your phone) compared to 318g but those extra few grams won’t make a noticeable difference when wearing it.
The cushioning around the eyes is now much thicker and more supportive, allowing you to use the Gear VR for prolonged periods of time without experiencing discomfort. The lens optics can be toggled using a dial atop the headset, and underneath the lenses a few air vents have been added, eliminating the fogging problem that occurred with earlier iterations of the Gear VR.
External light blocking is just as effective in the 2017 Gear VR, ensuring that your session won’t be interrupted by any unwanted rays of sunshine. The addition of a controller is the biggest change to the Gear VR, and it has been sorely lacking, given that the Google Daydream View had one from the get-go.
The controller feels nice in the hand too, with motion tracking up to the standard of the Oculus Go – not really a surprise, given it’s designed by the same company. Unfortunately, there still aren’t a huge number of games built specifically with the controller in mind, but over time that will hopefully improve.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 has a Quad-HD 2,960 x 1,440 resolution on a Super AMOLED panel display – this means games incredibly have fast response times, with zero ghosting or blurring. Even still, the Gear VR experience isn’t quite up to that of the latest dedicated headsets like the HTC Vive Pro or Oculus Rift.
Textures that would normally look hyper-detailed on your Samsung Galaxy S9’s 5.8in screen are instead warped across a huge virtual display so that even the best games tend to look a little tired. You’ll need to do a bit of research before splashing your cash on more expensive titles; it’s worth checking out our list of the best Samsung Gear VR games if you’re not sure what to go for. There are some excellent features here, including watching videos together with friends or strangers in a ‘virtual space.’ It’s just a shame that the Oculus Go, Rift, HTC Vive and Google Daydream View all had YouTube VR much earlier, while Samsung took 2 years to get the app in place. This compact video camera works much like the Ricoh Theta range (which has it own Oculus app already) by combining the input of two fisheye lenses to create a 360-degree image. You don’t have to spend a fortune, nor will you need a high-spec PC to run any of its games, unlike with the premium Oculus and HTC headsets. The Gear VR is £80 cheaper and the best way to try out virtual reality gaming and video if you have or plan to have a compatible Samsung phone.
Samsung Gear VR (2017) review: Samsung Gear VR’s best feature isn’t the Galaxy S8, it’s the controller
Gear VR is a snap-on, wireless affordable way to turn your Samsung Galaxy phone into a surprisingly capable basic virtual reality headset. The extra bits of gear, however, mean keeping track of small dongles. Google’s more elegant Daydream View design works without any plug-in dongles at all, but the larger Gear VR, while bulkier and more plastic, fits better on my face. To be clear, this isn’t the same high-end VR hardware as the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift.
Because it’s easy to put on and move around in, it’s a lot cheaper than the high-end models, and it has some great VR experiences available for it. Gear VR came free if you preordered a Galaxy S8 but costs $130 for the controller plus headset for everyone else. Samsung includes a simple elastic strap that’s meant to tuck the controller into the Gear VR’s headband when not in use, but I worry that this will be one more remote to lose. The controller can be waved around to track motion, and its motion-sensing is cleverly tuned to fit the hand you’re holding it in.
The future of Facebook and Oculus becomes clearer with the latest Gear VR software update I used. Facebook 360 is Gear VR’s Facebook-specific app, but it’s not much more than a small collection of panoramic and 360-degree videos and photos from your friends’ feeds. Don’t expect all Gear VR apps to fully work with the new remote. VR will keep evolving, adding room-sensing cameras for full motion tracking, or maybe even hand-tracking without a remote.
In fact, its new controller is really just letting it keep up with what Google has done with Daydream VR last year. But at the moment, Gear VR remains every Samsung phone owner’s greatest fringe benefit.
Untethered Headset review
The first version was launched alongside the Galaxy S7 with the newer model coming out to coincide with the S8. To fit the S8 models, it is a little larger than its predecessors and weighs slightly more at 345g (without your phone in it of course) but you won’t really notice this difference when you’re wearing it. There’s also the addition of some air vents that are there to prevent the well-reported lens fogging of the older Samsung Gear. The head tracking was incredibly smooth thanks to Oculus’s chip located in the headset.
Unfortunately, though, you can’t move around or lean in your virtual world, as there are no sensors or external cameras attached. The S6 did perform well too in terms of colours and contrast, and that’s the lowest spec of all the supported phones for this headset.
The fact that optics are adjustable is great and is a unique feature that most other headsets just don’t have. It might not be original in its creation and design, but it does work really well and can be used by lefties just as easily as right-handed folk. If you’re a newcomer to virtual reality then the Gear VR is an affordable try-it-out option.
It’s not going to compete with the PC-powered or standalone VR headsets, but if you’re already a Samsung Galaxy owner then it’s a pretty good pick. It doesn’t cost the earth and you don’t need any existing PC gadgetry to go with it.
Samsung Gear VR (2017) Review
Samsung’s new Gear VR ($129.99) adds a Bluetooth controller that puts it on par, from a hardware perspective, with Google’s Daydream View. That said, most people will get the Gear VR and controller for free, bundled with a new Samsung Galaxy S8 phone.
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I found it comfortable and not sweaty, without the irritating light leak up the bridge of my nose that plagued me on the Daydream View. To use the Gear VR for the first time, you snap your phone into it and then disconnect it, which prompts you to download the Oculus app. VR experiences are smooth, but slightly grainy, with visible pixels no matter what phone you use.
When apps worked, I found the controller to be easily responsive, although it had to be recentered (by holding down the home button) each time I put the headset on. The games A Night Sky, Bandit Six: Salvo, Oogie, Temple Run VR, Wheelrush, and Zombie Strike all worked fine.
In a briefing at Samsung HQ in Seoul, product strategy team VP Robert Kim said Samsung, Oculus, and Facebook are working together to make “the experience across Gear VR and Oculus Rift ($84.99 at Amazon UK) the same experience.” But I just can’t recommend Gear VR enthusiastically until I feel the store and platform are richer and more stable.
We gave last year’s iteration of the Gear VR a higher rating, but that was based partially on the promise of new content. Samsung and Facebook need better, more reliable apps to make the Gear VR a worthwhile purchase.
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