Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Which VR Headset is best for me?

Which VR Headset is best for me?


There are several VR Headsets or Head Mounted Devices (HMD) on the market today, and that number is increasing all the time. We've had hands on experience with most of the HMD's on the market today and hopefully we can guide you in making the best choice for your situation. If you are a gamer, you may want to research Oculus Rift and see if that is the device for you. Everyone else, read on.



Go4d C1 Glass by Goggle Tech - $22







This gem is really one of our favorite headsets. The lens quality and experience far surpass any of the headsets, except the Gear VR. They are sturdier than their cardboard cousins, and fit in a jacket pocket to become a cool gadget, if you're into tech swag. Their design allow them to fit more devices than any that we have tried. Fits everything from the small iPhone to the large Samsung Note.

The only real drawback is there isn't a way to mount it to your head, so like the Google Cardboard, you have to hold it up to your face with your hands. For a lot of applications, this is not a problem, but if you're a gamer you may need your hands for a control and if you plan to watch long pieces of content, this could be annoying.


Reasons to buy:
•You are new to VR and aren't sure if you want to spend a ton of money to test things out.
•You want a high quality headset for a good price.
•You have another headset, but want a more portable one.

Consider another headset if:
•You know you will need a hands-free headset. (Consider Gear VR or Homido)



Samsung Gear VR - $99





This is currently the best consumer version on the market. Any VR professional has at least one of these tools at their disposal. It is a partnership between Samsung and Oculus Rift. The Gear VR beats all headsets on this blog in every category except portability. Among all other benefits, this headset tracks your motion better than the rest. The consumer version will be released in November 2015 for $99.

The bottom line is, you should consider purchasing this headset if you have any of the following Samsung devices: Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, and Note 5. If you have older Samsung devices such as The Note 4, you can get the older model, but for $200 and without the upgrades of the new Gear VR.




The Homido VR headset is a great overall headset. It's compatible with most phones and with it's lightweight construction and elastic headband, it's the most comfortable headset on this list. It also has two points to focus, which is a great feature.

It comes with a bunch of extras, that most headsets leave out. You get a case, a lens cloth, a few sets of lens holders to compensate for near or far sighted vision (if one of your eyes is different than the other, you should consider this headset).


Reasons to buy:
•You do not have a Samsung Gear VR compatible phones but want a good quality headset.
•You want a comfortable, hands-free headset (important if you will watch a lot of content or play games)

Consider another headset if:
•You have a Gear VR compatible device (Consider Gear VR)
•You don't plan to spend much time in VR (consider Go4d)
•You don't want to spend too much money at this time (consider Go4d)


Google Cardboard (Many variations with range of prices)




My Personal opinion is that Google Cardboard (and all the variations of such) is the worst thing happening in the new wave of VR right now. It's a great concept, put VR in the hands of everybody, but it really cheapens the whole experience and if your first experience of VR or 360 video is with cardboard, you may leave unimpressed and as if all head mounted devices are toys.

The lens quality is cheap, the cardboard is easy to damage, many designs require you to assemble yourself, and they are sort of a "one size fits some". They won't accommodate larger phones like the Samsung Note 4 or Apple 6 Plus. For smaller phones, most companies have some sort of extra piece of cardboard with adhesive that you can put in so that it will sort of hold your regular iPhone in place, but then it doesn't really fit a bigger phone, so you have to choose one or the other. Most have no way to strap to your head, although I've seen some recently with a add on.

One of the main reasons it has become so popular is because companies can easily and cheaply post their branding all over it and either pass them out or sell them. Great advertising is not a reason to buy them as a consumer, however.

There are several companies making variations of Google Cardboard and while I admit there are some with better quality construction, we do not currently recommend any cardboard viewer.


Reasons to buy:
 •You didn't read this blog or you want to custom brand a bunch of cardboard for you company (even that sounds cheap doesn't it?)

Consider another headset if:
•You did read this blog.




I hope this blog has helped educate you to make a good decision on which VR headset to buy. Leave a comment below and feel free to ask about other headsets, we own or have tried a lot of them, and we would be happy to let you know why they didn't make this list.