Connect with us

Samsung Gear VR Review: Virtual Reality Begins Here

Featured

Samsung Gear VR Review: Virtual Reality Begins Here

Forget PlayStation VR, this is the perfect entry point for the tech

Virtual Reality is going to be the big growth area in 2016 as far as consumer tech is concerned, with Sony’s PlayStation VR and HTC’s Vive already generating an incredible amount of hype. However, the company largely responsible for the public’s renewed interest in the concept is the Facebook-owned Oculus, whose Rift headset has undergone some revisions since being crowdfunded via Kickstarter in 2012. In addition to Rift, Oculus has also teamed up with Samsung to create a scaled-down version of its product dubbed Gear VR, and this could potentially be the device which really pushes the technology into the mainstream.

This stance might cause serious VR fans to scoff, but Oculus staffer John Carmack (yes, the same John Carmack who co-founded id Software, the studio behind Doom and Quake) feels that Gear VR – when twinned with experiences like the forthcoming port of Minecraft – could be VR’s best bet at convincing mainstream consumers to put on a headset and abandon all sense of self-esteem. His point is that true VR needs to be totally wireless – something that Oculus Rift, PSVR and Vive currently don’t offer – so that you can turn around and move about without worrying about tripping over cables you can’t see. The trade-off with Gear VR is that you’re not using a super-powerful computer to run the software, but a phone which you can fit in your pocket. Is the compromise one worth taking? Let’s find out.

Samsung Gear VR Review: Design Hardware

When you take the Gear VR out of its packaging you’ll probably be surprised at how light and compact it is – even with a phone inserted, it’s not bulky or heavy in any way. The main headset has a semi-transparent front cover which pops off to reveal the dock for your Galaxy handset (support is currently limited to the Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy S6/S6 Edge and Galaxy S7/S7 Edge), while around the sides you’ll find a focus adjuster, volume rocker and “back” button, as well as a Micro USB charging port. Two elasticated straps are used to secure the device to your head, and these fasten with velcro, making them easy to adjust to ensure you get a snug fit.

On the right-hand side of the unit there’s a directional touch pad which is your primary input during use – although many apps allow you to make selections by moving a cursor with your head. The touchpad takes quite a bit of getting used to because there’s no tactile feedback and it’s a little too easy to swipe in the wrong direction and have a swipes mistaken for a tap. Thankfully, Bluetooth pad support is included as standard so you can connect a controller and use that to navigate if you find the touchpad too fiddly.

Audio is piped through your phone’s weedy speaker so you’ll want to connect a pair of headphones when using the device – there’s a handy little cut-away portion on the device so
that the 3.5mm headphone socket is accessible at all times. The Micro USB port we mentioned earlier is used to charge the phone when it’s connected – the Gear VR doesn’t need its own power source as it basically uses your phone for this. Games which require both phone power and a USB connection are alluded to in the instruction manual, but there doesn’t seem to be any examples available as yet.

Inside the Gear VR there’s a custom inertial measurement unit – or IMU – for rotational tracking. This additional piece of kit makes the headset incredibly accurate when it comes to tracking your head movements, and this is one of the reasons why the Gear VR is vastly superior to efforts like Google Cardboard, which use the sensors already on your smartphone – these simply weren’t designed for this kind of functionality.

Samsung Gear VR Review: Software

The Gear VR needs the Oculus app to function, so you’ll need to install this before connecting your handset to the Gear VR. The app serves as a hub for all your Oculus content, and includes a store which requires you to enter your credit card details to purchase titles – you can’t use your Google Play balance. Some apps are free, but the most enticing offerings need some investment on the player’s part, and at the time of writing, prices are quite steep when compared to standard mobile games. Expect to play between £3.99 and £7.99 for the really high quality titles.

When you’re wearing the Gear VR you’re presented with an Xbox-style dashboard which shows your recent and purchased applications and downloads. You can also access a sub-menu where you can control elements like brightness and contrast, as well as switch on the phone’s rear-facing camera to see the “real world” through that transparent front panel – handy if you want to get your bearings without removing the Gear VR itself.

Because your phone is part of the whole Gear VR package, notifications pop up during use. These can be disabled if you’d rather have an undisturbed experience, but the 3D effect used as these boxes briefly appear is pretty cool, and we didn’t find them too obtrusive. In fact, because they appear on-screen it saves you from having to remove the headset to check your phone – something that will no doubt be an issue with other VR headsets which lack this functionality. Finally, it’s worth noting that Oculus has included an Xbox Live-style “friends” system in its app, so you can keep track of what your mates are playing and get that all-important social element – a key feature when you consider that VR effectively cuts you off from your surroundings.

Samsung Gear VR Review: Gaming

While VR has a multitude of uses and applications, the current trend is very much focused on what it can bring to the gaming arena. On Gear VR, the majority of apps available are games, with some selling the concept better than others. EVE Gunjack is a good example; based in the same universe as the MMO EVE Online, it places you in a static gun turret with the task of repelling wave upon wave of enemy craft. To aim all you have to do is look around – and try not to get distracted by the incredible sense of depth and the gorgeous visuals. A controller isn’t required to play, but we found it was much better with one, as reloading and firing can be controlled by the buttons. Gunjack is hardly the deepest game ever and at £8 is quite pricey, but it’s the perfect advertisement for VR’s potential – this is something that simply could not be replicated by traditional means.

Perhaps more striking is Land’s End, a highly atmospheric puzzle title from UsTwo, the studio which created the insanely popular Monument Valley on iOS and Android. While the game is very much on-rails and limits player movement within the superbly-rendered environment, the sense of scale is remarkable; it’s possible to look down cliffs and observe the waves splashing against rocks. Land’s End is also a game which proves John Carmack’s point about wires being a hindrance to immersion – at several points you’re expected to turn around 180 degrees to look at elements behind you, and this would be tricky if the Gear VR wasn’t a self-contained, cable-free unit.

Both of these examples are very much built around VR, but there are other offerings which attempt to take traditional gaming genres and give them an immersive spin. VR Karts is basically a Mario Kart clone and requires a Bluetooth pad to play. You control your vehicle as you might expect, with acceleration, braking and weapon deployment mapped to various buttons. However, you can look around to see drivers behind or alongside you, which adds more depth to the game than you might otherwise expect.

There’s a clear divide between games which use a controller and those which revolve around aiming with head movements. The latter require you to tap the side of the Gear VR to register inputs and this becomes slightly bothersome over time; for this reason we’d highly recommend getting a Bluetooth pad if you’re serious about gaming on the device. They’re not expensive these days and there’s a good chance you already have one lying about the house somewhere.

Samsung Gear VR Review: Experiences

Outside of gaming, you’ll find a lot of other apps to download that make use of the Gear VR’s immersive qualities but aren’t games. For example, Oculus 360 Photos allows you to stand at the foot of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris and gaze up to the sky. It’s just a static image but the effect is still impressive. A VR version of Google’s Street View has the same effect – while the imagery doesn’t move, it still feels more like “being there” than viewing it on a flat screen.

Elsewhere, there are a whole host of apps which place you in exciting situations to make it feel like you’re getting in on the action. You could be surfing off the Australian coast or scaling a snow-capped mountain – what you’re seeing it obviously linear video footage captured by a 360 degree camera, but the effect is nevertheless impressive. It’s just a shame that the video quality is quite poor when streaming, and given that your phone isn’t likely to have bags of storage to spare, not many people are going to download the entire clip to watch it offline.

VR as a commercial tool is already being explored by some companies. We’ve got a Jurassic World companion app which is little more than a 360 video with 3D effects, where you’re standing in a forest and become a point of interest for a massive CGI dinosaur. These projects are totally linear and remind us a lot of the terrible FMV “games” which appeared at the dawn of the CD-ROM revolution back in the early ’90s; they’re a way of getting around the fact that the Gear VR lacks the processing muscle of rival hardware, but aside from impressing your mates, they won’t keep your attention for very long.

More impressive are the apps which aim to place you in a particular location that might not normally be accessible. Art galleries can be browsed virtually, and there’s even a Netflix app which plants you in a posh living room with a gigantic TV screen. It’s a daft idea – why watch Netflix on a virtual telly when you have a real one in your home already – but it hints at future applications for the tech. You could have front-row seats at a live sporting event, for example.

Samsung Gear VR Review: Conclusion

As with all VR in 2016, there’s no doubt that Samsung and Oculus are finding their feet with this device. No one truly knows what direction VR is going to take over the next few years, yet Gear VR does an excellent job of selling the dream. Sure, the software isn’t quite at the “killer app” level yet and there are some very throwaway apps available which lack longevity, but popping this headset on usually means losing an hour or two of your time; once you step into this immersive world, it’s hard to come back out again. The fact that the headset lacks wires and cables is another big plus point when it comes to totally convincing the player they are detached from the real world.

Gear VR has its limitations, however. Because it’s powered by a smartphone and not a powerful PC or console, there’s a ceiling that developers are going to hit pretty rapidly when it comes to visuals. While we can expect some amazing graphics on PSVR thanks to the fact that one of the most powerful games consoles ever made is running the show, Gear VR is having to rely on weaker mobile tech. That means we could see the headset being left behind over the next 18 months as developers flock to more adept devices. Another drawback is that Gear VR doesn’t ship with a controller as standard, and as a result many devs are ignoring physical inputs to focus entirely on head-tracking or the Gear VR’s touchpad – and this once again limits the scope of what gaming experiences can be produced. The final shortcoming is that Gear VR needs a Samsung phone to operate – so if you’re an iPhone owner or a fan of one of Samsung’s many other Android rivals, then it’s not going to be of any use to you.

Having said that, Samsung is one of the biggest producers of smartphones in the world and its S6 and S7 lines are incredibly popular, so in terms of potential audience the Gear VR has quite a large pool to dip into. And at less than £90, this is one of the most cost-effective ways
of getting into VR – by comparison, Sony’s PSVR is £350, and that’s considered cheap by the standards of its rivals. At worst it’s “VR Lite”, but at best it’s an entry point into the technology that is arguably a lot more accessible to casual consumers than Sony, HTC or even Oculus’ headsets – and it’s first to market, too. In that respect, it could end up being one of the most important developments in the revival of VR yet – it has certainly created plenty of converts as we’ve been showing it around family and friends.

Thanks to MobileFun.co.uk for supplying the Samsung Gear VR used in this review.

Typical Price: 
£90.00
Pros: 
Good selection of software already available, Accurate performance, No wires to worry about, Works with most Bluetooth pads


Reviews

Cons: 
Requires a Samsung phone to work, Limited power when compared to other VR headsets


Damien McFerran

Verdict: 
Cheap and mercifully free of irksome wires and cables, the Gear VR is arguably the perfect advertisement for consumer VR right now


11:28, 29 Mar 2016

Forget PlayStation VR, that is the very best access aspect for the tech

Virtual Reality goes to be the large expansion space in 2016 so far as shopper tech is worried, with Sony's PlayStation VR and HTC's Vive already producing a fantastic quantity of hype. However, the corporate in large part liable for the general public's renewed hobby in the idea that is the Facebook-owned Oculus, whose Rift headset has gone through a few revisions considering the fact that being crowdfunded by means of Kickstarter in 2012. In addition to Rift, Oculus has additionally teamed up with Samsung to create a scaled-down model of its product dubbed Gear VR, and this would probably be the tool which in reality pushes the generation into the mainstream.

This stance would possibly lead to critical VR enthusiasts to scoff, however Oculus staffer John Carmack (sure, the similar John Carmack who co-based identity Software, the studio at the back of Doom and Quake) feels that Gear VR - while twinned with reviews just like the coming near near port of Minecraft - may well be VR's absolute best guess at convincing mainstream shoppers to place on a headset and abandon all feel of vainness. His aspect is that actual VR must be utterly wireless - one thing that Oculus Rift, PSVR and Vive lately do not be offering - with the intention to flip round and transfer approximately with out being worried approximately tripping over cables you'll be able to't see. The industry-off with Gear VR is that you are not the use of a great-tough pc to run the device, however a telephone which you'll be able to have compatibility for your pocket. Is the compromise one value taking? Let's in finding out.

Samsung Gear VR Review: Design Hardware

When you are taking the Gear VR out of its packaging you'll be able to more than likely be stunned at how gentle and compact it's - despite a telephone inserted, it is not cumbersome or heavy whatsoever. The primary headset has a semi-clear entrance duvet which pops off to expose the dock on your Galaxy handset (fortify is lately restricted to the Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy S6/S6 Edge and Galaxy S7/S7 Edge), whilst across the facets you'll be able to in finding a focal point adjuster, quantity rocker and "again" button, in addition to a Micro USB charging port. Two elasticated straps are used to safe the software for your head, and those fasten with velcro, making them simple to regulate to be sure to get a cosy have compatibility.

On the suitable-hand aspect of the unit there is a directional contact pad that is your number one enter right through use - even though many apps will let you make alternatives by way of shifting a cursor together with your head. The touchpad takes somewhat just a little of having used to as a result of there is not any tactile comments and it is a little too simple to swipe within the incorrect path and feature a swipes improper for a faucet. Thankfully, Bluetooth pad enhance is incorporated as same old so you'll be able to attach a controller and use that to navigate for those who in finding the touchpad too fiddly.

Audio is piped thru your telephone's weedy speaker so you will want to attach a couple of headphones while the use of the tool - there is a to hand little minimize-away component at the tool so
that the 3.5mm headphone socket is on the market always. The Micro USB port we discussed in advance is used to price the telephone while it is hooked up - the Gear VR does not want its personal energy source because it principally makes use of your telephone for this. Games which require each telephone energy and a USB connection are alluded to within the guide guide, however there does not appear to be any examples to be had as but.

Inside the Gear VR there is a customized inertial size unit - or IMU - for rotational monitoring. This further piece of equipment makes the headset extremely correct on the subject of monitoring your head actions, and this is likely one of the the reason why the Gear VR is hugely awesome to efforts like Google Cardboard, which use the sensors already in your telephone - those merely were not designed for this type of capability.

Samsung Gear VR Review: Software

The Gear VR wishes the Oculus app to serve as, so you'll be able to want to set up this prior to connecting your handset to the Gear VR. The app serves as a hub for your whole Oculus content material, and features a retailer which calls for you to go into your bank card main points to buy titles - you'll be able to't use your Google Play stability. Some apps are loose, however probably the most engaging services want a few funding at the participant's phase, and on the time of writing, costs are somewhat steep while in comparison to same old cellular video games. Expect to play among £3.99 and £7.99 for the actually prime quality titles.

When you are dressed in the Gear VR you are introduced with an Xbox-taste dashboard which presentations your contemporary and bought programs and downloads. You too can get right of entry to a sub-menu the place you'll be able to regulate parts like brightness and distinction, in addition to transfer at the telephone's rear-dealing with digital camera to peer the "actual global" thru that clear entrance panel - to hand if you wish to get your bearings with out doing away with the Gear VR itself.

Because your telephone is a part of the entire Gear VR package deal, notifications pop up all the way through use. These can also be disabled when you'd somewhat have an undisturbed revel in, however the 3-d impact used as those bins in short seem is lovely cool, and we did not in finding them too glaring. In reality, as a result of they seem on-display it saves you from having to take away the headset to test your telephone - one thing that allows you to certainly be a topic with different VR headsets which lack this capability. Finally, it is value noting that Oculus has incorporated an Xbox Live-taste "pals" device in its app, so you'll be able to stay monitor of what your friends are enjoying and get that every one-essential social component - a key function while you believe that VR successfully cuts you off out of your setting.

Samsung Gear VR Review: Gaming

While VR has a mess of makes use of and programs, the present development could be very so much all in favour of what it could actually convey to the gaming area. On Gear VR, nearly all of apps to be had are video games, with a few promoting the idea that higher than others. EVE Gunjack is a great instance; primarily based in the similar universe because the MMO EVE Online, it puts you in a static gun turret with the duty of repelling wave upon wave of enemy craft. To goal all it's a must to do is go searching - and take a look at to not get distracted by way of the fantastic feel of intensity and the pretty visuals. O controller is not required to play, however we discovered it used to be a lot better with one, as reloading and firing can also be managed via the buttons. Gunjack is hardly ever the inner most recreation ever and at £8 is fairly expensive, however it is the very best commercial for VR's possible - that is one thing that merely may just now not be replicated via conventional approach.

Perhaps extra putting is Land's End, a extremely atmospheric puzzle name from UsTwo, the studio which created the insanely in style Monument Valley on iOS and Android. While the sport could be very so much on-rails and boundaries participant motion inside the fantastically-rendered surroundings, the feel of scale is exceptional; it is imaginable to seem down cliffs and have a look at the waves splashing towards rocks. Land's End could also be a recreation which proves John Carmack's aspect approximately wires being a problem to immersion - at a couple of issues you are anticipated to show round 180 levels to take a look at parts at the back of you, and this may be tough if the Gear VR wasn't a self-contained, cable-loose unit.

Both of those examples are very so much constructed round VR, however there are different services which try to take conventional gaming genres and provides them an immersive spin. VR Karts is principally a Mario Kart clone and calls for a Bluetooth pad to play. You keep an eye on your car as you may be expecting, with acceleration, braking and weapon deployment mapped to more than a few buttons. However, you'll be able to go searching to peer drivers at the back of or along you, which provides extra intensity to the sport than chances are you'll differently be expecting.

There's a transparent divide among video games which use a controller and the ones which revolve round aiming with head actions. The latter require you to faucet the aspect of the Gear VR to sign in inputs and this turns into fairly bothersome over the years; because of this we might extremely suggest getting a Bluetooth pad if you are thinking about gaming at the tool. They're now not pricey this present day and there is a just right probability you have already got one mendacity approximately the home someplace.

Samsung Gear VR Review: Experiences

Outside of gaming, you'll be able to in finding a large number of different apps to obtain that employ the Gear VR's immersive characteristics however don't seem to be video games. For instance, Oculus 360 Photos permits you to stand on the foot of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris and gaze as much as the sky. It's only a static symbol however the impact continues to be spectacular. I VR model of Google's Street View has the similar impact - at the same time as the imagery does not transfer, it nonetheless feels extra like "being there" than viewing it on a flat display.

Elsewhere, there are an entire host of apps which position you in fun scenarios to make it really feel like you are getting into at the motion. You may well be browsing off the Australian coast or scaling a snow-capped mountain - what you are seeing it clearly linear video pictures captured by way of a 360 level digital camera, however the impact is on the other hand spectacular. It's only a disgrace that the video high quality is rather negative while streaming, and for the reason that your telephone is not more likely to have luggage of garage to spare, now not many of us are going to obtain all of the clip to observe it offline.

VR as a business software is already being explored by way of a few firms. We've were given a Jurassic World spouse app that is little greater than a 360 video with three-D results, the place you are status in a wooded area and grow to be a focal point for an incredible CGI dinosaur. These tasks are utterly linear and remind us a large number of the bad FMV "video games" which gave the impression on the first light of the CD-ROM revolution again within the early '90s; they are some way of having round the truth that the Gear VR lacks the processing muscle of rival hardware, however except for impressing your friends, they would possibly not stay your consideration for terribly lengthy.

More spectacular are the apps which goal to put you in a specific region that would possibly now not in most cases be out there. Art galleries can also be browsed nearly, and there is even a Netflix app which crops you in a complicated front room with a big TV display. It's a ludicrous concept - why watch Netflix on a digital television tube if in case you have an actual one in your house already - nevertheless it tricks at long run programs for the tech. You will have entrance-row seats at a are living wearing adventure, as an example.

Samsung Gear VR Review: Conclusion

As with all VR in 2016, there is not any doubt that Samsung and Oculus are discovering their ft with this software. No one really is aware of what path VR goes to take over the following few years, but Gear VR does a very good process of marketing the dream. Sure, the device is not slightly on the "killer app" degree but and there are a few very throwaway apps to be had which lack durability, however popping this headset on frequently approach dropping an hour or of some time; if you step into this immersive global, it is onerous to return again out once more. The proven fact that the headset lacks wires and cables is any other large plus aspect relating to utterly convincing the participant they're indifferent from the actual global.

Gear VR has its obstacles, on the other hand. Because it is powered through a telephone and now not an impressive PC or console, there is a ceiling that developers are going to hit lovely unexpectedly in terms of visuals. While we will be able to be expecting a few superb pix on PSVR way to the truth that probably the most tough video games consoles ever made is operating the display, Gear VR is having to depend on weaker cellular tech. That way shall we see the headset being left at the back of over the following 18 months as developers flock to more proficient units. Another problem is that Gear VR does not send with a controller as same old, and in consequence many devs are ignoring bodily inputs to center of attention completely on head-monitoring or the Gear VR's touchpad - and this as soon as once more limits the scope of what gaming reviews may also be produced. The ultimate shortcoming is that Gear VR wishes a Samsung telephone to function - so if you are an iPhone proprietor or partial to one among Samsung's many different Android competitors, then it is not going to be of any use to you.

Having stated that, Samsung is likely one of the largest manufacturers of smartphones on the planet and its S6 and S7 strains are extremely common, so in relation to attainable target audience the Gear VR has relatively a big pool to dip into. And at not up to £90, this is likely one of the so much value-efficient tactics
of having into VR - via comparability, Sony's PSVR is £350, and that is the reason thought to be reasonable via the criteria of its competitors. At worst it is "VR Lite", however at absolute best it is an access aspect into the generation that may be arguably much more available to informal shoppers than Sony, HTC and even Oculus' headsets - and it is first to marketplace, too. In that appreciate, it would finally end up being one of the necessary trends within the revival of VR but - it has without a doubt created a number of converts as we have now been appearing it round friends and family.

Thanks to MobileFun.co.uk for supplying the Samsung Gear VR used on this evaluation.

Typical Price: 
£90.00
Pros: 
Good choice of device already to be had, Accurate efficiency, No wires to fret approximately, Works with so much Bluetooth pads
Reviews
Cons: 
Requires a Samsung telephone to paintings, Limited energy while in comparison to different VR headsets
Damien McFerran
Verdict: 
Cheap and mercifully freed from irksome wires and cables, the Gear VR is arguably the very best commercial for shopper VR at this time
11:28, 29 Mar 2016
Comments

More in Featured

Popular

Featured

Advertisement
To Top