What is it?
A budget virtual reality (VR) wearable headset.
Good Points?
The design and build quality is excellent when compared to previous wearable models. The head contact points have been updated for increased comfort and the material used is more breathable which for a product designed to have no light leakage is something of a marvel.
The Gear VR is compatible with nearly two years' worth of Samsung smartphones so no need to splash extra cash on an upgrade to the latest model.
There is no shortage of apps and games to delve into and Samsung's extensive catalogue includes masterpieces such as Minecraft, Hitman Go and Land's End.
An ever-increasing number of TV and movie experiences are being developed for VR via online streaming services such as Stranger Things on Netflix.
Bad points?
Older Samsung smartphones tend to lag during prolonged usage of the latest games and can lead to frustrating reboots and progress not being saved. Despite the rapid progress in development of the VR platform there are still some fundamental flaws.
The scaling and resizing of objects can be disconcerting as your brain recognises that you are not moving and tries to compensate and convince what you're seeing is fake.
Best for ...
Those with a little imagination as the overall VR experience is not quite polished enough to persuade you to give up the physical world.
Avoid if ...
You are expecting to be totally immersed in a seamless VR gaming environment like Eddie Furlong's character in the movie Brainscan. The Trickster is sadly nowhere to be found.
Score: 8/10.
Samsung Gear Virtual Reality Headset, from £84.99 (samsung.com)
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