Hey guys this is Austin. Virtual reality headsets like Oculus Rift and Sony Morpheus are promising
big things but what can you do with just your phone? To find out I gathered three of the
best mobile VR headsets, Google Cardboard, Zeiss VR ONE and Samsung Gear VR. Unlike a
traditional virtual reality setup that requires a computer these are fully standalone as they’re
powered by a smartphone. Take a look at Google Cardboard and you’ll see just how simple
one of these headsets can be, you put it together like origami and it’s essentially just cardboard,
a couple lenses and a magnet to work as a button. It supports most Android phones and
with version two it also works with larger phones along with the iPhone. Since I’ve
had a lot of experience with VR headsets I wanted to see what a couple friends who had
never tried VR thought. So this is Google Cardboard, give it a try. And don’t drop
the phone. Okay. So just look in it? It’s like I’m looking in a movie theater right
now, like I’m sitting in a movie theater and I’m actually seeing what I would usually see.
Oh there’s a mouse!
It almost feels like I could just reach up and grab it, like it’s that close to me
it’s like a 3D movie. I don’t know any other way to put it it’s like I’m actually
here watching it, like in the screen. I’m dizzy right now of how like insanely detailed
that was. I almost fell over just looking at it, so that might be a safety hazard. Considering
just how simple Cardboard is it’s pretty incredible what you can get out of it. A big
part of these headsets are the phone you’re using, AMOLED screens like in the Galaxy S6
edge we used here tend to give the best results and high resolution screens make a big difference
to the clarity. Next we’ve got Zeiss VR ONE. This is a more finished product with
an actual headstrap and considering we’re talking about Zeiss, some top notch optics.
Unlike Cardboard there are actual trays to mount your phone which for the moment only
supports the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S5 but they've also released the specs if you feel like 3D
printing your own tray. So go ahead and put the headset on.
Oh wow, okay. We’re going down the roller coaster!
Ooh this is cool, we’re going through like a little old ruined city. So what are you
doing right now? I’m wiping the sweat off my face cause it’s really hot. I think if
they had more insulation in here and you don’t feel as hot the entire time I feel like it’d
be more fun cause this is completely sealed all the way through here so. I think the screen
was a little better too especially the quality, the quality of the screen was a lot better
than this one, this is kind of like, kind of like playing PlayStation 3 versus PlayStation 1.
While having apps available on both iOS and Android is a big plus the iPhone 6 really
isn’t a great match for virtual reality. The screen just isn’t high resolution enough
and the lack of any control other than looking around is a bit of a letdown. Next we have
the most well polished headset here, the Samsung Gear VR for Galaxy S6. This is by the guys
over at Oculus and it shows, not only is there a dedicated touchpad for control but this
actually connects to the S6 with a MicroUSB port and features a silent fan to keep things
cool while playing.
Oh this is insane. Ooh! Oh wow, okay. This is like a lot clearer. It’s like I’m a
robot this is insane, oh my gosh! Oh it’s a shark, oh gosh, okay. That’s, that’s,
that’s very realistic! I don’t know I feel like if you’re really creative you
can make that cardboard one just as good as the Samsung, I mean just glue some padding
on there and put a strap on it I feel like it would be just as great. But I mean it’s
the best one I’ve seen, out of the three at least because it’s the clearest. At $200
the Gear VR is not only the best headset here but it rivals things like Oculus and Morpheus
in my opinion. There’s not an enormous library of content yet but even things like watching
video is incredible, the screen is just detailed enough to be able to enjoy a movie in your
own private theater and if you pick up a controller you can play some decent games on it as well.
The absolute best virtual reality experience will be on headsets powered by PCs for a while
but there’s something to be said about having a headset that’s powered by your phone that’s
not only cheaper but totally untethered. Cardboard is a great way to give mobile VR a try but
if you have a Galaxy S6 or S6 edge the Gear VR is seriously impressive.