Oculus releases standalone VR headset for 219 euros
Oculus has released its Oculus Go headset. A version with 32GB storage space costs 219 euros and a variant with 64GB is available for 269 euros. The standalone VR headset contains a Snapdragon 821-soc and a 5.5″ LCD with a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels.
The screen in the Oculus Go has a refresh rate of 60Hz or 72Hz. Developers can choose at what speed they want the screen to be refreshed. The refresh rate is therefore lower than that of VR glasses such as the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, which work at 90Hz.
The Oculus Go is a standalone VR headset and can therefore be used without a computer. In fact, the glasses are similar to Samsung’s Gear VR accessory, but with a built-in screen. The headset also has built-in speakers and a microphone. The software ecosystem is similar to that of the Gear VR. Apps and games made for Samsung’s Gear VR work on the Oculus Go and vice versa. The headset runs on Android, but users only see the Oculus environment.
The Go contains a Snapdragon 821 VR soc from Qualcomm. Two years ago, that was the fastest soc of the manufacturer, but now the Snapdragon 835 and 845 successors are already out. Lenovo presented the Mirage Solo at the beginning of this year; a Daydream vr headset with the Snapdragon 835-soc.
The Oculus Go comes with a controller whose movements are tracked by sensors. Furthermore, the glasses register the head movements of the user, but there is no more freedom of movement in the virtual environment. Walking or bending over is therefore not registered by the Go headset.
Oculus also wants to offer live registrations of concerts and events to users of the glasses. This will be done from so-called Oculus Venues, rooms that are equipped with equipment to make recordings for playback in VR glasses.
According to Oculus, the battery in the Go headset is good for more than 2 hours of gaming or 2.5 hours of video watching. Charging is done via the micro USB connection. Oculus does not include an adapter in Europe, but with a 5v charger charging would take about 3 hours, according to the manufacturer. The controller works on an AA battery.
Initially, the Oculus Go can only be ordered online, but later this summer the headset should also appear at stores in Europe.