The Samsung Gear VR is an excellent entry point to the world of virtual reality. Utilizing the Galaxy Note 4 as both its screen and engine, you’d be surprised at the level of immersion the headset offers, especially considering its relatively affordable price tag of $199.99.
Powered by Oculus, the purveyors of the new wave of VR technology, if you’ve yet to experience post-Rift virtual reality then the Gear VR offers a healthy slice of why many people are so excited by the prospect of the new tech. After snapping your Galaxy Note 4 (unfortunately the Gear VR doesn’t support any other smartphones or phablets) to the front of the device, the dual lenses work to create a virtual reality effect, allowing you to experience panoramic 360 degree videos, games and apps.
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The Samsung Gear VR is one of the first virtual reality headsets on the market, beating the heavily anticipated consumer build of the PC-powered Oculus Rift, and Sony’s plucky PS4 compatible underdog Project Morpheus, to the punch. It’s also made it to market faster than its closest competitor, the HTC Vive, which is being developed in partnership with Valve, the mighty game developer and creator of the digital-distribution platform Steam.
So why should you consider picking one up?
There are numerous free apps to download in order to check out the VR tech, including a version of Temple Run in which the popular endless runner game ups the anxiety by granting the ability to turn around and see the ape-like enemies chasing after you.There’s also travel apps that allow you to experience different cities and places of interest around the world from the comfort of your own home. But it’s the Oculus Cinema app which is particularly impressive, placing you inside a VR reconstruction of a theater and allowing you to watch 3D movies, or recordings that you’ve captured on your Galaxy Note 4.
