Samsung Gear VR (2018) Review – Should You Buy It?

Virtual Reality is becoming our current reality and with the help of devices like the Samsung Gear VR, this new technology is fast gaining ground.

Ever since its release the Samsung Gear VR has become one of the most sought after mobile VR headsets around. With Samsung releasing the S8, it was also time to receive a new Gear VR from the company and this new 2017 version is even more promising than its predecessor.

It has a great packaging, which makes me think it’s a great gift idea to anyone you want to impress! 🙂 Oh with a great price tag!

What is the Samsung Gear VR?

As a quick primer, the Samsung Gear VR is a mobile VR headset made by Samsung together with Oculus. This sleek virtual headset lets you experience virtual reality as technology will allow today. There’s about 600 apps and more that you can use together with this headset, and this is growing everyday, so in due time, you’ll have more than enough options to enjoy games and other experiences in the virtual world.

Looks and Design:

With the release of the S8 handsets, the Gear VR also gets a slight facelift. Instead of the old inky black shade, the new VR comes with an orchid gray shade with the plastic body beautifully echoing a pearlescence shade when light hits it. The new version also has a shiny plate in place whenever you don’t use your phone with the Gear VR.

Even though it’s designed to be used with the S8, the new Gear VR can be used together with old Samsung phones starting with the Note 4 and onwards. The controllers remain the same, with the Home and Back buttons on the right and the volume rocker at the front of the device. There’s also a USB-Type C port including vents to help make sure your phone gets air circulation while in use.

Best part of Samsung VR is the reaction of your friends. I made them play a scary game, I couldn’t play myself, sooooooo amazing. All of them screamed 😀

Indulging in the Controller:

Perhaps the biggest change with this new Gear VR is the fact that it now comes with a controller. Each device ships out with this new controller and if you already have the old version, you can just buy the controller for $40 and it will work perfectly fine.

The controller is designed to provide you with a more immersive experience and features a circular touchpad with volume and other buttons. There’s also a rear-mounted trigger, making it perfect for playing games.

Designed to be sleek and lightweight, the controller is fairly easy to handle and requires two AAA batteries to operate. You can use it not just for games but it can be used to navigate various apps you’re using with the Gear VR as well.

Gear VR Performance and Verdict:

After trying this out, it’s easy to tell that Samsung definitely improved on an already exciting product. Sure, the technology is still in its infancy and will only get better over time but what the Gear VR offers now is truly amazing.

The Gear VR 2017 offers a 101 degree field. However, expect slight blurring around the edges (I used an S8+ with mine) but it’s not really a deal breaker. The phone also stayed relatively cool without any uncomfortable heating.

Speaking of comfort, the foam face pad lining felt good on my face while the wide stretchy headbands ensured that the Gear VR sat comfortably on my head without any drooping.

Overall, the Samsung Gear VR 2017 manages to provide a fun experience to those who are already fans of virtual reality. As mentioned, there are still very minor kinks to work out including maybe adding the option for integrated audio and a much easier setup but for the price and the experience of virtual reality, I’d say this is a strong contender.