Oculus Go VR Headset ($199, standalone) stealth released, available now.

MrKlaw said:

So
$200 for a basic but wireless 3dof oculus go
$400 for slightly more powerful mobile daydream with 6dof, or a tethered oculus rift, or tethered mixed reality
$500 for a Vive

Who knows how much for Santa Cruz.

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Worth mentioning that Santa Cruz isn't mobile VR in the same way Oculus Go or the Lenovo Mirage Solo is mobile VR. The details are still sparse, but it's looking more and more like Santa Cruz is going to be a PC inside the headset, more comparable to Hololense, rather than mobile phone tech.

Cheebo said:

Awesome! How did you go about doing that? Connecting the Go to a PC via a Micro-USB cable?

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exactly. after proving that out, I then sideloaded benchmark apps using ADB, then navigated them with a combination of a connected mouse and a LOT of squinting (the benchmarks were all meant for 2D screens, and Oculus Go renders those kinds of images very weirdly). this required enabling "developer mode" with the smartphone Oculus app.

Altera said:

Does this have the gap in the nose area that lets light in like the rift does? I've always hated that.

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yes. a small, tolerable light will bleed in through that opening if you don't bolt this thing super-tightly to your face. so, either accept light bleed or make the raccoon-face effect more intense.

samred said:

fyi

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Wow, that's actually impressive. I'm thinking about picking one of these up for media consumption.

dgdas9 said:

Ahahah I made it sound like a conspiracy theory or something. My point was that the other Daydream thing from Xiaomi never ended up coming out, and it's very similar to this. It seems like Oculus just kinda swooped in and stole the deal from Google or something. But that's just conjecture.

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It's more that the chinese VR market exploded in ways that caught many people off guard (what this forum seems to have expected these VR headsets to be in terms of a console launch in the west, is more like what happened in China) and these manufacturers are starting to go their own way. For example, HTC was going to build a DayDream headset, but at the last moment pulled DayDream from it and released it as the Vive Focus.

I kinda expect Xiaomi to do the same.

Tharp said:

Wow, that's actually impressive. I'm thinking about picking one of these up for media consumption.

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Even better, that screencap is from lying on my couch and "mousing" around with the handheld controller while my head is oriented up at the ceiling. Seriously, read my review for my impressions of using Go while lying in bed.

As soon as there's a portable headset like this with 4K resolution I'm in.

samred said:

Even better, that screencap is from lying on my couch and "mousing" around with the handheld controller while my head is oriented up at the ceiling. Seriously, read my review for my impressions of using Go while lying in bed.

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Your review was the one that made me interested in the first place! You talking about using it easily while in bed is exactly what I was hoping it could be. Your picture you posted here was just the push over the edge on buying. I could easily see myself bringing a little bluetooth keyboard around and coding on the go with remote desktop if text is easily readable like that. At the very least it'll be a nicer way to watch stuff in bed at night instead of holding my phone in front of my face.

Can't wait to pick mine up tomorrow!

Tharp said:

Your review was the one that made me interested in the first place! You talking about using it easily while in bed is exactly what I was hoping it could be. Your picture you posted here was just the push over the edge on buying. I could easily see myself bringing a little bluetooth keyboard around and coding on the go with remote desktop if text is easily readable like that. At the very least it'll be a nicer way to watch stuff in bed at night instead of holding my phone in front of my face.

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just beware, it's wonky about bluetooth/peripheral support at the moment. as in, you can't connect outside bluetooth devices beyond the Go controller for now. I had to use a micro-USB hub just to get a wired mouse working in certain 2D apps, and that hub didn't let me properly connect my wired XB1 pad, either.

Looking forward to the friction-less aspects with this device. No wires. No connecting phone. Much less un-needed software updates with a dedicated OS.

Wollan said:

Looking forward to the friction-less aspects with this device. No wires. No connecting phone. Much less un-needed software updates with a dedicated OS.

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But everything else about it sucks... it's like having a lamberginni with no engine.

The resolution isn't good. The tracking and the library as well as graphics performance doesn't compare to any of the headsets.

Having tried vive, the Samsung odyssey both with powerful pcs as well at the gear vr with a top of the line galaxy s9 I can say that the gulf is gigantic in terms of presence and immersion.

If you find the experience gimmicky with this, as it felt to me with the gear vr, don't dismiss it off hand until you can get your hands on proper vr.

Krejlooc said:

Worth mentioning that Santa Cruz isn't mobile VR in the same way Oculus Go or the Lenovo Mirage Solo is mobile VR. The details are still sparse, but it's looking more and more like Santa Cruz is going to be a PC inside the headset, more comparable to Hololense, rather than mobile phone tech.

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Is the Lenovo Mirage the only deviceless Daydream, or is Google coming out with one of their own?

Kinthalis said:

If you find the experience gimmicky with this, as it felt to me with the gear vr, don't dismiss it off hand until you can get your hands on proper vr.

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No worries. I own all the other headsets + Gear VR.

Khezu said:

Is it weird I kinda want to get one even though I have a rift?
All the wires and shit make me not want to fuck it ever, and the idea of using it to lay in bed and watch videos sounds really neat.

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no i own a rift and would also like something like this. but i feel it's ground level stuff and not worth the price tag for now, unless you've been dicking around with gear vr for awhile and want the next level.

i'll wait for the next iteration of these kind of headsets, invest in the upper tier for now

Dr_Boris_Goltz said:

Is the Lenovo Mirage the only deviceless Daydream, or is Google coming out with one of their own?

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HTC, Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, LG, ZTE, Asus, Alcatel, and Lenovo all have stand alone DayDream headsets announced, but only Lenovo has shown theirs off and has a release date and price.

GameFace has also evolved into a DayDream headset when in stand alone mode, and a SteamVR Headset when tethered, but it's pretty much vaporware and has been "in the works" since 2014.

Much like google did with their phones originally, there is no single DayDream headset and none from Google, although the Pixel DayDream Headset (as in a headset for the Pixel phones, not stand alone) is the "reference" DayDream Headset.

Worth mentioning -- the current DayDream headsets that slot in Android N phones do NOT have 6DOF. They are 3DOF. The 6DOF "world sense" stuff is supposed to debut with the Lenovo headset.

Hugo Barra did a quick unboxing video:

Mobile phone VR is a nice cheap way to try out the tech.

But using your everyday phone with a screen protector (and maybe a crack or 2 on the screen protector) that may have smudges on is not the best solution for me.

These phone Vr shells have and will sell pretty ok for a few years.
But I think the stand alone option will become the most popular option because of convenience.

Anthony Hopkins said:

Mobile phone VR is a nice cheap way to try out the tech.

But using your everyday phone with a screen protector (and maybe a crack or 2 on the screen protector) that may have smudges on is not the best solution for me.

These phone Vr shells have and will sell pretty ok for a few years.
But I think the stand alone option will become the most popular option because of convenience.

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Also, the same technology can go a lot further with a stand alone headset. With a phone, all the design is focused on size and convenience. Heat and CPU throttling are a huge deal, because there is no real cooling inside of a phone (because there is no room). With a headset like this, they can add proper heat sinks and design the thing to cool the hardware much better, allowing it to be pushed farther. If you push GearVR too hard, for example, the phone will actually overheat and turn off. These units shouldn't have that problem at all. In fact, that being able to lay down and watch a movie is a big selling point is proof of that. Not only can the hardware be pushed further, a lot of the superfluous stuff that resides in the phone operating system by virtue of it being a phone can be removed. GearVR already sort of does this, disabling a lot of non-necessary processes for VR mode, but these can go further.

The end result is something that, while pretty much the same hardware as the phone-based GearVRs, actually do more.

LukarWuff said:

Did Minecraft for Gear VR ever get the Better Together update like the regular mobile version? I can see myself getting it eventually if it can play that.

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Yes.

Minecraft on Gear VR was made from the same codebase as Minecraft on mobile and Win 10. So it actually always had cross play with them even before the Better Together Update. It gets updated alongside the other versions.

Unfortunately it looks like it is not compatible with Oculus Go for some reason.
https://www.oculus.com/experiences/gear-vr/1046887318709554/

Hopefully that changes in the future.

Just got home with mine. It's pretty neat so far. Seems way better quality than the gear vr + s7 edge combo I used in the past. Setup was easy, can barely see any SDE, and zero god rays.

Dreamwriter said:

Did you try the movies in the Oculus Store (ones that one would think Oculus would have the video source for)?

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No, I didn't. I don't really buy movies, and definitely not ones I can only use on Oculus? I mainly would want it for watching TV shows and stuff on a large virtual screen.

samred said:

Much of my review is dedicated to this proposition. Scroll to page 3. Bullet point:

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Was the dithering in Netflix/Color loss still really bad? That made it impossible for me to Stream video on it. I'm just curious if they changed something there.

This device seems terrible - It's quite saddening to see Era posters considering this as their "jump in" to VR :( Might be worth picking one up for porn, but even then it seems not great with it's limited storage space and inability to play anything greater than 4K due to snapdragon.

Any issues with god rays or ghosting/smearing? I could deal with the screen door effect, but god rays made movies unwatchable to me on the Rift. The sole appeal to this device for me would be as a VR movie theater.

Fuck yea, i've been waiting since November to get my hands on one of these.

This seems like the perfect headset for chilling on the sofa while watching netflix.

I think the Go is a HUGE leap forward for VR in terms of both convenience and accessibility - feels like the beginning of a new phase for the medium. :)

DanceToTheRadio said:

Any issues with god rays or ghosting/smearing? I could deal with the screen door effect, but god rays made movies unwatchable to me on the Rift. The sole appeal to this device for me would be as a VR movie theater.

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I just messed around with the plex app and I some random games and I haven't seen any god rays. It's way better watching video on this than on a rift.

like gear vr, you don't need glasses right?

apessino said:

I think the Go is a HUGE leap forward for VR in terms of both convenience and accessibility - feels like the beginning of a new phase for the medium. :)

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It is and it isn't. It's pretty neat to finally have a fully all-in-one VR solution that can be pointed to, from a large player (i.e. not a dimestore clone at walmart) in VR, that is within impulse-buy price range.

But being 3DOF in 2018 is such a huge killer. If this had 6DOF then this would be a no brainer win for VR. As is... eh. One step forward, one step backwards.

apessino said:

I think the Go is a HUGE leap forward for VR in terms of both convenience and accessibility - feels like the beginning of a new phase for the medium. :)

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Yeah, it's pretty exciting. Another great aspect is when Santa Cruz (The 6dof stand alone with 6dof controllers) comes out, your whole Oculus Go library is most likely backwards compatible with it. So it's not like you are investing in a library you'll toss out the window once the new headset comes out.

Krejlooc said:

It is and it isn't. It's pretty neat to finally have a fully all-in-one VR solution that can be pointed to, from a large player (i.e. not a dimestore clone at walmart) in VR, that is within impulse-buy price range.

But being 3DOF in 2018 is such a huge killer. If this had 6DOF then this would be a no brainer win for VR. As is... eh. One step forward, one step backwards.

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Yes, there are still compromises, but I feel this is a device that makes the sacrifices that are most logical for the current state of the industry - freedom from tethers and (especially) cost are going to open doors for lots of new users and applications, and where the users are the developers follow, which means we will get lots of new, innovative VR apps and games.

VR really needs this, there is only so much that can be accomplished in the "premium" space where the development financials just don't justify much beyond investment - at some point you got to turn investment into market. With the Go, an actual self-sustaining ecosystem is a realistic possibility because the device is "good enough" and, crucially, affordable enough to attract a new audience.

That's my hope at least. :)

How feasible do you think it is to build shutters inside the hmd that block the screens while you're not wearing it? Sunlight damage seems way more likely with the Go.

I'm not talking DIY but quality of life feature stuff, like a mute button.

Heid said:

How feasible do you think it is to build shutters inside the hmd that block the screens while you're not wearing it? Sunlight damage seems way more likely with the G

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Are you asking me? Cuz I have no idea. My guess is that it seems like the perfect opportunity for enterprising 3rd parties to provide some sort of hook-up solution (like a cover for a tablet). Maybe... ;)

Still, were it up to me, something customized to improve the seal around the nose to block more light would be the first thing I'd try to come up with...

I just want to be able to lie down on a couch and play games from my PC without drowning in wires. :(

I think it may be a case that 6DoF is simply ready yet for standalone VR. Not readily available with a consumer-friendly price tag at least.

Pico Neo is the only standalone VR headset with 6DoF on both headset and controller, but cost $750 (limited library aside).

Erekiddo said:

I just want to be able to lie down on a couch and play games from my PC without drowning in wires. :(

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"Games"? What VR game allows you to lie down?

Ferrio said:

"Games"? What VR game allows you to lie down?

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you can use stuff like big screen or virtual desktop to stream normal PC games on large, floating screens. It's nice to be able to completely recline and have your head at comfortable level with a huge screen just in the right spot.

Krejlooc said:

you can use stuff like big screen or virtual desktop to stream normal PC games on large, floating screens. It's nice to be able to completely recline and have your head at comfortable level with a huge screen just in the right spot.

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I know, I own a Vive. But if your only reason to get one is to play regular games on the couch without wires there's already a solution, it's called a TV.

I have yet to find using the headsets as a regular screen worth it.

For $200, you're already halfway to a real Oculus so it doesn't make much sense for the hardcore audience. On the flip side, $200 is far too much for a curious casual consumer who wants to find out more about VR.

So uh who exactly is this for?

Santa Cruz sounds more like what I'd want, I think I'll wait for that.

JigglesBunny said:

For $200, you're already halfway to a real Oculus so it doesn't make much sense for the hardcore audience. On the flip side, $200 is far too much for a curious casual consumer who wants to find out more about VR.

So uh who exactly is this for?

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a real oculus requires a 600-700$+ pc

it's over a grand

Senator Toadstool said:

a real oculus requires a 600-700$+ pc

it's over a grand

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and isnt wireless.

JigglesBunny said:

For $200, you're already halfway to a real Oculus so it doesn't make much sense for the hardcore audience. On the flip side, $200 is far too much for a curious casual consumer who wants to find out more about VR.

So uh who exactly is this for?

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$200 is far cheaper compared to the alternative (Samsung Galaxy Phone + Gear VR) for casual consumers who are curious about VR

The optics in this give me a lot of hope for the second generation Rift. Shit's gonna be wild.

This is probably the best device on the market right now for consuming VR media. I have a feeling it'll do pretty well to catch those that are just VR curious.

I currently own the Samsung Gear VR with my S8+. It gets old pretty fast, the selection of interesting games is very, very limited. A lot of them are just kinda dinky time waster type things. That said, it really makes me want to get a proper VR headset.

JigglesBunny said:

For $200, you're already halfway to a real Oculus so it doesn't make much sense for the hardcore audience. On the flip side, $200 is far too much for a curious casual consumer who wants to find out more about VR.

So uh who exactly is this for?

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Porn consumers for one. That's not snark. VR porn is cool, but attaching yourself to a PC with wires kills the vibe. This is the leap forward it needs to take offf.

update: by using the Oculus smartphone app, you can tell an updated Xbox One controller (the ones that added Bluetooth) to pair with a Go headset. I just tested this to play Pinball FX 2, and works fine.

(I hate using the Oculus smartphone app, however, as it requires having GPS turned on. sickening move on Oculus's part. I deleted the Oculus app as soon as I got my headset working during the testing phase, since it otherwise doesn't require a connected phone's app to turn on, update, etc.)

Ordered one to mainly inspect 360 captures im doing and showing to clients, can't wait for it to be delivered.

Wallach said:

The optics in this give me a lot of hope for the second generation Rift. Shit's gonna be wild.

This is probably the best device on the market right now for consuming VR media. I have a feeling it'll do pretty well to catch those that are just VR curious.

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Can we make vicurious a word?