Samsung Gear VR, the consumer version of the Oculus virtual reality headset, is now available for preorders and will ship next week. Consumers who have been anticipating its roll out can purchase the device at the Samsung website beginning Wednesday.
Although the VR headset is powered by Oculus technology, it is more like the Google Cardboard in the sense that it offers a way to view 3-D content using a mobile phone. The setup allows the wearer to enjoy a self-contained and portable gaming experience, according to Popular Science. Here, the user will technically be looking at the smartphone's screen and will use its processor for watching video and playing games.
The Gear VR is a critical milestone in virtual reality development because of its portability. Oculus Rift, for instance, requires a high-end computer with a high-performance graphic card in order to work. Also, the device is connected by wires, which are absent in the Gear VR. This is important because interacting with 3-D content requires moving around.
"We see virtual reality as the next computing platform, and we are thrilled to partner with Oculus on Gear VR to set the standard for mobile VR and bring this revolutionary product to consumers," Jong-Kyun Shin, CEO and president of the IT and mobile division of Samsung Electronics, said in a previous HNGN report.
Samsung VR retails at $99. It is also only available on specific devices. Naturally, these include the company's flagship phones: the Galaxy Note5, S6 edge+, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge.
