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Oculus Go, The Standalone VR Platform, Is Available Now
A new virtual reality headset is now available with Oculus Go hitting stores today. It's a portable, standalone VR platform that doesn't require a powerful PC or smartphone to power the headset, and it's from the makers of the Rift. Oculus Go also carries a relatively light price tag at $200 USD / £200 GBP / $300 AUD for the 32GB model, while the 64GB model goes for $250 / £250 / $369.
By nature of being cheaper and running solely on built-in hardware, Oculus Go isn't intended to deliver the same caliber of experiences as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, or PlayStation VR platforms. Instead, it's an accessible device powered by a Snapdragon 821 processor and a 5.5-inch LCD display with a resolution of 2560x1440. While this is an all-in-one VR solution, it lacks internal cameras for room-scale tracking. You'll be able to look around a 3D space, of course, but applications won't track leaning or physical movements on foot.
A single controller, powered by two AA batteries, comes packed with the headset. It's simply made up of a circular touch pad, one trigger, and the Back and Home buttons. In terms of sound, a 3.5mm audio jack let's you use your own headphones, although Oculus Go has a spatial audio solution built into the sides of the headset.
The Oculus Go VR system, not much to it. (Sarah Tew/CNET)It's worth nothing that a phone is required to access the Oculus App for purchasing and installing software. There are already 1,000 games and applications available for the headset in the Oculus Store, which includes a few notable titles like Republique VR, Anshar Online, and They Suspect Nothing. However, the new headset's ecosystem is built around video and social experiences like the Oculus Rooms, Oculus Venues, and Oculus TV applications.
GameSpot's sister site CNET reviewed the Oculus Go and senior editor Scott Stein said, "Oculus Go is VR for the masses: A self-contained, standalone virtual reality headset that's portable, affordable and delivers a great experience for the price."
For more on virtual reality, check out our HTC Vive Pro review or read through our feature on how big games like Fallout 4 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim fare in VR.
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By nature of being cheaper and running solely on built-in hardware, Oculus Go isn't intended to deliver the same caliber of experiences as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, or PlayStation VR platforms. Instead, it's an accessible device powered by a Snapdragon 821 processor and a 5.5-inch LCD display with a resolution of 2560x1440. While this is an all-in-one VR solution, it lacks internal cameras for room-scale tracking. You'll be able to look around a 3D space, of course, but applications won't track leaning or physical movements on foot.
A single controller, powered by two AA batteries, comes packed with the headset. It's simply made up of a circular touch pad, one trigger, and the Back and Home buttons. In terms of sound, a 3.5mm audio jack let's you use your own headphones, although Oculus Go has a spatial audio solution built into the sides of the headset.
The Oculus Go VR system, not much to it. (Sarah Tew/CNET)It's worth nothing that a phone is required to access the Oculus App for purchasing and installing software. There are already 1,000 games and applications available for the headset in the Oculus Store, which includes a few notable titles like Republique VR, Anshar Online, and They Suspect Nothing. However, the new headset's ecosystem is built around video and social experiences like the Oculus Rooms, Oculus Venues, and Oculus TV applications.GameSpot's sister site CNET reviewed the Oculus Go and senior editor Scott Stein said, "Oculus Go is VR for the masses: A self-contained, standalone virtual reality headset that's portable, affordable and delivers a great experience for the price."
For more on virtual reality, check out our HTC Vive Pro review or read through our feature on how big games like Fallout 4 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim fare in VR.
More...