The Best Windows VR Headset Deal for Cyber Monday 2017

The holiday shopping season is here, and VR is getting some sizable discounts to come along with it, making the prospect of owning a VR headset even more affordable. We’re keeping an eye out for the best Windows VR headset deals during Cyber Monday 2017.

Updated 11/27/17, 12:45AM ET

Windows VR Deal Baselines

Windows VR headsets, compatible with the ‘Windows Mixed Reality’ platform, have only been out a few months, and come from a variety of manufacturers including Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Samsung. All the headsets except for one, Samsung’s Odyssey headset, appear to be based on the same reference design provided by Microsoft, so they’re more or less the same outside of the obvious styling differences. To get a good idea of what’s at stake savings-wise though, here’s the headsets’ base prices:

  • Acer Headset + Controllers – $400
  • Lenovo Explorer + Controllers – $400
  • Dell Visor + Controllers – $450
  • HP Headset + Controllers – $450

Oh, and check out our review of Acer’s headset for a deep dive on what makes Windows VR headsets tick.

The Best Windows Mixed Reality Headset Cyber Monday Deal – Lenovo Explorer

Image courtesy Lenovo

If you want to join the ‘Windows Mixed Reality’ ecosystem and don’t care about the small differences between the first generation of Windows VR headsets, the best deal so far is the Lenovo Explorer for $300 from the Microsoft Store, a $100 savings which includes the headset and controllers. The deal lasts until 11:59 PM PST on November 27th.

This is by far the cheapest Windows VR headset on offer, making it the best deal out of the lot, however Microsoft is also offering discounts ranging from $50 to $100 on the other Windows VR headsets too:

The Best VR Ready PC + Windows VR Headset Bundle Cyber Monday Deal

Want to pick up a Windows VR headset but need a Windows VR PC to go along with it? The best deal we’ve found so far is this VR Ready PC and HP Mixed Reality headset bundle from Microsoft for $750.

Other Windows VR Headset Deals to Consider

There aren’t an abundance of game bundles, or other deals coming along with the headsets this year, as it seems Microsoft has set made the deals exclusive to the Microsoft Store. There are some interesting hardware bundles though if you don’t have a computer capable of running more intense applications and games:

There’s also the ongoing Steam Autumn Sale where you can save big on VR games (many of which now support Windows VR headsets).


If you’ve found a better deal on the web, let us know in the comments and we’ll include it in our savings round-up.

The post The Best Windows VR Headset Deal for Cyber Monday 2017 appeared first on Road to VR.

The Best Samsung Odyssey Deal for Cyber Monday 2017

The prospect of owning a VR headset is even more affordable this holiday shopping season as VR is getting some sizable discounts to come along with it. We’re keeping tabs on the best Samsung Odyssey deals during Black Friday 2017 through Cyber Monday as they come in.

Updated: 11/27/17, 2:20AM ET

Samsung VR Headset Deal Baseline

Samsung HMD Odyssey is widely considered the ‘premium’ option among the line of Windows Mixed Reality headsets, what with its built-in audio and refined styling. Only on the market for a few months, the headset + controller bundle normally costs $500, a deal you can find from retailers including Samsung, Microsoft Store, and Best Buy.

The Best Samsung Odyssey Cyber Monday Deal

Image courtesy Samsung

The best Samsung HMD Odyssey Cyber Monday 2017 deal we’ve found online so far is Microsoft Store for $450, a $50 savings which includes the headset and controllers. The deal lasts until 11:59 PM PST on November 27th.

Other Samsung Odyssey Deals to Consider

  • Buy a CyberPower VR-ready Desktop ($630) and get $400 off a Windows VR Headset at Best Buy 
  • Save $150 on Samsung Odyssey Laptop + Samsung HMD Odyssey at Microsoft Store

If you’ve found a better deal on the web, let us know in the comments and we’ll include it in our Cyber Monday savings round-up.

The post The Best Samsung Odyssey Deal for Cyber Monday 2017 appeared first on Road to VR.

Samsung Teases 6-DoF Standalone VR Headset as Company’s ‘Next Mobile VR System’

Taeyong Kim, VP of Samsung Electronics and Head of Graphics R&D, took the stage last month at the company’s annual developer conference to talk a little bit about the future of VR for the company. While no big reveals were expected for the talk, Kim actually mentioned to the crowd that the company is actively working on a standalone VR headset with inside-out tracking and 6 DoF controllers as their ‘next mobile VR product’.

“The question is, how do we combine the benefits of [Gear VR and Odyssey] together for our next VR system?” said Kim. “That’s the question we’re asking at this point. So we think the next mobile VR system would have inside-out positional tracking along with 6 DoF motion controllers. Imagine what you can do with a system where you can track your motion […] along with your hands […] and also use it wherever you are with its full mobility.”

The full video can be found here.

Kim says the company is partnering with Intel to bring inside-out positional technology to a standalone VR headset. Intel has been working on its own standalone headset called Project Alloy until it was scrapped back in September, possibly making for a fortuitous turn of events for the tech to live on in the hands of the well-seasoned Korean manufacturer.

SEE ALSO
Samsung Suggests High-Powered, Standalone VR Headset To Compete With Rift and Vive

If Samsung pulls through with their own standalone VR headset with 6 DoF controllers, it would be in direct competition with Oculus’ upcoming Santa Cruz prototype, and to a lesser extent with the newly revealed Vive Focus. The future of Vive Focus is uncertain however, as HTC hasn’t said specifically if the headset is staying in China, or making its way to the West at some point. Either way, it won’t be running the Daydream app store and likely only have 3 DoF controllers despite its similar inside-out tracking capabilities.

As for the growing divide between Oculus and Samsung; with the advent of the $200 Oculus Go mobile VR headset announced back at Oculus Connect, it will certainly be interesting to see if app marketplaces diverge, as for now Gear VR (powered by Oculus) is still very much a Samsung product.

Kim says more details we arrive in the near future.

The post Samsung Teases 6-DoF Standalone VR Headset as Company’s ‘Next Mobile VR System’ appeared first on Road to VR.

5 Windows VR Headsets Now Available for Pre-Order Including Samsung Odyssey

At Microsoft’s special Mixed Reality event today, the company announced that all of their VR headsets destined to ship this holiday season are accounted for, and are now available for pre-order including headsets from Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo and the newly revealed Samsung ‘HMD Odyssey’. There’s still no word on a launch date for Asus’ futuristic low-poly headset.

Since Microsoft provided its list of OEMs the same reference design, all of the available headsets except Samsung Odyssey follow the basic specs below.

Windows VR Headsets: Basic Specs

  • Dual displays at 1440 x 1440 per eye
  • 2.89” diagonal display size (x2)
  • Front hinged display
  • 95 degrees horizontal field of view
  • Display refresh rate up to 90Hz (native)
  • Built-in audio out and microphone support through 3.5mm jack
  • Single cable with HDMI 2.0 (display) and USB 3.0 (data) for connectivity
  • Inside-out tracking
  • 4.00m cable

Samsung HMD Odyssey

Leading the pack is Samsung’s HMD Odyssey, featuring a higher comparative resolution with its 2880 x 1600 OLED, pushing a 90Hz refresh and up to 110 degree field of view. Integrated audio and integrated dual mic array clearly put this ahead of its Windows “Mixed Reality” cousins, but it also comes at the price tag of $500 (with motion controllers), the same as an Oculus Rift.

The Samsung HMD Odyssey will be available later this year in the US, China, Korea, Brazil and Hong Kong, with pre-orders beginning in the US only on October 3rd. US launch is slated for November 6th.

Samsung HMD Odyssey Pre-order

Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset

Image courtesy Acer

At the lowest price tier for $400 (with controllers) is Acer’s retro-styled headset. Like all headsets in Microsoft’s lineup, it features a halo-style head strap and a flip-up design, although it uses less expensive materials in its construction, making it seem a little more plasticy than the others while offering the same basic functionality. Shipping October 17th.

Acer VR Headset Pre-order

Dell Visor

Image courtesy Dell

Smooth and futuristic, Dell’s Visor falls in line with some premium styling that will set you back $450 (with controllers). A rubberized texture gives the headset good grip without collecting finger prints, and was supposedly weighted in strategic spots to be more comfortable for longer play sessions. Shipping October 17th.

Dell Visor Pre-order

HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset

HP headset, image courtesy Windows

HP’s headset is more business than play in styling, with its facial interface featuring cutouts for eye glasses to go along with its sober grey scale tones. HP matches Dell in pricing at $450 (with controllers). Shipping October 17th.

HP VR Headset Pre-order

Lenovo Explorer

Image courtesy Lenovo

Another headset that looks like it means business is the Lenovo Explorer. With styling that looks at home with Lenovo’s line of ThinkPads, the headset sits at the lowest price tier of $400, of course offering all the same functionality. Shipping October 17th.

Lenovo Explorer Pre-order

The post 5 Windows VR Headsets Now Available for Pre-Order Including Samsung Odyssey appeared first on Road to VR.

Leak Suggests Samsung is Building a Windows VR Headset

There wasn’t any mention of Samsung getting into the Windows ‘Mixed Reality’ program when it was announced last year, which saw OEMs like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo tapped to create VR headsets around the same reference design. A recent leak however, showing a rendering of a Samsung-built VR headset emblazoned with a “Windows Mixed Reality” symbol, suggests otherwise.

Twitter user WalkingCat, known for diving into patents and leaking information on tech companies, tweeted out the picture today with no other information attached.

If the images can be believed, Samsung will be the first to offer Rift-style integrated audio, a departure from other ‘Mixed Reality’ headset manufacturers as all of them currently offer models (launching holiday season) with AUX-in so you can bring your own audio. Integrated audio is supposedly from AKG, the Austrian microphone and headphone manufacturer owned by Samsung, lending credence to the images.

With as many Windows ‘Mixed Reality’ headsets there are available, the revelation that Samsung is making one too isn’t that far-fetched either. As a display manufacturer and producer of Gear VR, the company has been in the VR game for long enough for something like this to make sense.

Without much else to go on, we’ll just have to wait and see if the headset materializes, hopefully for holiday season like its supposed VR brethren.

The post Leak Suggests Samsung is Building a Windows VR Headset appeared first on Road to VR.

Bill Gates Erfahrungen mit Gear VR und neuer Videokanal

Der Gründer von Microsoft und Multimilliardär Bill Gates veröffentlichte vor Kurzem einen 360-Grad-Videokanal für Gear VR. Darauf zeigt er den Zuschauern seine Erfahrungen und Abenteuer mit der VR-Technologie.

Bill Gates in der virtuellen Realität

Der neue Kanal heißt Gates Notes und derzeit sind vier Videos abrufbar. Auf diesen Videos erforscht Bill Gates das Potenzial der Technik, um damit Verbesserungen für unsere heutige Welt zu finden. Dazu gehören beispielsweise das Video Small Innovations – Big Impact. Dieses handelt davon, dass auch kleine Innovationen, die teilweise kaum wahrnehmbar sind, einen riesigen Einfluss auf unseren Alltag haben. Weitere Videos sind Sizophila, das von einer jungen Frau mit HIV in Johannisburg und den damit verbundenen Komplikationen handelt. Sowie Bill Gates and the man who blew up the moon, in der es um das Science-Fiction-Buch Seveneves geht. Der neue Kanal wird durch die Samsung Gear VR App beworben. Darin können sich die Nutzer der Gear VR auch über prominente Gäste freuen. So gibt es beispielsweise einen Dialog zwischen Gates und Warren Buffet in Philanthropists in golf carts eating dilly bars.

Anzumerken sei, dass dieser Kanal nicht das erste Experiment von Bill Gates mit Virtual Reality ist. Letztes Jahr produzierte er ein 360-Grad-Video in dem der berühmte Science-Fiction Autor Neal Stephenson, der übrigens Gates Lieblingsautor ist, auftrat. Darin fuhren die beiden in einem elektrischen Auto von Tesla und führten eine Diskussion. Dieses Video wurde an alle VR-Nutzer weltweit ausgestrahlt.

Wie oft Herr Gates neue Videos hochlädt und wie aktuell er dabei ist, steht noch nicht fest. Laut seinem Twitter Account soll der Kanal allerdings stetig aktuelle Inhalte erhalten. Warum er seine Inhalte für Gear VR veröffentlicht ist momentan noch unklar. Schließlich gehört diese zu Samsung und ist damit ein direkter Konkurrent für Microsofts eigenes Mixed-Reality-Headset HoloLens. Aktuell gibt es noch keine offiziellen Äußerungen von Microsoft darüber. Wir dürfen gespannt sein, was es damit auf sich hat.

(Quellen: vrfocus, Samsungvr)

Der Beitrag Bill Gates Erfahrungen mit Gear VR und neuer Videokanal zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!

Watch: Apelab’s Intriging New ‘Break a Leg’ Running on Gear VR’s Motion Controller

Swiss / LA based developers apelab have announced their latest project for Gear VR. It’s called ‘Break a Leg’ and it puts you in the top hat of an “improvised magician” as he strives to entertain his audience. Here’s the game running with the soon to be released Gear VR motion controller.

The problem with peripherals, especially those which launch after older iterations of the original hardware, is of ensuring good and sustained software support. The latest Gear VR headset will have its own dedicated motion controller, as announced at this year’s MWC and detailed at last week’s Samsung ‘Unpacked’ event.

SEE ALSO
Google Daydream Review: Casual VR Closes the Gap

Therefore, it’s important that Oculus and Samsung manage to entice developers to build compelling software for the controller, in order for the companies to avoid the chicken/egg situation of poor developer support leading to poor adoption and so on.

To that end, apelab have just announced a new Gear VR title built for the new motion controller, and the trailer for Break a Leg gives us more footage of the device in action.

Here’s the premise for the new title:

As you find yourself trapped in the backstage of an ancient theater, you are prompted to improvise a magic show without missing a beat. For centuries the owner of the Intergalactic Grand Theater has been kidnapping human illusionists, desperately looking for one capable of mastering the Greatest Power of the Galaxy as stated in the Ancient Book of Stellar Tricks.

Unfortunately, you are not a magician. But with the help of a mysterious ally, you will master the art of misdirection, conjuring, levitation, vanishing and more using all of the immersive functionalities the new controller can bring to mobile VR. But be careful, they really don’t like failure…

It’s a refreshingly original idea, and an ingenious way to utilise and encourage users to learn the new motion controller on the Gear VR platform. The actions performed with the new device – which derives input information via onboard sensors and doesn’t benefit from any absolute positional tracking – looks surprisingly effective in the trailer, although some actions by the player seem to be slow and deliberate, perhaps to hide the device’s shortcomings.

The project seems to be a collaboration with Oculus themselves, although it’s not clear whether the title was funded directly by them. Either way, clearly Oculus see the new motion controller as integral to the evolution of theirs and Samsung’s mobile VR platform – as evidenced by the promotional material released last week.

SEE ALSO
Oculus CTO: Improved Gear VR Visuals Part of a "brand new Oculus runtime system," Details Improvements

The new Gear VR headset and controller will be available together for $129 from April 21st, but if you’re considering pre-ordering Samsung’s latest S8 mobile phone, check out the offer Samsung currently has to snag the VR devices free alongside your purchase. Break a Leg meanwhile will be launched via Oculus Home for Gear VR later this year.

The post Watch: Apelab’s Intriging New ‘Break a Leg’ Running on Gear VR’s Motion Controller appeared first on Road to VR.

Get a Free Gear VR + Controller with Galaxy S8 Pre-orders, Offer Lasts Until 4/20

With the Galaxy S8 and S8+ coming later this month, Samsung is hoping to sweeten the deal with a free Gear VR headset and Controller for US and Canadian pre-orders before April 20th. And while there are plenty of free games on the Oculus app store, Samsung is also giving away a free Oculus content pack to get you started (US purchases only).

Samsung Galaxy S8 ($750) and Galaxy S8+ ($850) aren’t exactly cheap, but if you’re looking for an easy way to jump into VR and upgrade your phone, now may just be the time to act.

US carriers include AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile. The free Gear VR and Controller offer is also available for Canadian pre-orders (presumably unlocked devices), but the Oculus content bundle is for US customers only.

Gear VR Powered by Oculus Oculus

In addition, the US-based Samsung store is offering a pair of Harman AKG Y50BT black headphones ($149.95 value) and 256GB Samsung MicroSD EVO+ memory card ($146.48 value) for an additional $99 to go along with your free Gear VR headset/Controller and Oculus content bundle.

Free Gear VR with Galaxy S8 Pre-order

The Oculus content bundle includes End Space, Star Chart, Esper 2, Evil Robot Traffic Jam, and Ocean Rift—$50 in games for free.

The content bundle represents a good smattering of genres, from the heady Esper 2 (2016) puzzler to the fast-paced space battles of End Space (2016). While these are sure to keep you busy on your first few days, the store is matured a lot since it was first opened back in 2014, and is chocked full of great free games and experiences, so keep an eye on the top free section of the Oculus store. Oculus is boasting over 70 games on the store (with none of the ‘low-effort chaff’ you find on Google Play).

End Space Esper 2 Evil Robot Ocean Rift Star Chart

Social VR is also accessible using Gear VR, which can let you connect to the most of the VR headset-owning community thanks to cross-platform apps like Altspace VR and VTimenot to mention Oculus’s own Room app which is planned for cross-compatibility with the Oculus Rift in the near future.

Gear VR also lets you watch livestreaming 360 video like Next VR’s live sports coverage or special promotional 3D 360 videos like Ghost in the Shell VR Experience. Browse the web, watch Netflix in your private movie theater, go to museums—there’s so much to see and do on Gear VR.

For more VR apps, games and experiences, check out at the Oculus Store.

The post Get a Free Gear VR + Controller with Galaxy S8 Pre-orders, Offer Lasts Until 4/20 appeared first on Road to VR.

Samsung Suggests High-Powered, Standalone VR Headset To Compete With Rift and Vive

Continuing to push its established mobile VR business—recently revealing its flagship Galaxy S8 smartphones support and an updated Gear VR with controller—Samsung has again confirmed it has more powerful VR hardware up its sleeve. High-end, standalone VR headsets from Samsung are still in development, according to a report by CNET.

During an interview in South Korea just before the Galaxy S8 launch, Lee Young-hee, executive vice president of global marketing for Samsung mobile, confirmed that a high-end, standalone headset is “still under construction”. It is unclear whether the device can be tethered to a PC, but it is targeting “media producers and pro gamers”, so it certainly sounds like a device with aspirations to compete against the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift.

the New 2017 Gear VR with Controller
the New 2017 Gear VR with Controller

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a high-end VR headset from Samsung. Having collaborated with Oculus from an early stage in the Rift’s development, the technology giant has hinted at ambitious plans for VR over recent years, and recently showcased new VR/AR experiments at MWC. According to a report by PCWorld, prototype headsets were shown behind closed doors at the Barcelona event, showcasing the performance of their new 10nm Exynos 9 chips. Can a mobile chip deliver VR experiences comparable to those rendered on a high-end PC?

In April 2016, Injong Rhee, head of R&D for software and services confirmed the development of a standalone VR headset with positional tracking, and evidence of the ‘Odyssey’ gaming brand being associated with VR surfaced in July. During last year’s Samsung Developers Conference, Rhee discussed the vision of Samsung’s future VR hardware, calling out four key points – motion tracking, untethered, touch, and a ‘holodeck experience’.

“We have two tracks” for VR, said Lee Young-hee in the build-up to the Galaxy S8 launch. “First of all, let’s democratize this new demand … [and] make it part of our smartphone experience.”

The post Samsung Suggests High-Powered, Standalone VR Headset To Compete With Rift and Vive appeared first on Road to VR.

Improved Gear 360 Camera Launches Thursday With an Attractive New Price

Announced at Samsung’s Unpacked event earlier this year was a new version of the Gear 360, the company’s 360 camera. The event, which saw official announcement of the Galaxy S8/S8 plus and pricing info of the new Gear VR headset, revealed that the new Gear 360 is capable of capturing 360 video in 4K (4096 x 2160) at 24 fps, and livestreaming 2K to Facebook and YouTube. The camera is now due to launch in the US tomorrow (Thursday, May 25th) with an attractive new price of $229.

Update (5/24/17, 9:57AM PT): Since the original announcement of the new Gear 360 (also known as the 2017 Gear 360 or the Gear 360 2), Samsung has now revealed launch info for the camera in the US.

The device will hit store shelves Thursday, May 25th, priced at $229, which is $121 less than the original version launched in 2016. Samsung says the camera will be available for purchase in-store and online from Amazon, AT&T, Best Buy, T-Mobile, Verizon, US Cellular, and Samsung.

Also starting on May 25th, and running until June 19th, new purchases of the Galaxy S8 or S8+ smartphone can purchase the new Gear 360 for just $49.

Original Article (3/29/17): Now fitting in a bulbous hand-held form-factor, the 2017 Gear 360 is upping the resolution and spreading support to more devices including the iPhone 7, a first for the little 360 camera. Last year’s model shot at a max resolution of 3840 x 1920 at 30 fps, didn’t include livestreaming, and only connected to a a number of select Samsung handsets.

Samsung hasn’t released pricing and availability yet, but the company maintains shipping will start sometime in April or May and cost less than last year’s model at $350.

Gear 360 Specs (2017)

  • CMOS 8.4MP x2 / F2.2 lens (Default output pixel count equivalent to 15MP) Dual Lens Mode, Single Lens Mode (Front/Rear) Video, Photo, Time lapse, Video looping, Landscape HDR EV, Sharpness, White Balance, HDR, Wind Cut, ISO Limit (up to 1600) Horizontal Correction, Geo Tagging (via Smartphone)
  • Still Capturing (Max Resolution) 360˚ Dual Lens: up to 15MP (5472 x 2736) Single Lens: up to 3MP (2304 x 1296) Format: JPEG
  • Video Recording (Max Resolution) 360˚ Dual Lens: up to 4096 x 2048 (24fps) Single Lens: up to 1920 x 1080 (60fps) Codec: MP4 (H.265)
  • Recording time: Up to 130 mins (2560 x 1280 / 30fps)
  • Battery: 1,160mAh
  • Sensor: Gyro and Accelerometer
  • Smartphone compatibility: Galaxy S8, S8+, S7, S7 Edge, Note5, S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, A5/A7 (2017) running Android 5.0 or later. iPhone 7, 7+, 6S, 6S+, SE running iOS 10.0 or later.
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth v4.1, USB 2.0 (Type-C)
  • Water & Dust proof: IP53 (Dust and Splash-proof)

Like its predecessor, video is managed through the Samsung Gear 360 app, allowing the camera to change views and apply multiple modes on the fly. Samsung says that the app will also allow you to convert 360 content into a standard video or photo format.

Live-stream capture is sent wirelessly to PC or any one of the supported smartphones first, and then uploaded to either YouTube or Facebook as live broadcasts. It’s uncertain if Gear VR headsets will have access to these live-streams.

gear 360 2017 illustration

Everyone in attendance at Unpacked received a free Gear 360. Last year’s ‘gift’ was a Gear VR headset.

While you wait for pre-orders, check out this hands-on demo from Samsung’s own Newsroom in the meantime.

The post Improved Gear 360 Camera Launches Thursday With an Attractive New Price appeared first on Road to VR.