Best Google VR Headset

Originally available from the Google Store at around $30 and now available on Amazon for under $10, it’s safe to say the Google Cardboard is the most budget-friendly and accessible VR headset, as well as being a fun DIY project!

Because the Google Cardboard is a very literal product. It’s actually made of cardboard, a couple of lenses, and maybe some tape or velcro (depending on your DIY skills). If you’re a keen DIYer and want a bit more of a challenge, then you can even download instructions to make the Google Cardboard entirely from scratch.

However, if you’re a keen VR enthusiast, then the Cardboard isn’t going to blow you away. To use the Cardboard, you simply have to insert your phone inside. It’s a good way to show VR novices what all the fuss is about, however. 

While the DIY VR headsets are hard to get your hands on nowadays, if you can find one it takes about five minutes to assemble. The cardboard is pre-creased and labeled with numbers, and each piece has a corresponding number that tells you exactly where a certain tab needs to be fitted. Most Cardboards come with two lenses, double stick tape, velcro, and a rubber band. 

The rubber band is used to keep the phone in place, although the velcro does a good job of this too. When playing more intense games though you may need the extra hold.

There is also a strong magnet with a washer on the side that lets you control the phone. It can only press the phone using the phone’s magnetometer which is usually utilized by your phone’s compass. This is fairly effective, but it’s worth noting this may not work for every phone.

With NFC enabled on your phone, the Cardboard app should automatically launch on your phone once the DIY headset is inserted.

However, using the Cardboard isn’t exactly a hands-free experience. Some users have created their own version of the Cardboard where the velcro pieces have been attached. This keeps the small headset on without having to hold it. 

The display of Google Cardboard will depend on whatever phone you own. Smaller Android headsets tend to work better with the small viewer, and devices like the Google Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Moto X, Samsung Galaxy S4, S5, and Samsung Galaxy Nexus are fully compatible. If your phone doesn’t function with the magnet but can still run the apps it will be partially compatible. For example, the HTC One and Moto G. Larger Cardboards will even fit the Nexus 6, Samsung Note 2, Note 3, Note 4, Oneplus One, and iPhone 6 Plus. Android headsets will also require Jelly Bean 4.1 for the most optimal experience.

It may come as a surprise that the Cardboard is also compatible with iPhones! However, this is dependent on the availability of the apps on the platform.

Launched in 2016 and following the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Sony Playstation VR, Daydream was the next step in Google’s VR evolution. The Daydream View was originally designed to work hand-in-hand with Android 7.0 Nougat and Google’s Pixel phones. 

Like Cardboard, most of the operations of the Daydream are carried out by a smartphone, with the headset not containing any display or electronics. When it was launched it was only compatible with Pixel phones which made it rather limited. 

This was already a problem with Samsung’s Gear VR at the time, which was only compatible with the Galaxy S6 and S7. 

One of the best things about the Google Daydream is how aesthetically appealing it is. It is beautifully designed, with a soft, stretchy fabric for a comfortable fit. Unlike some VRs that look very off-putting and uncomfortable, you’ll be dying to wear the Daydream! Some may say it’s too simplistic looking though, maybe even deceptively so. Getting the screen in focus can be quite fiddly, and the rear elastic headband is quite tricky to adjust once it’s on your head. The weight of the phone often weighs the headset down, pulling it down over your nose and can leave the bulk of the headset resting on top of your cheekbones. Another strap at the top of the headset may help to make it more secure.

Slotting the phone in, however, is simple. You just need to unlatch the front of the headset, place your phone inside, and as long as your phone is switched on and unlocked, it will automatically switch to the VR headset. Then, just pop the catch back in place and you’re ready to go! It doesn’t exactly look elegant once the phone is inside it, and we would recommend not using the Pixel XL as it may be too big to be completely contained within the headset. The elastic catch may wear out after a while too. 

However, once everything is set up and sitting correctly on your face, you’re sure to be impressed. The optics are definitely an improvement from the Google Cardboard headset, and the 2,560 x 1,440 AMOLED display on a Pixel phone totally compliments the headset. It delivers superb, rich, and vibrant scenes that are also sharp and crisp. You’ll probably notice some motion blur when you move your head from side to side, but not enough to make you feel nauseous. 

Another great aspect of the Daydream is its bundled remote. You can tell Google has taken note of what needed to be improved or added since the Cardboard and this certainly delivered. The Daydream View remote works a lot like a Wii Remote on your TV. You simply hold it in your lap and use its variety of motion sensors and touchpads to navigate the virtual worlds. Much like a Wii Remote, it also comes with a wrist strap so you don’t lose the remote or accidentally hurl it across the room. We’ve all been there with our Wii Remotes!

You’ll find three buttons on the remote. A home button, a menu button, and a large, circular touchpad for clicking, scrolling, and interacting with apps and games. This works extremely well and can be set up for both right or left-handed use. It’s hard to lose the Daydream View remote too, as it comes with a small recess and elastic band in the main flap where you can store it.