The expected Oculus device has been slow to arrive (Zuckerberg announced its release to the market earlier this year), but at last it is already among us. On May 1st the new member of the Facebook family was introduced. And, most importantly, it is now available for sale all over the world. In Spain from € 219, taxes included.
We still do not have official figures, but according to several media, in the first week the inventory has been wiped out, and that the distribution points had a large stock in the face of a predictable high demand, which would still have been overcome.
A few months ago we anticipated in our blog some of the characteristics that the Go would have, but now we can speak with knowledge of cause after a marathon weekend using our new glasses.
Appearance
The first thing to say is that Oculus Go is a standalone device, that is, it does not need an external processor (smartphone or PC), which in addition to offering greater independence and freedom, not being connected by cables, achieves a significant weight reduction up to 467 grams. This translates into greater comfort for the user, who will take a little more time to feel the weight of the glasses and experience discomfort in the support on the nose.
Xiami, the Oculus partner company, which has been involved in the development of the hardware, has designed a pair of glasses with a compact appearance, without much aesthetic detail but with a quite resistant appearance.
The adjustment is made with elastic bands that hold the glasses to our head in a comfortable way, both at the temples and the top of the skull, and that can also adapt to the size of the head with a few simple Velcro.
The front visor is adjusted to the face by means of a comfortable and comfortable touch pad, although here we find one of the main failures of the case: too much light enters the lower area of the nose, something especially annoying if we are in a room very bright.
Regarding viewing, two important novelties are included. On the one hand, the focus roulette to which we were so accustomed in other brands disappears, and if you use prescription glasses, the set includes an adapter that is placed inside the pad to allow a greater distance from the lenses.
The only buttons available on the casing are the on-off button and the volume control bar.
Characteristics and specifications
The device works with a single command and has an LCD screen with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,449 pixels (WQHD) and a pixel density of 538ppp. The refresh rate of the screen is 60Hz or 72Hz (depending on the type of experience).
One of the most curious elements is the spatial sound located at the beginning of the elastic band, which provides a very immersive feeling, although with the disadvantage that we will not be isolated from the rest of the ambient noises and that the sound itself reproduces the contents. be heard by our environment if the volume is high. In some applications to achieve a better experience recommend connecting a headset, probably to mitigate that external noise.
Charging is done through a micro USB port located on the side of the glasses next to the button of the external hearing aids.
Regarding the monitoring of physical movement, it is of a stationary type, that is, it has only 3 degrees of freedom and therefore it does not detect physical movement, only the rotation of the head and that of the control.
Control
Of reduced size, light weight and attractive aesthetic, it has two buttons (return and home) and a trackpad on the top, plus a trigger on the back. It works with a normal battery.
Batery
The battery is not removable and has a full-time use of about three hours, while the full charge is made in about 2 and a half hours, no doubt a negative point.
Installation
To configure the Go only need a Smartphone (iPhone or Android) and Wi-Fi to tune our glasses. We will download the Oculus Mobile app (available in App Store and Google Play) and after a few simple steps, which we will apply with our phone, we will be able to fully enjoy the available contents, which will also be downloaded via mobile, although later we will have to install them from the glasses.
Contents
Another of the Oculus Go’s strengths regarding the competition. And is that all games and applications available for the Gear VR are compatible with the Oculus Go, which means that today and has more than a thousand titles available to enjoy. The box itself where the glasses come and announces some of the most prominent: Netflix, Facebook, Discovery VR and a large number of games. As in the Samsung catalog, we can choose between free and paid downloads.
Depending on the amount of content that we are expected to install, we can choose between a capacity of 32Gb (€ 219) or 64 Gb (€ 269).
Who is the Oculus Go aimed at?
Zuckerberg made it clear in the presentation of the device. The Go is a product designed to bring virtual reality to the masses, especially new users who have just tried this technology.
The most experienced in the world VR have already had occasion to interact with much more advanced devices, both in quality of vision and benefits, but do not forget that this is a product whose definitive characteristic is the quality-price ratio. Analyzed within this context the result is simply excellent glasses and the great hope that virtual reality begins to be consumed in a much more massive way.
Review
Advantages
Standalone (Totally independent of a Smartphone or a PC)
Great value for the price
Comfort
The entire Samsung Gear catalog (more than 1000 applications)
Disadvantages
Only 3 degrees of freedom
Battery life: About 3 hours at full capacity and a full charge time slightly longer than two and a half hours.
Entry of light through the lower part of the nose, which entails shine and reduces the sensation of immersion
Price
32 Gb: 219€
64 Gb: 269€
Oficial site: www.oculus.com/go
