With so many Virtual Reality headsets out on the market, you might be confused about which one to buy, in which case this list of the 6 best VR headsets to buy for Samsung S5 and S6 is the one for you.
Virtual reality – a simulated environment that lets you achieve practically everything from scaling Mount Everest to diving into the depths of the Mariana Trench – is no more a futuristic concept: it can be experienced by the average consumer for fewer than a hundred dollars via a headset that makes use of a high-resolution smartphone. Of course the adventure that that affords is incomparable to the brilliance of PC-oriented Virtual Reality headsets, but nonetheless, it points to an incredible degree of progress that technology has made.
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There is intense competition among the various models of Virtual Reality headsets that have been released by multiple companies, and they all boast their own merits which can be quite perplexing for a rookie. Certain headsets are only compatible with smartphones that possess screens of a definite size, or have specific features in sync with the headset. To save all you Samsung Galaxy S5 and S6 users from doing the gargantuan task of combing through the Internet to find the best fit for you, we have taken suggestions from specialized websites such as Heavy, Wareable, Hypergrid Business, Science Focus and a few more, factoring in the comfort, the affordability, and of course, the features of popular headsets, and have thus created a compilation that will hopefully assist you in making a decision. As for ranking of the headsets we selected, we considered the price and the field of view – however in the case of a tie we gave precedence to the price. We consulted BestBuy for the prices of the headsets, but acknowledge that there is a huge variance in prices from different retailers. As for the Apple users out there reading this, maybe the 5 Best VR Headsets to buy for iPhone in 2016 will prove to be of some assistance to you.
Most of the VR headsets on our list are compatible with Samsung Galaxy S5, S5 mini, S6, S6 Edge and S6 Edge+ except for the occasional exception. But since we also kept S5 under consideration, we had to weed out the most exceptional VR headset out there, Samsung Gear VR, that is compatible with S6 and other more recent models. If you are an S6 user and are looking for the best possible Virtual Reality experience on your smartphone, then Samsung Gear VR is definitely our recommendation.
Now that the nitty-gritty has been covered, let’s peruse the best VR headsets to buy for Samsung S5 and S6:
6. Zeiss VR One Plus
Price: $129.99
Field of View: 100°
This headset, similar to the Zeiss VR One for which the introduction is shown below in the video, is a bit restricted in accommodating screen size such that S6 Edge+ and S5 mini can’t fit into its tray. However, fitting the phone into place is much easier than with cheaper models that use the spring mechanism. Moreover, Zeiss can be used with eyeglasses and is quite lightweight, comfortable, durable and well built. It also has glass lenses that are extremely sharp, but as we come to the cons of this device, we find that this actually works against it, for even with the highest definition smartphones you can discern the individual pixels upon zooming in. It also does not have control buttons and puts a huge hole in your pocket, so many questions if it’s worth its mammoth price. And now, let’s see the top 5 on our list of best VR headsets to buy for Samsung S5 and S6.
5. Merge VR Goggles
Price: $79.99
Field of View: 90°
Unfortunately, this headset also does not accommodate S6 edge+, but there are plenty of advantages to it that far outweigh the minimal snags. It is lighter than the Zeiss VR headset, and with its flexible foam, is comfortable to wear. It also offers adjustment of interpupillary distance (IPD), has two sliding buttons on top for control, and, most striking of all for many, has a bright purple frame made of an antimicrobial material. Lens distortion might be a problem, but Merge VR goggles present a route into Virtual Reality at a moderate price. Here’s a tutorial from the creators of Merge on how to get started:
4. Google Cardboard V2
Price: $15.00
Field of View: 80°
The pioneer of them all – the Google Cardboard which ranks 4th on our list of best VR headsets to buy for Samsung S5 and S6 – is an innovation like no other, and version 2, though a notch more expensive, enhances the original design with a few quirks such as a better button on top, a head strap, and adjustable lenses. Its more than affordable price yields a surprisingly okay Virtual Reality experience: certainly, more than you would expect from cardboard. It has several cons, though, such as lack of comfort, and it obviously does not even begin to compare with the better and far more expensive headsets out there, but for this miniature price tag at least you get a taste of what this incredible technology feels like. Moreover, as the video shows, you can make a simple cardboard headset yourself!
3. Homido V2 VR
Price: $79.99
Field of View: 103°
This headset is one of the best options that don’t burn a hole in your pocket, hence it takes up the third spot on our list of the 6 best VR headsets to buy for Samsung S5 and S6. It is reasonably priced and offers a substantial variety of features, notably that it lets you adjust the interpupillary distance and the focal length. These neat attributes play a significant role in expanding Homido’s available audience, and are a big tick if your clunky glasses and small budget are holding you back from VR. It is also quite lightweight, so you needn’t worry about tiring yourself as you use it.
2. Mattel View Master VR Starter-Pack
Price: $29.99
Field of View: 98°
This arguably gives the best virtual reality experience at an economical cost of all the Virtual Reality headsets we have traversed so far. Let’s get on to the drawbacks first: you have no access to audio ports, so the sound can be heard from speakers alone, it doesn’t come with a controller, and it is relatively heavier to the rest of the headsets we have discussed. But that’s all to be expected when you consider the shockingly low price, rivaling Google Cardboard, at which it provides the opportunity to immerse yourself into virtual reality.
1. Freefly VR Headset
Price: $69.00
Field of View: 120°
The Freefly Virtual Reality Headset has many qualities that helps it occupy the number 1 spot on our list of the 6 best VR headsets to buy for Samsung S5 and S6: the wide field of view, the smooth faux leather, the little weight, the incredible graphics, all essential in contributing to a high-quality journey through virtual reality. Moreover, it comes with a controller, so you’re getting good value for your money. However, there is no adjustment for interpupillary distance or for focal length, and it can get a little hot because of the leather. Additionally, all you S5 mini users are out of luck: your screen is too small to qualify for this headset. But in a nutshell, we definitely recommend the Freefly VR headset, if you can get over the strange winged exterior.
