Reality Check: Which VR Device Is Right for You?

Virtual-reality headsets from Google Cardboard to the top of the market.

Photo Illustration by Trey Wright for Bloomberg Businessweek. Headset images courtesy of brands. Cutouts: Sony (3); Vive (1); Getty (2)

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By Joshua Brustein

May 5, 2016 at 1:00 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

This article is part of the May 9, 2016 issue of businessweek.

1. Google Cardboard
Price: $15
You’ll need: A phone with at least Android 4.1 or iOS 8.0
Availability: Out now
The details: Google’s VR device is basically just some folded cardboard, two glass lenses, and a slot for a smartphone. What more would you expect for $15? You hold it up to your face instead of strapping it on, and mostly it’s used for watching 360-degree videos (refugee camps, political rallies, etc.), not playing games. If $15 is too expensive, Google has instructions for making your own headset at google.com/get/cardboard.
Buy it if: You want to see what the fuss is all about without dropping serious coin.

2. Samsung Gear VR
Price: $100
You’ll need: A Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, S6, S6 Edge, or Note 5
Availability: Out now
The details: Samsung’s headset is like Google Cardboard deluxe. It has better padding, sensors that can tell when you’re actually wearing it, and a button and a touchpad on the side so you’re able to navigate through apps and menus without taking it off. You can add a wireless video game controller, but Samsung really talks up its immersive movie-watching “experiences”—3D versions of hits like The Hunger Games and The Martian. More movies and games are being made available for Gear VR all the time, but the quality of the content is uneven.
Buy it if: You’re carrying around a Samsung phone and want more than Google Cardboard but don’t feel like springing for a high-end headset.