You can get going with VR for only US$199 with the new 'Oculus Go'

Oculus Go standalone VR headset. (Source: Oculus)

Oculus revealed their new standalone Oculus Go VR headset during the keynote for the first day of the fourth Occulus Connect conference. The Oculus Go is a VR headset and controller which doesn't need an external device to process video.

Craig Ward, Published 10/11/2017

The fourth Oculus Connect conference is currently running on Wednesday and Thursday this week (11th and 12th October). Oculus got off to a quick start by using Mark Zuckerberg’s opening keynote to reveal their new Oculus Go standalone headset officially. They're referring to standalone VR headsets as “the sweet spot.”

The Oculus Go is a 3DOF headset which uses a single orientation tracked controller, which manages to provide interaction while also reducing the cost compared to the dual Oculus Touch controllers that cost US$99 by themselves. The key point of this new headset is that unlike other offerings from Oculus and their competitors, this headset is standalone with no external source needed (e.g., computer, smartphone).

While the Go won’t be challenging the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive in visual fidelity, it will happily handle mobile 3D. Along those lines, it is compatible with software developed for Samsung’s Gear VR. Software made using Unity, Unreal, or Oculus Mobile SDK is compatible with both devices. This compatibility also means that the new controller supports the same functions as the Gear VR controller (The Gear VR is a "powered by Oculus" product).

Hard specifications are a little thin on the ground with the screen described as a “high-resolution fast-switch LCD screen” (although a keynote slide shows 2560 x 1440 resolution). In regards to weight it is “super lightweight,” and there are speakers integrated into the headset, so external headphones aren't even needed.

Global sales of the Oculus Go will begin in early 2018 with an MSRP of US$199.

Oculus Go with motion controller. (Source: PCMag)

Source(s)

Oculus

+ Show Press Release

Press Release

One of the hottest things coming out of the Oculus Connect keynote today was the sneak peek at the significant technology investments we’ve made in the standalone VR hardware category (the sweet spot). You got a glimpse of how we'll bring more freedom and accessibility to VR with the introduction of Oculus Go .

Oculus Go, the newest addition to our product suite, is an all-in-one, 3DOF standalone headset with an orientation-tracked controller. Oculus Go will be available globally in early 2018 and will cost $199 USD.

Oculus Go is compatible with software developed for Gear VR. Whether you build with Unity or Unreal, or code directly to our Oculus Mobile SDK, you can target both Oculus Go and Gear VR with a single application. Here’s a quick overview of the hardware.

Features and Capabilities

Oculus Go is a standalone VR headset that comes with an orientation-tracked controller. It supports 3DOF head tracking, has best-in-class optics, a wide field of view, and fantastic ergonomics. Oculus Go has a high-resolution fast-switch LCD screen has a dramatic effect on visual clarity and reduces screen door effect. The headset is super lightweight, and the new fabric used for the facial interface is soft and breathable. Built-in speakers provide an integrated audio system that transports you straight into VR without needing headphones.

Because Oculus Go is binary compatible with Gear VR, developers working with our latest Mobile SDK (or recent Unity or Unreal integration) can run their applications on it without modification. The controller provides the same inputs as Samsung’s Gear VR Controller. Most apps can target the Samsung Gear VR and Oculus Go with the same application binary.

Designing for the Future

Targeting both devices will be important in the near immediate term to reach the widest audience.

How Do I Get One?

If you have a project in development that you’d like to add Oculus Go support to, apply for early access via the Oculus Hardware Request Form. Please note that supply is very limited.

We’re looking forward to seeing your mobile applications on Oculus Go!

Oculus Go VR headset goes on sale for US$199 05/02/2018

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The Oculus Go devkit has made an appearance in the wild. (Source: Reddit)

Oculus Go devkit leak shows strong app support 02/05/2018

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The Oculus Go has been spotted in an FCC listing. (Source: Mobielkopen)

Oculus Go could come in 32 GB and 64 GB variants 01/07/2018

Man dies while playing a VR video game in Russia 12/26/2017

HTC Vive is now US$200 cheaper. (Source: HTC)

HTC Vive now $200 cheaper in the U.S. 08/21/2017

The VIVE Standalone VR headset is designed for “a more affordable, yet high-quality VR experience”. (HTC China)

HTC prepares standalone VIVE VR Headset for China 07/27/2017

What it feels like to look at the inside of a Rift headset. (Source: Oculus)

A much more affordable Oculus VR headset is on its way 07/14/2017

Without Palmer Luckey, the Rift and VR as a whole may not be what they are today. (Source: Oculus)

Palmer Luckey, inventor of the Oculus Rift, exits Facebook 03/30/2017

Days after announcing his departure from Xiaomi, Barra announced his appointment as head of Facebook's Oculus team. (Source: Facebook)

Hugo Barra to join Facebook as head of Oculus team 01/26/2017

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Craig Ward - Tech Writer - 397 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2017

I grew up in a family surrounded by technology, starting with my father loading up games for me on a Commodore 64, and later on a 486. In the late 90's and early 00's I started learning how to tinker with Windows, while also playing around with Linux distributions, both of which gave me an interest for learning how to make software do what you want it to do, and modifying settings that aren't normally user accessible. After this I started building my own computers, and tearing laptops apart, which gave me an insight into hardware and how it works in a complete system. Now keeping up with the latest in hardware and software news is a passion of mine.

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Craig Ward, 2017-10-11 (Update: 2017-10-11)

You can get going with VR for only US$199 with the new 'Oculus Go'

Source(s)

Press Release

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