OnePlus Loop VR: Review

OnePlus has been launching it’s flagships in VR from last year. When OnePlus 2 was launched they provided OnePlus Cardboard and this year we’ve got the OnePlus Loop VR headset “powered by ANTVR “.

It was a One Rupee “Flash Sale” exclusively by Amazon India. I tried on the First day of the sale and got the same in the next week. It would not be fare if I don’t share my thoughts on this piece of tech. So here’s my take on the Loop VR by OnePlus.

OnePlus Loop VR: Design and Build

It is definitely the best built VR headset which you can get right now at it’s marketed price which is Rs. 299. The headset is “Powered by ANTVR”, but seems like all the power went only on the marketing. The hardware is definitely best buy for the price it offers. But it’s a passive VR headset without any buttons for clicks. You might end up using this with another set of wireless controller or rely solely on the apps that are developed with the auto-click functionality.

We can also say that it’s a Google Cardboard minus the magnetic click feature and added by a plastic shell and foam padding.

The Loop VR measures 189 x 103 x 133mm and weighs about 365g without the phone. It has three-point strap, which you can adjust according to your fit and it holds well for most of the part. The straps helps in keeping the headset stick to your head and creates a real immersive experience. A thing to note is that there’s no padding on the bridge of the nose and that’s where the pressure is when you insert your phone.

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The headset itself is pretty heavy and things get worse as you slide your phone inside. With gravity pulling down the pressure hits at your nose’s bridge which makes it very uncomfortable. You can try tightening the straps, but they will fall down eventually at the nose. But you can’t complain since it costs just a rupee!

There are two magnifying glasses as is the case with all the VR headsets, and these can be adjusted according to the distance between your eyes. They can be clicked to right-left according to your needs. There are no buttons or any other control, so this isn’t a fully compliant Google Cardboard headset.

OnePlus Loop VR: Content and Controls

If we take a look at other available headsets, say for example the most basic headset Google Cardboard. They have a magnetic ring that acts as a button for providing clicks while interacting with the VR App rathar than just hover-to-select method(it’s hover-to-wait-select method in real life!). The Gear VR, gives you even more controls which is deepely integrated to work with Samsung devices. The OnePlus Loop VR gives you nothing, which can be annoying sometimes. For instance, the Google Cardboad App requires you to click and there’s no hover-to-select method, so you have to take out the headset and click on the screen to move forward with the app.

OnePlus Loop VR: Compatible Smartphone Requirements

You can experience the VR on any smartphone with a screen resolution of at least 1080p and it should also have a gyroscope in-built. I tried it on the Moto G4 Plus and Apple iPhone 6S and they both worked well. The phone slips into the front which has rubber padding so as to hold the phone and not scratching it. But please note that the padding is missing on the far edges and it may cause some trouble. So do check if your smartphone is not coming in direct contact with the plastic material as it may lead to scratching your phone and you don’t want that right?

The official specification say that the OnePlus Loop VR supports iOS and Android and supports screen sizes around 5-6 inches.

OnePlus Loop VR: Conclusion

A device that’s for just Re. 1 there’s always a caveat and it’s that you can’t complain much about it. For someone who want to try out the VR and see how it all works it’s a good deal, you will get all the VR experience in this package. It’s not very comfortable but gets the job done. Looks wise it’s pretty sick, the white black combination looks great. It also supports plenty of phone sizes and the housing is also good. Definitely far more sturdy than the Google Cardboard and attractive too.