Oculus Go review: 'It feels like a game changer'

I have always been more bullish on augmented reality than virtual reality but when Zuckerburg stood on stage at F8 (Facebook’s big conference) and said the team had created a standalone VR unit that is less than £500, which wasn’t a shoebox on your face, I was intrigued.

Last week I got my hands on it, here's how Facebook's Oculus Go breaks down.

The price

At £199, the 32GB Oculus Go is one of, if not the most, economical VR unit available, once you ignore basic offerings like Google Cardboard. For £249 can get a 64GB version.

The design

Overall, not bad. Some elements feel a little rough and unpolished but generally the unit is a solid bit of kit. The plastic headset is lightweight and, while it doesn’t feel luxurious, it does feel solid. The fabric isn’t particularly breathable and you really notice the difference when you take it off but this is not meant for hours upon hours of play – or at least I wouldn’t want to strap it to my face for that long. The controller (a simple touchpad, trigger and regular buttons) worked well, felt cheap but is light too. All in all, it’s like having a Wii stuck to your face. It would have been nice to have a more wearable controller but we’ll see more kit of this ilk as the technology develops. Set-up took about three minutes and there is a spacer for those who want to use it with glasses.

The feel

The graphics and screen are both extremely crisp and clear – often you don’t feel like there’s a screen there. Oculus Go still does feel like a block on your face but, depending on what you’re doing, you either forget it or are very aware it is there. Did I feel immersed in different environments? Yes. Did I want to wear it for hours? No. I didn’t feel sick or major discomfort but there’s a very real feeling of isolation and disorientation depending on what you’re using. Overall, the experience was as I expected, it’s a solid bit of kit that people of all ages and experience will be able to use easily. It’s this ease of use that Facebook will push to make this headset go mainstream - and fast. Battery life is around 90 to 120 minutes if you’re using it constantly but otherwise it lasted all weekend.

The content

I was impressed with the wide variety of content that was available on Oculus Go. There are over a thousand ‘experiences’, a fair amount available for free along with premium games and services. I tried roller-coasters, underwater explorations, news packages, poker. Navigation is simple but I did find myself using the home button more than I thought I would – not a terrible issue but the depth of the menus may annoy some. I was surprised that Facebook didn’t make better recommendations for me based on the mountain of data it has on my likes and dislikes. It felt like I was starting from day one with it, which was both nice but also disappointing.

As you might expect with a VR device, the focus of the content is on gaming and experiences. I dived with sharks, got scared by zombies and generally went through the motions. I suspect this will change when you can walk around environments rather than the orientation-only system (i.e. you can move your head but not your body). I wanted there to be a standout app or game but really, right now, the games and apps are so-so affairs (although I will say 'Land's End' from the makers of 'Monument Valley' is worth the money). The device is new so my Facebook clan aren't yet on social VR but I can see the potential although the unit it more geared towards passive entertianment in my opinion.

The verdict

Compared to other devices I have tried, the Oculus Go is a huge success in my book and worth your money. When I gave it to others to try – a big range of ages and different levels of experience with VR - there were a lot of ‘oohs and ‘wows'. It feels like a game-changer. Comfort-wise, improvements could be made. Content-wise, Oculus Go offers a solid base but time will see the quality improve. My main concern? Oculus Go doesn’t know what it is or wants to be. Gaming device? Video unit? Overall, a good price, a good experience and, above all, it's easy to use. Oculus Go will not satisfy die-hard VR fans but it might just be enough to punt VR into the big leagues. Time will tell if Zuckerburg’s utopian vision of social VR takes off (I’m not convinced) but in the meantime there’s more than enough games and video to keep everyone happy.

Find out more about or buy Oculus Go from oculus.com (and Amazon).