In the past, Xiaomi attracted attention with his 15 Mi Band for fitness tracking. A similar thing can now be observed in relation to Virtual Reality (VR).
It is an incredibly time for VR. The HTC Vive and Oculus Rift are designed for the entertainment segment, and for those who want to experience what the medium has to offer on their smartphones, there`s Gear VR, Homido V2 and the affordable Google Cardboard.
And now Xiaomi is slowly getting into trouble with his first VR viewer, Mi VR Play. Like all Xiaomi products, Mi VR Play was designed to break through the targeted segment by lowering the entry barrier for customers who want to try the platform. The headset costs only 15 €, the same price as the Cardboard. And like the Cardboard, the VR Play can accommodate any smartphone with a screen size between 4.7 and 5.7 inches.
The shell of the Mi VR Play is made of Lycra, which minimizes weight and increases comfort over a longer period of time. It weighs 209g, which is less than the 345g of the plastic-based Gear VR. There`s a structured button on top for navigation and the headset has anti-reflective aspherical lenses. You plug in your smartphone at the front by unzipping the two-way zipper and there are plenty of foam pads to keep the smartphone in place inside the headset.
The inside of the headset (the part where you put your life) is roomy, and it`s no problem ever for big heads. You can also use the headset with glasses, but it will fit tight. It comes with a strap that wraps around your head and an upper strap that holds the headset in place and ensures it doesn`t wobble when you move your head.
Xiaomi will later introduce customized versions of VR Play in denim, floral, leopard, camouflage and user-generated designs, bur for now the company is selling the standard black version of the headset. At the moment, Samsung has its sights firmly set on the mobile VR segment, but is not comepting with Xiaomi in the same category, making smartphone-based VR accessible to more customers, especially in emerging markets.
As the headset is designed fpr a Chinese audience, the Mi VR Play comes with a special app that includes a selection of 360-degree videos from YouKu, China`s counterpart to YouTube, Conde Nast Traveller and others. Xiaomi is investing significant resources to expand its digital content library, which will be enhanced with additional VR Content. Xiaomi will also soon introduce VR integration with MIUI, which will result in a better experience when using the headset with the company`s smartphones.
The VR Play Box contains a QR code that allows you to download the app, but if you are interested in using the headset outside of China, you can simplay download the Google Cardboard app and get started.
All apps and games designed for Google Cardboard work well on the Mi VR Play. We tried the Viewer with Xiaomi`s Mi 5 and Redmi Note 3 and the overall experience was identical on both devices.
It is worthwhile buying?
The Mi VR Play is not as sophisticated as the Gear VR, but at a fifth of the cost it doesn`t have to be. In essence, the headset is a much more robust implementation of the Google Cardboard. It aims to get customers interested in mobile VR, and by pricing it at just 15 € the device will do just that. Although Lenovo`s Ant VR viewer is also sold for about the same price, it is far from being as good.
If you`re interested in getting your hands on Mi VR Play now, you can get it from third party vendors like GearBest for 20 €. You can buy it for a limited time for 12.99 € by accessories. Like the Mi Band 2.
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