Samsung debuts Gear VR ‘Innovator Edition’ headset for $199

Samsung’s the latest company to out its virtual reality (VR) contender and it’s now on sale in the States for a mere US$199.

Chasing after the likes of Facebook’s Oculus and Google Cardboard in the VR stakes, the availability of Gear VR wasn’t set in stone, but the company has sneaked this one in under everyone’s noses.

The Samsung Gear VR is designed specifically to hold hands with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 — the company’s flagship 5.7″ Quad HD-screened phablet.

Like Google Cardboard, the user inserts the phablet into the Gear VR’s slot, connects the phone to the headset via USB and well, lets the magic happen. Thanks to the ultra-wide field of vision, users have suggested that wearing the headset and watching a movie is as immersive as actually being within the movie itself. Quite impressive.

Read more: Meet Cardboard: Google’s free VR headset for anyone with an Android phone

This wizardry isn’t reserved for just Samsung though. Sony and Epson have also taken the VR fight to Google and Oculus recently. Remember though that the Gear VR was in part designed by Oculus too.

While VR might just be taking off for the mainstream consumer audience, Samsung has also released a list of possible hazards its device might present.

Samsung warns users excessively about the side effects of VR, including nausea, seizures, eye pain, muscle twitching, strained vision and an entire log book of other possible symptoms. Of course, this is just the hardware manufacturer covering all its bases.

For those who are still interested after that, the Gear VR Innovator Edition is available on the Oculus store website.