Table of Contents
Looking for an affordable VR Headset which isn’t too fancy? Then have a look at the Volkano Matrix Series VR Headset, which may just be what you are looking for. Lets get into more details below for this extremely cheap headset but perfect for all your basic 3D gaming needs.
Design and Hardware
The Volkano Matrix Series VR headset claims that it offers a fully immersive experience into the virtual world. It is a mobile supportive headset that is made of plastic and allows 360° viewing experience. It comes with extra rubber and foam pads for cushioning and an instruction manual. Build quality is quite inferior as it is made of relatively thin plastic.
It has large gaps on the side of the headset, which may be uncomfortable to some players. The headset also comes with focal distance adjustment for zooming in and out during playing. Also comes with pupil distance adjustment for a better fit around the eyes.
There is also a panel at the front of the headset which can be slid back and forth to expose the back camera accordingly. Adjustable head strap, lenses and extra foam padding are provided for comfort of use.
Set Up
Since it is a mobile supported headset any android or Apple smartphone between sizes 4.5 – 6 inches can be mounted on both inside and outside of the headset. For the former option, the headset comes with an internal tray.
And for the latter, the smartphone can be mounted on top of the headset as there is also a magnetic holder on the front. Users need to download a compatible VR video player for watching videos. Likewise, users also need to visit App Stores for downloading compatible 3D games.
For videos, users with iPhones can visit the Apple App Store to download a player called ‘Mobile VR Station’ and for users with Android smartphones, they can visit the Google Play Store to download ‘MX Player’ for the same.
For 3D VR games, iPhone users and Android users can both go to their respective app stores to download and install any compatible 3D VR games as directed.
Make sure that your smartphone has a gyroscope sensor and a magnetic field sensor before playing any 3D games with this headset, as the players’ head movements will be tracked in the three-dimensional world.
Controls
Most Android phones support PS2 and PS3 remotes with OBD connector but users may need to root their devices for PS4 remotes.
USB tethering is available with this headset. It also comes with a headphone jack to work together with any over-the-ear headphones the player may like to connect with it. But players must be cautioned as to use it carefully or the ports may become damaged with too much adjustment.
Performance
Reviews say that the build quality may be cheap but it works good enough for basic 360° viewing and to play lightweight 3D games for short periods of time. It may require some tweaking for improved picture clarity.
Smartphone mounting is sort of tiresome with pushing and pulling the phone from the internal tray, but the upside is that it won’t fall loose if the tray is used rather than the magnetic holder on the outside of the headset. Pupil distance adjustment helps in calibrating the view, according to the user’s desires.
Now I won’t say that this is among the best headsets out there but it definitely packs a punch for those looking for only a basic VR experience given all that they do is watch 360° YouTube videos or for playing a light gyroscope calibrated game.
If you want the full virtual reality experience, which I recommend you do, then invest a few more bucks to get a more premium headset with better features. You could look at a few products that are reviewed on this website too.
Compatibility
It supports almost all Android and Apple smart phones between sizes 4.5 – 6 inches and almost any other VR game in the Google Play Store.
Compatible smartphones should be able to rotate and play 360° videos.
Accessories
There are a variety of accessories that can go along with this headset. For instance take a look at this one.
Verdict
In my opinion, the Volkano Matrix Series VR Headset is one of those headsets which may not be extremely popular, but if you’re looking for an elemental VR experience, especially if you’re a beginner then this could be for you. Definitely not the best, and could do with a lot of improvements.
But the addition of multiple fancy features means extra cost, which frankly you are not looking for because otherwise you wouldn’t be here. If simple 360° video viewing and playing some basal 3D games is what you seek, then this could be in your shortlist.
Would not recommend this product normally as there are many better ones out there. But go through my entire review and decide for yourself if you want an extremely cheap and basic VR headset.