Google Cardboard Review

Though the Cardboard lacks the level of interactiveness that other models have and is not at all comfortable to wear for long periods, it gets the job done and delivers a decent VR experience. It's a great value and is the clear choice for an introductory VR setup that won't cost a ton of cash and won't be a huge investment in time to set up. It is also compatible with iPhones — a bit of a rarity for VR headsets. However, the lack of a head strap makes this product somewhat uncomfortable to wear for prolonged periods. If you are planning on frequently using your VR headset, you may be better served by upgrading to a more comfortable model that doesn't require you to hold the headset in place.

Interactiveness

The Cardboard didn't do particularly well here, meriting a subpar score. There is only a single button on the headset itself, placed on the top and reminiscent of a camera shutter button.

This offers limited control, but it did work reliably. This headset can track your motion as you look around in all directions, but won't monitor any motion as you walk around. The motion tracking as you looked around seemed reasonably accurate. However, this headset also lacks a handheld remote, so no method of interacting with it there.

Visual Immersiveness

The Cardboard scored alright in this metric. It does not have any form-fitting material around the area your face contacts, so it does let in a decent amount of ambient light — enough where it could be distracting. The resolution and sharpness of the image are dependent on the phone used, but we found that it was quite good when using a Google Pixel XL phone. The overall image quality is quite good, though the field of view is a little on the narrow side, about 90°.

Comfort

The Cardboard did worse than most of the headsets in the group. It isn't terribly comfortable to wear, and you have to hold it against your face manually (no headband strap here), which grows tiring. Furthermore, the edges of the cardboard will press into the sides of your face uncomfortably, depending on how much pressure you put on the device.

However, there is a reasonable amount of room for glasses and more than adequate ventilation to keep the lenses fog-free, so in this sense, it works well.

User Friendliness

The Cardboard is relatively easy to use, likely because it is so simple. It is quite easy to hook up headphones to your smartphone when using it, as the device does not obstruct the audio port at all. The cover folds out, making it a snap to insert your smartphone. The phone rests on its side, making it possible to press one of the side buttons by accident while in use. However, this never happened to us throughout our course of testing. The Cardboard also allows you to leave most cases on your phone, though it is a little snug for some of the more rugged cases.

Ease of Setup

There is practically no assembly required with the Cardboard. It is essentially ready to go right out of the box.

The only software required is the Google Cardboard app, though it isn't even necessary to do this to start watching YouTube videos in VR. The Cardboard is compatible with a wide range of phones, with more being added all the time.

Value

The Cardboard is an exceptional value, offering decent VR performance at a price that can't be beaten.

Conclusion

For those searching for an acceptable VR experience and who don't want to spend much to try it out, the Google Cardboard is a clear choice.