VR established a foothold in 2016, putting a spotlight on the top headsets on the market. While some believe 2017 is the year that content will be the focus, affordable virtual reality experiences are under a microscope as well.
Kickstarter was instrumental in the birth of modern VR and now we have a new potential crowd-funded headset, the EXCHIMP, seeking to bridge the gap between low-cost and high-end performance.
Mobile VR headsets are largely limited by their resolution, so much that entire organizations like the NFL are waiting for the evolution of the technology. On the flipside, higher-end VR rigs are a bit too pricey for the average consumer. The EXCHIMP Al1 features elements of both, coupling the lightweight form factor of mobile VR with a high-quality QHD display. The headset is all in one as well, not requiring any external supply of power or storage (like a cellphone). It has 16GB of storage space filled with pre-installed content that will ultimately be determined by stretch-goals (it’s already fully funded at the core level with 43 days to go as of the time of this writing).
If the provided games aren’t to your liking, you can use WiFi to download VR games from the Google Play store and storage space can be expanded with a Micro SD card. The QHD display checks in at 2560 x 1440 pixels. The EXCHIMP Al1 also has a built-in battery that supplies up to 7+ hours of gameplay and a wired controller for input.
There’s potential here for sure, but we’ll have to wait and see how the framerate works out. Even the slightest stutter can limit the comfort of a VR experience, which would completely break the potential of the headset. Check out the Kickstarter page for yourself to see if you’re willing to be an early adopter.
