The VR might need a Note 4, but do you need it?

Pairing is easy: just slip the Note 4 into a compartment on the headset and you’re away Rumours suggested Samsung wanted to create its own virtual reality (VR) headset, and they’ve proved true with the Gear VR, which has been built with the help of the team behind Oculus Rift.

But the Samsung Gear VR is not a standalone device. It does not come with its own screen. It is all but a headset shell packed with the stereoscopic lens goodness needed to make the Gear work.

The key ingredient in unleashing the Gear VR is the Note 4 itself – the phone slips into a compartment at the front of the device. Once in, you simply clip the clear screen over the Note 4 and the device is ready. A stretch clasp over the top holds the Gear VR in place, and the whole thing is cushioned for comfort.

The right-hand side is where the magic happens. The touchsensitive panel is used to control it. Volume controls are on the left-hand side. The only other control is on the top.

We tested two demos. The first a clip from Cirque du Soleil, filmed from an on-stage perspective, and you could really immerse yourself in the action by looking around the auditorium. The action was clear, thanks to the clarity of the Note 4’s QuadHD screen.

But then things got muddled. Playing a game set in space we had to tap the right-hand touch panel to shoot – the experience was fun but forgettable. The game had a ‘built for mobile’ feel, so don’t expect this powered-byOculus device to match Morpheus in terms of processing grunt.

But that’s also a plus point. This is a VR device that’s tethered only to a phone and not a console or PC. While this will inevitably mean the games won’t be the greatest, it does have portability potential to its advantage. £TBC, sams ung.com, out TBC