Lenovo Mirage: a Wireless VR Headset and a 180 ° VR Camera - Reviews and Prices

Summary

• Lenovo Mirage Solo: an affordable, wireless all-in-one headset
• WorldSense: two cameras to track user movements
• The Lenovo Mirage camera: a 180 ° VR camera specially designed for VR headsets
• Lenovo Mirage Solo and World Sense Camera Price and Release Date
• Why is the Lenovo Mirage Solo headset a real good surprise 2018?
• What user experience with the Lenovo Mirage Solo VR headset?
• Editor's appreciation
  • 6.3

2018 seems to be the year of autonomous VR headsets or wireless. Lenovo has just announced the release of its Mirage Solo VR headset, the first virtual reality headset to work with Google DayDream. This virtual reality application download platform has until now been reserved for headsets operating with a telephone. A headset that should be marketed simultaneously with a 180-degree camera for virtual reality from the second quarter of 2018.

Lenovo Mirage Solo: an affordable, wireless all-in-one headset

More freedom of movement and more accessible. This is the promise that Lenovo is making with this new virtual reality headset. This all-in-one headset works by itself, without being connected to a smartphone or a computer. At the hardware level, it's solid, since the VR headset is equipped with 4Go RAM, as well as a processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 VR designed especially for virtual reality. The screen allows the user to have a field of view of 110 ° against 101 ° for a Samsung Gear VR.

Le Lenovo Mirage Solo also comes with a wireless Daydream controller equipped with two buttons and a volume rocker. According to the manufacturer, a single battery charge allows seven hours of autonomy. At the moment, no exact information on the sale price. According to Lenovo it should cost less than $ 400.

WorldSense: two cameras to track user movements

In order to follow the movements of the helmet wearer, Lenovo has developed its own tracking system, the WorldSense. Describe as a “New motion tracking technology”, it's simply two front cameras, similar to it of the Windows Mixed Reality headset, which ensures the positioning of the user in the virtual space. The Hong Kong company, however, promises to develop numerous applications and games that take advantage of WorldSense.

says the press release.

The Lenovo Mirage camera: a 180 ° VR camera specially designed for VR headsets

The camera is linked to your YouTube and Google photo accounts to immediately share captured moments online. Of course, you can watch the videos without a VR headset, but you lose in immersion. Three camera modes are available: photo, video and live broadcast. Regarding the distribution of videos, no need for a cell phone, everything is done directly over Wi-Fi from the device.

The camera is no bigger than a smartphone and weighs 139 grams and will easily take place in your loved one. It is equipped with a Snapdragon 626 as well as two front cameras. Good news, it recharges in USB Type-Cbad news, it only has two hours of battery life, which is still decent compared to its competitors.

Lenovo Mirage Solo and World Sense Camera Price and Release Date

It's now official: the Lenovo Mirage Solo will be available May 5, 2018 for $ 400. The camera costs $ 300 and will be available on the same date. Note that a bundle combining the two products is offered for 700 dollars. Both products can be pre-ordered on Amazon now.

The simultaneous launch of VR headset and 180 ° camera from Lenovo clearly affirms their desire to bring together these two worlds of virtual reality cameras and headsets. In the press release, the company explains that we can, for example, be on the other side of the world equipped with the Lenovo Mirage Solo headset and celebrate his birthday to his family who installed the VR camera to see it live.

Why is the Lenovo Mirage Solo headset a real good surprise 2018?

With the activity of CES 2018 and the multitude of products and projects related to the world of virtual reality that were presented, sorting out could turn out to be a bit complicated. The Vive Pro got the most attention but the Lenovo Mirage Solo really deserves to take the time to stop there. Of course, he's not that powerful. But, he will be able to rely on Daydream. We already hear you say that the best games and applications are on the Oculus Rift, the PSVR or the GearVR. But, Google is preparing things very well for the long haul.. There are already real little pearls, but until then, the equipment was not up to standard.

Even if we can now rely on the View or the Pixel 2, the Mirage Solo still offers an experience of another level. This will therefore allow you to (re) discover small wonders without any difficulty. Especially with a level of experience that has nothing to do with what you have been able to test until then. Be careful, however, this bet also represents a risk since the helmet should sell for around $ 400. The price represents a real investment and it is now necessary for Google to maintain its strategy over time with investments in games. The upcoming release of the new Blade Runner game encourages optimism. It remains to be seen if he will really manage to find a place in the sun. We want to believe it.

What user experience with the Lenovo Mirage Solo VR headset?

To define the Lenovo Mirage Solo, you first need to locate it. It's a compromise between the Oculus Go and the Oculus Rift. Without having the room-scale, we still have the possibility of moving a little bit and making real movements. Indispensable for a truly immersive experience. According to our Time colleagues who were able to test it at CES 2018, it clearly lacks detection of objects in your environment. It will therefore be necessary to anticipate by providing enough space. Your surroundings just blur if you stray too far from your starting point. The helmet is comfortable to wear and easy to adjust to your dimensions. Above all, it is light and will therefore not pose any problems for you to wear it over time.

This undoubtedly allows to have a real quality experience in virtual reality. You can launch it in seconds and find yourself directly immersed in a world of virtual reality. Clearly not needing a compatible computer should be a deciding factor. But, is the new stage of virtual reality coming too soon? We will have to wait to be sure.

Editor's appreciation

6.3

Design and Ergonomics : More free and usable immediately. The virtual reality headset works without being connected to a phone or a PC. The design, simple and clean, seems very comfortable, especially thanks to the support strap at the back of the head.

Application and features : This headset will be the first to operate under the Google Day Dream virtual reality ecosystem. A platform that was previously reserved for smartphones

Quality / price ratio : With a price of 400 dollars, the Lenovo Mirage Solo is located halfway between the Oculus Go (200 dollars) and the HTC Vive Focus (600 dollars).

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