Xiaomi is joining the VR revolution with its own headset. Like the Google DayDream VR and Samsung Gear VR, the Mi VR headset straps a smartphone to the users face to provide a virtual reality experience.
According Xiaomi, the Mi VR sports hardware level motion sensor in the headset, which is complemented by a 9-axis internal motion controller. The headset will apparently have less than 16ms of latency, which is the benchmark set by Xiaomi for measuring whether it provides a suitable VR experience.
That being said, it sounds like the low latency is being subject to the smartphone being used with the Mi VR. At the moment, the headset is only compatible with the Mi Note 2, Mi 5, Mi 5s, and the Mi 5s Plus. It’s unclear whether it will be forward compatible, but it is likely that future Xiaomi smartphones will be able to work with the Mi VR.
Accompanying the Mi VR is a small controller, which vaguely resembles the the Google Day Dream remote. It looks to have a small touchpad at the top of the controller, with a pair of physical buttons located along the centre of the device.
Of course, the VR experience will not be complete without content. This in mind, the Mi VR will launch with more than 500 panoramic videos and over 30 games. Xiaomi claims to have more than 200 developers signed on to design apps for the Mi VR as well.
The Mi VR will retail for RMB199, which should translate into about RM120. Which is a lot lower than just about any other VR headset on the market.
