VR is currently the in technology with the HTC Vive, Oculus and the PlayStation VR taking a lot of interest of many different types of gamers. More companies are getting involved with the likes of Samsung and even Nokia at one stage. Google first released the Daydream View headset at the end of 2016 but have recently updated their View with a 2017 edition that goes well with the recently released Google Pixel 2 and Google Pixel 2 XL.

What is the Google Daydream?

Put simply, it’s Google’s slice of VR pie and works with their mobile platform OS, Android. Put on the headset with a phone that supports it and you’ll be greeted in a forest with a screen that allows you to interact with a range of different apps and media content. You can look around 360 degrees but it will not track your position in the room like the HTC Vive and Oculus VR platforms.

Within the Daydream environment, you can access the Google Play Store meaning you can install additional games, apps and content directly within the VR Space. Some services include YouTube VR and Netflix VR which allow you to watch shows on a massive 100-inch screen in a simulated house.

The platform has been able to grow quite a bit since its release in 2016, with hundreds of videos you can watch and a fair amount of games you can play. The problem with all VR though is the overall lack of games as a whole which stops you from coming back for something new or a little bit different from all the other “shooters” out there. There are a lot of free games through which helps you get stuck in and new users to the Daydream View 2017 edition will give you 5 free paid games for free, including the magical combat game Wands.

In terms of tech, the Daydream View itself is not the main player, it acts more like a holder for your phone and comes with a controller that allows you to interact with the VR content and games.

In terms of design, it looks really nice and has the same running effect on the Google Home Mini and the Pixel 2 and XL official cases with the grey fabric effect. The 2017 model is not massively different from the previous 2016 model but is very very comfortable. We tried the 2016 model a while back and that was nice but this is on a new level of comfort.

Everything with the device is sturdier and fits your head really well while not making it feel constrained. Although it does have a lot of fabric, the View 2017 is very breathable not making your head feel sweaty or too hot after using it for some time. It looks smart and has a good fit with an additional removable strap that goes over your head and will support those that wear glasses.