As virtual reality continues to take the world by storm, it seems like almost every technology company is getting involved with the trend. Today’s headsets run the gamut from simple solutions built for amateur gamers, to extensive all-in-one systems for communication and collaboration in the digital age. With new hardware emerging all the time, the possibilities are endless.
Lenovo, one of the market leaders in AV technology, is taking a unique approach to its VR investments, with the Mirage Solo. This convenient headset represents the world’s first standalone solution for Daydream VR. Users can access all kinds of immersive VR experiences without having to use a separate smartphone or PC.
Today, we’re going to take a closer look at the features and functionality of the Lenovo Mirage Solo, to help you decide if you need it.
Lenovo Mirage Solo Review: Features
The Mirage Solo is the first VR headset on the market to offer standalone Daydream VR access. The technology works without the need for a separate smartphone or PC, so you can dive head-first into virtual reality with minimal effort.
The Lenovo Mirage Solo leverages Google “Worldsense” technology to help you interact more effectively with your environment in a selection of virtual worlds. There are no wires to worry about, and you get the benefit of a built-in Qualcomm Snapdragon processor to keep everything running smoothly. Lenovo even offers a range of accessories to upgrade your experience. Features of the Lenovo Mirage Solo include:
- Daydream operating system
- Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8098 processor
- 5 QHD display
- 4GB of memory
- 64GB storage
- VR camera
- Intel Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0
- Standalone performance
- Comfortable balanced headset design
- Worldsense Google technology
- 250 built-in apps
Lenovo’s Mirage Solo headset is one of the easiest entry-level solutions for today’s companies and individuals in search of an immersive VR experience.
You’ll have access to a 2.5-hour battery life, so you can make the most out of your virtual worlds for as long as possible without having to recharge. The headset is also reasonably comfortable, so it shouldn’t weigh down your head too much during use.
Lenovo Mirage Solo Review: Benefits
Though a little simpler than some of the VR headsets on the market today, Lenovo’s Mirage Solo is a fantastic product with no need for a lot of additional investment. You don’t need to connect your headset to a computer or a smartphone to start using VR, you can just switch on the device, and step into one of the available Daydream apps on offer.
According to Lenovo, the Mirage Solo offers the same kind of immersive experiences as a PC-powered virtual reality experience. However, the reality is you’re probably going to miss out on accessing some more feature-rich environments, due to limited access to memory and processing power within the headset itself. Despite this, you still get a lot of benefits from the Lenovo Mirage Solo headset, such as:
- Google WorldSense: Google WorldSense is a state-of-the-art creation by Google intended to understand the movement of any person using a VR headset. There’s no need to set up external sensors. Your Lenovo Mirage Solo device will track your motion automatically when you tilt and move your head. This gives you a lot more scope for positional tracking without the need for outside cameras.
- Easy app access: Deciding where to start your VR adventure is easy with Mirage Solo. The solution comes with access to more than 250 Daydream apps straight away, as well as access to tools powered by WorldSense tracking. From gaming to VR travel and live events, as well as apps like YouTube and Hulu, there’s no limit to what you can do. Unfortunately, you won’t have access to apps exclusive to things like the Oculus store.
- Comfortable: The comfort of your VR headset can make a big difference to how immersed you feel in the experience. The Mirage Solo is designed with ergonomics in mind, so you can stay active inside your new world for as long as you like. Battery life of around 2.5 hours means you can spend a decent amount of time using your headset before you need to take it off. Even if you use the entire charge, you shouldn’t have issues with friction or eye strain.
- Excellent visuals: Despite being one of the more affordable VR headsets available right now, Lenovo doesn’t compromise on visual excellence. The Mirage Solo comes with a 110-degree field of view – one of the widest among similar headsets. You also get an ultra-high-resolution display that features advanced Lenovo display technology rendered specifically for daydream.
- Built-in processing: As an all-in-one device for VR functionality, the Mirage Solo comes with a powerful processing engine already built in. you’ll have access to the complete range of Daydream VR experiences, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon VR platform and around Q4GB of RAM. The engine should mean you can generate a pretty immersive VR experience, whether you’re meeting with friends, or playing games.
The Mirage Solo even allows everyday users to become content creators, capturing images and videos through the available addition of the Mirage Camera with Daydream. The extra camera makes it simple to upload creations wirelessly to YouTube and Google Photos environments.
Lenovo Mirage Solo Review: Verdict
Replacing solutions like the Samsung VR headset as a standalone offering for the modern VR world, the Mirage Solo is simple, affordable, and effective. It doesn’t have the capacity or scope of some of the more advanced headsets available today, but that’s to be expected if you’re paying less than $400 for your headset. The Lenovo Mirage is basic – but it does it’s intended job well.
Easy to use and comfortable, this Daydream enabled VR system combines excellent visuals with good long-term comfort and access to a host of pre-installed apps. You should be able to get up and running with this device in no time, and start exploring without the restrictions of wires and cables.
