Mattel’s Viewmaster VR Headset looks like a great product to get your kids into virtual reality.
However, looks can be deceiving.
We tested the Mattel Viewmaster VR Headset with many different titles to determine its viability. In this post, we’ll discuss its strengths and weaknesses, and also, provide you with some alternatives.
Viewmaster VR
With its eye-catching design and sturdy build, the Mattel Viewmaster VR is a great VR headset option. Not only does it work with both iOS and Android devices but it also has exclusive VR content of its own that you can experience.
Alternate #1
Pansonite VR Headset
The Pansonite VR Headset is great since it comes with a remote controller to control your apps in VR. Furthermore, it’s highly adjustable so that everyone can have a pleasant time with it. It’s built to last and supports a wide range of phone sizes too.
Alternate #2
BNEXT VR Headset
The BNEXT VR Headset is quite budget-friendly. This makes it a great option for individuals that want to get into VR without spending too much money. Not only is it cheap but it’s also well-built to ensure it will last you a long time.
Quick Summary of the Main Product
The Mattel Viewmaster VR is a headset that is targeted toward children. Hence, it’s a great option if you want something that your kids will play with and enjoy. It features an attractive design that’d be appealing to kids and it’s also super easy to use.
The headset comes with its own exclusive VR content which is 360-degree photospheres. You can experience them with ease to get lost in an immersive virtual world.
In addition to its own VR content, you can also use it with Android or iOS devices to run VR titles available on the Play Store or App Store respectively.
Features and Benefits
Made for Children
Unlike most other VR headsets available in the market, the Mattel Viewmaster VR Headset is targeted toward children. This is apparent when you look at its colorful design and user-friendliness.
It’s definitely a great product to get if you want to enjoy VR with your kids.
Great Compatibility
The Mattel Viewmaster VR Headset is a mobile VR headset. When it comes to mobile VR headsets, it’s definitely one with the best compatibility options out there.
First of all, its design is wide enough so that it can accommodate phones up to 6 inches. Furthermore, the headset works with both iOS as well as Android devices.
Exclusive VR Content
Along with the VR titles that you can find on the App Store or Play Store, you also get access to Mattel’s exclusive VR content.
These are immersive 360-degree photospheres that you can explore. They’re visually stunning and definitely a great introduction to the world of virtual reality.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy the Viewmaster VR Headset
Price
The Mattel Viewmaster VR Headset is quite reasonably priced when you look at the number of features you get for the price.
It’s much cheaper than many other mobile VR headsets you’ll find in the market.
Ease of Use
Since it’s aimed at children, Mattel took special care to ensure that their headset is super easy to configure and use.
You can get it set up within a few minutes of unpacking it. Furthermore, if you run into any issues, you can just refer to the instruction manual provided with the Mattel headset.
Build Quality
The Mattel Viewmaster VR Headset is extremely well-constructed. Mattel knew that children can be very destructive. Hence, they ensured that their headset can stand up to the punishment that a frustrated child may inflict upon it.
It’s resistant to drops and hits and is definitely a headset that will last you a long while.
Pros and Cons
- Compact and lightweight
- Durable
- Pleasant, child-friendly design
- Reasonably priced
- Easy to configure
- May be uncomfortable for individuals with larger heads
Social Proof
We wanted to check out what other people’s opinions were on the Mattel Viewmaster VR Headset. Hence, we look towards Amazon’s user reviews to see what other users had to say.
Here’s what we found:
Similar to the Viewmaster VR Headset (Recommendations)
#1: Best High-End Alternative - Pansonite VR Headset Review
If you want a VR headset with a little bit more kick, then this is definitely an option worth considering.
It comes with a sleek design that not only looks good but is also very ergonomic. The adjustable head strap ensures that no matter what your head size, you’ll be able to wear it with ease.
The insides are spacious but at the same time, not loose enough that your headset will go flying off your head.
You even get a Bluetooth-controlled remote controller with your purchase. While the controller is fairly rudimentary, it still gets the job done. You can use it to control your VR apps and games with ease.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Pansonite VR Headset
Price: While the Pansonite VR Headset is slightly more expensive than the other entries in this post, we still feel its price is justified. The headset is made from premium-quality materials and even comes with its own remote controller.
Ease of use: It’s extremely simple to use and is aimed at individuals who are not so tech-savvy. You can set it up within minutes and if you run into any issues, you can look at the instruction manual to get through them.
Build quality: The headset is very well-constructed and made from high-quality materials. There are no jagged edges or janky construction faults. It’s definitely a headset that will last you for many years.
- Easy to configure and use
- Supports a wide range of phone sizes
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Sturdy
- Comfortable design
- Relatively expensive
Best High-End Alternative
The best high-end alternative is the Pansonite VR Headset thanks to its user-friendliness, ergonomic design, and great build quality.
#2: Best Budget-Friendly Alternative - BNEXT VR Headset Review
If you want a high-quality headset but don’t have a lot of money you can spend, this option is definitely worth looking at. It’s a headset from BNEXT that is well-designed and comes with an adjustable head strap so you can use it with ease.
Furthermore, the cushions inside it are well-balanced to keep you comfy (except for the part near the nose). Not only that but they’re not so packed inside the headset that it does not get ventilation. It’s the perfect balance between comfort and ventilation.
Another great thing about this headset is the fact that it’s extremely budget-friendly. It’s well within the reach of most consumers out there.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy BNEXT VR Headset
Price: As mentioned briefly above, the BNEXT VR Headset is extremely affordable and definitely something that can easily be picked up by most consumers. Despite its cheap price, it does not skimp when it comes to build quality or number of features.
Ease of use: The BNEXT VR Headset is super easy to use and you can configure it within minutes. Even people who aren’t tech-savvy will be able to figure out how to get it to run with relative ease.
Build quality: You may expect such a cheap headset to have poor build quality. However, that’s not the case with the BNEXT VR Headset. It’s well-constructed and made from premium-quality materials.
- Comes with exclusive VR content
- User-friendly
- Supports a wide range of phone sizes
- Works with both iOS and Android devices
- Great build quality
- Cushioning near the nose is not adequate
Best Budget-Friendly Alternative
The best budget-friendly alternative is the BNEXT VR Headset thanks to its ease of use, sturdy build quality, and great compatibility.
Buyer’s Guide
If you’re confused as you browse the internet for the perfect VR headset to buy, don’t feel discouraged. With so many options to choose from and so many different factors to consider, it’s only natural that you’d feel confused.
Luckily, you can think about some factors and through some analysis of what your needs are, you can find the best VR headset for you.
The key is to figure out what you require from your VR headset and why you want to get it in the first place. Once you determine that, finding the best VR headset becomes a piece of cake. This is because now, you’ll know what features to look for.
As soon as you find a decently priced VR headset that has all those features, you’ll know you’ve found the most perfect choice.
The factors you must assess and consider are:
Price
The first thing you must assess and determine is what your budget will be. How much can you spend on a VR headset?
Naturally, the higher the number of features and quality of a VR headset, the higher its price will be.
Hence, your budget is closely linked to what type of VR headset you will buy as well.
Mobile VR headsets are, by far, the cheapest types of VR headsets available in the market. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend but have a smartphone, then you can opt for a mobile VR headset.
If you have a little bit more cash to spend, then you can opt for either a standalone VR headset or a PC-based VR headset. Naturally, the latter will require you to have a powerful PC rig as well.
When it comes to the price of a VR headset, of course, it’s important not to overspend. However, at the same time, it’s important not to underspend either.
You don’t want to save money and buy a cheap VR headset that is poorly constructed and made from sub-par materials. Such a VR headset will most likely serve you for a few weeks and then break down.
Then, you’ll have to buy another one. While cheap VR headsets may seem like a budget-friendly option, they can definitely end up costing you more in the long run.
Ease of Use
If you’ve worked with any type of electronic product in the past, you know how frustrating it is when its controls are not clear. Either that or when you run into issues where you follow the instruction manual perfectly but the product still does not work as intended.
This can be due to poor design or lack of care. In any case, if you think that’s frustrating, just imagine all of that within VR. When you boot up a VR headset, you just want to sit back and get lost in another virtual world.
However, if the VR headset you get is poorly designed and does not have a pleasant user experience, it can be the most annoying thing in the world. It can ruin the fun night that you may have planned.
You want a VR headset that is easy to get the hang of and simple to configure. Most good VR headsets require you to tinker with their settings when you first get them. However, once you’re done with the initial configuration, you can pick them up and instantly play any time you want.
We’ve come across cheaper versions of VR headsets in the market, which you have to configure every time you want to play them.
Avoid such VR headsets at all costs. Having to configure your VR headset every time you play it may not seem too bad, but in reality, it becomes a hassle.
It can put you off of playing VR games entirely if you have a headset like that. Since you may want to play it but don’t feel like configuring it.
Build Quality
The build quality of your VR headset is extremely important since that will determine how long it will last you.
A well-built VR headset can last you for many years and is definitely something that pays for its price. On the other hand, if you spend good money on a VR headset that’s poorly built, it may break down in a much shorter amount of time.
In that case, you’d have to buy another one or just simply accept that you can’t play VR anymore. Naturally, that’d be a waste of money and it’s something that you want to avoid at all costs.
If you can buy your VR headset in person, you can inspect it at the shop thoroughly and maybe even test it out. This can give you a good idea of its build quality and whether or not it’s worth your money or not.
On the other hand, if you intend to buy your VR headset online, it can be harder to judge the build quality. In this case, your best bet is to check out user reviews for the VR headset that you intend to buy.
If a VR headset is liable to break down, you’ll definitely find that out if you go through user reviews.
Some users even put in updated reviews. These are multiple reviews that are posted by the same user over the course of some time. With each updated review, the user provides information on how the VR headset is doing and how it’s holding up to wear and tear.
These types of reviews can give you a very good idea of whether or not a VR headset will withstand the test of time or not.
Compatibility
We mentioned above how your budget can determine what type of VR headset you buy.
However, along with your budget, you must also consider what type of compatibility you’re looking for with your VR headset as well.
When we talk about compatibility, we are referring to what platforms that VR headset will support and what VR titles it will be able to run.
If you intend to play VR titles on your smartphone, obviously, you’ll want to buy a mobile-based VR headset.
On the other hand, if you have a powerful PC that you want to use to run titles, then you’d opt for a VR headset that’s designed to connect to PCs.
You also have console-based VR headsets such as the Sony Playstation VR. This is ideal if you already have the console and are looking to add a VR component to it.
Lastly, you have standalone VR headsets, these headsets do not require any other external device to run VR titles. They are their own full-fledged system. Naturally, this is the best choice if you don’t have any other external device to run VR titles with.
Field of View (FOV)
The field of view (FOV) is something that many consumers don’t think about. If a VR headset has a small FOV, you’ll have to move your head around more to take in more of the surroundings.
On the other hand, if your VR headset has a wider FOV, then you’ll be able to take in a lot more of your virtual environment without having to move your head around.
Many VR headsets have variable FOV, which can be great for households that have multiple users for them.
As a rule of thumb, you want a VR headset that has a wider FOV (somewhere between 100 and 120 degrees). This is because not only is it more efficient but it’s also closer to what actual human vision is.
Wrapping Things Up
So that’s our Mattel Viewmaster VR review.
Ultimately, it’s definitely a VR headset worth having if you have children and want them to experience the wonders of virtual reality.
However, if you want a headset just for yourself, then you may want to look towards other options that are aimed at adults.
What do you think of the Mattel Viewmaster VR Headset? Let us know in the comments section below.