What is the Cheapest VR Setups? VR Headsets and Glasses from China
by Shopify API on Sep 05, 2022
It's the 21st Century and the way people experience the world has changed dramatically over the past few decades. Along with advancements in the internet and wireless communication came the dawn of smartphones, tablets, portable gadgets, and other devices meant to keep us connected to each other in real-time, all the time.
Although some people have moved their versions of reality to the worldwide web, other technologies aim to bridge the gap between what is real and what exists only as pixels in virtual reality.
It's a fairly simple concept, VR Glasses offer a new kind of visual experience that heightens immersion and makes even mundane material exciting.
Based on the idea behind Google Cardboard, VR Glasses makes the virtual reality experience accessible to just about anyone. Hell, if you're feeling like a true MacGuyver, you can probably make your own VR Glasses following the step-by-step Google Cardboard guide.
However, if you would rather get the finished, polished product for cheap, here's a list of the cheapest VR Headsets and Glasses available on AliExpress. We've curated the best-performing VR Glasses so that you don't have to sift through low-quality goods and go straight to the best deals on the highest-quality products.
What Can You Do With VR Glasses?
Before we get to our list, let's talk about what exactly you can do with VR Glasses. Unlike the more expensive and technologically complex VR headsets like the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, these VR Glasses are based on the simple but elegant Google Cardboard design, that uses similar technology to 3D glasses to create a truly unique visual experience. Although the applications of this technology aren’t as robust as the more expensive VR headsets where you can play games and enjoy other kinds of immersive media, Google Cardboard-based VR glasses can let you:
Enjoy VR Apps
One of the most common applications of Google Cardboard VR Glasses is to use them in tandem with VR apps that you can download onto your mobile phone. There are a variety of VR Apps available, but some of the most common include Titans of Space VR - a VR app that lets you use your VR Glasses to take a tour of the galaxy, visiting planets, moons, and other celestial bodies as if you were flying around space. Other ones include GoPro VR, which lets you take a first-person view on popular GoPro videos so you can feel like you’re right in the heart of the action.
New Visual Experiences
VR Glasses are also popular among those who want to enjoy new visual experiences. There are lots of platforms that host VR Videos that are specially designed for use with VR Glasses. If you want easy access to the coolest VR experiences available, there are plenty on YouTube for you to enjoy.
Heightened Cinematic Immersion
VR Glasses - especially the ones that use the Google Cardboard system - also offer enhanced cinematic immersion by blocking out other visual stimuli. Unlike watching videos on your smartphone or tablet where you’re also exposed to other things in your field of view, VR Glasses restrict your vision so that all you see is the media you’re trying to enjoy. This in itself has dozens of applications, including movies, TV shows, and even erotic content if you’re into that kind of thing.
VR Setups Headsets and Glasses You Can Buy on Aliexpress - Under $50!
VR Shinecon Original Virtual Reality Glasses
The Value Champion
From $7.88 on Aliexpress
When it comes to VR Glasses, one of the best brands you can get is VR Shinecon. Taking the Google Cardboard formula and perfecting it to create a product that’s durable, high-quality, and with a plethora of connectivity options, the VR Shinecon Virtual Reality Glasses are the best way to get the most of this kind of VR technology without breaking the bank.
The VR Shinecon Virtual Reality Glasses sets the bar for VR glasses everywhere. Consistently the best-selling VR glasses on Aliexpress, VR Shinecon offers everything you want from a pair of VR Glasses - including a build-in audio headset with a 3.5mm audio jack and bluetooth capabilities, and compatibility with both iOS and Android smart devices, and seamless, intuitive controls using the packaged joystick that you can use for games and navigation.
One of the best things about the VR Shinecon is the intuitive controls thanks to the joystick controller that took a lot of design notes from the WiiMote controller from Nintendo. These controls make using the VR Glasses a breeze, especially when being used for games and VR apps on your smartphone.
Available from just $7.88 on Aliexpress, the VR Shinecon Virtual Reality Glasses can be bought with a variety of extra features and accessories. You can get extra controllers, audio options, and much more depending on what you want your VR Glasses for.
Google Cardboard VR Glasses
Best Budget VR Glasses
From $6.84 on Aliexpress
If you want VR Glasses for cheap, your best option really is to build your own! You can visit the Google Cardboard website to find out how to make your very own pair of VR Glasses with just some cardboard and a cutter, but if you prefer convenience, you can also get your very own Google Cardboard VR glasses on Aliexpress for under 7 dollars.
These Google Cardboard VR Glasses are about as basic as it gets, but they’re still based on the Google Cardboard design so they should work perfectly well with apps, movies, or other kinds of visual experiences that let you make use of virtual reality.
If you’re looking for the cheapest way to enjoy VR without having to tap into your latent talents for arts and crafts, then these Google Cardboard-based VR Glasses should be perfect for you. Plus, unlike the original Google Cardboard design, these actually come with a strap so you can put them on and enjoy a hands-free VR experience - all for the price of a can of soda.
VR Shinecon 10 Virtual Reality Glasses
Best VR Glasses for Gaming
From $11.31 on Aliexpress
We’ve talked a lot about VR Shinecon and how great it is, but if you’re a gamer looking to experience all that this technology has to offer, then look no further than the latest update to the Shinecon line, the VR Shinecon 10 - designed specifically with VR gaming in mind.
Like the original VR Shinecon, the Shinecon 10 comes with all the bells and whistles you’ll ever need for a full VR experience. Dressed up in a sleek and shiny black in contrast to the original white, the VR Shinecon 10 comes with everything fans loved about the original, including built-in audio headset with a standard 3.5mm jack and bluetooth capabilities, as well as the superb build quality and durable materials and design. Unlike the original VR Shinecon, however, the Shinecon 10 overhauls a lot of the material choices and quality features to make these virtual reality glasses the best ever.
Now with a plethora of visual features - like anti-glare, anti-HEV light (blue light), anti-reflection, reduced radiation, and distortion-free optics the visual experience you’ll get from the VR Shinecon 10 is definitely going to be next-level. However, the price does significantly go up (it’s around three times more expensive than the original) so unless you’re a VR veteran looking to see just how good VR glasses can get, this product might be a little too expensive - especially since the original already does a great job of providing the user with great VR experiences at a fraction of the price.
However, if you’re a gamer and want to see how good VR games have gotten on mobile, then the VR Shinecon 10 might be worth the splurge. They’ve replaced the WiiMote-looking controllers for a more standard gamepad, which surprisingly translates much better, especially when playing the latest games thanks to the versatility of having twin joysticks. Plus, since it’s the latest addition to the Shinecon line of VR glasses, these ones are going to be more compatible with the latest devices, including your iOS or Android-based smartphones like Xiaomi.
BoboVR Z6 Bluetooth VR Glasses
Best High-End VR Glasses
From $36.70 on Aliexpress
If you’re looking for a pair of VR glasses that really goes all-out to give you a one-of-a-kind VR experience - with wireless capabilities, high-fidelity audio, with a well-thought-out design that even takes into account cooling and ventilation for your device - then the pricier BoboVR Z6 Bluetooth VR Glasses might be just up your alley.
BoboVR has been producing VR Glasses for years, and although each design is still based fundamentally on the Google Cardboard design, each iteration gets better and better, with the addition of new features to further enhance the VR experience it offers.
The Z6 is the latest iteration of the BoboVR Glasses, and they stepped it up a notch by adding an immersive surround sound system with 50mm drivers capable of producing a 360-degree audio experience in addition to the iMax Theater visuals. It also comes with a higher-end battery than most, capable of 25 hours of playtime on a single, 2.5-hour charge.
