The Merge VR Goggles are a bright purple VR headset made out of squidgy foam that is compatible with nearly any iOS and Android device released in the last two years. I love the look of these, they are colourful and while the chunky block edges look great they more importantly form a massive protective case for your phone whilst it’s in there, you can throw it in your bag or let the kids pull it about without too much worry. There are holes in all the right places so you can still access charging ports and volume keys for example. The elasticated Velcro straps make putting it on easy and its simple to adjust whilst you are wearing it, it can be made very small or massive I doubt there is a head out there it wouldn’t fit. The two buttons at the top allow you to interact with apps as well as acting as slides to adjust the lenses to bring the screen into the correct focus, there are a couple of ventilation holes at the top to keep the lenses from fogging up, this seemed to work well as I experience zero fogging whilst using the goggles. There is a chucky wedge that can be removed to free up your phones camera to allow for augmented reality games, a mixture of the real world with virtual reality elements thrown it (imagine cartoon rabbits jumping around your living room). I found it worked really well with my Samsung S6 but not without a couple of downsides, firstly the foam body is very firm and weighing in at a hefty 12 ounces, (compared with the Gear VR's 6.9 ounces), after a few minutes of wear there was pressure on my nose which after 15mins became really uncomfortable. A spongey lining around the edges like you get on a regular pair of ski goggles could eradicate this issue, another problem I had was when I used the buttons to interact with the app the lenses would slowly slide across making the screen out of focus, however it isn’t difficult to re-adjust but a lens lock would be a nice addition and learnt that if you keep your thumbs on the bottom knobs this keeps the focus in place as you’re pressing straight down with any angle. After 30 mins of game time my S6 got quite hot in the headset, it also gets very hot when I charge my phone so I wasn’t overly concerned but perhaps the foam isn’t the most breathable material for the job. As for the Apps, Merge have their own range of apps on the website as well as being compatible with Google Cardboard which features loads of entertainment ranging from games to the educational and the majority are free. I think the Merge is fairly good value for money and with a few simple adjustments could be awesome, it is one of the few headsets that can house a variety of phones whilst offering AR and interactive buttons, if you are interested in trying out VR and AR this is a more durable and comfortable alternative to Googles DIY option. RRP £39.99

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4 out of 5

Pros

Clear image, no blurry edges

Tough foam body

Adjustable lens

Bright colourful design

Interactive buttons

Cons

Phone got very hot

Lense move when pressing the buttons

Heavy, created pressure on my face