Order your Samsung Gear VR today for $199

Get your Gear VR today. Photo: Samsung

Get your Gear VR today. Photo: Samsung

Samsung’s Gear VR virtual reality headset is here, but if you want one, you’ll need a Galaxy Note 4 and $199 to spare. The device is available to order now direct from Samsung’s online store and from AT&T in the U.S., and it comes with a 16GB microSD card loaded with 360-degree movies and games. You’ll have to pay extra if you want Gear VR earphones or a gamepad, though.

We’ve been waiting for Gear VR to hit the market since Samsung unveiled it alongside the Galaxy Note 4 at IFA in Berlin, and we were kind of hoping that by the time it went on sale, it would be compatible with more devices. But it isn’t, so unless you own a Galaxy Note 4, it’s no good to you just yet.

If you are a Note 4 owner, however, Gear VR instantly turns your smartphone into a virtual reality headset. Simply snap your phone into the device and stick it on your head to be “transported to amazing new worlds” through all kinds of 360-degree content. Gear VR promises a more immersive movie experience, and gaming in a way that’s never been done before.

But it comes at a price. Gear VR by itself is $199, while the official Gear Circle earphones are $99, and the Samsung Gamepad is a whopping $79.99. These have to be three of the most overpriced products we’ve seen this year — especially when you compare the Gear VR to a competitor like the VR One from Carl Zeiss, which is compatible with a whole range of devices and costs just $99.

The Gear VR does have one big advantage over its rivals, though; Samsung has partnered with Oculus to give Gear VR users the ability to download content from the Oculus Store. Whether that’s worthy of the premium price tag is up to you.