We’ve seen local brand Cherry Mobile dabble with affordable VR through their Touch XL 2 via its included cardboard VR glasses. While the freebie was a nice gesture, it had a few issues with navigation within Google Cardboard (and other VR apps) since there wasn’t a way to trigger the screen due to the lack of buttons. Plus the phone that it came with wasn’t exactly what you’d call the ideal device for VR experiences.

Thankfully Cherry Mobile is releasing their own stand-alone VR headset. Dubbed simply as the Cherry Mobile VR, it’s a sturdier alternative to the usual cardboard fare that’s officially being offered by Google. We’ve managed to snag a sample of the affordable VR headset, so let’s take a quick look at it.

Plastic and sturdy, and has its own controller

Despite retailing for Php 1,200, Cherry Mobile’s VR headset looks to be pretty sturdy. Made of hard plastic, the headset feels solid enough for daily use. The headset can accommodate phones from 4.5-inches to 6.5-inches, but for the best results we recommend a phone that’s bigger than 5-inches with at least a full HD display and a gyroscope.

The headset also comes with its own plastic controller that’s paired via Bluetooth to your phone. There’s 7 buttons in total as well as an analog stick that doubles as a navigation tool in VR apps. It’s easy to use and the sheer number of buttons available means that the headset can be used in a number of VR apps. The controller uses two AAA batteries to function which isn’t included in the package.

Weirdly enough the VR headset did not come with a QR code to pair it with Google Cardboard, but since the eyepieces are adjustable (via two independent sliders for each eye on the bottom) it’s not really a big deal. The garterized straps are adjustable and the headset is rather comfortable to use, though we wouldn’t recommend using it for long periods of time because of the eye strain that VR headsets tend to cause.

For just Php 1,200, the Cherry Mobile VR is an affordable alternative for people looking to try VR. The included controller is a nice touch, which allows the device to be used in more VR apps than just Google’s offering.