The forthcoming second generation Oculus Rift development kit has been torn down, revealing a complete Samsung Galaxy Note 3 display hidden within.
Popular teardown website iFixit managed to get its hands on an Oculus Rift DK2 (a feat in itself), and proceeded to do what it does best – systematically strip it.
When taking out the display module, it noted that “the display has a rubber case housed in a plastic backing,” which instantly aroused suspicions.
Sure enough, a little peeling revealed “literally the front panel of a Samsung Galaxy Note 3.” That includes the Samsung logo, home button and front camera cut-outs – even the touchscreen controller is intact.
Funnily enough, Samsung itself has a cheap alternative to the Oculus Rift VR headset in the works. It involves slotting in a Samsung smartphone to form the display.
Little did we know that this was also literally the case with the biggest name in virtual reality right now.
Of course, if you’re going to cobble together a vibrant and immersive virtual reality headset, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3’s display makes for one of the better component choices.
At 5.7-inches and a 1080p resolution, it’s both large and sharp. Also, thanks to Super AMOLED technology, its colours pop way more than LCD alternatives, while blacks are rendered nice and inky.
One modification that the report points out is that the display has been over clocked to run at a higher 75Hz refresh rate (the original runs at 60Hz), allowing for more fluid motion.
Of course, the final Oculus Rift model will probably ship with its own custom display panel. In the meantime, this is a quick, easy, and cheap way to provide a decent model for developers to work on.
Next, read our Oculus Rift vs Project Morpheus comparison
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
