INTRODUCTION

    Even though PC gamers put weight on both hardware components (CPU, RAM, GPU) and peripherals (screens, gaming mice and keyboards) there's actually one type of gaming peripheral that doesn't seem to have received nearly the attention it deserves. I am of course referring to haptic devices which thanks to various motors can transmit tactile information (either as vibrations or motions) thus allowing end users to experience gaming, movies and music like never before. The very first haptic gaming peripherals I had the chance to review a few years back were by Woojer and since their product lines have been updated since then today, I'll be testing the latest Vest 3 (S3).

    Woojer is a pioneer in the field of haptic technology with a fundamental patent portfolio and products that deliver high fidelity tactile sensation which reproduce the rich emotion of sound. Our team are visionaries who understand the intertwined relationship between sound, vision, emotion and immersion. The Woojer team has a proven track record of bringing disruptive products to market and are backed by influential industry leaders.

    Although improved in several of its aspects the Vest 3 (which is currently available in plain black, numerous calls of duty and fortnight black variants and white made for meta VR) is actually very similar to the original Vest Edge which I reviewed many years back. So once again Woojer has introduced a lightweight vest (also made out of breathable synthetic fabrics and plastic) inside which they've mounted 6 patented sensory points (OSCI V2 TRX transducers which this time over offer a wider frequency range of 1Hz-250Hz), Bluetooth v5.0 TX/RX module (A2DP / BLE / dual connectivity), DSP, built-in analog headphones amplifier by Texas Instruments (again delivers a stronger138mW output into 16ohm - 0.1% THD+N), exterior controls with activity LEDs and a 4SP Li-On battery pack (14.4V) that can keep it running for up to 8 hours (recharge time is roughly 3 hours with the bundled fast charger). The above components allow the Vest 3 to produce surround 7.1 and stereo sound, offer 3 different modes (gaming, broad and focused) and connect wirelessly to both your PC and your headset/speakers. I was surprised to see that Woojer has also placed a chair-mount for the Vest 3 allowing you to mount it onto a gaming chair to avoid having to wear and remove it every single time (unfortunately this extra wasn't sent to us with the sample). Needless to say, just like with the original Vest Edge the Vest 3 is covered by a 12 month limited warranty and also fully conforms to the UL (60065), CE (60065) and FCC regulations while its EMF Magnetic Field is ~5% of the ICNIRP safety guidelines.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

As expected, the Vest 3 arrived inside a large black box the front of which is taken by a product picture, company logo and the product name.

At the rear of the box Woojer has placed a product drawing which is used to point to the product features and available connections and controls.

Opening the box reveals the Vest 3 behind a synthetic cover and instructions for optimal fit.

Along with the Vest 3 inside the box you'll also find a power adapter with 4 tips (universal compatibility), USB-C cable (charging and data), USB-C to USB-A adapter, 3.5mm audio cable, warranty information paper and the user manual.

THE VEST 3

Just like the Vest Edge the Vest 3 is a one size fits all vest and so it can stretch from 80cm to 165cm (medium to XXL size) and can fit people from 1.5 to 2 meters tall.

What stands out is the newly designed control box which includes the on/off button, status LED ring, Bluetooth activity LED, battery status LED, multi-channel status LED, wireless headphones status LED, volume up/down buttons, volume LED indicator, sensation up/down buttons, sensation intensity indicator, 3.5mm analog in, USB-C input and a 3.5mm headphones port.

The Vest 3 comes with a total of 6 OSCI V2 TRX transducers, two on the front, two on the back, and one on each side.

Thanks to the specially designed waist straps (there's also a chest strap further up) the Vest 3 is very easy to adjust.

Taking a look at the rear of the Vest 3 we find the 4SP Li-On battery pack at the top which can be recharged via the bundled USB-C charging adapter.

No matter how hard I looked around I still have no idea as to what these 6 gold plated contacts can be used for (will check with Woojer and update this, could be just for show).

For any of you wondering yes, quality is excellent overall.

The USB-C to USB-A adapter should be quite useful for systems that don't have a USB-C port in general or one at the front (for easier reach).

Above you can see how the control box looks like when the Vest 3 is turned on.

WOOJER APP

Even though I'd feel a lot better with a PC app the Vest 3 can be controlled via the Woojer android and iOS app.

The app is very easy to use, just enable Bluetooth on both the Vest 3 and your smartphone and/or tablet.

As expected really the Woojer app wanted to update the Vest 3 with the latest firmware.

To my surprise even though the Vest 3 was fully charged I had to remove it (was wearing it) in order to plug it onto the power adapter for the update to continue.

Since the Vest 3 needs to be selected as your audio card you will need to attach headphones or speakers onto it either via Bluetooth or 3.5mm.

Once you're done with connecting the Vest 3, you'll be able to adjust its volume and sensation levels from the app.

Inside the settings you can choose between broad, focused and gaming modes, select the low latency mode, change BT settings (input), adjust the sync (wireless lag) and also set the volume and sensation levels.

Last tab includes the product name, product ID, battery charge level and firmware version.

CONCLUSION

    I may have used a few haptic feedback gaming peripherals to date but just like with the Vest Edge when I started using the Vest 3 it just felt strange and actually took me around 4 hours to get used to it. So, is it better compared to the Vest Edge? Clearly yes but that’s not to say the Vest 3 is perfect. Yes, it does what it’s supposed to do and does it well (depends quite a bit on game genre however, for some people watching movies will probably feel even better) s long as used properly (suggest using it over a t-shirt for the best results, just start raising the intensity from lowest level) but having to use it as a sound source is not quite ideal. Leaving out the reduced audio quality aspect if you’re using a decent audio card or DAC (especially when connected wirelessly) there was also noticeable audio lag while watching videos online (YouTube, TikTok) which I was unable to resolve by using the sync feature in the app. Luckily this audio lag was not present while playing games or watching movies stored locally but again I do hope Woojer looks into it. Also having to plug the Vest 3 onto its power adapter for a firmware update when the battery if fully charged is something I didn’t expect to be honest (having to take off the Vest 3 if you’re wearing it can be annoying – only scenario this would be needed would be if there was a problem with the battery pack).

    With the Christmas season just around the corner Woojer currently offers a 20% discount to all consumers and so you can grab your very own Vest 3 for USD399/479.95Euros. Yes, even that amount could be considered as high but for good or bad we’re still not at a point in time where haptic gaming peripherals can be affordable (at least not specialized models like the Vest 3). At the end of the day the Vest 3 delivers as advertised, yes, it’s by no means perfect but if you’re looking for one such peripheral it comes highly recommended and gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Vibration Intensity & Accuracy
- Battery Life (Up To 8 Hours)
- Wired & Wireless Use
- Built In Headphones Amplifier
- Compatibility (Games, Movies & Music)
- Easy To Use
- Product Support
- One Size For All (Medium To XXL)

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Audio Quality Drop & Lag (For Some)