Google Earth VR

What Google Earth VR is

Google Earth VR is a Windows application for exploring places at virtual reality scale. Users can move above city streets, approach landmarks, stand on mountain peaks, and continue outward into space. Its guided experiences include cinematic tours and selected locations such as the Amazon River, Manhattan skyline, Grand Canyon, and Swiss Alps. The experience is single-player and supports tracked controllers. Google is identified as both its developer and publisher.

The app requires a VR headset and lists SteamVR or Oculus PC as supported options. Its minimum PC requirements are 64-bit Windows, 8 GB RAM, a GTX 970 or Radeon R9 Fury equivalent graphics card, broadband internet, and 4 GB of storage. Google Earth VR has a Free plan at no cost. Google Earth has other described capabilities, including satellite imagery, 3D terrain and buildings in hundreds of cities, Street View, and collaborative mapping. Google Earth Pro for desktop supports historical imagery and GIS data import and export; Google Earth Help describes viewing past imagery on a timeline and importing GPS tracks or other time-related data.

Who it suits

Google Earth VR suits people with a VR headset who want to explore cities, landmarks, and natural settings from different heights and scales. Its guided tours and tracked controller support also suit users who want curated destinations within a single-player experience.

Limits

The Free plan requires a VR headset. The listed minimum PC setup requires 64-bit Windows, 8 GB RAM, a GTX 970 or Radeon R9 Fury equivalent, broadband internet, and 4 GB of storage.

Getting started

1. Visit https://earth.google.com/.
2. Use a Windows PC that meets the listed minimum requirements.
3. Set up a VR headset with SteamVR or Oculus PC support.
4. Choose the Free plan at no cost.
5. Launch a single-player exploration with tracked controllers.

Verdict

Choose Google Earth VR if you have a compatible VR headset and want to explore places at an immersive scale, with guided destinations available. Look elsewhere if you need an experience that does not require a headset or Windows PC.