Review: BetaFPV VR04 Analog Goggles – The Cheapest Worth-Having Analog Goggles in 2026

I recently reviewed the Aquila20 FPV Drone kit from BetaFPV. While I wasn’t particularly impressed by how the drone flew, I was genuinely impressed by the VR04 analog goggles! In fact, I’ve been using them quite a lot with my other analog quads. BetaFPV didn’t release them as a standalone product until this week, so I can finally share my thoughts about these goggles in more detail — and explain why I recommend them.

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Learn about FPV goggles in this buyer’s guide: https://oscarliang.com/fpv-goggles/

Where to Buy

Get the VR04 Goggles from:

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3gtRW79
• BetaFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-14h0
• GetFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-wzz7
• RDQ: https://oscarliang.com/product-ztuo

Specifications

• Size: 168.8 × 182.1 × 98.5mm
• Weight: 425g ±10g
• Video Format: NTSC / PAL
• Supported Channels: 48CH
• Screen Size: 4.3 inch
• Screen Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Screen Resolution: 800 × 480
• Battery: 3.7V, 2000mAh
• Runtime: About 2 hours in normal mode, about 1 hour in recording mode
• Antenna Port: RP-SMA
• Charging Port: USB-C
• SD Card Slot: MicroSD (not included), supports FAT32, up to 64GB
• DVR Recording Resolution: 480P @ 30fps
• DVR Video Format: AVI

Design and Build

The previous generation, VR03 goggles, was a great budget goggles, but the new VR04 goggles are even better.

They’re not premium goggles, but they include many features you want for flying FPV:

• Built-in DVR recording to a microSD card, so you can replay your flights or upload them to social media. You can playback the footage inside the goggles too, useful for finding your drone when crashed but you are not sure where
• Foldable antenna, which makes transportation easier
• Removable antenna, so you can upgrade it
• Simple user interface and straightforward controls
• Comfortable fit
• Basic settings such as brightness, contrast, saturation, and tint

They are quite bulky and not exactly fashionable, but the upside of the larger design is that you can comfortably wear glasses while using them.

The built-in battery is another big plus — no need to spend extra on additional batteries. It also means no dangling power cables. Charging is simple via USB-C. Battery voltage is displayed inside the goggles, and there’s a low-voltage warning.

If the internal battery runs low, you can even power the goggles using an external 2S battery via the barrel connector, which makes them surprisingly flexible for a budget option.

Downsides

No 4:3 Aspect Ratio Option

The native display aspect ratio of the VR04 is 16:9, and unfortunately, there’s no option to switch to 4:3.

Honestly, this is the biggest drawback for me personally. All my analog quads use 4:3 cameras, and since the VR04 only displays 16:9, the image appears stretched.

As someone used to 4:3 goggles, it felt strange at first due to the distortion. However, I got used to it after flying with them for a couple of days. So it’s something you might be able to adapt to over time — but ideally, you’d want to use these goggles with a camera that supports 16:9 for the best experience.

No Diversity Receiver

Another limitation is that the VR04 only has a single antenna receiver — it’s not a diversity receiver, and doesn’t support external receiver modules either.

This means maximum range and video signal quality aren’t the best. However, for indoor flying (such as tiny whoops) or flying a micro quad in the backyard, they’re perfectly adequate.

The Stock Antenna Sucks – Upgrade the Antenna ASAP

Before using these goggles, I highly recommend upgrading the antenna.

Literally any decent antenna would be better than the stock one. I get noticeably more range and less screen flickering with a different antenna.

The antenna is removable and uses an RP-SMA connector. I’d recommend getting a circular polarized antenna with an RP-SMA connector. I don’t recommend using a directional antenna with these goggles unless you know what you’re doing — an omni-directional antenna is much more suitable for general flying with a non-diversity receiver.

Between RHCP and LHCP, it depends on what you’re using on your quad — you should match the polarization. If your quad has a linear polarized antenna (like the one on the Air65), then it doesn’t matter — both RHCP and LHCP will perform similarly.

Here are my antenna recommendations: https://oscarliang.com/best-fpv-antenna/#Antennas-Recommendations

Not sure what antenna polarization is? Check out this guide: https://oscarliang.com/best-fpv-antenna/#Antenna-Polarization

I do wish the antenna connector was SMA instead of RP-SMA, since SMA antennas are more common. If you’re like me and only have SMA antennas, you can use an adapter like I did here. You can even get a right-angle adapter if your antenna is straight.

Avoid Auto Channel Search

By holding down the joystick, the goggles enter “auto search” mode and automatically find a VTX channel for you. It’s handy if you don’t know your channel, but it’s not very accurate. It often locks onto a channel that’s “close enough” rather than the exact one.

It might work fine at short range, but you won’t get the best video performance unless you’re on the correct channel (more flickering and interference).

I recommend setting your VTX channel in the Betaflight OSD (or at least noting it down), then manually selecting that channel in the goggles.

Final Thoughts: It’s Not The Perfect Goggles

I quite like these goggles and wanted to spread the word— but I ended up spending more time pointing out the flaws than talking about the positives. I guess it’s just my habit as a reviewer. At least now you know they’re not perfect. But hey — they’re only $75 after all!

If you have the budget, I’d definitely recommend getting something better. For mid-range, I’d suggest the Skyzone Cobra SD. For high-end analog goggles, the Skyzone SKY04X Pro would be my pick.

But for just $75, the VR04 goggles offer really good value. The 16:9-only aspect ratio is the biggest downside in my opinion. If you can’t stand a stretched image, then these aren’t for you.

I used to recommend the EV800D a lot, but quality has been hit-or-miss in recent years, and there are many mixed reviews. My guess is that quality control isn’t as consistent anymore — or there are simply too many counterfeits on the market. It’s generally better to buy from a reputable brand, so if something goes wrong, you can get proper support.

Eventually, you’ll probably want to upgrade to something better to get the full FPV experience. But for someone just starting out, who doesn’t want to spend too much, or who wants a spare set of cheap analog goggles, these are definitely worth considering.

Get the VR04 Goggles from:

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3gtRW79
• BetaFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-14h0
• GetFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-wzz7
• RDQ: https://oscarliang.com/product-ztuo