SamsungThe long-awaited Galaxy XR headset is here—and it could be the next big thing in mixed and virtual reality.
Impressive thanks to its excellent performance Android XR Featuresand other details that I'll share below, this Samsung headset, formerly known to us as Project Moohan, has the potential to shake up the space in a way that many previously thought it wouldn't. Apple Vision Pro can.
We're still waiting for more in-depth testing of the Samsung Galaxy XR before making a final verdict, because there's only so much we can glean from the shorter demos – but we already like what we've seen.
If you want to know more about why we and others are so enamored with the Galaxy XR headset, then you've come to the right place: I've got a list of six things you need to know about this device, and why it might be the Meta Quest competitor we've been waiting for.
1. The characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy XR are at a new level.
The Samsung Galaxy XR headset's hardware looks set to put the competition to shame – especially this Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3C perhaps you were looking up.
That's because it boasts some major upgrades, starting with the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset. It has a 20% faster processor and 15% faster GPU than the XR2 Gen 2 you'll find in Quests, meaning it can handle more sensors, higher-resolution displays and more resource-intensive applications. And that's on top of the power boost you can expect from the 16GB of RAM, which is double that of the Meta headset and on par with Apple's Vision Pro.
Speaking of sensors (I'll get to the software in a moment), this headset boasts two pass-through cameras, six ambient-facing tracking cameras that monitor what's going on around you and your hand movements, and four eye-tracking cameras so they can follow your facial movements.
In terms of display, you will find that the Android XR headset offers a pair of micro-displays with a resolution of 3552 x 3840 pixels.OLED screens with refresh rates up to 90 Hz (but default to 72 Hz) and viewing angles of 109 degrees horizontally and 100 degrees vertically.
2. It's not cheap, but it's not too expensive either.
The Samsung Galaxy XR headset retails for $1,799 (availability and pricing for other regions TBD, but that's roughly £1,340 or AU$2,770), which is more expensive than the $499 Meta Quest 3, but still a lot cheaper than the $3,499. Apple Vision Pro.
It's also only slightly more expensive than the Meta Quest Pro's $1,499.99 asking price at launch, and in return, you'll likely be getting a much more powerful headset with significant hardware improvements across the board (displays, sensors, processing power, etc.).
This sets the headset apart as a device that should combine productivity, gaming and entertainment, something you'll want to use all day, every day – with some early testers hailing it as the “in-your-face laptop you've been waiting for” (via Android Center).
3. Comfort shouldn't be a big issue
As someone who spends “all day every day” in a VR headset – especially the Meta Quest Pro – I know it can be uncomfortable, but it may not be such a big problem with the Samsung Galaxy XR headset.
Let's start with the fact that it weighs almost 200 g less and is about 545 g. This is possible due to the fact that the battery is placed in a separate external unit weighing 302 g, and is not located in the headset itself. It's also much less than Apple's claimed 750-800g for the Vision Pro (on top of that device's 353g battery weight).
Combined with the sculpted padding this headset boasts, we've already described it as “more comfortable to wear than the Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3c» in our original hands-on review of Samsung Galaxy XR.
We'll want to use it longer before we make a final verdict, but Samsung seems to have raised the comfort bar.
4. It runs on Android XR and AI.
The entire headset runs on Android XR. Google-did operating system Designed for headsets and glasses.
This means that from day one, your headset will have a wide range of 2D Android apps playing in floating windows, plus the Google services you know and love. This includes the essential Google Gemini assistant, as well as new features designed specifically for XR.
For example, you can rely on Gemini and Google Maps explore immersive 3D spaces from the comfort of your living room, “automatically distribute” videos and photos to transform 2D images into 3D, and use the mixed reality search circle to learn more about both the virtual and real world objects you can see.
There are also several immersive entertainment and productivity apps to try out on the Galaxy XR hardware, and I'm sure we'll see many more launches over time.
5. There are great benefits to arriving early.
In addition to being among the first to get their foot in Android XR's door, Google and Samsung are offering some exclusive perks for early backers (that is, if you buy the headset before December 31, 2025; check out full terms and conditions here).
This “Explorer Package” comes as:
- 12 months Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium and Google Play Pass.
- YouTube TV trial for $1 per month for 3 months in the US.
- Access the 2025-26 NBA League Pass in the US.
- Access NFL PRO ERA from Status Pro, Project Pulsar from Adobe, Asteroid and Calm
According to Samsung's store page, that's a combined savings of at least $1,140 compared to paying for all of these services separately, which is almost two-thirds the price of the headset. Then this is not something to complain about.
6. You will be able to demonstrate the headset.
It looks like online registration isn't available right now, but if you head to one of the Samsung stores or choose the Google stores in New York and California, Samsung and Google will say you can register to show off the new Galaxy XR headset.
This sounds like a great idea if you want to see what this headset has to offer before committing to purchasing it because it is still an expensive device.
Apple and Meta have offered similar capabilities with their recent XR technology, and it's a useful trend that I hope we see continue, especially while such gadgets are in their early days.
However, we found that Meta and Apple demos were difficult to find at first as people snapped up the earliest slots they could get, so we recommend you act quickly to avoid missing out.
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