Samsung Galaxy XR hands-on: It’s similar to an affordable Apple Vision Pro and releases today

During the opening minutes of KPop Demon Hunters on Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset, I have a feeling Apple’s Vision Pro might be in trouble.

This isn’t solely due to the Galaxy XR — which Samsung previously teased as Project Moohan — being that superior to the Vision Pro. Rather, the experiences are on par, and you receive significantly more value for your money. Notably, the Galaxy XR is priced at $1,799, while the Vision Pro costs a hefty $3,499. The headset is launching today in the US and Korea, and to attract more customers, Samsung and Google are providing an “explorer pack” with each headset that includes a complimentary year of Google AI Pro, Google Play Pass, and YouTube Premium, along with YouTube TV for just $1 a month for three months, plus a free season of NBA League Pass.

Did I mention that it’s also much lighter and more comfortable compared to the Vision Pro?

Additionally, it comes with a built-in Netflix application. Who’s likely to opt for a Vision Pro now? Possibly individuals who require Mac capabilities for work and are deeply integrated into Apple’s ecosystem. However, many others might prefer this headset instead.

These are the thoughts that crossed my mind during my second official demonstration of Samsung’s headset prior to today’s announcement. I had seen a demonstration of a Moohan prototype last December, but this was the final version of the device. There are a few noticeable updates. The front piece now has more cushioning than I remembered from my last demo, and I finally got to test the detachable bottom light seal. But aside from that, not much has been modified.

The design still resembles a mixture of a Vision Pro and a Meta Quest 3. There aren’t unsettling eyes on the front display, but there is still a glass panel that contains several cameras to observe your environment and hand movements. Inside, the device has micro-OLEDs supporting 4K resolution and refresh rates up to 90Hz, which should allow for smooth scrolling and gaming experiences. Samsung claims up to 2.5 hours of battery life, comparable to the Vision Pro.

There isn’t a removable strap; everything is made from lightweight plastic with a cushioned back piece and a dial for adjusting tightness. The materials don’t seem as upscale as the Vision Pro. However, plastic is simpler to maintain than fabric, and when I placed it on my head, it felt significantly lighter with better weight distribution. (The original Vision Pro was notably front-heavy, but an updated strap improves this considerably.) It was only towards the end of the 30-minute demo that I began to notice some tension.

Much of the headset’s experience is so similar to the Vision Pro that I can envision Apple’s legal team becoming uneasy. It features a high-resolution passthrough, though I wouldn’t describe it as crystal clear. The headset tracks where you’re focusing, and you use finger pinches to select items. One distinction is a Quest-like cursor that appears when highlighting menus and XR components, making it slightly easier to identify the currently selected element. Other than that, the interface resembles a Google-influenced version of the Vision Pro’s setup.

In terms of features, it includes everything from spatial images and immersive settings to expanding multiple browser windows for peak productivity. There is also automatic spatialization for already-existing 2D content. For instance, when I went to YouTube to view a recent Vergecast episode, a 3D version of my colleague David Pierce popped out from the video.

Both Google and Samsung are eager to highlight that this Android XR headset integrates Gemini. Indeed, during a brief keynote for the press, leaders from both companies underscored that this device features “AI at its core.”

This means that in case you whimsically choose to read a physical magazine while wearing the headset, you can Circle to Search for any intriguing products you discover and view them in virtual Chrome. When exploring an immersive 3D map within the Google Maps application, you can ask Gemini questions about your environment. If you’re viewing a picture or a YouTube video, you can start a Gemini Live session, share your screen with the AI, and inquire. While examining a picture of a furry quadruped at Machu Picchu, Gemini informed me that I was, indeed, observing a llama and not an alpaca. It even proceeded to share llama trivia. While watching a 3D YouTube video of an erupting Icelandic volcano, Gemini mistakenly identified it as a volcano in Hawaii. So, there are clearly some limitations.

I’m not sure if the average user will aspire to acquire these costly, sophisticated XR headsets. One might say the Galaxy XR is also doomed from the outset, particularly as the cultural trend is leaning heavily toward smart glasses. Nonetheless, for those keen on headsets? On paper, the Galaxy XR presents itself as a remarkably better deal. You receive a comparable consumption experience at nearly half the cost. (In fact, it costs less than a Z Fold 7!) It’s significantly more comfortable for prolonged wear.

A diverse range of content is accessible, and you gain access to Google services like YouTube and Maps, among others. If you consider AI a key feature, Gemini is implemented in this headset much more effectively than Siri in the Vision Pro. In comparison to devices like phones, tablets, and computers, these headsets are significantly easier to utilize as standalone devices. Yet, the most frequent application we’ve observed for these headsets is serving as a personal theater. The Galaxy XR might lack some of the Vision Pro’s luxurious refinement — along with the full capabilities of a Mac — but, in terms of immersive content, it is certainly adequate.

Moreover, if you plan to use it for productivity, you can project a Samsung Galaxy Book laptop screen onto the headset (though it remains unclear how this compares to casting a Mac to a Vision Pro), receive calls through it, or transfer files between the headset and other devices.

I should add that demonstrations do not equate to experiencing a device in everyday life. Once we receive a Galaxy XR headset for thorough testing, there’s a chance we may uncover factors that shift the advantage back to the Vision Pro. I’m eager to see how the M5 Vision Pro — which is set to be released on October 22nd — will perform. However, if the Galaxy XR proves to be as impressive in real-life usage as it has been in demonstrations, there exists even less justification for purchasing a Vision Pro.

Correction, October 22nd: The headset employs micro-OLED, contrary to the prior claim of mini-LED.