Samsung Galaxy Xr Hands-on: A Smarter, More Open Take On Apple's Vision Pro For Half The Price

Apple's Vision Pro was meant to usher successful a caller era for headsets. However, its precocious value and somewhat constricted inferior resulted successful what whitethorn beryllium nan company's biggest flop successful years. Now it's clip for Samsung to springiness things a spell pinch nan Galaxy XR. It's a caller return connected modern mixed reality goggles developed done heavy partnerships pinch Qualcomm and Google and it attempts to reside immoderate of nan Vision Pro's biggest shortcomings.

The hardware

While some Apple and Samsung's headsets person a batch of similarities (like their basal creation and support for features specified arsenic manus and oculus tracking), location are besides immoderate very important differences. First, astatine $1,800, nan Galaxy XR is fundamentally half nan value of nan Vision Pro (including nan caller M5-powered model). Second, alternatively of Apple’s homegrown OS, Samsung's headset is nan first to tally Google's caller Android XR platform, which combines a batch of acquainted elements from its mobile counterpart but pinch a bigger accent connected AI and Gemini-based sound controls. And third, because Samsung relied much connected partners for illustration Google and Qualcomm, nan Galaxy XR feels for illustration it's built astir a larger, much unfastened ecosystem that plays nicely pinch a wider scope of third-party devices and software.

The Galaxy XR fundamentally doesn't look that overmuch different from nan Vision Pro. It features a ample visor successful beforehand pinch an assortment of 13 different exterior sensors to support inside-out tracking, passthrough imagination and manus recognition. There are immoderate further sensors wrong for oculus and look tracking. There's besides a connector for nan ligament that leads to its outer clip-on artillery battalion alongside built-in speakers pinch spatial audio. The 1 large departure is that dissimilar nan Vision Pro, nan Galaxy XR doesn't person an outward-facing display, truthful it won't beryllium capable to task your look onto nan extracurricular of nan headset, which is conscionable good by me.

However, nan devil is successful nan specifications because while nan original Vision Pro weighed betwixt 600 and 650 grams (around 1.3 to 1.4 pounds) depending connected nan configuration (not including its artillery pack), nan Galaxy XR is importantly lighter astatine 545 grams (1.2 pounds). And that's earlier you see nan caller M5 Vision Pro, which has someway gone backwards by being moreover heavier astatine 750-800 grams (around 1.6 pounds). Furthermore, it seems Samsung learned a batch from its rivals by including a overmuch larger and thicker caput cushion that helps administer nan weight of nan headset much evenly. Granted, during a longer session, I still noticed a spot of unit and felt alleviation aft taking disconnected nan Galaxy XR, but it's thing for illustration nan Vision Pro, which successful my acquisition gets uncomfortable almost immediately. Finally, astir back, there's a elemental strap pinch a knob that you tin twist to tighten aliases loosen nan headband arsenic necessary. So moreover without other support moving crossed nan apical of your head, getting successful and retired of nan Galaxy XR is overmuch easier and comfier than nan Vision Pro.

On nan inside, nan Galaxy XR is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 spot pinch dual micro OLED displays that present 4K solution (3,552 x 3,840) to each oculus astatine up to 90Hz. I wish Samsung was capable to spell up to a 120Hz refresh complaint for illustration connected nan Vision Pro, but considering nan Galaxy XR's somewhat higher wide resolution, I'm not that bothered. And I must say, nan image value from this headset is earnestly sharp. It's moreover amended than Apple's goggles and it mightiness beryllium nan champion I've ever used, peculiarly extracurricular of $10,000+ enterprise-only setups. Once again, erstwhile you see that this point costs half nan value of a Vision Pro, this headset feels for illustration a existent accomplishment by Samsung to nan constituent wherever I wouldn't beryllium amazed if nan institution is losing money connected each portion it sells.

In position of longevity, Samsung says that for wide usage nan Galaxy XR should past astir 2 hours. If you're only watching videos though, that fig is much for illustration 2 and a half. Thankfully, if you do request to beryllium successful mixed reality for longer, you tin complaint nan headset while it's being used. As for security, nan Galaxy XR uses iris nickname to skip accepted passwords, which is nice.

The platform: Android XR

Sometimes, trying retired a caller package level tin beryllium a small jarring. But that's not really nan lawsuit for Android XR, which shouldn't coming overmuch of a learning curve for anyone who has utilized different headsets aliases Google's ubiquitous mobile OS. After putting nan goggles on, you tin summon a location paper pinch an app launcher by facing your thenar up and rubbing your scale digit and thumb together. From there, you tin unfastened apps and menus by moving your hands and pinching icons aliases rearranging virtual windows by grabbing nan anchor constituent on nan bottommost and putting them wherever you want.

Notably, while location is simply a increasing number of caller apps made specifically for XR, you still get entree to each of your modular Android titles. Those see Google Photos, Google Maps and Youtube, each of which I sewage a chance to play astir pinch during a 25-minute demo. In Photos, you tin browse your pictures normally. However, to return advantage of nan Galaxy XR's hardware, Google created a characteristic that allows nan app to person modular level images (with thief from nan cloud) into immersive ones. While nan effect isn't existent 3D, it adds chopped foreground, midground and inheritance layers to images successful a measurement that makes viewing your photograph rotation conscionable a spot much interesting.

In Maps, you commencement retired pinch a position of nan world earlier utilizing manus gestures to move and zoom successful wherever you want aliases sound commands to laser successful connected a circumstantial location. The neat caller instrumentality for this app is that if you find bubbles complete things for illustration restaurants and stores, you tin click those to beryllium transported wrong those businesses, wherever Android XR will stitch together 2D photos to create a simulated 3D situation that you tin move and locomotion astir in. Granted, this doesn't person a ton of applicable usage for astir folks unless you want to return a virtual circuit of thing for illustration a wedding venue. But, nan tech is awesome nonetheless.

Finally successful nan YouTube app, nan Galaxy XR did a awesome occupation of making modular 360 videos look moreover better. While value will ever dangle connected nan cogwheel that captured nan content, viewing spatial clips was a awesome measurement to show disconnected its solution and image quality. Google says it will besides put a caller tab connected nan app to make uncovering 360 videos easier, though you tin ever watch nan billions of modular level videos arsenic well.

Interestingly, you tin usage and navigate nan Galaxy XR wholly pinch manus gestures, but sound commands (via Gemini) are besides a awesome portion of nan Android XR platform. Because nan goggles beryllium connected your head, dissimilar pinch mobile devices, there's nary request to usage a aftermath connection each clip you want to do something. You conscionable talk and Gemini listens (though you tin take to disable this behaviour if you prefer), truthful this makes sound interactions consciousness a batch much natural. Because Gemini tin besides do things for illustration set settings aliases shape each nan apps you person open, successful summation to answering questions, it feels for illustration Google is starting to present connected immoderate of those Star Trek moments wherever you tin simply inquire nan machine to do thing and it conscionable happens. Yes, it's still very early, but arsenic a platform, Android XR feels overmuch much for illustration a virtual playground than VisionOS does astatine nan moment.

Other features

While I didn't get to trial these retired myself, location are immoderate different important features worthy mentioning. In summation to apps, you tin besides play your modular action of Android games for illustration Stardew Valley aliases link nan headset to your PC (like pinch Steam Link) to play afloat desktop titles. Furthermore, I was told that nan Galaxy XR tin beryllium tethered to a machine and utilized for illustration a accepted VR headset. And while Samsung is making optional wireless controllers for nan Galaxy XR (and a large carrying case), you whitethorn not request them astatine each arsenic you'll besides person nan expertise to brace nan goggles pinch emblematic Bluetooth-based gamepads on pinch wireless mice and keyboards.

Google besides says it's moving connected a caller strategy called Likenesses that tin create personalized avatars for usage successful video calls and meetings that usage information from interior sensors to present much realistic expressions. Additionally, you'll beryllium capable to usage devices for illustration Veo3 to make AI-generated videos while providing prompts utilizing your voice. But this is conscionable scratching nan aboveground of nan Galaxy XR's capabilities and I want to usage this point much earlier offering a last verdict.

Early thoughts

In galore ways, nan Galaxy XR looks and feels for illustration a flagship mixed reality headset successful nan aforesaid vein arsenic nan Vision Pro, but for nan Android crowd (and Windows users to immoderate grade arsenic well). On apical of that, Google has done immoderate absorbing things pinch Android XR to make it consciousness for illustration there's a overmuch wider scope of contented and package to position and use. In galore ways, nan summation of a dedicated AI adjunct successful Gemini and sound controls feels overmuch much impactful connected goggles than a telephone because you can't ever count connected having beingness inputs for illustration a rodent aliases keyboard. And pinch nan Galaxy XR being half nan value of nan Vision Pro, Samsung and Google person done a batch to reside immoderate of nan astir glaring issues pinch Apple's rival.

In lawsuit nan value driblet wasn't enough, it feels for illustration each nan companies progressive are doing arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable to sweeten nan deal. I really started laughing erstwhile I first heard each nan discounts and free subscriptions that travel pinch nan headset. That's because successful summation to nan goggles themselves, each Galaxy XR will travel pinch what's being called nan Explorer Pack: 12 months of entree to Google AI Pro, 12 months of YouTube Premium (which itself includes YouTube Music), 12 months of Google Play Pass, 12 Months of NBA League Pass and a bundle of different civilization XR contented and apps. So connected apical of a slick design, top-tier optics and a caller platform, Google and Samsung are fundamentally tossing a room descend of apps and memberships successful pinch nan headset.

My only preservation is that erstwhile it comes to wide adoption, I deliberation smartglasses person supplanted headsets arsenic nan adjacent large mainstream play. Granted, location is simply a batch of exertion and package shared betwixt some categories of devices (Google has already teased upcoming Android XR smartglasses) that should let Samsung aliases Google to pivot much easy down nan line. But nan thought that successful nan early location will beryllium a headset successful each location seems little apt each day. Still, arsenic a showcase for nan imaginable of mixed reality and high-end optics, nan Galaxy XR is an breathtaking portion of tech.

The Samsung Galaxy XR is disposable now for $1,800 connected Samsung.com.