Google and Samsung have finally released their first Android XR headset, the Galaxy XR. It might be the best attempt at a mixed reality computer and virtual reality headset yet, depending on
If this headset seems familiar, it’s probably because it was announced nearly a year ago as Samsung’s “Project Moohan,” and Samsung previewed the release again last week. The big day is finally here, though—this is a real headset you can buy with your real money, complete with a real name. Meet the Galaxy XR.
The Galaxy XR is a mixed reality headset, so it can display windows and interface elements on top of your real-life surroundings in augmented reality (AR), in addition to fully immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences. The Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro have similar capabilities. Under the hood, this is powered by the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset, with Wi-Fi 7, “up to” Bluetooth 5.4, 256GB storage and 18GB RAM.
The primary screen is a 3,552 x 3,840 Micro-OLED panel for each eye, with refresh rates up to 90Hz. The OLED screen is a substantial upgrade from the LCD panel found in Meta Quest headsets, with deeper blacks for VR content, and the resolution is higher than the Quest 3, Valve Index, Bigscreen Beyond 2, and PlayStation VR2. It has several cameras for pass-through video and motion sensing, as well as iris recognition and eye tracking support, similar to the Apple Vision Pro.
This is the first headset with Android XR, a new software platform that should eventually arrive on other headsets and glasses. Since it’s based on Android, you have all your typical Android apps and games from the Google Play Store. Some software has been updated with XR-specific modes, like immersive 3D maps in Google Maps or depth effects in Google Photos.
There should be a growing library of AR and VR software for Android XR, but we won’t have a complete picture there until the headset arrives. The Gemini assistant is also front and center here, with the ability to answer natural language questions while using other apps and games—hopefully it won’t tell you to eat glue and rocks.
Samsung said in a press release, “All apps built on the Android platform work right out of the box on Galaxy XR, ensuring users can enjoy the familiar mobile experiences they already love and making the device as useful day-to-day as it is groundbreaking. Since the platform is built on OpenXR standards, it’s easy for developers using OpenXR, WebXR, or Unity to bring their experiences to Galaxy XR — offering them more ways to scale and giving consumers more choices.”
As you might expect, the catch is the price. The Galaxy XR is priced at $1,800, which is far more expensive than the Meta Quest 3 at $500, the only (somewhat) successful standalone headset on the market today. The PlayStation VR2 ($400) and Valve Index ($1,000) are also cheaper, but those are intended primarily for gaming and require a PC or game console. Samsung’s motion controllers are a separate charge of $250.
The Galaxy XR is clearly not intended to be a mass-market device, and launching the Android XR platform without a more affordable device for the general public seems like a bad idea—it certainly didn’t work out for the Vision Pro. Still, the Galaxy XR is cheaper than the Vision Pro, and the Android platform gives it a strong starting point.
If Google and Samsung can get ports of popular Meta Quest apps and games, and introduce a cheaper model that competes with the Quest 3, the platform might have a shot at success. Google and Samsung already have dead XR platforms in their closets—Daydream and Gear VR, respectively—so hopefully those will be valuable lessons for building a better platform. The Galaxy XR looks like an impressive flagship model, but I’m looking forward to the more accessible headsets.
You can buy the Galaxy XR from Samsung’s online store for $1,800. The company will also throw in “The Explorer Pack,” a bundle with specialized XR content, YouTube Premium, Google AI Pro, and other benefits.
Display Type
4K Micro-OLED
Storage
256GB
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3
Battery Life
2+ hours
Weight
545g
Refresh rate
60, 72, or 90Hz
Samsung’s new headset has an incredible 4K Micro-OLED resolution, making everything more clear than ever before.
Source: Samsung
