Samsung debuts $1,800 Galaxy XR headset to rival Apple Vision Pro at half the price

Like the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3, Samsung’s Galaxy XR is a mixed-reality headset. It functions as a standalone VR device with passthrough mixed reality capabilities, offering both 8K and 3D augmented experiences. The headset delivers immersive virtual environments where apps and content appear to float in the user’s field of view. It features two compact 4K displays and built-in external cameras that allow users to see the real world while wearing the device.

Users can interact with the Galaxy XR through eye tracking, voice commands, or hand gestures. It features a premium design, with curved glass on the front and a tethered battery pack, similar to the Vision Pro. The USB-C-enabled battery provides around 2.5 hours of use per charge. At 545 grams, the Galaxy XR is slightly heavier than the Meta Quest 3 but significantly lighter than the 750 gram Vision Pro. It also includes an adjustable strap for better fit and comfort.

The headset also has a touch-sensitive strip on the right side of the headband, an action button on the top right of the headset, and a volume rocker on the upper left.

The Galaxy XR is the first headset to run Android XR, a new operating system designed specifically for extended reality. It includes XR-optimised versions of YouTube, Google Maps, and Google Meet. The OS also integrates Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, built directly into the system.

At $1,800, Samsung’s Galaxy XR undercuts Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro in the price. However, both products remain niche and are primarily targeted at early adopters and developers rather than mainstream consumers. Like Apple, Samsung envisions the headset as a device for users to escape into movies, games, and floating digital experiences.

The Galaxy XR headset supports XR optimised applications. (Image credit: Samsung)

But the Galaxy XR faces the same fundamental challenges as the Vision Pro. These headsets are still too bulky for most people to wear comfortably, and the ecosystem lacks compelling apps or truly immersive content. There isn’t yet a “killer app” to justify the nearly $2,000 investment especially when smartphones remain the most accessible and versatile personal computing devices.

Tech companies, including Apple, have long struggled to convince users to strap a computer to their faces for hours and experience the world through screens and cameras. In the early days of the Vision Pro, there was buzz with videos of people using the device in cars or on the street. But that hype quickly faded as issues like weight, eye strain, and a limited number of use cases became apparent. The Vision Pro has reportedly underperformed commercially. While Apple recently updated the headset, the improvements were modest, an upgraded M5 processor and a redesigned dual-knit band without a price drop in sight, keeping it out of reach for average consumers.

While Samsung and Apple continue to push mixed-reality headsets, other companies like Meta are pivoting toward more accessible smart glasses. Meta has already proved that there is a market for smart glasses with Ray-Ban glasses. However, the company has higher ambitions. It recently introduced the Ray-Ban Display, its first pair of smart glasses with a built-in screen, signalling a shift toward slick smart glasses. Meta no longer emphasises the Metaverse, reflecting a broader industry transition from Metaverse, where virtual reality and a digital second life collide to artificial intelligence.

Samsung and Google still see the Galaxy XR headset as a starting point for a new type of AI-powered eyewear, including upcoming smart glasses, which the company is working on.