After 10 months of speculation, Samsung has delivered on the Project Moohan promise with the introduction of the Galaxy XR headset.
This new VR headset, which is priced at $1,799.99, features impressive specifications: 8K video playback, dual micro-OLED displays, and cutting-edge AI functionalities.
I recently had the chance to test out the Samsung Galaxy XR headset for Mashable and found the experience enjoyable. If you’re thinking about making a significant investment in this pricey device (it’s half the cost of the Vision Pro, so “expensive” is subjective), I can share my first impressions.
What is the Galaxy XR headset?
It is a sophisticated VR headset that provides both augmented reality and completely immersive 8K video and 3D experiences.
Some contend that VR has passed its peak, while others suggest it never really gained traction. Samsung anticipates that the best is yet to come, making a substantial bet—alongside Google, Apple, and Meta—on the idea that our lives will not always be focused on 2D screens.
Let’s tackle the obvious point. Apple unveiled the Apple Vision Pro 18 months ago, but it never quite gained momentum, likely due to its $3,500 price tag. Apple isn’t backing down, having rolled out a new version with an M5 chip.
Now it’s Samsung’s opportunity. Today, Samsung has revealed its own headset powered by Google’s Android XR (with assistance from Gemini). Importantly, Samsung has halved Apple’s price to make it more accessible, which is a positive. However, it doesn’t compete with the lower pricing of Meta’s headsets, which presents a challenge for Samsung.
Experiencing the Samsung Galaxy XR
I made a trip to New York City for a guided demonstration of the headset. My Samsung guide showed me various scenarios that highlighted the headset’s capabilities. Unfortunately, the experience did not clarify one essential question—why do I need this?
We will revisit that topic, but first, let’s highlight what this headset excels at. I can affirm that the Samsung Galaxy XR headset is an impressive device.
Among the various VR/AR headsets I’ve tested, this one is the most comfortable. It’s lightweight, featuring an adjustable strap that fits snugly at the back of your head. I have a ponytail, and it didn’t hinder my ability to wear the headset comfortably.
The headset includes a touch-sensitive strip on the right side, an action button on the top right, and a volume rocker on the upper left. Most of these features are standard. The headset weighs in at 545 grams, slightly heavier than the Meta Quest 3 but significantly lighter than the 750-gram Apple Vision Pro.
Samsung has made an astute decision by moving the battery to a cable-connected module that you can place in your pocket. Samsung claims two hours of battery life (or 2.5 hours of video playback), which isn’t ideal. However, the battery can be recharged while in use.
Internally, it has dual 4K micro-OLED displays, each boasting a resolution of 3,552 x 3,840. (Together, they allow for 8K HDR video viewing.) Since I don’t use prescription glasses, I didn’t require any corrective lenses fitted into the headset. A few other media members did, and they were accommodated, so you probably will be too.
Upon first wearing the headset, you receive a passthrough view of your surroundings (the device is equipped with passthrough cameras, eye-tracking cameras, and various sensors). It’s digitized but of high quality and responsive, allowing for interaction with people around you. The primary method of interaction with the headset is through hand gestures, which are intuitive—especially if you’ve used other headsets previously. You’ll perform pinch gestures to select and grab items and a palm-facing gesture to access the main menu.
From there, you can choose any app to launch in your surrounding space. You can move and arrange them as desired. Additionally, you can pair a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse if you want to work within the environment. Most of the apps demonstrated to me were straightforward. In Google Maps, you can virtually navigate, zoom in and out on buildings, or search for locations. I took a virtual tour of Wrigley Field before zooming over to my home in the Chicago suburbs.
Now we delve into what Samsung and Google (who collaborated on the development of this headset and OS) refer to as “AI spatializing.” The two primary apps I engaged with were Google Photos (not linked to my account) and YouTube, both heavily utilizing the 3D spatialization capability (powered by Gemini AI).
In Google Photos, you can spatialize any photo you’ve taken. The headset converts a 2D photo into a 3D scene. Your subject shifts to the foreground and appears directly in front of you, while the background recedes. You can perceive depth in the photo. Notably, one image showcased a child crouching on a beach, and I could observe one leg in front of the other, with wet sand on his feet. It was impressive.
It’s precisely the kind of “Oh