Samsung Galaxy XR hands-on: It’s as cheap as the Apple Vision Pro and launches today

Watching the first few minutes of KPOP Demon Hunters On Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset, I think Apple’s Vision Pro could be cooked.

That’s not because the Galaxy XR — which Samsung previously teased as Project Mohan — is He Much better than Vision Pro. It’s that the experience is comparable, but you get a lot more bang for your buck. Notably, the Galaxy XR 7 costs $1,799 compared to the Vision Pro’s astronomical $3,499. The headset launches today in the U.S. and Korea, and to attract more users, Samsung and Google are offering an “Explorer Pack” with each headset that includes Google AI Pro, Google Play Pass, and Premium on YouTube, one month of YouTube TV for three months in 1 month, and one free season of NBA League Pass.

Did I mention it’s also significantly lighter and more comfortable than the Vision Pro?

Oh, and it comes with a native Netflix app. Who is going to get Vision Pro now? Well, maybe people who need Mac power for work and are really embedded in Apple’s ecosystem. But a lot of other people probably want that instead.

These were the thoughts running through my head while I got my second official demo of Samsung’s headset ahead of today’s announcement. I got a demo of the Mohan prototype last December, but that was the last iteration of the product. There are some notable changes. The front piece is more cushioned than I remembered from my last demo, and finally got me to try the removable bottom light seal. But otherwise, not much has changed.

The hardware still looks like a Vision Pro mixed with a MetaQuest 3. There are no weird eyes on the front screen, though there is still a glass panel that houses several cameras to capture your surroundings and hand gestures. Inside it’s got micro OLEDs that support 4K resolution and a refresh rate of up to 90Hz, which should make scrolling and games look smooth. Samsung promises up to 2.5 hours of battery life, exactly the same as the Vision Pro.

There’s no removable strap – it’s all lightweight plastic with a cushioned back piece and a dial you use to adjust the stiffness. The content doesn’t feel as premium as the Vision Pro. But the plastic is easier to clean than the fabric, and when I slide it over my head it’s noticeably lighter, and the weight is more evenly distributed. (The first Vision Pro was extremely front-heavy, but a new strap helps with that a lot.) It took until the end of the 30-minute demo before I felt some tension.

The experience inside the headset is so similar to the Vision Pro that I can imagine Apple’s lawyers bristle. Here’s a high-resolution passthrough, though I wouldn’t call it crystal clear. The headset tracks what you’re looking at, and you pinch your fingers to select. One difference is that when you point to Menus and XR elements there is an indentation-like cursor, making it easier to tell if the right thing is highlighted. Otherwise, the interface is a Google-flavored version of what you’ll find in Vision Pro.

Feature-wise, there’s everything from native images and immersive environments to launching multiple browser windows for maximum productivity. There is also automatic placement for existing 2D content. Like, when I go to YouTube to watch the latest Vergecast Episodefor , for , for , . My colleague David Pearce’s 3D version went beyond the video.

Google and Samsung are keen to point out that this Android XR headset has Gemini. In fact, in a small keynote speech for the press, executives from both companies emphasized that the device is “basically AI.”

This means that if, for some cockamamie reason, you decide to read a physical magazine with this headset, you can scroll around to find any interesting products and view them in virtual Chrome. While viewing an immersive 3D map in the Google Maps app, you can ask Gemini questions about your surroundings. If you’re looking at a photo or a YouTube video, you can start a Gemini Live session, share your screen with the AI, and ask it questions. Looking at a picture of a Fijian quadruped at Machu Picchu, Gemini told me that I was, in fact, looking at a llama and not an alpaca. He then proceeded to tell me the Llama facts. In the middle of watching a 3D YouTube video of Iceland’s volcanoes. Gemini mistakenly identified it as a volcano in Hawaii. So, you know, there are some limitations.

I’m not sure the average person would ever want this expensive, high-tech XR headset. You could argue that the Galaxy XR is also dead on arrival, especially since the zeitgeist seems to be shifting heavily towards smart glasses. But for those who want a headset? On paper, the Galaxy XR headset is a much better value. You’re getting a similar consumption experience. It costs half the price. (Heck, it’s even less expensive than the Zfold 7!) Very easy to wear for long periods of time.

There’s tons of content, and you get access to Google apps like YouTube and Maps. If you think AI is a selling point, Gemini is more effectively integrated into this headset than it is in the Series Vision Pro. And, compared to gadgets like phones, tablets and computers, these headsets are much easier to use as standalone devices. But the most popular use case we’ve seen for these headsets so far is using them as your own personal theater. The Galaxy XR may lack some of the Vision Pro’s premium polish—and that’s a full Mac’s worth of power—but, in terms of immersive content, it’s pretty good.

Plus, if you want to use it for productivity, you can insert a Samsung Galaxy Book laptop screen into the headset (though it’s unclear how it compares to the Mac’s Vision Pro), answer calls with it, or share files between the headset and other devices.

I’ll preface all of this with a reminder that a demo is not the same as living with an instrument. When we get a Galaxy XR headset for testing, it’s possible we’ll find things that tip the balance in the Vision Pro’s favor. I’m interested to see how the M5 Vision Pro — which goes on sale October 22 — will fare. But if the Galaxy XR holds up in real-life testing as well as it did in the demo, then there’s even less reason to buy the Vision Pro.

correctionfor , for , for , . October 22: The headset uses micro-oiled, not mini-led as originally described.