I’ve never attended a press event like the one Samsung prepared with Google for the reveal of Galaxy XR.

I’d already seen the operating system in an earlier state last year, so I asked that UploadVR’s hardware expert David Heaney get his eyes into the headset for whatever amount of time Samsung would allow. That amounted to roughly 25 minutes as I captured video of him testing the passthrough and hand tracking with quick movements.

Samsung Galaxy XR With Google’s Android XR Out Now For $1800, Controllers $250 Extra

Samsung Galaxy XR with Google’s Android XR is available now in the US & South Korea for $1800, and its controllers are $250 extra. Read the full specs and details here.

UploadVRDavid Heaney

Earlier, before the demo, we sat for a couple hours with our eyes glued to a high resolution large-size screen mirroring the view from a Galaxy XR headset. Multiple representatives wore the Samsung headsets and we asked them to perform an assortment of tasks.

One of the most interesting tasks I asked about was using the Galaxy XR headset to capture a video of David and I sitting there. Then, I asked them to take it into an Adobe app to insert 3D text floating in between us. While the video spent minutes processing, the representative pulled up another flat app to show multitasking works in Android XR while the (simple) special effects were added to the video. The headset did output a video with text floating in the space between us. I haven’t even done that kind of CGI production experiment on an Apple Vision Pro, though I didn’t look at the output long enough to really judge its quality.

They launched the Inside Job Owlchemy introductory experience briefly, but the only pure VR game we saw played by reps was Walkabout Mini Golf. I saw its icon in the menu, so I asked them to launch it. It was played by two representatives, and I watched the second one hold both controllers clumped together as if the game required holding both for gripping a singular virtual object. I glanced at David to confirm he was seeing what I was seeing. Several people in the audience pointed out Walkabout is a game played with one controller. The representative put the other one down and I showed them how to access the slingshot in Welcome Island, with everything working as it should.

This moment came after we were surprised to learn Samsung made a call not to include the controllers bundled with the headset, while also charging $250 for a pair, the same as Apple does for the PlayStation VR2 add-ons for Vision Pro.

That means, like Apple Vision Pro, developers cannot expect buyers of Galaxy XR to be equipped with standard controllers for most of the most popular VR games. Meanwhile, unlike the soft strap-only Apple Vision Pro, the hard strap on Galaxy XR will make the headset unworkable for airplanes or lying down in bed. I asked a representative whether Galaxy XR included a good enough display system to replace any existing device category. I can’t recall the specific language of the answer, but it wasn’t yes.

The gaze-based interface on Galaxy XR looked to function effectively for navigating the interface. Apple is all in on a gaze-pinch interface too, and Vision Pro already spent nearly two years inviting developers to build for that system before supporting controllers, which will be available to buy from Apple in November.

For Android developers who remember the Mirage Solo, Google’s use of Samsung to shoulder the cost of launching a new headset platform might feel a bit like watching a cat run by twice in The Matrix.

For those who don’t remember the VR of 2018, Google launched experimental 6DoF controllers right before pulling the plug on the entire Daydream effort. Back then, they used Lenovo to make a headset featuring much the same input system as the Oculus Go – a single 3DoF controller – paired with breakthrough 6DoF comfort for head movement. And then Google folded its VR effort entirely as the first Oculus Quest hit the market and Lenovo made the Rift S for Facebook.

Walkabout Mini Golf originally launched on the Quest platform, which by now has been around for more than half a decade with a public record of improvement. Every Quest headset sold is compatible with Walkabout because each one ships with a pair of controllers, only one of which is necessary to play the game.

All these years later, only some of the people who buy Google’s first Android XR headset will have the controllers to play one of VR’s best games, as Google hopes people will start developing their gaze-pinch apps for both visionOS and Android XR.

Gaming On Samsung Galaxy XR: Every Android XR Game Confirmed So Far

Samsung Galaxy XR has a hefty list of confirmed VR and mixed reality games already. Here’s the full Android XR lineup we’re currently aware of.

UploadVRHenry Stockdale

It’ll be an easy port to Android XR from Horizon OS. But how many sets of controllers will be waiting to test those controller-based game ports on Google Play in 2025 and 2026?

Looking to find out what Android XR games you can play on the Samsung Galaxy XR? Here’s the full line-up we’re currently aware of.

Much like the Apple Vision Pro, Samsung has made clear that gaming is not its major focus with the upcoming Galaxy XR headset. Launching today for $1799 in the US and South Korea, anyone after motion controllers for gaming will need to pay an extra $250 ($175 with the current 30% off accessories launch discount).

If you’re interested in using it for PC VR, PC Link or Virtual Desktop are also available.

Samsung Galaxy XR With Android XR Out Now For $1800, Controllers $250

Samsung Galaxy XR with Google’s Android XR is available now in the US & South Korea for $1800, and its controllers are $250 extra. Read the full specs and details here.

UploadVRDavid Heaney

Even still, this hasn’t deterred numerous developers from announcing ports. So far, Samsung Galaxy XR has two confirmed exclusive games: Inside [JOB] and Enigmo. Everything else so far is ports of previously released games, and we’ve yet to go hands-on to see how they directly compare against their Quest counterparts or other platforms.

We’ll also note that anyone who buys a Galaxy XR headset by the end of 2025 will receive the ‘Explorer Pack’ from Google. That contains NFL Pro Era and Asteroid if you’re after immersive entertainment; other bundled items include 12 months of Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium, Google Play Pass, and NBA League Pass, 3 months of YouTube TV for $1/month, Project Pulsar from Adobe, Asteroid, Calm.

So, if you’re looking to pick up Samsung’s headset and want to see what’s available for VR, AR, and mixed reality gaming, you’ve got a few options. We’ve also thrown in a few apps that we’re currently aware of, too, and we’ll keep updating this list as more announcements come through. For now, here are all the confirmed Samsung Galaxy XR games:

Arizona Sunshine Remake & Arizona Sunshine 2

Following the studio’s work on Arizona Sunshine 2 in 2023, Vertigo Games later surprised us with a full remake of the original game, where you take out zombies across post-apocalyptic southwestern America. As seen on Google Play, both Arizona Sunshine Remake and the sequel are now heading to Samsung Galaxy XR.

• Arizona Sunshine Remake store link
• Arizona Sunshine 2 store link

Arizona Sunshine Remake Review: You Can’t Keep a Good Zombie Down

Vertigo Games has reanimated its break-out hit with Arizona Sunshine Remake, offering an engaging zombie shooter that comes recommended.

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Arizona Sunshine 2 Review: Reanimating A Dying Genre

Arizona Sunshine 2 launches this week on Quest, PSVR 2 and PC VR. Here’s our review:

UploadVRPete Austin

Asteroid

Asteroid is a 180-degree short film that’s also a launch experience. An original high-stakes action thriller starring Ron Perlman, Hailee Steinfeld, DK Metcalf, and more, this story sees a group of strangers risk everything by flying an old rocket to mine a near-Earth asteroid. It’s split into three segments, with the first and last letting you talk to a fictionalized version of Metcalf through generative AI.

• Store link

Asteroid Is A Short Film Coming To Samsung’s Android XR Headset

Asteroid is a 180° short film from The Bourne Identity’s director that’s launching with Samsung’s Android XR headset.

UploadVRHenry Stockdale

BRINK Traveler

Brink Traveler is a travel app that lets you explore real-world environments thanks to immersive photogrammetric captures, and it’s been around for several years on other platforms. Following its Lake Tahoe update back in March, it’s now coming to Samsung Galaxy XR as a launch title.

• Store link

Broken Spectre: Director’s Cut

Broken Spectre from Games By Stitch (Elsewhere Electric) was originally released for last-gen headsets in 2023, offering a cosmic horror game set where you play as Casey Brewer. Searching for her presumed deceased father after receiving a cryptic call from him, it recently launched a Director’s Cut edition with improved visuals, and that’s also coming to Samsung’s headset.

• Store link

Broken Spectre: Director’s Cut Hands-On – Submit To The Mountain

Broken Spectre: Director’s Cut gives the 2023 cosmic horror title a visual overhaul on Quest and Steam, out now as a free update for existing owners.

UploadVRJimmy Bowers

Crystal Commanders

Crystal Commanders is a mixed reality and VR real-time strategy game that launched on Quest earlier this year, eventually receiving a Version 2.0 update later on. Developed by DB Creations, it’s now available today as a launch title for Galaxy XR, joining an all-platform update that redesigns the story mode missions and adds custom avatars.

• Store link

Crystal Commanders Hands-On: A Mixed Reality Introduction To Real-Time Strategy

Crystal Commanders is a fun entry point to the world of real-time strategy that makes good use of mixed reality.

UploadVRPete Austin

Cubism

Cubism has been a long-time favorite for us; we previously considered it to be one of the best Quest 2 games, calling it “an understated but absolutely stunning VR puzzle game” where you assemble complex shapes through colorful blocks. After celebrating its fifth anniversary with a small quality-of-life update, it’s now heading to Android XR.

• Store link

Cubism Review: A VR Puzzle Game With All The Right Pieces

In classic puzzle game form, Cubism is simple to understand but increasingly hard to master. But do its pieces fit together to form a perfect shape? Here’s our review of Cubism, available for Oculus Quest and PC VR. The basic premise of Cubism is as simple as it gets:

UploadVRHarry Baker

Demeo

One of the best co-op games on Meta Quest, it’s little surprise that 2021’s social tabletop hit Demeo, a challenging dungeon crawler that uses miniatures like a game board, was one of the first games confirmed for Android XR. There’s no word on whether PvP spin-off Demeo Battles or the upcoming Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked will join it, but we’ll update this if we learn more.

• Store link

Demeo Review – A Social VR Masterclass In An Engaging Tabletop RPG

Is Resolution Games’ most ambitious VR title yet its best? Find out in our Demeo review! Demeo is one of those times it works. Y’know, it; the whole promise of leapfrogging the miles between friends and family and experiencing a genuine social connection in virtual space via the magic

UploadVRJamie Feltham

Drunkn Bar Fight

Originally launched on Steam nearly nine years ago in early access, boozy action brawler Drunkn Bar Fight by The Munky is making a comeback on Samsung Galaxy XR. While a sequel entered early access last year on Quest, it’s unknown if that will also follow onto Samsung’s headset at a later date.

• Store link

Enigmo

Enigmo was originally released as a 2D title in 2003, and Fortell Games has adapted this into a 3D spatial puzzler. You’re tasked with placing puzzle pieces across your room to direct lasers, plasma, and water, getting them to their final destinations. Hand tracking and controllers are supported, and it’s a timed exclusive on Galaxy XR as a launch title – one that’s eventually coming to Quest.

• Store link

Spatial Puzzler Enigmo Is A Timed Samsung Galaxy XR Exclusive

2003 puzzle game Enigmo has been remade for spatial 3D, and it’s out now as a timed exclusive for Samsung Galaxy XR.

UploadVRHenry Stockdale

FitXR

Subscription-based fitness platform FitXR has been around for several years, recently kicking off Season 4 Part 1 earlier this month. That’s now heading to Galaxy XR with daily challenges, workouts ranging from dancing to HIIT, new environments releasing every month, and more.

• Store link

Flappy XR

Flappy XR by Squido Studio is a new family-friendly VR and mixed reality game that’s also out on Quest. Calling this a platformer “made from the ground up for hand tracking” with the aim to adapt Flappy Bird, you must guide your feathered friend through obstacle courses in a 3D environment using hand gestures.

• Store link

Green Hell VR

Green Hell VR has continued receiving updates across Quest and PS VR2 since its launch in 2022, later adding a four-player co-op mode and visual upgrade on Quest 3. Now, a Google Play listing confirms Incuvo’s narrative-driven survival game set in the Amazon rainforest is heading to Samsung Galaxy XR with these recent updates.

• Store link

Green Hell VR: Quest Edition Review – Streamlined But Engrossing VR Survival

Green Hell on Quest isn’t the same game as the flatscreen original, but look past the changes and you’ll find a great VR survival game. Here’s our Green Hell VR: Quest Edition Review. Let’s get this out of the way first: Green Hell VR’s Quest

UploadVRJamie Feltham

Inside [JOB]

Inside [JOB] is the first mixed reality game from Owlchemy Labs, offering an onboarding experience for the Samsung Galaxy XR headset. During its original announcement, Owlchemy Labs confirmed you’ll work with JobBot from the studio’s prior games as you solve puzzles, search for hidden objects, and play mini-games. Eye input is supported, and it’s a hand tracking-only experience.

• Store link

Job Simulator

Job Simulator, Owlchemy’s original humorous hit in a world where robots have replaced human jobs, has been released on almost every VR platform imaginable since first appearing in 2016. It’s back once more on the Samsung Galaxy XR as a launch title.

• Store link

Job Simulator Review – Making the Mundane Magical

The brain is weird. All it takes is a little bit of visual, audio, and physical stimulation and for all intents and purposes we can be tricked into believing that we’re in an entirely different place. What’s even weirder is when you combine all of those stimulations into

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Laser Matrix

Developed by Breach, Laser Matrix sees you dodging laser hazards as you attempt to get through and hit glowing buttons in a dynamic arena that adapts to your play space. Aiming to mix fitness with light puzzle solving, it’s now coming to Samsung Galaxy XR following its recent launch on Quest.

• Store link

Litesport Fitness Apps

Litesport isn’t simply releasing one fitness app for the Samsung Galaxy XR headset, and the studio’s Google Play page shows it’s got six ready to go. Those are as follows:

• Club Pilates
• CycleBar
• Litesport VR
• Pure Barre
• RumbleBoxing
• StretchLab

Mirrorscape

Mirrorscape is an augmented reality platform that allows you to create 3D battle maps for various tabletop games. Though the store page doesn’t mention Android XR at the time of writing, Google’s announcement blog confirms Mirrorscape is coming to the Galaxy XR headset.

• Store link

NFL Pro Era

StatusPRO’s NFL Pro Era is an officially licensed NFL VR game that’s been around for a few years. It switched to a live service model last September on Quest and while we’re awaiting news on the 2026 edition, the football game’s heading to Galaxy XR next.

• Store link

No More Rainbows

Initially launched in 2023, No More Rainbows sees you playing as ‘The Beast’ to restore your home across a solo campaign. Following several post-launch content updates and various ports, its next destination is Galaxy XR, with this version introducing hand tracking controls for the first time.

• Store link

No More Rainbows Review – A Genre-Defining Platformer For VR

No More Rainbows uses a Gorilla Tag-like movement system to create a masterful new VR platformer full of physicality. Read our review here:

UploadVRPete Austin

Pencil!

Pencil – Learn to Draw is a mixed reality educational art app that recently entered full release on Quest, teaching you to draw by combining real pencil and paper drawings with a digital overlay with guided lessons or a free-draw mode.

• Store link

A Case For Pencil!: Why Physical Drawing Is Better In Mixed Reality

Bringing a physical object into mixed reality opens up incredible possibilities, even for a traditional No. 2 pencil.

UploadVRJosh Petersel

Real VR Fishing

Real VR Fishing has been a regular fixture in VR gaming across the years, and it’s now heading to Galaxy XR later this month. Devs United Games confirmed that this version has controller and hand tracking support, also promising visual and resolution enhancements. Cross-platform multiplayer with Quest, Steam, and Pico is also featured, but a store page isn’t live yet.

Real VR Fishing Coming To Galaxy XR With Hand Tracking Support

Real VR Fishing heads to Samsung Galaxy XR this month with hand tracking support, while the Steam and Pico editions will get content updates soon.

UploadVRHenry Stockdale

Soul Spire

Created by Soul Assembly, we previously considered Soul Spire to be one of the best Apple Vision Pro games soon after Apple’s headset launched last year. The premise sees you freeing friendly ghosts trapped within spires of color-shifting cubes. Soul Assembly aims to create a “serene, meditative atmosphere” with a lo-fi beats soundtrack.

• Store link

Synth Riders

Synth Riders is one of those games you can expect to appear on every major VR platform, and Android XR is no exception. The rhythm game’s upcoming port is a “full-featured experience” with mixed reality and fully immersive environments, experiences, full cross-platform multiplayer, and support for both hand tracking and controllers.

• Store link

The Curious Tale

Known elsewhere as The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets, we considered Fast Travel Games’ puzzler to be “charming and delightful” in our 2019 review. It’s now adopting a free-to-access structure on Android XR, letting you play the first map at no charge while offering the remaining four for $9.99.

• Store link

The Curious Tale Of The Stolen Pets Review: Charming And Delightful Puzzle Solving

The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets is the kind of VR game you play when you want to feel warm, cozy, and happy inside. It makes you laugh, it makes you smile, and often times it makes you feel clever and creative. It’s easier than it should be

UploadVRDavid Jagneaux

Thrasher

Following recent news that Thrasher will receive a remastered PC VR release, this new edition is also a launch title for Samsung Galaxy XR. Puddle confirmed to UploadVR that this edition runs at 90 fps with support for both hand tracking and controllers, also featuring two new game modes and other changes previously announced for Steam.

• Store link

Thrasher Review: An Eely Good Time

Thrasher is an exhilarating, aesthetically abstract puzzler with a superb soundtrack. Our full review.

UploadVRSarah Thwaites

Titan Isles

Recently launched on Quest and Steam, Titan Isles is a co-op action adventure with bullet hell elements from the studio behind Windlands 2, and we praised it in our 4-star review. While it’s not yet live on Google Play, Psytec Games informed UploadVR that an Android XR port is in the works, arriving in 2026.

Titan Isles Review: Colossal Co-Op Fun, And Solo Too

Titan Isles is an absolute blast in both co-op and solo play, offering a strong VR action adventure worth exploring.

UploadVRHenry Stockdale

Vacation Simulator

Joining Job Simulator as one of the most ported games across VR, we’ve known for nearly a year that its 2019 follow-up, Vacation Simulator, will be joining it. Taking us to Vacation Island for making memories of a simulated holiday, this comedic sequel is another launch title for Samsung Galaxy XR.

• Store link

Vacation Simulator Review: A Template For The Future In A Playground For The Present

Remember all that talk of Lucky’s Tale being the Mario 64 of VR? That was very on the nose, wasn’t it? Sure, it was literally a Nintendo-aping platformer but it didn’t carry the same significance that the Italian plumber’s transition into the third dimension did back

UploadVRJamie Feltham

Walkabout Mini Golf

Walkabout Mini Golf likely needs little introduction for most, and Mighty Coconut continues releasing regular DLC updates for its popular multiplayer game. Available on most major VR platforms already, it’s now arriving as a launch title on Samsung Galaxy XR.

• Store link

Walkabout Mini Golf Review: Essential VR Worth Scheduling With Friends

Walkbout Mini Golf is out today on PSVR 2 and one of VR’s essential games on any platform. Our review:

UploadVRIan Hamilton

If you’re releasing a Samsung Galaxy XR game we should know about for this list, please let us know through our contact page.

Interested in learning about more upcoming VR games? Take a look at our complete list below, which covers upcoming Quest, PC VR, PlayStation VR2, Pico, Apple Vision Pro, and Android XR games:

Upcoming VR Games 2025: New Releases On Quest, PC, PS VR2 & More

Need a refresher on all upcoming VR games in 2025 and beyond? Here’s every major game coming to Quest, PS VR2, PC VR, Pico, and more.

UploadVRHenry Stockdale

Real VR Fishing heads to Samsung Galaxy XR later this month, while the Steam and Pico versions will get content updates soon.

Following today’s launch for the Samsung Galaxy XR, Devs United Games confirmed that Real VR Fishing is heading to the Android XR headset “later this month.” This edition has full content parity with Quest, features controller and hand tracking support, plus promised visual and resolution enhancements. Crossplay is supported with Quest, Steam, and Pico – Pico China excluded.

Speaking to UploadVR before the announcement, Devs United Games confirmed that hand tracking support won’t be heading to the Meta Quest version alongside the Galaxy XR launch, informing us that “nothing is finalized” right now.

Elsewhere, the studio confirmed that Real VR Fishing will be bringing its content updates over to the Steam and Pico versions. Both versions had previously missed out on its more recent DLC updates, so this will give it feature parity with the Quest edition. The Steam update will arrive on November 5, and the Pico update will follow “before the end of 2025.”

A Galaxy XR store page isn’t live yet for Real VR Fishing, but it’s out now on Quest, Steam, and Pico.

Samsung Galaxy XR with Google’s Android XR is available now in the US & South Korea for $1799, and its controllers are $250 extra ($175 with the current 30% off accessories launch discount).

The launch comes almost three years after Samsung first announced that it was working on a standalone XR headset, with Google handling much of the software and Qualcomm providing the chipset, and almost a year after it formally unveiled it as “Project Moohan” as Google revealed Android XR.

Galaxy XR is a high-end standalone headset with 4K micro-OLED displays, hand tracking, eye tracking, face tracking, an active depth sensor, and fully automatic motorized lens separation adjustment to match your interpupillary distance (IPD).

Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 Announced For Samsung Headset & More

Qualcomm just announced Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2, a higher-end variant of the chipset used in Quest 3.

UploadVRDavid Heaney

It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2, a higher-end variant of the chipset in Quest 3 and Quest 3S which has already shipped in Play For Dream MR, paired with 16GB of RAM. And it requires an included tethered battery, which Samsung says provides 2 hours of general use or 2.5 hours of video watching. Alternatively, you can connect USB-C mains power to the battery for indefinite use.

In many ways, Galaxy XR seems to be Samsung’s response to Apple Vision Pro, aiming to offer a somewhat similar experience focused on people in the Android ecosystem at around half the price. Two key differences, though, on the hardware side, are the rigid strap and the fact that it presses against your forehead, not the whole of your upper face.

Galaxy XR has a rigid plastic strap with a single mechanism of tightness adjustment, the dial at the rear, and a “halo” forehead pad with nothing touching your cheeks or temples by default – an open periphery design that lets you see the real world to your sides and below you.

For when you want full immersion instead, there are light blockers included in the box that attach magnetically to each side of the headset.

It’s ergonomically very similar to Meta’s discontinued Quest Pro, except the battery is in an external tethered box, not the rear of the strap (Galaxy XR has no internal battery, and does not support hot swapping). Galaxy XR is also almost 200 grams lighter than Quest Pro was, weighing in at 545 grams, including the rear strap.

Compared to Apple Vision Pro, Galaxy XR’s design prevents you from leaning back on a sofa, bed, or chair, but Samsung tells us it prioritized balanced weight distribution and making the headset comfortable for hours of use.

On the software level, Galaxy XR runs Google’s new Android XR operating system platform, with a Samsung One UI XR skin on top.

A huge swathe of 2D Android apps are available from the Google Play Store, with your purchases from your Android phone or tablet carried over, as well as dedicated Android XR apps for key Google services and select third-party apps and games.

For example, you’ll find Google Chrome with all your bookmarks and passwords plus support for WebXR, Google Maps with an immersive mode very similar to PC VR’s Google Earth VR, Google Photos with your entire library plus the ability to AI-convert any image or video (a unique capability) to 3D, and YouTube with immersive video and a multi-view mode for sports. For Google Meet, there’s even a Persona-like feature called “Likeness”, though it’s only a virtual webcam view for now.

Third-party apps include Netflix, with downloads support, and Adobe’s unique Project Pulsar 3D video editing tool.

Embedded at the core of Android XR is Google’s Gemini AI. You can easily initiate a Gemini Live session at any time and let the AI see what you’re seeing, including both passthrough and virtual content, for a continuous conversation with no need to constantly repeat a wake word.

Further, developers of some of the top VR games on Meta Quest have ported their titles to Android XR for the launch, including Walkabout Mini Golf, Synth Riders, Arizona Sunshine Remake & Arizona Sunshine 2, Cubism, Demeo, FitXR, Green Hell VR, Job Simulator, NFL Pro Era, Real VR Fishing, Thrasher, and more. You can find the full list here.

Some of these games require the Galaxy XR Controllers, which are not included with the headset. They’re sold separately, priced at $250 regularly, the same price as the PS VR2 Sense controllers for Apple Vision Pro.

Oh, and if you’re wondering about PC VR: Guy Godin’s Virtual Desktop is available for $25, with its “Monster” graphics quality mode that was previously Play For Dream MR exclusive. Virtual Desktop will also forward eye tracking and face tracking to OpenXR on your PC.

Samsung Galaxy XR is available to order right now online in the US and South Korea, priced at $1799, and it’ll be in Samsung Experience Stores when they open. Samsung is also offering finance options, including $149/month for 12 months.

The Galaxy XR Controllers are normally $250 extra, and there’s an official Galaxy XR Travel Case for $250 too, but right now each are available with a 30% launch discount, making them temporarily $175.

There are no announced plans for Galaxy XR to come to any other countries, though that doesn’t mean it won’t happen at some point in the future.

If you buy Galaxy XR before the end of this year, you get a package of digital content called “The Explorer Pack”. This includes 12 months of Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium, Google Play Pass, and NBA League Pass, 3 months of YouTube TV for $1/month, Project Pulsar from Adobe, Asteroid, and Calm. Samsung and Google say The Explorer Pack is worth over $1000.

We briefly went hands-on with Samsung Galaxy XR at the launch event recently, and we’ll bring you our impressions of the headset soon.

UPDATE: After 2 hours, Samsung Galaxy XR’s optional tracked controllers are sold out already, meaning new buyers will have to wait to get them.

Samsung Galaxy XR’s Optional Controllers Are Sold Out Already

BREAKING: Samsung Galaxy XR’s optional tracked controllers are sold out already, meaning new buyers will have to wait to get them.

UploadVRDavid Heaney

Samsung’s Project Moohan is officially called ‘Galaxy XR’, as the Korean tech giant has today launched its long-awaited competitor to Apple Vision Pro.

The News

Priced at $1,800 and releasing today in the US, Samsung Galaxy XR is the first headset to support Google’s Android XR operating system, which means it has access to standard Android mobile apps in addition to made-for-XR native apps.

Available direct from Samsung and Samsung Experience retail stores, Galaxy XR is coming in a single 256GB version, which includes dual 3,552 x 3,840 Micro-OLED displays clocked at a default 72Hz refresh (max 90Hz), 256GB of storage, 16GB of RAM and Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset. See the full spec sheet below.

Like Vision Pro, Galaxy XR offloads power consumption to a tethered battery pack, which is rated for around two hours of general use, or up to 2.5 hours of 2D video playback via YouTube. It can also be used while charging, Samsung notes.

While Galaxy XR supports both eye and hand tracking, Samsung is also releasing dedicated motion controllers separate from the headset, which are available today from Samsung for $250.

Similar to Meta’s Touch Plus controllers, Galaxy XR’s feature a standard layout, including dual joysticks, grips and triggers, face buttons (X, Y, A, B) and menu buttons.

As for other accessories, Samsung is also offering an official carrying case, priced at $250, which includes a space for the headset and tethered battery pack. Users will also be able to buy prescription lenses separately, which are sold and delivered by EssilorLuxottica’s EyeBuyDirect.com.

Samsung mentioned a few supported apps during its presentation, which include games NFL PRO ERA and Vacation Simulator, Adobe’s video editor Project Pulsar, a short 180-degree film called Asteroid, and the meditation app Calm. Android XR is also bringing to Galaxy XR a number of XR-optimized versions of standard apps, including Google Maps, YouTube, Circle to Search, and Google Photos.

One of the biggest features is Android XR included support for Google Gemini, which can be used in a number of ways, like navigating to 3D places in Google Maps, asking for personalized suggestions, browsing and giving context to YouTube videos, and asking questions about objects in your physical environment. Like Vision Pro, Gemini can also “auto-spatialize” videos and photos into 3D by inferring depth in inherently 2D captures.

Samsung notes that customers who purchase Galaxy XR before the end of 2025 will also get “The Explorer Pack’, which includes 12 months of access to Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium, Google Play Pass, and a pack of “specialized XR content,” something the company says is worth more than $1,000.

Samsung Galaxy XR Specs

Category	Details
Memory & Storage	16GB RAM 256GB Storage
Display	3,552 x 3,840, 29 million pixels Micro-OLED 6.3-micron pixel pitch 96% DCI-P3 Refresh rates: 60Hz, 72Hz (Default), 90Hz Field of View 109 degrees horizontal and 100 degrees vertical
Chip	Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 Platform
Sensors	High-resolution Pass-through cameras (2) World-facing tracking cameras (6) Eye-tracking Cameras (4) Inertial Measurement Units (5) Depth sensor (1) Flicker sensor (1)
Optics (Iris)	Supports iris recognition: use iris recognition to unlock the device and to enter passwords in certain apps.
Audio and Video	Two, 2 Way speaker (Woofer + Tweeter) Six Microphones array: Multiple microphones among the six microphones support beamforming feature depending on the use case Audio Playback Codec: MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/ AAC+/ eAAC+, Vorbis, FLAC, Opus, Dolby Digital (AC3), Dolby Digital Plus(E-AC3) , Dolby ATMOS(E-AC3 JOC, AC4) Video Playing Resolution: UHD 8K (7,680 x 4,320) @60fps Video Playback Codec : H.263, H.264, HEVC, MV-HEVC, MPEG-4, VC-1, VP8, VP9, AV1 – Supports HDR10 and HLG
Battery	Up to 2 hours of general use Video up to 2.5 hours Galaxy XR can be used while charging the battery
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7(802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be) BT 5.4 (Up to)
IPD	54~70mm Galaxy XR supports vision correction through separately purchasable optical-inserts
Weight	545g* (w/ forehead cushion) – weight may vary depending on whether light shield is attached or not Separate battery weighs 302g

My Take

Samsung is making good on its effort to deliver the Android-flavored rival to Vision Pro at half the price. Still, at $1,800, I imagine it will probably only to appeal to the same crowd: prosumers and enterprise.

Even with optional $250 controllers, gamers hoping for a deep library like Quest will probably be left waiting. While it’s true that porting OpenXR games from Quest to Android XR isn’t supposed to be difficult, some developers might not invest much time in a platform that’s seven times more expensive than Quest 3S.

And while Galaxy XR may be a technically great headset with all of the right bits in place to appeal to some fraction prosumers and enterprise, I think it’s more than just tossing out something mechanically competent and useable to some: to me, it feels like a first step in a game of catch-up.

Samsung and Google made it clear in the press info provided to Road to VR that the focus isn’t just on Galaxy XR, but rather on the multitude of devices yet to follow. The companies are pitching Galaxy XR as an opening salvo in a “new category of AI-native devices, with a broader XR roadmap of multiple form factors, including AI glasses.”

It’s that broader category that companies are salivating over right now, with smart glasses (aka ‘AI glasses’) representing a stepping stone to the all-day AR glasses of the future—which many characterize as the computing paradigm that will one day supplant smartphones. That’s where the money is at, and mixed reality headsets are a great way to start getting user feedback to inform future design.

Whatever the case, I don’t see Galaxy XR supplanting much of anything right now, although the companies could do much worse with their opening bid to reenter the XR space, which both quietly abandoned years ago. Here’s hoping that history doesn’t repeat (or rhyme).

The post Samsung’s Long-awaited Vision Pro Competitor Gets Price, Specs & Release Date appeared first on Road to VR.

Half a notch adjustment on the dial to either strap on the Dual Knit Band and you can feel the weight of Apple Vision Pro distribute across the head differently.

The Solo Knit Band which shipped with the original Vision Pro disappeared into my office shortly after I started using the Dual Loop Band. The difference in distributing weight across the top of my head versus just the netting across the back was significant enough to make my choice between the head straps both clear and permanent.

It was a tragedy, really, because the Solo Knit Band had a nice feeling rotating the dial as the netting snugly grasped the back of the head. In comparison, unlatching each strap of the Dual Loop Band and yanking it for a different fit isn’t very Apple-like. It is just not very easy to get the perfect fit, and the thin fabric carries a lot of weight in those straps across your scalp in comparison to the balanced cupped feeling you get on the back of your head out of a hard strap on other kinds of headsets.

When I started typing this article using Mac Virtual Display with the Dual Knit Band I sat upright, but after an hour of multitasking between Mac, Messages and some other apps, I reclined a bit, leaning back on the couch and moving a pillow to the back of my head. I moved my virtual display up more to position my view so that more of my headset’s weight fell into the rear netting of the back strap. Altogether, a lot of discomfort and weight seemed to disappear into the pillow behind my head.

Apple scans your head shape to determine which size Dual Knit Band to get. I received the large size and the netting on both straps has enough room for adjustment so that both bands can sit in slightly different places on my head before tightening. This means adjusting posture for bed use, or a slight reshuffling in a seat while resting your head back against something, can be made ever so slightly more comfortable now with a very small adjustment to the dial.

For those who aren’t familiar with how the Apple Vision Pro operates, it’s about as close as we’ve gotten to the self-fitting clothing depicted in Back To The Future Part II. Yes it’s $3,500, but part of that cost is because when you first put it on your head, you press one button and the lenses mechanically move in front of each eyeball for a precise fitting just like Marty McFly’s sneakers find their auto-fit in fictional 2015.

After that, you’re on your own inside the headset. You can rotate that same dial to adjust how immersed you are in the physical or virtual worlds, followed by the Dual Knit’s second dial to adjust either strap. Switching to control the top strap is done by gently pulling the dial outward and rotating it. It’s hard not to remember the iPod Click Wheel while turning the band’s dial. Instead of scrolling through a menu here, I’m distributing the weight of Apple’s face computer with each turn across the top and back of my head in slightly different distributions.

Pulling the Apple Vision Pro onto your head with an already carefully dialed in Dual Knit Band has the feel of pulling on a well-fitted baseball cap. That’s a little tricky to say, because many hats cause a headache for me after 45 minutes of use because of the way they constrict in a tight strip around the circumference of the whole head. One notch on the back of a cheap hat is usually too loose and the next too tight, at least for me.

In Apple Vision Pro with the Dual Knit Band, the weight is distributed over the cupped area on the back of the head, feels a bit more held in another wide net across the top of the head, and together they’re pulling the headset ever so slightly off the face compared to other solutions I’ve tried with Vision Pro. There’s a slight bit of pressure on the sides of the head, too, but importantly less than a poorly fitted hat might create.

I’ve spent six hours in this Dual Knit Band in one day since receipt of the M5 Vision Pro from Apple for testing and I report minimal discomfort across that time. That’s longer than most days I’ve spent in Vision Pro over nearly two years, and it wasn’t a slog to do it in the way it has been with the Dual Loop Band. I also purchased a separate Dual Knit Band for myself to replace the Dual Loop Band on the M2 Vision Pro I purchased at launch. I’ll be picking that up for myself this week and installing it, and I doubt I’ll be returning to the Dual Loop Band.

This M5 headset and Dual Knit Band I’m wearing as I type this will be on the head of our hardware expert David Heaney as soon as we can manage the transfer. We’ll have a live discussion in VR Download on Thursday and you can look for David’s in-depth review of the new Vision Pro on UploadVR.com in November.