The Galaxy XR is Samsung’s (and Google’s) answer to Apple’s Vision Pro. Different materials, different operating system and ecosystem, but relatively similar experience once on the head, is the Galaxy XR better or worse than its Californian competitor? We tried it to answer this question. And even if they look similar, the two products each have strengths and faults. Here is our hot opinion.
In October 2025, Samsung formalized its mixed reality headset, the Galaxy XR. A highly anticipated launch which has been the subject of very (very, very, very…) numerous leaks. Why was the product eagerly awaited? First, because it comes two years after the release of Apple’s Vision Pro that we were able to test (a test that you can find in our columns, but also on our YouTube channel). Then, because it is a real collaboration between Samsung and Google, the first for the hardware part and the second for the software part.
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The Galaxy XR is not sold in France. Its availability is also very limited, since the headset is offered in the United States and South Korea. If in November 2025, certain rumors claimed that Samsung was considering offering the headset in four other countries, including France, this is not yet the case. And yet, this helmet attracts attention. Firstly because its price is half that of the Vision Pro: from 1800 dollars, compared to 3500 dollars minimum. But also because Samsung took the time to study the competition.
The Galaxy XR is technically close to the Vision Pro
So, even if it is not released (yet?) in France, we were eager to compare the two proposals. Samsung gave us the opportunity to do so at the end of March 2026. And the lessons are numerous. But before going into detail, here are first of all the important elements of the technical sheet:
- Dual display micro OLED with 27 million pixels, 109-degree horizontal viewing angle and 90Hz maximum refresh rate
- Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2
- 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage
- External battery offering autonomy of 2 hours mixed use
- Caméras intégrées 6,3 mégapixels ouvrant à f/2.0, compatible photo 3D
- Four speakers, two tweeters and two woofers
- Six microphones
- Compatibilité WiFi 7 et Bluetooth 5.4
- Twelve internal cameras including four for gaze detection, six for environment and hand detection and two high-resolution cameras to reproduce the environment
- Five accelerometers, an anti-flicker sensor and a depth sensor
- Weight : 544 grammes
The Galaxy XR differs from the Vision Pro on several points. The weight is lighter on the Samsung side. The processor is different: Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 on one side and, on the other, two hearts: the Apple M3 and the Apple R1 (in the version tested in 2024). The ambition is therefore not quite the same. Higher definition at Samsung, but lower refresh rate. Number of identical cameras. And autonomy equivalent. That’s the gist of it. Now let’s put the Samsung headset on.
The Galaxy XR is (mostly) lighter than the Vision Pro
And the first shock arrives immediately: the Galaxy XR is really much lighter, thanks to the use of different materials: aluminum and polycarbonate. On paper, the difference is not that big: only around a hundred grams. But on the head, it’s really more pleasant. The weight is always carried forward, without counterweight towards the rear. But the gap is sufficient so that the neck suffers less over long sessions. Additionally, the Galaxy XR does not rest entirely on the bridge of the nose. It’s more pleasant.
The design of the Galaxy XR offers more solutions to adapt the Galaxy XR to each user’s head shape. Reinforcement of the cheekbones and protection for the forehead: each part can be detached and replaced. On the other hand, there is only one way to attach the helmet: a headband which goes around each side of the skull and which is tightened using a dial. Apple offers two systems: this one and another with a strap that goes over the head. The latter allows the helmet to be tightened less.
Still on the design side, we find here certain common elements with the Vision Pro. Front, side and inward cameras. The lenses mounted on removable brackets to adjust the spacing between the two screens. Vents on the bottom and top for active heat dissipation. A protective glass towards the front. Hardware buttons. An external battery attached to a cable and intended to fit in a pocket. Speakers on the headband. The latter also offer a very good experience, with enveloping and detailed sound. And if you want a little more privacy, you can pair it with headphones (like the very recent Galaxy Buds4 Pro).
The Galaxy XR prefers a tactile surface to a digital crown
Aside from certain materials, there are several ergonomic differences between Samsung and Apple products. First of all, Samsung does not take up the strange (and awkward) idea of the Vision Pro’s external screen which displays the user’s eyes in real time. Then, Samsung did not choose to integrate a digital crown for certain interactions. The Galaxy By default, it takes on the role of the digital crown, that is to say, controls the opacity of the virtual environment. And perhaps it lacks some granularity here.
Once the headset is on your head, press the right hardware button for the headset to activate. As with the Vision Pro, the Galaxy XR first attempts to recognize the user. If this has changed since the last session, the helmet launches adjustment procedures on the lenses (with advice on the position of the helmet). For use with hand recognition, this only takes a few moments. For complete use with eye tracking, the procedure takes longer, as for the Vision Pro. Note that, unlike the Vision Pro which turns out the hands to display them in real time, the Galaxy XR displays a representation of both hands. Both are OK.
The spatial interface resembles what we were able to experience with the Vision Pro. Android XR relies on a general menu from where it is possible to launch applications. To activate the system and access this menu, you must turn your right hand, palm upwards, to reveal a virtual button that must be pinched. By default, this does not work with the left hand (but this must certainly be customized in the settings). Then simply pinch the applications to open them on the space desktop.
The windows of each application can be repositioned and resized. And their position is fixed in space: if you move, they stay where they are. As with the Vision Pro, the Galaxy XR can be used in two modes: transparent, by seeing its real environment, or immersive, with a 360° wallpaper.
The uses of the Galaxy XR are close to those of the Vision Pro
Even if it includes the entire Google suite, including Gemini, the headset is particularly relevant for two distinct uses. The first is multimedia. Watching films or series in streaming on a 150-inch virtual television is possible. There is obviously VR content (with 180° or 360° immersion). And the result is good (even if it obviously depends on the content).
Video games fall into this category, although it depends on the developers’ ability to create XR content. Like movies, you can view video games on an oversized virtual TV. And it’s cool. But the system remains Android: you are limited to its game library. Retroarch is, as is often the case, the ideal app to convince fans of retrogaming (imagine a small Chrono Trigger on a 115-inch TV…). Not forgetting the streaming apps on Android: PS Remote Play, Xbox xCloud, Steam Link…
The second is office automation. Simply pair it with a keyboard and mouse, and the Galaxy XR becomes a great computer for working. Especially since Android is there to ensure compatibility, at least in a 2D window. There are of course other uses, but they are more anecdotal. We are thinking, for example, of exploration in “Immersive view” from Google Maps (which is not Street View): being able to walk around in a 3D map of Paris is really great. You can see the monuments, the hidden gardens in the mansions, the geometry of the streets, etc. It’s impressive… but it doesn’t really last.
The Galaxy XR is perfectly integrated into the Samsung ecosystem
Even though it is a VR headset independent of another device, the Galaxy XR integrates quite well into Samsung’s ecosystem. It is possible to display the screen of a Galaxy Book or Galaxy Tab in a spatial window of the Galaxy XR, as with the Vision Pro and a MacBook. It is certainly possible to connect a smartphone to a Galaxy XR to send messages and make calls. And, as we have seen, the headset can pair with Galaxy Buds to listen to audio content or peacefully enjoy a film. The autonomy is not great, but it is not inferior to the Vision Pro. No surprises here. And like Apple’s headset, the Galaxy XR can be used when its battery is charging.
Ultimately, this test of the Galaxy XR is positive. First, it demonstrates that Apple’s vision for spatial interfaces workssince Google and Samsung have almost the same. They are not exactly the same, each having strengths and weaknesses. But they are extremely close. Then, this test is positive because it proves thata qualitative experience is possible at a lower price. Certainly, Apple is banking on a high-end product and Samsung on less noble materials. But, once the user is immersed in the spatial interface, the experience remains qualitative. There now remain, as with the Vision Pro, uses to be found which are not just adaptations of uses coming from the computer or another electronic product.
