After months of speculation, Samsung has finally unveiled its Galaxy XR headset to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro. The headset runs on Google’s Android XR operating system and is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 platform.
The Galaxy XR is priced at eighteen hundred dollars, which is nearly half the price of the Vision Pro. It is available now in the United States and Korea. The headset offers up to two hours of general use and up to two and a half hours of video playback on a single charge.
Its micro OLED display features twenty-seven million pixels, which is six million more than the Vision Pro, and has a resolution of 3552 by 3840. The display has a 90Hz refresh rate, compared to the Vision Pro’s 120Hz. The Galaxy XR is equipped with two high-resolution pass-through cameras, six world-facing tracking cameras, and four eye-tracking cameras.
The headset weighs 545 grams, making it lighter than the latest Apple Vision Pro, which weighs between 750 and 800 grams. Samsung stated that through a combination of its shape, advanced materials, and structural optimization, the Galaxy XR achieves an optimal balance between a lightweight design and robustness for daily use. The ergonomically balanced frame is designed to distribute pressure across the forehead and the back of the head to minimize facial discomfort while providing steady support.
Samsung says the headset features many experiences optimized for extended reality, including Google Maps, YouTube, Circle to Search, and Google Photos. Users can ask Gemini to navigate places on Google Maps while exploring the world in immersive 3D Maps. On YouTube, users can ask Gemini to find content and learn more about the videos they are watching. Users can also convert two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images in the Photos app.
In pass-through mode, users can see the physical world around them and draw a circle with their hand to search for information about anything in front of them. With the headset, users can multitask by having multiple apps open at any size, such as a browser, documents, and a music app.
For entertainment, users can stream content on the 4K micro-OLED screen. Streaming services including Crunchyroll, HBO Max, and Peacock have reworked their applications for Android XR.
People who purchase the Galaxy XR by the end of the year will receive an Explorer Pack. This pack includes twelve months of Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium, and Google Play Pass. It also comes with a one dollar per month trial of YouTube TV for three months, access to the 2025-2026 season of NBA League Pass, and access to Status Pro’s NFL PRO ERA, Project Pulsar from Adobe, Asteroid, and Calm.
This move from Samsung comes as Apple recently unveiled the latest version of its Vision Pro headset, which is powered by an M5 chip, replacing the previous M2. The M5 chip enhances display rendering by ten percent and supports refresh rates up to 120Hz. The new Vision Pro also features thirty more minutes of battery life over the previous model, offering two and a half hours of general use and three hours of video playback.