Galaxy XR hands-on: Samsung’s first step into mixed reality

A New Contender Has Entered the Spatial Arena

The spatial computing war, a battle largely defined by Apple's ultra-premium Vision Pro and Meta's mass-market Quest line, just got a serious new contender. After years of rumors, a high-profile "tri-party" partnership with Google and Qualcomm, and the shadow of the "Project Moohan" codename, the Samsung Galaxy XR is finally here.

We just completed our first Galaxy XR hands-on demo following its official October launch, and the main takeaway is undeniable: Samsung’s first step into mixed reality is surprisingly refined.

Forget the clunky, front-heavy prototypes of VR's past. This $1,799 headset feels less like a first-generation experiment and more like a polished, direct response to Apple's best. Samsung isn't just testing the waters; it's diving in headfirst, and it brought some powerful friends.

Galaxy XR Hands-On: The "Surprisingly Refined" Design

The word that kept coming to mind during our demo was "refined." This is most obvious in the physical design and comfort—a critical factor that has plagued high-end headsets.

Lighter Than It Looks

Unlike the Apple Vision Pro, which feels noticeably dense and front-loaded, the Galaxy XR is remarkably light at just 545 grams (compared to the Vision Pro's ~750g). Samsung achieved this by offloading the battery to an external, tethered pack, a design choice that pays dividends in comfort.

The ergonomics are excellent. The headset rests on your forehead via a cushioned pad and uses a rear strap for balance, similar to a pair of premium ski goggles. It never put pressure on my cheeks or nose, which is a common complaint with other devices. This is a headset you could conceivably wear for more than 30 minutes at a time without needing a neck massage.

The 4K Micro-OLED View

The visual experience is, in a word, stunning. The Galaxy XR uses dual 4K micro-OLED displays (3,552 x 3,840 pixels per eye), pushing a crisp 90Hz refresh rate. The clarity is on par with the Vision Pro, with deep blacks, vibrant colors, and no perceptible "screen door" effect.

Passthrough That Blends Reality

For a mixed-reality device, the quality of its "passthrough" cameras—which show you the real world—is paramount. The Galaxy XR's high-fidelity, full-color passthrough is fantastic. It's low-latency and clear, allowing me to walk around the demo room, pick up my phone, and talk to the Samsung rep without feeling disoriented or "warped." This "open design" approach makes the device feel less isolating than its fully-enclosed VR counterparts.

The "Tri-Party" Engine: What's Under the Hood

The Galaxy XR's refinement isn't just skin deep. Its internal power and software ecosystem represent one of the most significant strategic moves in tech this year.

This headset is the first device powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset, paired with a hefty 16GB of RAM. In practice, this means navigating menus, opening apps, and switching between tasks is fluid and instantaneous.

But the real story is the software.

Meet "Android XR": The Ecosystem Advantage

This is the big one. The Galaxy XR is the launch vehicle for Google's new "Android XR" operating system. This isn't just a forked version of mobile Android; it's a dedicated spatial platform built from the ground up, and it brings two massive advantages:

The Google Play Store: The headset has access to a massive library of existing 2D Android apps from day one. You can open a floating window for Gmail, Slack, or TikTok right next to a 3D spatial app.

Native Google Apps: The experience is built around familiar, powerful Google services. We demoed an immersive YouTube XR app, flew through cities in 3D on Google Maps, and took a Google Meet call in a virtual space.

Gemini AI is Your Spatial Assistant

Unlike its rivals, the Galaxy XR is deeply integrated with multimodal AI. Google Gemini is built-in, acting as a context-aware assistant.

You can look at an object in your real-world room and ask Gemini what it is, or use an "air" version of Circle to Search. During the demo, I looked at a poster and asked, "Tell me more about this," and Gemini provided contextual information in a pop-up window. This AI-first approach feels genuinely useful and futuristic.

Where It Fits: The ,800 Middle Ground

Samsung's strategy is now crystal clear. The Galaxy XR is not a $500 Quest 3 competitor, and it's not a $3,500 "computer for your face" like the Vision Pro. It's the "prosumer" sweet spot.

A True Vision Pro Alternative?

At $1,799, Samsung is making a bold value proposition. It offers a "Pro-level" experience—4K micro-OLED, advanced hand and eye tracking, a premium chipset—for nearly half the price of Apple's headset.

Here's a quick breakdown of how it stacks up against the top-end competition: 

While the Vision Pro may still have an edge in raw processing power with its M2 chip, Samsung and Google are betting that an open ecosystem, a more comfortable design, and a far more accessible price will win the long game. For those who want high-end spatial computing without being locked into Apple's walled garden, the Galaxy XR is now the most compelling option on the market.

The Verdict on Samsung's First Step

Our Galaxy XR hands-on demo was genuinely impressive. This device solves many of the biggest complaints about high-end MR: it's comfortable, the visuals are elite, and the software is backed by an ecosystem we already use every day.

By launching with Google, Samsung has sidestepped the "empty app store" problem that plagues new platforms. Samsung’s first step into mixed reality is surprisingly refined, powerful, and strategically brilliant.

The headset is available now in the US and South Korea, with a wider global release planned for 2026. The spatial computing war just got real, and Apple finally has a rival that can match it, feature for feature, at a price that's much harder to ignore.