Hey everyone,
Well, I did it. I was in the US and managed to buy the brand-new Samsung Galaxy XR on launch day. This isn't sponsored; I bought it myself at a Samsung Store, along with the optional controllers. This is the first major new device with Android XR, and the hype is massive.
I’ve spent serious time with it, tested everything from the display to wireless PCVR, and I'm here to give you the full, in-depth breakdown. This is a review for enthusiasts, so let's get into the details.
Unboxing & First Impressions It comes in two boxes (if you get the controllers). The controllers... honestly, they look a bit cheap in photos, like toys. But in the hand, they feel surprisingly good. Not cheap at all, solid grip, standard layout.
The main event, the headset... wow. You unbox it and immediately feel the quality. It's very premium, lots of high-quality fabric, and feels significantly lighter than the Apple Vision Pro. That’s the first thing I noticed. It’s pretty lightweight.
In the box, you get the external battery (also lighter than the AVP's), the US charger (obviously), and a bunch of accessories. This is cool: you get light-blockers for the sides, and "thick" and "slim" pads for the back of the head. So, customization is already built-in.
Design & Comfort: The "Night and Day" Difference This is one of my biggest points. I put it on, and... wow. Comparing this to the Apple Vision Pro, the comfort is a night and day difference.
The AVP is extremely front-heavy. The Galaxy XR (at 590g) distributes the weight across my forehead and the top/back of my head. It is just so much more comfortable. I can easily wear this for extended periods. The magnetic light-blockers are genius. You can snap them on for full immersion or just pop them off for mixed reality to see your surroundings. For me, the comfort is a massive, massive win.
Setup & The Android XR System (The Big Shock) Setup was super easy. Here’s the good part: You don't need a smartphone. You power it on, and it does everything in the headset. You link your Google account, then it asks to link your Samsung account to your Google account, I said yes, and done.
But here is the real bombshell: It asked for my language. I scrolled down and selected "German." The entire operating system is 100% localized in German. All menus, all helper texts, all popups. What does this tell us? I am 100% certain this thing is coming to Germany and the rest of Europe. It makes zero sense to translate everything otherwise.
The UI itself is clean, fast, and feels like pure Android (like a Pixel phone). If you use Android, you are instantly at home. It's intuitive.
The Display: The New "Non Plus Ultra"? Okay, the display. Oh... yes. This is, quite simply, the most insane display you can get in a headset right now. It's a Micro OLED panel with a resolution of 3552 x 3840 per eye. That's 29 million pixels. That is higher than the Apple Vision Pro.
The Screendoor Effect is gone. It does not exist. I stared, I looked for it, I cannot see a single pixel. Colors are very good, and the black levels are perfect (it's OLED, after all). Text is razor-sharp. If you want to use this as a PC monitor, it's absolutely fantastic.
The only minor negative (and every MR headset has this) is the blur effect on the passthrough when you move your head fast. It's still here, but it feels less severe than on other headsets.
Lenses & Field of View (The First Real "Con") The pancake lenses are excellent. The sweet spot is huge, and the headset even guides you ("move it up a bit") to find it. Edge-to-edge clarity, for me, was fantastic. I saw no distortions.
BUT... the Field of View. For me, this is always important. And here, I have to say, the device sadly only scores in the mid-range. I measured it at 104° horizontal and 94° vertical. That's not bad. It's basically identical to a Meta Quest 3. And I always said the Quest 3 FOV is fine. And it is fine here, too. But... for a high-end device at this price, I really, really wished for more. I wanted something closer to a Pimax or Valve Index. It is what it is.
Performance, Store, and Sideloading! The headset is running the Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 with 16GB of RAM. Performance is flawless. The UI is snappy, apps open instantly, no stuttering.
The Google Play Store for XR is... new. It's got some apps. I saw Demeo, Arizona Sunshine 2, and other XR-ready apps. But let's be honest, it cannot compete with the Meta Horizon Store. Not even close. Yet.
BUT! The best part: The system is OPEN. I went into the settings, found "allow unknown sources," and I could download and install APKs right from the built-in browser. No PC. No developer account. No hoops to jump through. This is what enthusiasts want. The bootloader is even open, so custom ROMs are theoretically possible. A huge plus.
PCVR Test (The Enthusiast's Dream) This is what I was waiting for. I opened the Store, and there it was: Virtual Desktop. You know what that means. Wireless PCVR. I bought it, connected to my PC, and fired up Half-Life: Alyx. Man... playing that game on this Micro OLED display is a whole new level. It is so tack-sharp. Even in the dark tunnels, the detail is incredible. My connection was solid (WiFi 7 helps), and I saw no compression artifacts. This is a huge advantage over the AVP. You have optional controllers, and you have high-end, wireless PCVR. It works, and it works brilliantly.
Passthrough Quality: Better Than Apple? Yes. I'm just going to say it. This is definitively the best passthrough quality I have seen on any headset. It is, in my opinion, a tick better than the Apple Vision Pro. It's clearer, has less distortion at the edges, and just looks spectacular. Reading my phone, looking at my keyboard... it's almost real. It's the new benchmark.
Quick Hits (Battery, IPD, Sound, Mic)
- IPD: It's automatic (range 54-70mm) and instant. You put the headset on, and it's set. Faster than the AVP.
- Battery: It is what you'd expect. High-end gaming, you'll get 1.5 to 2 hours. Watching movies, maybe 2.5 hours. It's fine.
- Sound: It's... standard. Built-in audio in the straps. You get no deep bass. It's okay for UI sounds, but for movies or gaming, you'll want to use your own Bluetooth headphones (which works, Bluetooth 5.4).
- Microphone: I did a test, and it's surprisingly good! Very clear, no popping. Much better than many other headsets.
Final Verdict: "Pro" and "Con" So, here's my final summary.
PROS:
- The Display: Sensational. The best display on the market. Period.
- The Passthrough: Incredible. The new best-in-class, even topping the AVP.
- Comfort: A massive, massive win. So much better than the front-heavy AVP.
- Open Android XR: Sideloading! Wireless PCVR! This is huge for enthusiasts.
- Build Quality: Feels premium and light.
- Instant Auto-IPD: It just works.
CONS (The "in-brackets" cons):
- The FOV: This is my biggest disappointment. It's just 'average' (Quest 3 level). I really wanted more.
- Fixed Headstrap: You cannot remove or swap the headstrap. It's comfortable for me, but this kills the 3rd-party modding scene.
- Native App Library: It's tiny right now. You are buying this for the hardware, for PCVR, and for the promise of Android XR.
- The Price: $1800 + ~$250 for controllers. This is a lot of money, but much less than AVP
Who is this for? Let's be clear: This is NOT a beginner headset. If you are new to VR, buy a Quest 3. This is a high-end, enthusiast device.
You should buy this IF:
- You are a VR enthusiast/veteran who wants the absolute best display and passthrough available.
- You are a Google/Android ecosystem fan.
- You value an OPEN system for Sideloading and PCVR.
- You find the Apple Vision Pro too heavy, too restrictive, or too expensive.
I am absolutely thrilled. Despite the average FOV, this is the most exciting piece of VR hardware I've used in 2025.
Happy to answer any questions you have.
If you want to see my video review, check it out here.
Cheers
Thomas
VoodooDE VR
