Samsung copied Apple’s worst idea - Samsung Galaxy XR

Quick Overview

The Samsung Galaxy XR headset is positioned as a direct competitor to the Apple Vision Pro, offering a significantly lower price point of $1,799 USD compared to the Vision Pro's $3,499 starting price, lighter weight at 545g versus 800g, and utilizing a Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset, though the presenter notes that its pass-through and AI features, like Gemini integration, are not as advanced or fully realized as Apple's Vision Pro.

Key Points: The Samsung Galaxy XR Headset costs $1,799 USD, which is roughly half the starting price of the Apple Vision Pro ($3,499). The Samsung headset weighs 545g (1.2 lbs), significantly lighter than the Apple Vision Pro's 800g (1.76 lbs). The Galaxy XR runs on the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset, which Qualcomm claims is 20% faster on the CPU and 50% faster on the GPU than the previous generation. The device features 8 outward-facing cameras for positional tracking and 2 inward-facing cameras for eye tracking and menu interaction. The presenter found the pass-through quality lacking compared to Apple's Vision Pro, noting that looking around caused some disorienting motion sickness. The headset supports hand tracking and eye tracking for interaction, although the eye tracking felt slow during calibration. The device includes a separate external battery pack connected via a USB-C cable, which is a design choice Samsung shares with the Vision Pro.

Context: This video provides a first look and initial impressions of the Samsung Galaxy XR Headset, a mixed-reality device launched to compete directly with the high-end Apple Vision Pro. The presenter unboxes the device, highlights key hardware specifications like weight and processor, and tests basic functionality such as the pass-through camera system, hand tracking, and integration with Google's Gemini AI, all while comparing these features against the industry benchmark set by Apple.

Detailed Analysis

The video starts with an unboxing of the Samsung Galaxy XR Headset, which the host immediately compares to the Apple Vision Pro, suggesting Samsung is attempting to copy Apple's design choices but at a lower price point. The headset itself is light gray, weighs 545g (1.2 lbs), and is powered by an external battery pack connected via USB-C, similar to the Vision Pro. The device uses the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip, claimed by Qualcomm to be faster than the previous generation. The headset features 8 outward-facing cameras for positional tracking and 2 inward-facing cameras for eye tracking, which the presenter calibrated, noting the eye tracking felt a bit slow. The pass-through video quality was described as decent but caused some disorientation and motion sickness when moving the head. The operating system interface appears similar to Android, displaying floating windows for apps like YouTube, Google Maps, and a virtual desktop (PC Connect). The presenter demonstrated hand tracking, which worked for basic interactions like opening menus, but noted that direct interaction with web content (like clicking a link on lttstore.com) was not possible via hand gestures alone. The Gemini AI assistant was tested, correctly identifying a screwdriver held by the presenter but offering generic advice, and it was noted that the video recording feature of the headset was not working during the test. The overall impression is that while Samsung offers a lighter and much cheaper alternative, it falls short of the Vision Pro's seamlessness in features like pass-through and AI integration.