Samsung Galaxy XR review: for those who have been waiting

My vision of the future has been strongly influenced by “One day” concept video that Google released 13 years ago to show the potential of augmented reality and how we would use it on a day-to-day basis. With the Galaxy

Hardware

Galaxy XR is a headset on paper, but, metaphorically and physically, it seems lighter. Betting everything on plastic was the correct choice, with the difference between Vision Pro night and day. More important than 1.2 pounds (vs. Apple’s 1.7~) is how Samsung got the domed front cushion design right. Galaxy XR rests on your forehead, on the back of your head and never on your cheeks or nose. It’s just excellent weight distribution.

If the Vision Pro is a helmet, the Galaxy XR wears more like a pair of ski goggles. There is still a level of intrusiveness, but you would never confuse the two.

Another notable difference between the two headsets is how I can see the real world to the left, right, and bottom of the Galaxy XR’s lenses. This open design blends reality with the virtual and contributes to that metaphorical lightness. It’s like putting down your sunglasses.

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Using Galaxy XR doesn’t isolate me and keeps me in the real world, while Vision Pro gives me the feeling of explicitly entering a different one. I think this is crucial for the long-term adoption of augmented reality. This opening is the first time I’ve had that feeling of merging realities, and it’s more practical than any passthrough experience possible today. Besides looking like AR, this opening basically lets you view the Bluetooth keyboard directly (as if you forgot where a special character is) and the phone (notifications, 2FA, and more).

When you want immersion, attach two magnetic light shields (left + right) to the bottom of the Galaxy XR. I haven’t felt the need to free myself from distractions even when watching long videos because I appreciate staying in my current environment much more. It’s also quite easy to focus on the screens, which have a noticeable border around them for a binocular effect that will eventually fade into the background when using any headphones. Again, the default open design is a strong point and another thing Samsung got very well.

Speaking of camera passthrough, the 4K resolution per eye is like the Vision Pro. 3,552 x 3,840 is good for virtual content, but it’s still not high enough to view your phone or laptop screen without blur, and that should be the benchmark. Additionally, cameras still don’t capture real-world fidelity: the muted colors are, for lack of a better word, depressing.

In terms of physical controls, the top edge has a volume rocker and a button that lets you open the launcher (1x), camera (2x), start eye calibration (3x), and launch Gemini (long press). By tapping the volume down button you can take a screenshot or view the power menu.

There’s also a trackpad on the side that lets you re-center your view and switch between the real and virtual world. It’s important that these two features are tactile, but the touchpad feels like an unnecessary control surface. The dial, like the crown of a watch, on the Vision Pro to adjust the immersion is really clever.

The biggest hardware mistake Samsung made was placing the adjustment knob that tightens everything at the back. My main moments of relaxation at home involve me resting my head against a wall for long periods. I’ve watched hour-long TV shows like this with the Vision Pro. This is simply not possible with the Galaxy XR and eliminates most relaxing experiences. It’s also annoying but manageable with high back chairs.

Manual tracking is accurate and on par with Apple in my experience. If you haven’t used VR in a while, these gesture controls have matured a lot and are now quite natural if not intuitive. It seems that the problem has been solved, eliminating the need for manual controllers in everyday use.

Throughout my review, I wore the glasses inside the Galaxy XR. It worked surprisingly well, with acceptable eye tracking. However, I have to wait for the prescription optical inserts to give them a fair shake.

I hear the cooling fan more than I hear with the Vision Pro. The hum fades away when audio isn’t playing, but otherwise it’s a nuisance for content. I don’t get spatial audio outside of movies, but it’s kind of fun to move a music app window and spot the direction it’s coming from.

The desk, bed, and chairs I’ve used the Galaxy XR on all come with USB-C cables and power, so I use it plugged in. There’s no reason not to do it when I’m working or watching something. When not connected to direct power, however, the battery pack is gray, heavy, and perfectly acceptable.

Software

Android XR looks familiar to using Android on phones and tablets, especially the Samsung version. The amount of One UI present is fine, but my annoyances remain. (Why does the Wi-Fi indicator in the equivalent status bar always show which standard (5, 6, 6E, etc.) you are connected to?)

Other interfaces like Samsung’s Settings app or multitasking are more than functional, but I wish Google would take a more opinionated visual and functional approach. For example, answering phone calls is only available when pairing a Samsung phone, while Google Messages uses the non-native PWA version that is missing.

That said, bringing 3-button navigation to Android XR is definitely a choice. You start by lifting the palm of your hand and pinching your thumb and forefinger together. Then swipe to Home, Back or Recent. I see the need for a virtual gesture to navigate, but I don’t think this is it. Maybe exaggerated Minority report-style gestures where you swipe left/right/up/down?

By default, Android apps open in tablet landscape mode. It’s nice how you scale them based on phone versions. I do an embarrassing amount of long-form writing on phone-sized vertical screens. I didn’t like the width of the Google Keep window, so I just adjusted it and felt like I was manipulating my physical environment. I wouldn’t say window management is an exceptional use case for XR, but it certainly emphasizes the infinite flexibility and power of mobile screens. It reminds us that the smallest things can seem the most futuristic.

I wish Android XR remembered these options when closing the app or offered per-app customization. More generally, Android apps on the XR feel as natural as they do on tablets and phones. It’s obviously the same underlying operating system, but it breathes familiarity. He also talks about how the work done in the Android 12L era has paid off (and will continue to do so).

Samsung should have included a compact Bluetooth keyboard and trackpad in every purchase to really help productivity. Nobody has solved virtual keyboards, while mice feel bad in AR. Therefore, voice input is the primary way I enter text.

The Chrome tablet is not enough feature-wise. Several years ago, Google took the phone’s browser and modified it for larger screens without adding more complex features or controls from the desktop version to let you take advantage of the additional screen real estate. To be truly productive, I at least I need a full bookmarks bar and that’s not an option today.

Some apps like Google TV have been optimized for XR. There’s a spacey home screen with large tabs, while apps like YouTube and Google Photos match their tablet counterparts until you view content and get floating controls.

Space and tablet app

Otherwise, direct tablet or even phone versions of most apps are fine, if not less distracting and more compact while keeping everything in a single window.

Google’s XR software/content contributions are primarily in three apps. YouTube’s 3D content library speaks for itself, and its (intentional) absence on Apple’s platform makes competitive sense. However, the flat navigation experience (home screen, search, etc.) is clearly not the Android tablet version. It’s a simplified version that’s missing some features that I use.

I’m still not thrilled with the 3D images and videos in Google Photos, but the immersive view of Google Maps is fun with Street View fitting in quite naturally.

Meanwhile, Circle to Search is started by raising your hand and bringing your thumb and forefinger together. This is inconvenient and should replace the existing camera/video link, which consists of a double press of the top button. Circle to Search can be used to copy text on virtual screens, but not in the real world by chance. That said, in true Android fashion, you can download the file Google Lens application and go from there.

As for Samsung avatars that are supposed to be your virtual stand-in during Google Meet calls… I just don’t. You’d think that of all companies, Google would be able to offer a photorealistic avatar, because Samsung’s cartoons are simply: no.

Manual and visual controls are good, but I was hoping voice would be a good alternative. Gemini Live simply doesn’t have enough computer usage capabilities. There are some, such as navigation in certain apps and app-specific features, but they are not very broad or universal. Asking for more information about places you see on Google Maps is certainly interesting, but it’s not something you do every day.

The first version of any operating system has a lot of UI and UX ideas. It takes the people who actually use the device to understand which features should be prioritized. For me, Gemini Live should always open with screen sharing enabled. At the moment, the experience is too vocal, just like on phones.

What is all this for?

AR glasses with infinite mobile displays have the potential to replace smartphones, laptops and other form factors. Miniaturization of displays and other necessary advances are still many years away.

Headphones can’t replace your phone as something you wear out in the world, but the idea is that they could replace your laptop, desktop, television, gaming console, and other home devices.

How far is the Galaxy XR? On the productivity front, I wrote the majority of my extended reality review using Google Keep and a Bluetooth keyboard. My work really only requires a web browser, so I can do a lot of it in the Galaxy XR. However, whether I want it is the bigger question. Infinite screens have their advantages. I’ve never found Chrome’s tabstrip constrained to 2D, but there is a utility for positioning some windows around you.

In terms of content consumption, my longest watches have been an hour A dynamite house using the Netflix app and 30 minutes of the World Series on YouTube TV. The first one was engaging and it’s something I’ve been doing consistently with the Vision Pro for over a year now, when the TV show warrants it.

However, all of this requires putting something on your head and being tied to a drum kit. This is a trade-off that I know most people won’t make today, and I don’t think they will until headphones get closer to glasses (even big ones) that don’t surround your head.

After using the Galaxy

Conclusion

The full-blown Android XR experience found on the Galaxy XR will take years to make its way to smart glasses. The first Google-powered devices in this form factor will have no display, and the first version of the screen that comes next will be more of a heads-up display than anything else. It will take some time to get virtual floating windows that allow you to do work or entertainment on your smartphone or desktop, or entertainment with glasses.

That said, the Galaxy XR surprisingly lets you preview that eventual future right now. Frankly, I didn’t expect a headset to deliver this experience yet, but the combination of lightweight, non-immersive hardware and Android XR experiences is compelling. To be clear, this isn’t a mass-market device, but the Galaxy XR is an enthusiast’s gadget at a vaguely more reasonable price.

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