For years, Meta has been the only credible contender in convincing people to wear computers on their faces. Now, Samsung is attempting to succeed where even Apple failed.
The Korean tech behemoth unveiled the Galaxy XR headgear this week, which is in some ways a competitor to the Meta Quest 3. However, Samsung’s new XR headset and Meta’s slightly older one are vastly different devices in a variety of ways. That is where we come in.
Here’s a comparison of the Samsung Galaxy XR’s specs, price, and main features to the Meta Quest 3.
Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Meta Quest 3: Price
The pricing disparity between these two gadgets, both of which claim to provide identical XR experiences, is perhaps the most noticeable. Let us get right to it: the Galaxy XR costs $1,799. Meta Quest 3, on the other hand, costs $499. That’s a significant difference, so much so that you have to wonder if these two gadgets are truly competitors. To be clear, they are, but Meta’s headgear will undoubtedly be a more popular choice because it is significantly less expensive.
Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Meta Quest 3: Specs
When you look at the specifications, the price difference makes sense. Here are the Galaxy XR’s fundamental specifications:
- Two micro-OLED displays with 3552×3840 resolution per eye and up to 90Hz refresh rate
- Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset
- 109-degree horizontal, 100-degree vertical field of view
- Eye tracking and iris recognition included
- 256GB storage
- 16GB RAM
- 545g weight
And here are the equivalent specs on Quest 3:
- Two LCD displays with 2064×2208 resolution per eye and up to 120Hz refresh rate
- Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset
- 103.8 degree horizontal, 96.4 degree vertical field of view
- No eye tracking
- 512GB storage
- 8GB RAM
- 515g weight
It all begins with the displays. The Galaxy XR’s two displays are higher-end OLED panels with significantly greater resolutions than those found on Quest 3. The refresh rate is lower, although the difference between 90Hz and 120Hz is not particularly perceptible to the typical person. The Galaxy XR also has a newer CPU and twice as much RAM, but how it performs in comparison to the Quest 3 remains to be seen.
Samsung’s gadget also has eye tracking, which is essential for a headset. However, the Quest 3 is somewhat lighter and has larger onboard capacity. However, those are the only actual advantages. It’s also worth noting that the Galaxy XR runs the Android XR operating system, whilst the Quest 3 utilizes Meta’s proprietary OS. This implies they may not support the same games and apps.
Oh, and the Galaxy XR features six motion-tracking cameras, vs four on the Quest 3. Again, we can’t determine how much of a difference it makes in practice, but it’s worth mentioning.
Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Meta Quest 3: Controllers
Both of these devices support hand tracking, meaning you don’t necessarily need controllers, but those help a lot when it comes to playing VR games and whatnot. The good news is that Meta Quest 3 comes with two controllers, featuring a standard lineup of buttons, motion tracking, and analog sticks, right in the box.
The bad news? Galaxy XR doesn’t come with controllers. There are Galaxy XR-specific controllers available for sale, but they cost $249. It’s not certain yet just how necessary these are for full enjoyment of the Galaxy XR, but just know that if you want the full experience, you’re going to end up quadrupling the price of a Quest 3.
Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Meta Quest 3: Battery life
Samsung recommends the Galaxy XR headset for up to 2 hours of regular use and 2.5 hours of video playback. That’s certainly not ideal, but it’s rather standard for an XR headset. Meanwhile, Meta rates the Quest 3 at 2.2 hours of use, so there isn’t much of a difference here. One would expect the nearly $2,000 item to have a significantly greater battery than the $500 one, but that does not appear to be the case here.
There will undoubtedly be more distinctions between these two devices to highlight once the Galaxy XR arrives, but for the time being, it appears that the Galaxy XR is much more geared at enthusiasts and early adopters, whilst the Meta Quest 3 is aimed at a broader audience.
