We know for sure that a new Samsung XR/VR headset is in the works, with the device being made in collaboration with Google. But many details of the XR product (XR, or extended reality, is a collective term for virtual, augmented and mixed reality) are still shrouded in mystery.
This would-be Apple Vision Pro rival (an XR headset from Apple) is likely to have impressive specs – Qualcomm has confirmed the new Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 chip will be in the headset, and it will likely feature screens from Samsung Display are. It will also likely come with an equally premium price tag. Unfortunately, until Samsung says something official, we don't know exactly how much it will cost, or when it will be released.
But using the few tidbits of official information, as well as our industry knowledge and the rumors out there, we can make some educated guesses that could give you insight into the potential price, release date and specs of the Samsung XR/VR headset. I have them below. We've also highlighted a few of the features we'd like to see when it's eventually revealed to the public.
Samsung XR/VR headset: price
We won't know how much Samsung and Google's new VR headset will cost until the device is officially announced, but most rumors point to it having premium specs – so expect a premium price.
Some early reports suggested Samsung was looking at something in the region of $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$1,500 (much like the Meta Quest Pro), although it may have changed its plans. Following the unveiling of Apple Vision Pro, Samsung is believed to have delayed the device, likely making it a better Vision Pro rival in Samsung's eyes. The Vision Pro is impressive, as you can see in our hands-on Apple Vision Pro review.
If that's the case, the VR gadget might not only better match the Vision Pro's specs, but it might also take over the Vision Pro's $3,499 (about £2,725 / AUS$5,230) starting price, or something that comes close.
Samsung XR/VR headset: release date
Just like the price, we don't know anything concrete yet about the release date of the upcoming Samsung VR headset. But a few signs point to a 2024 announcement, if not a 2024 release.
First, there was the teaser that Samsung unveiled in February 2023 when it said it was working with Google to develop an XR headset. No date was set for when we'd hear more, but Samsung likely wouldn't make this teasing announcement if the project is far from complete. Typically, a fuller reveal will take place about a year after the teaser – so around February 2024.
There was a rumor that Samsung's VR headset project was postponed after the Vision Pro announcement, although the source claimed the headset would still arrive in 2024 – not until mid-to-late 2024, rather than February.
Then there's the announcement of the Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 chipset. Qualcomm wanted to highlight Samsung and Google as partners that would use the chipset.
It would be strange to highlight these partners if the headset were still released about a year after launch. Those partners might have preferred to work with a later next-gen chip, if the XR/VR headset were to be released in 2025 or later. So this would again point to a 2024 reveal, if not a precise date this year.
Finally, there are also suggestions that the Samsung VR headset may launch alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 6 – Samsung's foldable phone that will also be released in 2024.
Samsung XR/VR headset: specifications
Many of the specifications of the new Samsung VR headset are still a mystery. We can assume that Samsung-made displays will be used (it would be wild if Samsung used displays from one of its competitors), but the type of display technology (e.g. QLED, OLED or LCD), the resolution and the size are still unknown.
We also don't know what size battery it will have, or what the storage space will be, or what the RAM will be. Nor what design it will adopt: will it resemble the Vision Pro with an external display, like the Meta Quest 3 or Quest Pro, or something entirely new?
But we do know one thing. It will run (as we predicted) on a brand new Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 chip from Qualcomm – an updated version of the chipset used by the Meta Quest Pro, and slightly more powerful than the XR2 Gen 2 in the Meta Quest 3.
The result is that this platform can now support dual displays with a resolution of 4.3K and a speed of up to 90 fps. It can also manage more than a dozen separate camera inputs that VR headsets rely on for tracking – including controllers, objects in space and facial movements – and it has more advanced AI capabilities, 2.5x better GPU performance and Wi-Fi 7 (as well as 6 and 6E).
What we want to see from the new Samsung XR/VR headset
1. Samsung's XR/VR headset for use on the Quest OS
This is truly a utopia. With Google and Samsung already working together on the project, it's unlikely they'll want to bring in a third party, especially if this headset is intended to compete with Apple and Meta hardware.
But the Quest platform is just that good; by far the best we've seen on standalone VR headsets. It's clean, feature-packed, and home to the best library of VR games and apps around. The only platform that might beat it is Steam, but that's only for people who want to be tied to a PC installation.
Partnering with Meta would give Samsung's headset all these benefits, and Meta would have the ability to design its operating system as the Windows or Android of the spatial computing space – which could help its Reality Labs division generate much-needed revenue generated by licensing the platform to other headset manufacturers.
2. A (relatively) affordable price tag
There has only been one successful mainstream VR headset to date: the Oculus Quest 2. The Meta-made device has been responsible for the vast majority of VR headset sales in recent years (surpassing the total lifetime sales of all previous Oculus VR headsets). combined in just five months) and that's because of one thing; it's so damn cheap.
Other factors (like a pandemic forcing everyone indoors) probably helped a bit. But in principle, getting a solid VR headset for $299 / £299 / AU$479 is a very attractive offer. It could perhaps be better spec-wise, but it's more than good enough and offers significantly more bang for your buck than the PC VR rigs and alternative standalone headsets that will cost you over $1,000 when you include everything you Need.
Meta's Quest Pro, the first headset launched after the Quest 2 and which carries a much more expensive price of $999 / £999 / AU$1,729 (launched at $1,500 / £1,500 / AU$2,450), has apparently sold significantly worse . We don't have exact figures, but we use the Steam Hardware Research Figures for December 2023 show us that while 37.87% of Steam VR players use a Quest 2 (making it the most popular option, and more than double the next headset), only 0.44% use a Quest Pro – that's about 86 times less.
So by making the headset affordable, Samsung would likely be in a win-win situation. We win because the headset isn't ridiculously expensive like the $3,499 (about £2,800 / AU$5,300) Apple Vision Pro. Samsung wins because its headset has the best chance of selling extremely well.
We'll have to wait and see what Samsung will announce, but we suspect we'll be disappointed on the price front. A factor that could prevent this device from becoming one of the best VR headsets out there.
3. Controllers and space for glasses
For this final 'what we want to see' we merged two smaller points into one.
Hand tracking is nice, but ideally it will just be an optional feature on the upcoming Samsung VR headset rather than the only way to control it – which is the case with the Vision Pro.
Most VR apps are designed with controllers in mind, and because most headsets now come with handsets with similar button layouts, it's a lot easier to port software to different systems.
There are still challenges, but if your control scheme doesn't have to be reinvented, the developers told us it's a huge time saver. So having controllers with this standard layout could help Samsung get a solid library of games and apps on its system, making it easier for developers to bring their software to it.
We also want it to be easy for glasses wearers to use the new Samsung VR headset. The Vision Pro's lens solution is needlessly pricey when headsets like the Quest 2 and Quest 3 have a free built-in solution to the problem: an optional spacer or a way to extend the headset slightly so it's further away from your face, leaving room for specifications.
Ideally, Samsung's VR headset would also provide a free and easy solution for people who wear glasses.