Samsung's Galaxy XR is a bold step into the future of wearables, but it's not quite the VR headset revolution we were hoping for. While it showcases the potential of 'facial computing' and Android XR, the device feels more like a tech demo than a fully-fledged product. The Galaxy XR is a playground for nascent technologies, offering a glimpse into a future where XR devices are light and powerful, but it's not quite there yet. The headset is relatively compact and comfortable, but its competition is bulky and unwieldy. Samsung's smart glasses, which may be released soon, could be the next step in this ecosystem. The Galaxy XR is built with comfort in mind, featuring a flexible foam pad and a removable cushion. However, it still weighs 1.2 pounds and can cause eyestrain after an hour of use. The headset's open design impacts clarity, making it worse than Apple's Vision Pro for daytime viewing. The Galaxy XR supports two modes of control, but Android XR is still in development, and the user experience is not yet polished. The device is limited to streaming passive content, and gaming is just one small part of the broader experience. The computing dilemma arises as VR, AR, and XR technologies shrink and become more specialized, requiring external computers to beam content to the screens in front of our eyes. Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip powers the Galaxy XR, but it needs a large external battery pack. The future of wearables may involve 'compute pucks' or streaming, but the question remains: will users truly want to carry around two devices for one experience?
