This VR headset was a better investment than my computer monitor

I’ve never had much interest in VR headsets, but XR is a different story. I like the idea of ​​working with virtual windows floating around me in my physical space. So, after first experimenting with AR glasses, I took the plunge with a full-fledged XR headset, and while it wasn’t cheap, I’m glad I did.

I bought the Samsung Galaxy If you’re also tempted to replace your monitor with a space computer, here’s the thing: don’t compromise. It’s the high-resolution lens and wide camera lineup that make headsets like the Galaxy

Cheaper headsets use LCD lenses

Both the Samsung Galaxy XR and Apple Vision Pro use Micro-OLED binocular lenses. These aren’t cheap to produce, and given the niche use cases, economies of scale don’t yet do them much favor. These goals largely explain the price difference between the Meta Quest 3 and the Galaxy

However, these goals make all the difference. The Meta Quest 3 relies instead on LCD lenses. They’re functional, but they still feel like you’re looking at a screen in front of your eyes.

Credit: Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

With Micro-OLED, I don’t feel like I’m looking at a screen. The biggest clue is the blurring of the video transfer from outward-facing cameras. This is a problem to be solved for higher quality cameras and greater processing power, not display type.

Spending more gets you higher resolutions

The Apple Vision Pro offers a resolution of 3660 x 3200 per eye, which was significantly higher than other existing consumer VR headsets, until the Galaxy Both are miles away from what you get on cheaper VR headsets.

The Meta Quest 3 has a significantly lower resolution of 2064 x 2208 per eye. Further proof that the upcoming Steam Frame isn’t designed as an

Cheaper screens lead to blurry text

I’m writing these words through my Galaxy XR headset, and I’ve already written thousands more on this device over the past few weeks. Although I’ve had to acclimate to the weight, I rarely experience eye strain. The resolution is high enough to be pleasing to my eyes.

This is what cheaper headsets lack, and there is no workaround to solve the problem. The text will not be as clear. Images will not be as sharp. Some people will be able to adapt just fine, but chances are you won’t be one of them.

Better headsets mean less discomfort

Face-mounted headsets have two main disadvantages: weight and motion sickness. Micro-OLED pancake lenses weigh more, which contributes to the relative bulk of more expensive options. But with the right headbands, weight pressure can be reduced. Motion sickness is another story.

Virtual reality-based motion sickness largely comes from your brain perceiving that you’re moving when in reality, you’re not. However, other signs that you are not looking directly at reality do not help. Even if a low-resolution LCD screen doesn’t make you nauseous, it can still increase the risk of headaches from prolonged use.

If a good headset is out of your budget, you might be better off waiting

Personally, I’d rather save up for a high-end headset than settle for a cheaper one. It’s not like a PC or a phone, where a lower resolution screen isn’t pretty but doesn’t make too much of a difference in practice. I own a pair of XREAL Air 2 Pro glasses, and although I tried replacing my computer screen with these AR glasses for a while, the lower resolution finally gave me away. Despite the OLED lenses, it still felt like there were screens directly in front of my eyes, and I felt the tension. This is not the case with the Galaxy XR.

Credit: Bertel King / How-To Geek

Wait long enough and you might not have to spend nearly two thousand dollars for a high-resolution experience. As UploadVR reported, companies like TCL are developing high-density OLED panels that could hopefully enable mid-range headsets. The Galaxy XR and Apple Vision Pro were never intended for everyone and instead serve as showcases of what future technologies can do. It turns out it’s nice that, for such experimental products, they’re fully functional, capable enough even for some of us to dive in first today.

My virtual workspace doesn’t allow me to see more at once than a large 4K or ultrawide monitor. Instead, it changes the nature of how I work. Rather than staring straight ahead for several hours at a time, I can look all around. I can move the location of my screens whenever I want to adjust my posture, and I can take them with me when I move to another chair. While I wish headsets were lighter, discomfort is a problem that third-party mods can solve, and I already have some on the way.

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  Brand

  Samsung

  Resolution (per eye)

  3552×3840

  Display type

  Micro-OLED

  Storage

  256 GB

  Connectivity

  Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

  Battery life

  2.5 hours

  The Samsung Galaxy XR is a mixed reality headset and the first to ship with Android XR. It runs almost all Android apps in addition to content designed specifically for XR and VR. With full access to the Play Store, the ability to sideload apps, and an unlocked bootloader, the Galaxy XR is the most open headset at the time of release.

  
  

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  Display type

  micro-OLED

  Storage

  256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB

  Connectivity

  Wi-Fi 6E

  Battery life

  2-2.5 hours

  Tracking Technology

  Hands and eyes

  Audio

  Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking