Two years after Apple redefined spatial computing, the ecosystem war has officially begun. The Samsung Galaxy XR Infinite, launched in early 2026, is not just another headset; it’s the flagship for the Google-Samsung-Qualcomm alliance meant to challenge Cupertino’s dominance. For Tent of Tech readers who prefer the flexibility of Android and Windows over the walled garden of visionOS, this is the device you’ve been waiting for. But does “open” mean “better”?
1. Design & Comfort: Learning from Apple’s Mistakes
While the Apple Vision Pro was a marvel of engineering, it was heavy. Samsung chose function over pure luxury.
-
Balanced Weight Distribution: Instead of a front-heavy aluminum chassis, the Infinite uses a high-grade polycarbonate blend and places the battery pack at the back of the headstrap. The result is a headset that feels 30% lighter during extended coding sessions, tackling the fatigue issue we noted in our earlier reviews.
-
Modular Facial Interface: Samsung includes two facial interfaces in the box: a light-blocking one for immersive VR and an open-peripheral one for mixed reality work, acknowledging that users aren’t always in a dark room.
2. The Visuals: The Micro-OLED Standard
Samsung Display has brought its A-game.
-
4K Per Eye: The Infinite matches the Vision Pro’s visual fidelity with dual Micro-OLED panels delivering 4K resolution per eye. Text in virtual monitors is razor-sharp, essential for reading code or spreadsheets.
-
Passthrough Latency: Powered by the new Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 3 chip, the color passthrough is phenomenal, with latency clocked at under 10ms. You can easily check your phone or drink coffee without taking the headset off, rivaling the “real world” feel of the Apple device.
3. The OS: Android XR and the Power of Sideloading
This is the biggest differentiator. The Infinite runs on Google’s Android XR.
-
The Play Store & Sideloading: Unlike visionOS, you have full access to the Google Play Store. More importantly for developers, sideloading is enabled by default. Want to run a niche GitHub project or an emulator? Just install the APK.
-
Multitasking on Steroids: Android XR handles window management more like a desktop. You can snap multiple 2D Android apps side-by-side with 3D objects, creating a workflow that feels more productive than Apple’s floating spatial windows.
4. The Ecosystem Play: Windows’ Best Friend
Samsung knows its users probably have a Windows PC, not a Mac.
-
Seamless PC Streaming: The “Link to Windows XR” feature is flawless. With one click, your Windows 12 desktop appears as a massive, ultra-low latency virtual screen, utilizing the bandwidth of Wi-Fi 7/6G networks.
-
Phone Integration: If you have a Galaxy S26, your phone’s apps can be streamed as individual floating windows within the headset space, allowing for seamless drag-and-drop between devices.
5. Controllers Included (But Optional)
Apple bet everything on hand tracking. Samsung gives you a choice.
-
Precision Haptics: The Infinite ships with ergonomic, ring-free controllers. For gaming or precise 3D modeling work, they offer tactile feedback that naked hand gestures simply can’t replicate. Hand tracking is present and accurate, but having the option is a major plus.
6. Conclusion: The Developer’s Choice?
Priced at $2,499 (significantly less than Apple), the Samsung Galaxy XR Infinite is a powerhouse. It may lack the final 5% of polish that visionOS offers, but it makes up for it with flexibility, Windows integration, and an open ecosystem. If you want a spatial computer that lets you tinker under the hood, this is it.