Comparison of three XR worlds: Apple's luxury, Samsung's ambitions, and Meta's mass hit!

Apple Vision Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Meta Quest 3

While Meta cuts costs and aims at the mass market for cheap goggles, Apple and Samsung are aiming much higher – both companies want to define a new quality of image in augmented reality with micro-OLED 4K. The differences between these three platforms are, however, colossal – both in terms of technology and price.

Revolution in Screens: Micro-OLED vs LCD

It's the screens that create the biggest divide between ChooseTV, Galaxy XR and Quest 3.

While the Meta headset uses basic low-contrast LCD panels, Apple and Samsung have opted for micro-OLED with brightness and colour control for each pixel. Both devices support HDR (including HDR10 and HLG), and Apple adds Dolby Vision as well.

• Apple Vision Pro: 3662×3200 pixels per eye (23 million total)

• Samsung Galaxy XR: 3552×3840 (27 million)

• Meta Quest 3: only 2064×2208 (9 million)

The difference in sharpness, contrast and colour depth is visible to the naked eye – it's a completely different visual league.

Operating systems: three philosophies

Meta Quest 3 runs on Horizon OS, a modified version of Android. The system is fast and simple, but limited – it lacks streaming applications and premium-class tools.

Samsung Galaxy XR debuts with Android XR, created in collaboration with Google. This is an open, ambitious platform with integration of Gemini AI, which allows you to look at an object and immediately get information about it vocally.

On the other hand, Apple Vision Pro with visionOS is a completely different dimension – desktop power in a portable edition, a unique ecosystem of applications, and exclusive 8K 3D video content.

Immersion and Content: Apple's Advantage

Vision Pro utilises the Apple Immersive Video format (8K 3D, 90 fps), encoded in MV-HEVC – an experience unattainable by the competition.

Apple has also created its own spatial audio format (ASAF) and a library of over 300 3D films, available exclusively on visionOS.

Samsung technically supports the same codec but does not have access to the Apple ecosystem. Meta, on the other hand, does not support MV-HEVC at all.

Computing Power: M5 Beats Everything

The differences here are drastic.

Apple Vision Pro is powered by the M5 chip, which achieves over 17,800 points in Geekbench – that's more than seven times the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 in the Galaxy XR (about 2450 points).

Meta Quest 3 with XR2 Gen 2 performs even worse.

In practice, this means that Apple can run full desktop-class applications, while the competition remains at smartphone level.

Control and sensors: Apple and Samsung have the advantage

Vision Pro and Galaxy XR support eye and hand tracking, and also have depth sensors (including Lidar in Apple).

Quest 3 primarily relies on controllers – without eye tracking and with a simpler set of cameras.

All three headsets offer spatial audio and a similar number of 3D cameras.

Weight, battery and price

Samsung is positioned between the extremes – more expensive than Meta, but significantly cheaper than Apple. The Vision Pro is a luxury device, almost a prototype of the future, while the Quest 3 remains the cheapest ticket to the VR world.

Availability and Prospects

For now, only Meta Quest 3 is widely available worldwide.

Galaxy XR and Vision Pro are only reaching selected markets – primarily the USA and Korea.

However, the competition is just beginning, and with three giants – Apple, Samsung, and Meta – vying for users' attention, the future of XR looks incredibly interesting.

• Apple Vision Pro – absolute top of the technology: highest image quality, power of M5, and unique content, but at a prohibitive price.

• Samsung Galaxy XR – balance between quality and price; modern Android XR with AI from Google.

• Meta Quest 3 – the cheapest, but also the most limited. A great start for beginners.

Three different philosophies, three visions of the future. And for users – finally a true choice in the world of XR.