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Samsung Gear VR
Basic Info
VR/AR Virtual Reality
Type Head-mounted display
Subtype Mobile VR
Platform Oculus Home
Creator Samsung, Oculus VR
Developer Samsung, Oculus VR
Manufacturer Samsung
Announcement Date 3 September 2014 (Innovator Edition); 24 September 2015 (consumer model, Oculus Connect 2)
Release Date 8 December 2014 (Innovator Edition, United States); 20 November 2015 (consumer model, United States)
Price US$199 (Innovator Edition, 2014); US$99.99 (2015 and 2016 models); US$129 (2017 model with controller)
Website https://www.samsung.com/
Versions SM-R320, SM-R321 (Innovator Editions); SM-R322, SM-R323, SM-R324, SM-R325 (consumer models)
Requires Compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphone
System
Operating System Android (on the inserted phone), with Oculus Home
Display
Display Display of the inserted phone (Super AMOLED)
Resolution Depends on the phone (2560 x 1440 on the Galaxy Note 4)
Refresh Rate 60 Hz
Image
Field of View 96 degrees (SM-R320 to SM-R322); 101 degrees (SM-R323 and later)
Optics
Optics Aspheric lenses; 42 mm diameter on SM-R323 and later
Ocularity Binocular
IPD Range 55-71 mm (Innovator Edition); 54-70 mm (2015 model, fixed lenses)
Adjustable Diopter Focus wheel
Passthrough 60 fps camera preview from the phone (Innovator Edition with Galaxy Note 4)
Tracking
Tracking 3DoF (rotational only)
Eye Tracking No
Hand Tracking No
Audio
Audio Through the phone (speaker, wired or Bluetooth headphones)
Microphone Through the phone
Connectivity
Connectivity Micro-USB or USB-C connection to the phone
Ports Phone connector; external USB port (added on SM-R323)
Bluetooth Through the phone (used by the Gear VR Controller)
Power Powered by the phone
Battery Life Draws on the phone's battery
Device
Dimensions 198 x 116 x 90 mm (Innovator Edition); 201.9 x 116.4 x 92.6 mm (SM-R322); 207.8 x 122.5 x 98.6 mm (SM-R324)
Weight 318 g (SM-R322); 345 g (SM-R324 headset; controller 64.3 g)
Material Plastic
Color Frost White, Blue Black, Orchid Gray
Sensors Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor (magnetometer on the Innovator Edition)
Input Touchpad, back key, home key (2016 and later), volume keys (not on SM-R325), Samsung Gear VR Controller (2017 and later)


The Samsung Gear VR is a discontinued line of mobile VR headsets made by Samsung in partnership with Oculus VR. The headset holds a compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphone, which supplies the display, processor, storage and battery, while the shell adds lenses, a focus wheel, its own motion sensors and controls. Software and the app store came from Oculus through Oculus Home.[1][2]

Six models were sold between December 2014 and September 2017: two developer-oriented Innovator Editions (SM-R320 and SM-R321) and four consumer models (SM-R322, SM-R323, SM-R324 and SM-R325).[3] The first consumer version went on sale in the United States on 20 November 2015 for US$99.99.[4] At CES 2017, Samsung Electronics America president Tim Baxter said the company had sold 5 million Gear VR headsets.[5]

Samsung phones stopped supporting the headset in 2019, starting with the Galaxy Note 10.[6] Oculus ended Gear VR software updates in early 2020 and stopped accepting new Gear VR apps to its store on 15 September 2020, while existing apps stayed available for download.[7][8] Samsung's own XR video services, including Samsung VR Video on Gear VR, ended on 30 September 2020.[9]

Reviewed 12 October 2026. Checked every claim, quote, price, date, spec and model/compatibility entry against the cited Samsung newsroom and support pages, Oculus developer blog, Road to VR, UploadVR, TechCrunch, Engadget, VentureBeat, SamMobile and Tom's Guide sources. About review dates.

History

Innovator Edition (2014-2015)

Samsung announced the Gear VR Innovator Edition on 3 September 2014 as the result of a "deep and integrated partnership" with Oculus, which Samsung's release described as "a Facebook company". The first headset was designed for the Galaxy Note 4 and its 5.7-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440) Super AMOLED display. In the release, Oculus CTO John Carmack said the partnership had produced "a virtual reality headset with world class resolution and performance, all on a completely mobile platform."[1] Samsung listed a 96-degree field of view, motion-to-photon latency under 20 ms, interpupillary distance coverage of 55 to 71 mm, a micro-USB 1.1 connection to the phone and a Frost White finish. A 16 GB microSD card with 360-degree videos and 3D film trailers came in the box, and launch content included material from Marvel, IMAX, DreamWorks Animation, Legendary and Cirque du Soleil (filmed by Felix & Paul Studios).[1]

The Note 4 headset (SM-R320) went on sale in the United States on 8 December 2014 through AT&T and Samsung.com, priced at US$199, or US$249 bundled with Samsung's Bluetooth gamepad.[10] A second Innovator Edition for the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge (SM-R321) followed in May 2015.[3] Both Innovator Editions are covered in more detail in their own article.

Consumer model (2015)

Samsung Mobile senior vice president Peter Koo announced the first consumer Gear VR at Oculus Connect 2 on 24 September 2015, priced at US$99 and compatible with all of Samsung's 2015 Galaxy phones.[11] Samsung's announcement named the Galaxy Note 5, S6 edge+, S6 and S6 edge, described the headset as 22 percent lighter than the Innovator Edition, and mentioned new foam cushioning and an improved touchpad. In the same release, Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe said the companies had "created the best mobile VR experience available today."[12]

US pre-orders opened on 10 November 2015 at Samsung.com, Amazon and BestBuy.com, with shipping and Best Buy store availability from as early as 20 November at a list price of US$99.99. T-Mobile began selling the headset on 27 November. The pre-order release gave the weight saving as 19 percent and the weight as 318 g, against 310 g in the September announcement. It also listed the content available at launch: made-for-VR games such as CCP's Gunjack and ustwo's Land's End, Samsung's Milk VR video service, the Netflix catalog, and Oculus Video with films and videos from Lionsgate, 20th Century Fox, Twitch and Vimeo.[4][12] About two weeks after pre-orders opened, Amazon and Best Buy listed the headset as out of stock online, and a Samsung spokesperson said the company was "working hard to fulfill all orders as quickly as possible."[13] Road to VR lists this model as SM-R322.[3] A dedicated article covers the 2015 and 2016 models: Samsung Gear VR (2015/2016).

2016 update

Samsung introduced a revised headset (SM-R323) with the Galaxy Note7 in August 2016.[3][2] Samsung's changes included a Blue Black body color chosen partly to reduce light reflection, a new home key that returns to Oculus Home, interchangeable USB Type-C and micro-USB phone holders in the box, and larger 42 mm lenses that widen the field of view to 101 degrees. An external USB port (USB Hub 2.0) was also added for third-party accessories and for charging during use.[2] The headset went on sale in the United States on 19 August 2016 for US$99.99.[14] The Note7 itself was later recalled, which Road to VR notes in its compatibility list for this model.[3]

Gear VR with Controller (2017)

On 26 February 2017, Samsung announced the Gear VR with Controller, its first Gear VR sold with a handheld controller. The controller has a clickable touchpad, a trigger, and home, back and volume keys, with a wrist strap; a strap on the headset holds it when not in use. Samsung's specifications list the headset (SM-R324) at 207.8 x 122.5 x 98.6 mm and 345 g, with 42 mm lenses and a 101-degree field of view, and the controller at 108.1 x 48.1 x 38.2 mm and 64.3 g, powered by two AAA batteries. The controller contains an accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetic sensor.[15] The bundle cost US$129, US$30 more than the headset alone had cost, and arrived with the Galaxy S8 on 21 April 2017. TechCrunch reported that people who pre-ordered a Galaxy S8 or S8+ would receive it free.[16] Tom's Guide described the new Orchid Gray color as matching one of the S8 finishes.[17] A dedicated article covers this model: Samsung Gear VR (2017).

Galaxy Note8 model (2017)

Samsung released another Gear VR with Controller (SM-R325) alongside the larger Galaxy Note8 and said at first that it was the only Gear VR version the Note8 would support.[18][19][3] Engadget reported that pre-orders began on 24 August 2017 with sales from 15 September, and that the onboard volume controls were removed while the design was otherwise largely unchanged.[19] UploadVR reported a price of US$129.99, the same as the previous model. In a statement quoted by UploadVR, Samsung said the new headset accommodated the Note8 "while ensuring backwards compatibility", and added: "We do not recommend trying to fit the Note8 into older Gear VR headsets."[18] This was the last Gear VR model; later Galaxy S9, Note9 and S10 phones were supported by the SM-R325, the last two through a separate adapter.[20][6]

End of support (2019-2020)

In August 2019, Samsung confirmed that the Galaxy Note10 series would not work with Gear VR. VentureBeat noted that Samsung had previously released adapters so the Note9 and Galaxy S10 could use the headset.[6] Samsung's UK support page lists the Galaxy Note 10, Note 20, S20, S21, S22, S23 and S24 series as not compatible.[20]

At Oculus Connect 6 in September 2019, Carmack gave what he called "a bit of a eulogy for Gear VR". He said: "I do think we missed an opportunity here." TechCrunch reported his view that Gear VR had been Oculus' best-selling headset by a wide margin but had the lowest user retention, behind the Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest and Oculus Go.[21] According to Road to VR, he described battery drain as an overstated problem and pointed instead to the effort of removing the phone from its case and docking it: "The docking was fiddly. The mounting was fiddly."[22]

UploadVR reported that the Oculus SDK dropped Gear VR support in December 2019. In March 2020 Facebook confirmed that Samsung phones would no longer receive new Gear VR features, that the Oculus Video and Oculus 360 Photos apps could no longer be downloaded on the headset, and that rented and purchased films in Oculus Video were no longer available; the Oculus Browser also stopped receiving updates.[7] Oculus announced on 11 March 2020 that from 15 September 2020 it would no longer accept new Gear VR apps to the Oculus Store or provide developer support for Gear VR, while existing apps could still be updated and downloaded.[8] In May 2020 Road to VR reported a Samsung website notice that all of its XR services would end on 30 September 2020, including support for Gear VR; Samsung said it was "rethinking its immersive video distribution service, especially given that Gear VR is no longer available."[9]

Models

The table lists each model with the release month given by Road to VR and the compatible phones listed on Samsung's UK support page. Samsung says a newer phone may not work with an older headset, so the model number printed on the headset determines compatibility.[3][20][23]

Model Name Release Compatible phones (Samsung) Main changes
SM-R320 Innovator Edition December 2014 Galaxy Note 4 First model; 96-degree field of view, micro-USB, Frost White[1]
SM-R321 Innovator Edition for Galaxy S6 May 2015 Galaxy S6, S6 edge Version for the Galaxy S6 phones[3]
SM-R322 Gear VR (2015) November 2015 Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, Note 5, S7, S7 edge First consumer model; lighter, new foam, improved touchpad, US$99.99[4]
SM-R323 Gear VR (2016) August 2016 Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, Note 5, S7, S7 edge (the recalled Note7 at launch) Blue Black, home key, USB-C and micro-USB holders, external USB port, 101-degree field of view[2]
SM-R324 Gear VR with Controller April 2017 Galaxy S8, S8+; S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, Note 5, S7 and S7 edge with a connector Samsung Gear VR Controller included, Orchid Gray[15][17]
SM-R325 Gear VR with Controller (Note8 model) September 2017 Galaxy Note 8, S9, S9+, S8, S8+; Note 9, S10, S10+, S10e with an adapter; S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, Note 5, S7, S7 edge, A8 and A8+ with a connector Larger phone compartment for the Note8; no volume keys on the headset[19]

Design and hardware

The Gear VR has no display or processor of its own. The phone slides into the front of the headset and connects through a micro-USB or USB-C plug, and its Super AMOLED screen is viewed through two lenses.[1][2] Samsung said in 2016 that the phones' displays provide low-persistence images at 60 frames per second to reduce motion blur and judder.[2] Image resolution therefore depends on the phone; the Galaxy Note 4 used with the first model has a 2560 x 1440 panel.[1]

Head tracking is rotational only. The headset carries its own sensors, listed by Samsung as "Accelerator, Gyrometer, Magnetic, Proximity" on the Innovator Edition and "Accelerator, Gyrometer, Proximity (Mount/Unmount Detection)" on the 2015 consumer model. The proximity sensor detects when the headset is put on or taken off.[1][12] Engadget noted in its 2015 review that the lack of positional tracking means users cannot duck or lean to look at objects.[24] When used with a Galaxy Note 4, the Innovator Edition could show a 60 fps camera preview from the phone.[1]

A focus wheel on top of the headset adjusts the lenses for nearsighted and farsighted users. Samsung gave interpupillary distance coverage of 55 to 71 mm for the Innovator Edition and 54 to 70 mm, with fixed lenses, for the 2015 model.[1][12] Engadget found that the 2015 headset fits most glasses.[24] Controls on the right side include a touchpad and a back key, joined by a home key on the 2016 model; earlier, the home screen was reached by holding the back key for two seconds.[25] Air vents beside the USB connector help cool the phone.[25]

There is no built-in audio. Sound comes from the phone's speaker or from headphones; Tom's Guide found that wireless headphones worked correctly with the 2016 model.[25] Battery and heat depend on the phone. Engadget's Galaxy S6 edge+ lost up to 20 percent of its charge in an hour and could overheat during long sessions.[24] In Tom's Guide's tests, a Galaxy Note 5 dropped to 72 percent after 45 minutes with the 2016 model, and a Galaxy S8 was still at 77 percent after two hours with the 2017 model.[25][17]

Software and content

Gear VR software was built by Oculus. Apps came from the Oculus Store and were launched from Oculus Home, which the 2016 home key opens directly.[1][2] The library grew from more than 100 apps and games at the 2015 consumer launch, according to Engadget, to more than 250 in May 2016, more than 300 (including over a hundred games) by Samsung's count in August 2016, and over 600 titles in April 2017, according to Tom's Guide.[24][26][2][17]

Video was the main use. In May 2016 Oculus said 7 of the 10 most-used Gear VR apps were video apps.[26] Video services included Netflix, Oculus Video, Samsung's Milk VR and, later, Samsung VR Video.[4][9] Games ranged from controller-based shooters to titles such as Minecraft, which Tom's Guide noted still needed a Bluetooth gamepad after the motion controller arrived.[17] Tom's Guide's 2017 review also described an updated Oculus interface with a web browser and a beta voice command feature that responded to "Hey, Oculus".[17]

Oculus later built its standalone Oculus Go around the same software platform. When Facebook announced the Go in October 2017, it said the headset would be cross-compatible with all Gear VR titles.[27]

Sales and usage

Oculus said in May 2016 that Gear VR had passed 1 million monthly active users.[26] At Samsung's CES 2017 press event, Tim Baxter said 5 million Gear VR headsets had been sold and that users had watched more than 10 million hours of video.[5] In 2019 Carmack said that, although it outsold the other Oculus headsets, Gear VR had the lowest retention.[21]

Reception

Engadget's Nicole Lee called the 2015 consumer model "a great entry-level VR headset" in a review headlined "A no-brainer if you own a Samsung phone". She praised its lighter build, comfortable padding, focus wheel and contoured touchpad, and the drop in price from US$200 for the Innovator Editions to US$99. Her criticisms were a still-visible screen door effect, nausea that made her take the headset off about every half hour, battery drain, phone overheating and the lack of positional tracking.[24]

Tom's Guide rated the 2016 model 4.5 out of 5 and called it "the undisputed king of mobile VR". The review credited the wider field of view and more comfortable design, but noted blurring at the edges of the lenses and the lack of integrated audio.[25] The same reviewer gave the 2017 Gear VR with Controller 4.5 out of 5. She found the controller's touchpad "responsive and accurate", compared it with the controller of Google's Daydream View, and preferred the Daydream View for comfort in longer sessions because it is lighter (7.8 ounces against the Gear VR's 12.1 ounces).[17] Engadget described the 2017 Note8 model as a minimal update.[19]

See also


Gallery

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 "Samsung Explores the World of Mobile Virtual Reality with Gear VR". Samsung Global Newsroom. Samsung Electronics. 2014-09-03. https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-explores-the-world-of-mobile-virtual-reality-with-gear-vr. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 "[Hands-On] The New Gear VR - A Gateway to New Experiences and Great Adventures". Samsung Global Newsroom. Samsung Electronics. 2016-08-03. https://news.samsung.com/global/hands-on-the-new-gear-vr-a-gateway-to-new-experiences-and-great-adventures. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Ben Lang (2017-11-23). "Everything You Need to Know About Samsung Gear VR Phone Compatibility". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-samsung-gear-vr-phone-compatibility/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Abraham Pai (2015-11-10). "New $99 Samsung Gear VR Powered by Oculus Available for Pre-Order Today". Samsung Global Newsroom. Samsung Electronics. https://news.samsung.com/global/new-99-samsung-gear-vr-powered-by-oculus-available-for-pre-order-today. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 David Jagneaux (2017-01-04). "Samsung Confirms 5 Million Gear VR Mobile Headsets Sold To Date". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/samsung-gear-vr-5-million/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Jeremy Horwitz (2019-08-08). "Samsung confirms Galaxy Note10 won't support Gear VR headset". VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/technology/samsung-confirms-galaxy-note10-wont-support-gear-vr-headset. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 David Heaney (2020-03-31). "Facebook Ends Samsung Gear VR Software Updates, 360 Video Downloads & Films". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/samsung-gear-vr-updates-end/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Oculus Team (2020-03-11). "Gear VR Update: No Longer Accepting New Apps as of September 15, 2020". Oculus Developer Blog. Meta. https://developers.meta.com/horizon/blog/gear-vr-update-no-longer-accepting-new-apps-as-of-september-15-2020/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Scott Hayden (2020-05-15). "Samsung is Terminating Its VR Video Apps on All Devices". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/samsung-terminating-vr-video-apps-devices/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  10. ↑ Paul James (2014-12-08). "Samsung Gear VR Now Officially Available in the US, Launches Internationally 'Early 2015'". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/samsung-gear-vr-now-available-samsung-att/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  11. ↑ Paul James (2015-09-24). "Samsung Announces New Gear VR, Works with all 2015 Galaxy Phones for $99". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/samsung-announces-new-gear-vr-works-with-all-2015-galaxy-phones-for-99-breaking/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 "Samsung and Oculus Introduce the First Consumer Version of Gear VR". Samsung Global Newsroom. Samsung Electronics. 2015-09-25. https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-and-oculus-introduce-the-first-consumer-version-of-gear-vr. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  13. ↑ Adnan Farooqui (2015-11-23). "Gear VR has already sold out online". SamMobile. https://www.sammobile.com/2015/11/23/gear-vr-has-already-sold-out-online/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  14. ↑ "With the Launch of Galaxy Note7, Samsung Empowers Users To Do More". Samsung Newsroom U.S.. Samsung Electronics America. 2016-08-19. https://news.samsung.com/us/?p=9800. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Samsung Introduces New Gear VR with Controller, Expanding Gear VR Ecosystem to Make VR Experiences Easier, More Enjoyable". Samsung Global Newsroom. Samsung Electronics. 2017-02-26. https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-introduces-new-gear-vr-with-controller-expanding-gear-vr-ecosystem-to-make-vr-experiences-easier-more-enjoyable. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  16. ↑ Brian Heater (2017-03-29). "Samsung adds a controller to the Gear VR, will bundle both with Galaxy S8 pre-orders". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/29/samsung-gear-vr-3/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6 Sherri L. Smith (2017-04-20). "Samsung Gear VR Review (2017): A New Way to Play". Tom's Guide. https://www.tomsguide.com/us/samsung-gear-vr,review-3248.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Jamie Feltham (2017-09-07). "Note 8 Works With Previous Model Gear VR, But Samsung Doesn't Recommend It". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/samsung-galaxy-note-8-works-previous-model-gear-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Steve Dent (2017-08-23). "Samsung's new Gear VR is built for the big Galaxy Note 8". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2017-08-23-samsung-new-gear-vr-galaxy-note-8.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 "Which Galaxy smartphones are compatible with which Gear VRs?". Samsung UK Support. Samsung Electronics. https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/mobile-devices/which-galaxy-smartphones-are-compatible-with-which-gear-vrs/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Lucas Matney (2019-09-26). "Oculus CTO: 'We missed an opportunity' with Gear VR". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/26/oculus-cto-we-missed-an-opportunity-with-gear-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  22. ↑ Scott Hayden (2019-09-26). "Oculus CTO Explains Why "Gear VR's days are numbered"". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/john-carmack-gear-vr-connect-6/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  23. ↑ "Which Galaxy smartphones are compatible with Gear VR?". Samsung New Zealand Support. Samsung Electronics. https://www.samsung.com/nz/support/mobile-devices/gear-vr-compatibility/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 Nicole Lee (2015-11-25). "Samsung Gear VR review (2015): A no-brainer if you own a Samsung phone". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2015-11-25-samsung-gear-vr-review-2015.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 Sherri L. Smith (2016-09-02). "Samsung Gear VR (2016) Review". Tom's Guide. https://www.tomsguide.com/us/samsung-gear-vr-2,review-3874.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Ben Lang (2016-05-11). "Gear VR Tops 1 Million Monthly Active Users". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/samsung-gear-vr-tops-1-million-monthly-active-users. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  27. ↑ Lucas Matney (2017-10-11). "Facebook announces $199 'Oculus Go' standalone VR headset". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/11/oculus-announces-199-oculus-go-standalone-headset/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.