Samsung Gear VR (2017)

Samsung Gear VR (2017)
Basic Info
VR/AR	VR
Type	HMD
Subtype	Mobile VR
Developer	Samsung and Oculus VR
Release Date	April 21, 2017 (announced U.S. availability)
Price	US$129.99 with controller (U.S. launch price)
Website	https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/model/SM-R324NZAABTU/
Versions	SM-R324 (April 2017); later SM-R325 revision discussed below
Requires	Compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphone and Gear VR software; controller requirements vary by app
Predecessor	Samsung Gear VR (2015/2016)
Image
Field of View	101 degrees (Samsung specification)
Tracking
Tracking	Head orientation; controller orientation (3DoF), with estimated arm-model position
Connectivity
Connectivity	Interchangeable Micro USB / USB Type-C phone holders; USB Type-C charging jack; Bluetooth controller
Device
Weight	345 g (Samsung's February 2017 specification)
Sensors	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor
Input	Home Key, Back Key, Touchpad, Volume Keys (SM-R324); included controller
Size	207.8 x 122.5 x 98.6 mm (SM-R324)

Introduction

Samsung Gear VR (2017) is a virtual reality HMD jointly developed by Samsung and Oculus VR. This article covers the SM-R324 Gear VR with Controller introduced in 2017, and distinguishes it from the later SM-R325 revision. The headset belongs to the Gear VR family and uses a compatible Galaxy phone for its display and computing; it cannot operate by itself.

Samsung announced Gear VR with Controller on February 26, 2017. Its U.S. Galaxy S8/S8+ launch announcement set April 21 availability at US$129.99 with the controller, or US$39.99 for the controller separately. Samsung also offered a free headset/controller and Oculus content with eligible Galaxy S8/S8+ pre-orders in a limited U.S. promotion, subject to terms and available stock.

Hardware

The SM-R324 retains a plastic housing with a cushioned face interface. In its Galaxy S8 review, Android Authority described the foam as replaceable and attached with hook-and-loop fastening. Its favorable assessment of fit was a reviewer's experience, rather than a guarantee of comfort for every user.

The controls, similar to the previous versions, are on top, right side, and underside of the headset. The distance between the display lenses and the phone can be adjusted using the turning wheel on the top. The back key, home key, volume controls, and the touchpad are situated on the right side of the device. Finally, the USB Type-C port that accepts external power is on the underside of the headset.

The phone connects to an interchangeable device holder: the USB Type-C holder is fitted by default, and a Micro USB holder is supplied for compatible older phones. This phone connector is separate from the headset's underside USB Type-C charging jack. The holder has two size positions, A and B. Samsung's manual describes locking the phone into the holders and removing the front cover for use; the cover is replaced after the phone is removed.

The headset draws power from the phone's battery. An external charger connected to the multipurpose jack can power the headset during use; the manual notes that high-demand content can draw on both the charger and phone battery. With the headset idle, the connected charger can charge the phone. The proximity sensor activates the screen and headset touchpad when the headset is worn.

Samsung specified 42 mm lenses and a 101-degree field of view. The focus wheel changes phone-to-lens distance. Head movement changes viewing direction, but the system does not track head translation for leaning or walking through the scene.

Controller

The included Gear VR Controller adds a trigger, clickable touchpad and three degrees of freedom of orientation sensing. It also has Home, Back and volume buttons. The touchpad reports touch position separately from a click, while the trigger is a binary button. The controller connects to the phone over Bluetooth.

The trigger sits under the index finger. Android Authority compared this layout with the Google Daydream View controller, noting that Gear VR uses two AAA batteries while Daydream's controller has a rechargeable battery.

Oculus's SDK could estimate the controller's displayed hand position with an arm model based on orientation. This was not tracked hand translation: Oculus explicitly warned that the accelerometer could not provide position or velocity with significant accuracy. Users could select left- or right-handed operation, and only one Gear VR Controller was supported at a time.

The new Samsung Gear VR headset comes with a slot, on the head strap, that can house the controller when it is not used. More specifically, the manual calls this a controller holder attached to the main strap. Holding Home reorients an off-centre pointer; holding Home before connection enters Bluetooth pairing mode.

The Samsung controller was available independently of the headset. People who own an earlier Gear VR could purchase it separately and connect it to a compatible phone; this was an accessory option rather than a requirement to replace the headset.

Setup

The 2017 manual describes connecting a compatible phone to start the Gear VR app (Oculus) installation prompt, then removing the phone to complete software installation and Oculus account sign-in. The app guided controller pairing and handedness selection. After reconnecting the phone, a tutorial led to Oculus Home and its Library of downloaded content. This describes the original workflow and does not establish that those installation or account services remain available.

The controller's indicator flashed red, green and blue during pairing and blue three times after connection. The manual also described direct pairing in the phone's Bluetooth settings on Android 6.0 or later, with pairing through the Oculus app as the alternative. Software and controller support depended on the phone, app and service versions.

Compatibility

The SM-R324 supported Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy Note5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy S6 edge+. The Micro USB device holder served older compatible phones; changing that holder did not make arbitrary Android phones compatible.

Samsung also produced the distinct SM-R325 revision in 2017. Its manual shows a revised headset control layout without the SM-R324's volume key; volume remained available on the controller. Samsung's model-specific compatibility matrix lists the Galaxy Note8 and S9/S9+ for SM-R325, along with adapter requirements for Note9 and S10/S10+/S10e. These additions should not be read as SM-R324 compatibility.

Samsung's April 2024 compatibility FAQ lists newer Galaxy S20/S21/S22/S23/S24 and Note10/Note20 series as incompatible. A physical phone fit or a legacy compatibility entry does not by itself establish software or online-service availability.

Content, Apps, and Games

Controller support varied by application. Oculus's March 2017 developer documentation explained that existing apps could receive controller touchpad input as legacy Android events, while orientation and trigger input required its SDK interfaces. Some games continued to require a separate gamepad; the headset also retained its own touchpad. There was no built-in gamepad.

In an April 18 pre-release review, UploadVR reported 20 controller-supporting titles planned for launch and tested fewer than half of them. Ian Hamilton found that vTime's review build accepted touchpad clicks but not the trigger for the same selection, illustrating the differences between applications at launch. This was a dated review, not a count of today's available software.

The original software included Oculus Home and the Oculus Store, a Library of downloaded apps, Oculus Video and 360 Photos, local media through Samsung Gallery, and web content through Samsung Internet. The manual documented 2D, 3D and 360-degree viewing. These describe the historical software offering.

Software support history

On November 7, 2019, Oculus ended Gear VR development support in SDK Suite 1.42 and native Mobile SDK 1.27.0 onward. The announcement directed existing developers to SDK Suite 1.41 or Mobile SDK 1.26.0 and said that the change did not immediately stop existing apps.

Samsung's April 2, 2020 support notice stated that Gear VR would receive no new features and that no new Gear VR apps would be released on the Oculus Store after September 15, 2020. It also ended Oculus Browser updates. The notice's statement that existing libraries and downloads could still be used applied at that date; it is not a current service guarantee.

Research use

A 2019 study by Nam-Gyoon Kim and Beom-Su Kim used an SM-R324 with a Galaxy S8 to investigate visually induced motion sickness and postural control. Thirty-six students were randomly assigned to three groups of 12, viewing a 4.17-minute virtual ride in The Great Wall with either a central 10-degree view, the central 10 degrees masked, or an unmasked view. Participants stood and were told to keep their heads still. The researchers measured symptoms with the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire and posture with a separate Polhemus G4 tracker.

The peripheral-view group had higher total, nausea and disorientation scores than the central-view group; the study also found differences in several forward/backward sway measures. The authors cautioned against generalization from one aperture size and a short exposure. This was a study of visual masking during a particular ride, rather than a comparison of headset models or a general rate of sickness in ordinary Gear VR use.

Specifications

Samsung Gear VR Headset

The headset values below describe SM-R324. Dimensions, weight and field of view are Samsung's published specifications.

Part	Spec
Color	Orchid Gray
Field of View (FOV)	101 degrees (nominal)
Dimensions (in mm)	207.8 x 122.5 x 98.6
Weight	345 grams (February 2017 announcement)
Focus adjustment	Wheel changes the phone-to-lens distance
Head Tracking	Orientation; no head-position tracking
Sensors	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor
Input	Home Key, Back Key, Touchpad, Volume Keys
Connectivity	Interchangeable Micro USB / USB Type-C phone holders; separate USB Type-C charging jack; Bluetooth controller
Compatible Operating System	Compatible Galaxy phone software and Oculus app; direct controller pairing in Android Bluetooth settings described for Android 6.0 or later
Compatible Phones	Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge Note 5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, and Galaxy S6 Edge+ (historical SM-R324 list)

Controller

Part	Spec
Color	Black
Dimensions (in mm)	108.1 x 48.1 x 38.2 (Samsung announcement)
Weight	64.3 grams (Samsung specification)
Sensor	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetic
Indicator	Red/green/blue status light; alternating colors during pairing and three blue flashes after connection
Input	Trigger Key, Touchpad, Home Key, Back Key, Volume Keys
Battery	2 AAA batteries; Samsung's announcement used 1000 mAh cells for its battery-life estimate

Reviewed 15 October 2026. SM-R324 identity, original controls and specification sources, controller tracking limits, dated compatibility and software changes, and one model-identified research study. Legacy setup is historical; current installation and service operation were not tested. About review dates.