I created my own cheap VR headset using this phone and glasses combo

I bought a Samsung Galaxy XR headset shortly after its launch, and I learned a lot about how I actually use VR during my time with that device. In the process, I found that there's a cheaper way to do much of what I use the headset for most often—one that's also far more comfortable and more portable. All you need is the right kit.

You'll need a pair of XR glasses

I've chosen the XREAL One Pro

I am no stranger to XR glasses. Over a year before I took a chance on Samsung's new VR headset, I tried replacing my computer monitor with a pair of XREAL Air 2 Pro glasses . The experiment went better than I expected. I like that AR glasses don't take up permanent space on my desk, and I can also take them with me to stream video or play games in places I find more comfortable. I am simply not someone who wants to do either of these tasks in an office chair.

Then I discovered the downsides . That pair of XR glasses kept the virtual display in front of my eyes at all times, which meant the display moved every time I leaned my head. Unless I sat perfectly still, I was stuck with an ever-shifting screen. After the novelty wore off, this became something I found tedious.

XR glasses have nowhere near the pixel density of a headset like the Apple Vision Pro or Samsung Galaxy XR. While text on my XREAL glasses was legible in the center of the virtual display, it got a little fuzzy toward the edges.

Both of these problems have been solved in the newer XREAL One and One Pro. I can anchor my XREAL One Pro's virtual screen in place, and the text is crisp across the entire viewing area. At $500, the cheaper XREAL One is twice the price of the older XREAL AIR 2 Pro but remains less than a third of the price of Samsung Galaxy XR, which itself is half the price of an Apple Vision Pro.

There are other brands to consider as well, with the Viture Beast being perhaps the most direct competitor, but it is also worth considering glasses from RayNeo .

I recommend Motorola smartphones

Motorola Smart Connect is a great fit for extended reality

If I tell you that you can turn your phone into a PC by connecting it to an external monitor, your mind might go to Samsung DeX . Motorola has a similar feature known as Smart Connect. While Samsung DeX is the superior desktop, Motorola Smart Connect is better for the other things you may want to do on an extended display.

Samsung DeX immediately boots into a desktop, whereas Motorola Smart Connect loads up a specialized launcher offering four options. You can open your desktop, view a list of video streaming apps, see your games, or open video chat apps.

This makes Motorola's software better for connecting a pair of XR glasses and immediately opening up Netflix or YouTube. Thanks to these larger and pre-sorted app categories, I can enjoy game streaming software like NVIDIA GeForce Now without having to swipe my phone's touchpad toward an app launcher that was designed with a keyboard and mouse in mind.

Like Samsung and DeX, Motorola reserves Smart Connect for its higher-end devices. You'll also need to confirm that the phone you purchase supports video out over USB-C. Some phones, like the Motorola Razr flip phones, support wireless Motorola Smart Connect but won't do anything if you plug a pair of XR glasses into the USB port. I currently connect my glasses to a Razr Fold, a book-style foldable that I use as my primary PC . It's has the same software that came with my Moto Edge+ 2023. All the Edge Pro devices (which aren't sold in the US) and the new Moto Signature support this feature.

Here's what you can and cannot do

This is not a replacement for a full VR experience

This setup does much of what I sought out to do with my Samsung Galaxy XR headset, even if it isn't a complete replacement. While I don't have floating app windows in a virtual space, I am still able to open the same apps and access a full web browser by opening the desktop mode. I can lie down in bed and stream videos from my Ugreen NAS. I can pair a Bluetooth controller and enjoy both local and streaming games. I can pin my virtual display in space and still enjoy private audio piped in through the speakers in the frame of my glasses.

That said, I can't interact with any of these using my fingers in augmented reality. I am instead confined to swiping my thumb across the touchpad on my phone, or I must connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. I also can't run apps that are designed with Android XR in mind. This means I can't run apps like FitXR, which I did use as my exercise routine for quite a few weeks. There are no cameras aimed at my face, so the possibility of using features like Google Likeness is entirely out of the question. I also can't watch any 360° video since I am ultimately still confined to a 2D screen in virtual space.

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A phone with AR glasses may not be better, but it may be all you need.

Dedicated VR headsets are quite expensive, even if you save money by buying them second hand . You can get a pair of XR glasses and buy a new phone—and you will still save hundreds of dollars. The question is, what do you want to use these devices for? If you suspect there's a good chance you'd buy a VR headset and wind up primarily using it for Netflix, try XR glasses first and see if they scratch the itch.