I'm sorry to say this but the Galaxy XR controllers seem like a ripoff, here's why

Samsung announced the Galaxy XR headset earlier today, and while it undercuts Apple's Vision Pro significantly, I'm left feeling a little underwhelmed. Or maybe a little more than I expected. The limited availability is one reason for that sinking feeling, but another is the seemingly insane prices Samsung commands for accessories — specifically the Galaxy XR controllers. They seem like a ripoff, and I can't wrap my head around Samsung's thought process.

I've watched the official presentation and the Galaxy XR controller tutorial video on YouTube. I've checked all the official information that I could find about the Galaxy XR controllers. And I'm sorry to say this, but it's impossible for me not to wonder if these accessories are the biggest scam related to Samsung's new XR product. Here's why.

Samsung makes no mention of any touch sensors on the Galaxy XR controllers. At this point, due to a lack of information, I'm not sure if they have any touch sensors whatsoever, but even if they do, they're probably basic.

For some context, the Meta Quest Touch Pro controllers have advanced touch capabilities with curl and slide functionality. These controllers are sold separately as an upgrade over the Meta Quest Touch Plus, and they cost the same as Samsung's XR controllers, i.e., $249.

I refuse to accept the idea that the Galaxy XR controllers don't have touch capabilities at all. They must have. But what's frustrating is that, even if this feature exists, there is no mention of it anywhere — not even on the Galaxy XR controller store page or the user guide control scheme.

Samsung's tutorial video for the controllers lacks even more evidence. It makes absolutely no mention of any touch sensors, and frustratingly enough, Samsung even demonstrates how to scroll Android XR settings menus using the analog thumbstick instead of a touchpad — assuming there is one.

Image credit: Samsung

For $249 a pair, you would expect these seemingly advanced controllers to be powered by rechargeable batteries.

Well, once again, Samsung makes no mention of any battery specs anywhere, and it's likely due to the fact that there are none. Instead, the official tutorial video seemingly shows a standard, replaceable AA battery inside the controller.

While there's no mention of any battery specs, at this point I'm pretty sure that, unlike the Meta Quest Touch Pro, the Galaxy XR controllers are not rechargeable. I can only hope that Samsung included rechargeable AA batteries in the package, but I doubt it.

Meta's Pro controllers can simulate stylus movements thanks to an extra accessory you can stick at the bottom of the controller. There is no evidence that Samsung's XR controllers can do anything of the like.

In fact, where the Meta Quest Touch Pro controllers have the stylus slot, the Galaxy XR controllers have their removable battery flap.

Needless to say, coming from the company that invented the S Pen, the apparent lack of a stylus tracking feature is perplexing.

The cherry on top that makes me question whether the Galaxy XR controllers are a complete ripoff is that Samsung didn't demonstrate them at all in its one-hour presentation. The company briefly mentioned these controllers and nothing else.

Furthermore, the only noteworthy thing Samsung mentions on the official Galaxy XR controller store page is that the accessory boasts 6 DoF tracking technology. Thankfully, this means they have built-in tracking and don't require external sensors. So at least there's that.

I'm sorry to say this, but based on what Samsung was willing to reveal, $249 seems way too pricey for these Galaxy XR controllers, especially knowing that the more powerful Meta Quest Touch Pro controllers cost the same.

In fact, apart from 6 DoF tracking, the Galaxy XR controllers seem even less clever than the Meta Quest Touch Plus, which cost $75 apiece.

It's either that, or Samsung simply failed to highlight just how capable its XR controllers are. I hope my suspicions are wrong and it's the latter scenario, but you must see why I have so many reasons to doubt it.

In the best-case scenario, these controllers are just as advanced as the Meta Quest Touch Pros, but Samsung utterly failed to communicate that and make it a selling point.

All in all, I am thoroughly disappointed by these controllers or, at the very least, the way Samsung presented them. They seem undercooked and overpriced, which is not a great combination. I just can't say that they are worth the full price, or even the discounted $175 one. Let's hope that I'm wrong.