Samsung XR/Quest Pro 2 headsets may use next-gen Qualcomm chipsets

It seems that big names like Samsung already have units of the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 3 chipset. This is the next generation of Qualcomm SoCs for VR HMD products (head-mounted displays). Interestingly, the current generation of Snapdragon chips for VR platforms has not yet been implemented in consumer products.

The VR device segment seems like an interesting niche to explore. Apple aimed high with its Vision Pro, although perhaps too high. The price and the things that could be improved on Apple’s headset have caused few sales. On the other hand, companies like Meta offer their capable Quest devices at a fraction of the price. Samsung is even rumored to have been working on an XR headset for a while.

Brands like Samsung and Meta are reportedly testing the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 3 chipset

That said, Brad Lynch, VR analyst, reported that Qualcomm is already shipping chipsets for HMD products to manufacturers. One of the SoCs has the model number SXR2350 and would be called Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 3. So, important brands would already have this hardware platform in their hands.

But what about the current Snapdragon chips for XR/VR headsets? In January, Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2, and brands such as Samsung, Sony, and HTC Vive confirmed its implementation in future products. However, as of today, there is no news about an XR/VR headset powered by the XR2+ Gen 2. Rather, it seems that Samsung will skip this generation of chips to opt directly for the next Snapdragons.

Not only Samsung, but Meta would also do something similar. Its Quest Pro arrived with the XR2+ Gen 1, while its Quest 3 used the XR2 Gen 2 (non-Plus). It is said that the company’s next launch in this segment will be Meta Quest 4. This device would be powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 3 chipset. However, the company’s usual release period suggests that you will have to wait at least two more years for it.

The XR2+ Gen 3, which is not to be confused with the XR2+ Gen 2 that was announced at CES this year…

Is primarily testing its variant with 16GB LPDDR5X RAM aka the same capacity as you see in Vision Pro

And is four more gigabytes more than what we saw in XR2+ Gen 1 (Quest Pro) pic.twitter.com/iqq6qJdxzw

— Brad Lynch (@SadlyItsBradley) May 21, 2024

Some early details of the chip

According to Lynch, the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 3 chip will be very similar to the XR2+ Gen 2 launched in January. The key difference would be in the implementation of Qualcomm’s custom Oryon cores instead of stock ARM cores. Its GPU would also be more energy efficient, something essential for standalone XR/VR headsets.

Lastly, Roland Quandt revealed some key details of the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 3 in May. The report states that it will support 16 GB of RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. In addition, it will be compatible with 4K resolution.