Understanding XR Device Dynamics: A Measurement-based Model for QoE-aware Design

Extended Reality (XR) applications are highly sensitive to device-level constraints, where power consumption, battery depletion, and thermal dynamics directly impact the Quality of Experience (QoE) perceived by users. In this paper, we present a comprehensive study of XR devices operating under realistic conditions, focusing on the interplay among workload, energy consumption, and thermal behavior. Building on an extensive experimental campaign conducted under diverse operating and ambient conditions, we propose a compact linear model that captures the joint evolution of power consumption, battery dynamics, and device temperature. Our results show that the proposed model provides an accurate yet tractable representation of device dynamics, enabling the prediction of performance degradation phenomena that directly affect QoE in XR applications. Furthermore, the model helps identify the key factors limiting system sustainability and provides insights for QoE-aware XR system design. Our dataset is publicly available on Zenodo.