XREAL sets its sights on Meta in the AR glasses race.
(Image credit: XREAL)
I'm learning more about augmented reality (AR) smart glasses everyday, and I think they're probably the most underrated tech on the market right now. From Meta's ambition with futuristic frames to the immensely premium VITURE Pro specs for gaming, can it get any better?
Apparently so, as XREAL has just unveiled two new products including the world's first Cinematic AR glasses with the XREAL One and XREAL One Pro Series. These wearable displays are the first of their kind, and set to deliver next-generation three degrees-of-freedom (3DoF) spatial computing, while representing "the most advanced consumer AR glasses on the market" according to XREAL's co-founder and CEO, Chi Xu.
Our sister site, Tom's Guide, has already had the opportunity to get hands-on and try out these new XREAL One smart glasses with devices including an iPhone 16, a Steam Deck, and a MacBook. The verdict? They're pretty impressive.
These AR glasses are available for pre-order right now from XREAL's website starting at $499 / £449 for the standard specs, and $599 / £549 for the Pro option, which has a wider 57-degreefield of view and brighter virtual screen.
(Image credit: XREAL)
XREAL has also developed its first silicon co-processing chip, the X1, which is built directly into the new specs and boasts independent spatial computing. Essentially, these AR glasses have the power to create a spatial display from nearly any compute device (though it must have the option for video-out over USB-C), introducing a cinematic virtual screen that is, for the first time, spatially controlled by the glasses themselves.
Explained in more simplified human words, what makes this launch so special is not only the unique X1 chip, but the fact that wearers can experience a stable virtual screen to display unlimited apps, games, websites, and productivity tools by anchoring this screen anywhere they choose in three-dimensional space, with the simple press of a button on the glasses.
This eliminates the need for the expensive Xreal Beam Pro device which is used for creating spatial displays and was required for previous XREAL specs like the Air models.
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(Image credit: XREAL)
Other notable new features with the XREAL One and One Pro smart glasses include adjustable interpupillary distance (IPD) ranges, which is apparently a pretty big deal, plus multiple TÜV Rheinland eye health certifications meaning they're safe to replace physical monitors.
The glasses also have high-quality Sound by Bose fitted, plus there's an optional XREAL Eye detachable AI camera available for recording 12MP high-definition photos and video capture from the wearers' point of view. The front frame of the specs is interchangeable for a customised look, and the 4-microphone layout enables audio recording for meeting summaries, transcriptions and translations.
As both a photographer and gamer, these specs sound like an absolute dream. If you're hoping to preorder, keep in mind that the XREAL One Pro model won't be released until early 2025, but the regular XREAL One is expected to ship mid-December, which is perfect timing for Christmas.
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Beth is Creative Bloq’s Ecommerce Writer and has the fun job of finding you the very best prices and deals on creative tech. Beth kicked off her journalistic career writing for Digital Camera World, and has since earned bylines on TechRadar too. With a Masters degree in Photography, Beth loves getting to tinker with new cameras, especially camera phones, as the resident Samsung fan on the team. Her background working as a tester for CeX let her play around with all kinds of weird and wonderful products, including robots, and she’s recently gotten into 3D printing too. Outside of CB, you’ll find her gaming on her PS5, photographing local shows under the alias Bethshootsbands, and making TikToks of her dog, Tilly.
