Xreal Unveils Xreal Air 2: The Future of AR Glasses

AR enthusiasts, get ready to be dazzled as Xreal steps into the spotlight yet again, this time with its cutting-edge augmented reality glasses. The highly-anticipated Xreal Air 2 and Air 2 Pro are now available for preorders, with a scheduled release in the US, UK, Germany, France, and Italy this November. These innovative shades are the successors to the first-generation Air glasses, which made their debut under the former moniker, Nreal. Starting at a competitive $399, these sleek AR spectacles seamlessly connect to smartphones, computers, and a wide array of gaming devices to conjure a remarkable display right before your eyes.

The Air 2 glasses mark an incremental advancement from their predecessor, the original $379 Air model. They employ Micro OLED displays to project a 1920 x 1080 pixel display, retaining the same crisp resolution as the initial Air. However, these new iterations promise a brighter and more vivid image, boasting an impressive 500 nits compared to the 400 nits of the previous Air. What’s more, Xreal engineers have managed to reduce the glasses’ profile by approximately 10%, making them even lighter and more comfortable, weighing in at 79 grams. This slight increase in weight, while noticeable, still keeps them trim compared to the approximately 50-gram Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. The revamped temple and nose pads promise a snug fit, and the audio system has been redesigned to channel sound directly into your ears, ensuring minimal leakage into the surrounding environment.

For those who desire an extra touch of luxury and utility, the Air 2 Pro, priced at $449, brings a game-changing feature to the table – electrochromatic tinting. This ingenious option allows users to control the amount of light penetrating the glasses, ranging from full transparency to an inky blackout tint. Both models are slated to hit the shelves in mid-to-late November in the US and UK, with European markets set to receive them in December. Meanwhile, they have already made a splash in the Chinese and Japanese markets.

What sets the Xreal Air 2 and Air 2 Pro apart is their approach to augmented reality. Unlike many AR glasses, including Xreal’s first-generation Light glasses, these models refrain from incorporating cameras for environment tracking or recording. Consequently, they do not support features such as virtual object interaction with real-world surfaces. Instead, they excel as a portable, high-resolution screen suspended before your eyes. While this concept isn’t entirely groundbreaking, Xreal has managed to refine it into a sleek, user-friendly, and surprisingly inconspicuous form. Notably, these AR glasses offer a genuine view of the outside world, eschewing the pass-through video feed approach of competitors like Apple and Meta. Nevertheless, in environments with moderate ambient light, some image transparency may persist, albeit mitigated by their enhanced brightness.

The Xreal Air 2 easily connects to a wide range of devices through a USB-C cable with either USB-C or HDMI output. Supported platforms include the Valve Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation consoles, iOS and Android devices, as well as PCs and Macs. As these glasses essentially function as external displays, compatibility extends to virtually anything with the right ports. Moreover, buyers can personalize their Xreal experience by choosing between graphite gray or carmine red glasses and adding optional adhesive skins available in six stunning colors: navy blue, royal blue, verdigris, dale dogwood, jonquil, and dartmouth green.

The Xreal Air 2 and Air 2 Pro represent a compelling evolution in augmented reality, seamlessly blending style and substance for an immersive visual experience. As we inch closer to the November release, anticipation continues to build, and Xreal’s latest offerings are set to make waves in the world of AR technology.