5.0 out of 5 stars The future is finally here

N.A. · February 4, 2025

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } This is the future. This does not feel like a tech demo, it feels like a well thought out, high-quality device. It is incredibly simple to use, just plug into your device and then bam, big screen with your content. The screens are extremely high quality, bright, and razor sharp. As far as the sound quality, I was honestly blown away. Built in sound may not seem like a big deal, but being able to plug in and not have to worry about extra cords or putting in headphones makes all the difference in it's usability for me to just grab and go. This has become a device that I use every single time I play on my steam deck and a device I use often when watching movies or shows.Couple of small things I would like to see improved upon:• The ability to adjust the volume directly from my glasses• I love being able to customize the shortcut button but please allow me to set "Side View" as one of the options• The ability to play/pause my media with my glasses (Getting a call and having to fumble around to find your device, open the portfolio cover if it's an iPad, then hit pause is annoying)Side notes:• If you wear glasses you will MOST likely need the glasses inserts. I can get away with playing in VR without glasses but these I literally could not use without the inserts• If you want to charge your device while you use the glasses make sure you get a quality adapter like the Viture USB-C to Glasses and Charging Adapter. I tried going cheaper but the sound wouldn't pass through to the glasses. Don't make the same mistake I made• These are NOT normal sized glasses, you will look a little goofy in them but they aren't really made to walk around and use at the same time• The lens transparency feature is cool but feels more like a gimmick (unless you find a good use for "Side View" mode. There has not been a single occasion where I wanted any other transparency than just the darkest. (You can just tap a button to get full pass-through without the screen so you are good if you need that)Couple of tips/tricks:• You can increase quality by a bit by turning off stabilization (this makes smaller text easier to read and I feel like the image is sharper as well)• Turning off stabilization allows you to adjust the brightness which helps a TON if you are wearing them at night• This also allows you to adjust the color tone. I like to skew it towards the oranges in the evening so it's easier on your eyes• Try the different nose pad sizes, it took me a little bit to get it to fit exactly how I wanted and feel perfectly comfortable• Connecting to an iPhone 14 or older (lightning port) requires a lot of cables (Lightning to HDMI Adapter, HDMI to USB C 4K with USB C powered (two female USB C ports)) - Now you can plug your glasses into the HDMI to USB C adapter but you need to also power the adapter so you will need a power bank if you are on the go and another USB C cable. ALSO, this does NOT charge the phone, as you need to plug a lightning charger into the Lightning to HDMI Adapter to supply power to the phone.Final thoughts - I love this device, this now goes with me when I travel and I absolutely love laying on the couch and playing my Steam Deck while I look up to the ceiling and see a huge screen. It has added new life into games that just don't pop on smaller screens or games where you need to spot smaller things. $500 feels a bit steep but the quality of the device IS top notch and I have zero regrets getting this device in particular.I have also owned and used a multitude of VR headsets and while that is a different experience, it does eventually become cumbersome and you lose interest and doesn't add a lot of daily value. This is more like having a set of AirPods. I carry them around so I can easily enhance my listening experience instead of listening to music from my phone speaker. These are the same, it easily enhances your long form media consumption.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Mobile Computing Setup Ever!

C.S. · June 24, 2025

My coworkers have started calling me Stevie Wonder, but I don't really care. The comfort and convenience of working with my XReal Ones when I travel beats any laptop! No more hunching over and dealing with neck pain. No more worrying about the person in front of me on the plane leaning their seat back and crushing my screen. I just sit back and work in total comfort.I got the XReal Ones as an update/upgrade from my XReal Air 2 Pros, and they are definitely a leap forward in technology and comfort. The interchangeable nose pads made it easy to get just the right fit for my giant nose, and having the X1 chip built into the frames means I don't need to carry around a bunch of adapters or a Beam to get the screen layout and follow functionality I want. I'm able to create a nice, wide screen to support multi-tasking on my computer and then seamlessly switch to my iPhone to watch movies on flights. Netflix even sees the glasses as an external screen, so I can lock my phone while I'm watching the movie to preserve battery life!Oh, and check this part out... you know how you have to take your laptop out at TSA checkpoints? Not me! I have a mini PC (which they don't ask me to take out since it doesn't have a screen) and my XReal Ones, which don't have to come out either. I just toss my bags on the belt and mosey on through. So convenient!

4.0 out of 5 stars XREAL has really done something spatial with this one...

A. · December 14, 2024

My, my... these glasses are absolutely FAAAABULOUS!Before diving into the actual review, let me share a bit of history. I previously owned the Nreal Air 1 for a couple of months, just before the company rebranded itself to XREAL. When I first tried those glasses, I was blown away by the experience of having a massive screen in front of me, all in the compact form factor of sunglasses. I absolutely loved them—they didn’t look overly futuristic or strange, just like a pair of normal sunglasses.However, the Nreal/XREAL Air 1 had a significant issue: over time, the hinge area would develop cracks for many users. Some people came up with creative fixes, like using heat-shrink tubing (either fully or around the area prone to cracking) or binder clips. I experienced the problem couple months after, sended it in for repair to XREAL and once I received immediately applied heat shrink tube to the temples. Fortunately, XREAL addressed this issue with their newer lineups, starting with the XREAL Air 2 and leading up to the current XREAL One.This is my first time experiencing how the updated temples feel, and I must say, they’re much more flexible and comfortable in comparison. Another improvement from the original Nreal/XREAL Air 1 is the color accuracy. Initially, the colors on the Air 1 were a bit oversaturated in certain areas. Over time, firmware updates improved the color reproduction, making it noticeably better. With the newer models (XREAL Air 2 and beyond), each unit is individually color-calibrated to ensure near-accurate levels, so the colors now do appear more natural.All I can say is wow. When XREAL kept releasing new glasses, I didn’t feel the need to upgrade—until the developer model, the XREAL Air 2 Ultra, was announced. Even then, I wasn’t entirely convinced. The XREAL Air 2 Ultra introduced hand tracking and 6DoF, but those features still weren’t enough to win me over. Additionally, I wasn’t a fan of the dual visible cameras, as they made me feel like I might be invading people’s privacy in public. But what the XREAL One has in store is just game-changing...--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Now, let’s dive into the review of the XREAL One...What XREAL brings to the table here is their newly custom-built chip (XREAL X1), which offers the same spatial mode features previously available only through their separate puck devices (Beam/Beam Pro). Now, you no longer need to carry a puck device to access these spatial modes—all you need are the glasses, and you're good to go.The spatial modes are as follows:- Body Anchor: Keeps the screen fixed in space regardless of head movements, moving only with your body. This is useful when you want to look away from the screen but still keep it anchored, like when you're on a plane and need to look at the flight attendant serving food.- Smooth Follow: Minimizes image instability caused by physical movement in the environment. Perfect for when you're on a moving vehicle and want the screen to stay stable.- Sideview: Reduces the display size and places it in a corner. This mode is perfect for doing chores around the house while keeping a small screen in the corner, allowing you to stay entertained while staying busy at the same time.Now, I’ve noticed that the spatial modes are much smoother compared to when they were achieved through the XREAL Beam. XREAL claims that the glasses achieve an ultra-low 3ms M2P (Motion to Photons) latency, reducing latency by 85% compared to the XREAL Beam. I believe the built-in chip really proves this point, as it no longer has to deal with transferring data back and forth between the glasses and software on a separate puck device.I'll just go ahead and talk about some of the other features...The XREAL One now finally offers onscreen display controls and a bit of customization. You can adjust the screen size, depth, IPD level, change the color temperature, customize buttons and more. Currently, the top button can be remapped to enable/disable 3D mode, adjust the electrochromic dimming levels, switch to the newly introduced ultra-wide mode, and more. You can assign these actions to either a single click or a long press. I absolutely love the level of customization so far and can’t wait to see even more options in the future—the more options, the better!Now, you may be wondering, how’s the sound? I think it’s greatly improved, thanks to the "Sound by Bose" quality. It feels richer and more refined compared to the XREAL Air 1. I enjoy watching content a bit more without taking out my earbuds, but of course, I still prefer using my noise-cancelling earbuds for their premium sound quality.What about the future?Well, guess what... XREAL has decided to make the XREAL One somewhat modular by introducing something called the XREAL Eye, which attaches just below the nose bridge. This will allow you to take great first-person photos and videos, as well as explore some exciting future features once they decide to implement AI and hand tracking. While the hand tracking won’t likely be as good as the XREAL Air 2 Ultra with its dual cameras, it’s possible they may release a dual-camera attachment in the future. Either way, it’s great to have this added flexibility.Why 4 stars?I deducted 1 star because XREAL consistently releases new products without addressing their software issues in a timely manner. Some XREAL Air 2 Ultra owners were disappointed to see the XREAL One released just a few months after the Ultra, especially since the hand tracking feature—temporarily removed months ago for improvement—still hasn’t been reintroduced in the latest firmware for Nebula OS on the Beam Pro. XREAL’s customer support is pretty good, but their software support leaves something to be desired. They have promised more frequent software updates and better care for their existing lineup, so let’s hope they follow through. I may update to 5 stars if I see an actual improvement in the frequency of software updates. Until then, I’m taking 1 star off for their software support, despite the otherwise 5/5 product.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Conclusion:Overall, I think what XREAL has achieved here is amazing. They’ve brought the spatial modes we loved—previously only available with a separate puck device—directly into the glasses, powered by their new custom chip, which offers much lower latency compared to the XREAL Beam. The Beam would get very hot, and charging and playing at the same time was a hassle. I had to use a special long cable from a company called Fairikabe to charge and play simultaneously, which wasn’t very convenient. Thanks to the built-in chip, we now have the same great features directly in the glasses.I really enjoy the onscreen display, which lets me see what I'm adjusting right on the screen and gives me access to a menu of options that enhance my experience. The improvements from the XREAL Air 2 and above lineup—such as better build quality, flexible temples, comfort, and color accuracy—are all significant pluses. Let’s not forget the electrochromic dimming introduced with the XREAL Air 2 Pro, carried over to the XREAL Air 2 Ultra, and brought back to the XREAL One. The electrochromic dimming feature is a big plus, allowing me to adjust between three levels: transparent, letting a little light through, and nearly completely blocked. This makes the glasses perfect for bright sunny days without needing to carry a light blocker attachment.My main use cases are watching/playing content (movies, TV Shows, video games) and occasionally using the glasses for productivity, such as using Samsung DeX on my Samsung Galaxy S24 or utilizing multi-windows in Nebula OS with the Beam Pro.Sorry, I didn’t talk much about the FOV and Ultra Wide Mode here, as my main use case isn’t productivity. But if you’re a fan of that, you might appreciate the slightly higher FOV of 50° compared to their previous models (except the XREAL Ultra, which has a slightly higher FOV of 52°). Previous models had a 46° FOV, which could feel limiting for those using the glasses for productivity. If you’re willing to wait, the XREAL One Pro, expected to ship in March, will offer a 57° FOV and new birdbath optics, making the glasses a bit slimmer. Some of you may also really enjoy the new Ultra Wide Mode.So, I say these glasses are absolutely worth the price tag. They're perfect to take with you wherever you go—whether it's on a plane, at the beach (just be careful not to get dirt or water inside the glasses), at the gym, or even while walking the dog. However, do exercise caution with both yourself and the glasses to avoid accidents.Watching movies, TV shows, and playing video games has never been better. With these glasses, you essentially have a personal home theater on the go, providing an immersive and convenient experience no matter where you are.

I Just Stepped Into a New World!

A.s. · June 16, 2025

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } I was all set to experience this new tech , and it still blew my mind! Everything works great. However, I’m taking one star off to suggest improvements in the design and wearing comfort.

Great for gaming and watching shows but not for productivity

L. · April 21, 2025

Image(3.5/5)- The image quality is great if you're just playing games or watching shows but once you try reading text, there is a slight waviness in the middle of the screen(while using anchor mode and looking around). It's slightly blurry at the edges for me and can only get it clear if I have the perfect placement which will never be the case. Small text is hard to read at the scaling I want and it causes eye strain. I have an external ultrawide monitor that is also 1080p but I have trouble reading the same size of text on the glasses vs on the monitor. Compared to the VITURE Pro XR, I could read text just fine on that.Sound(4.5)- The sound was unexpectedly great. While I was switching between external speakers vs laptop speaker vs Xreal One output, I actually got confused whether I was heading from the glasses or externally. Gotta hand it to bose.Comfort(3.5)- The hinges resting on my ears were pretty comfortable but I would have preferred the cable to be on the right hinge rather than left so it was always crossing my body.- Right hinge adjustment was significantly more loose than the left out of the box which I think is just a build issue in my specific item.Style(3.5)- Glasses sit pretty far from the face which makes me feel like I'm wearing one of those surgery glasses. Overall look of the glasses itself is not bad by itself but not very stylist when wearing IMO but who cares if you're just wearing it at home by yourself.Software(5/5)- Probably the biggest pro is the seamless 3DOF. The stability from the follow mode is incredible and you can watch and eat/chew at the same time without having the screen jitter following the movement of your head. Anchor mode also is very stable with no drifting. I like it its also all in one and no need for external software, meaning its usable with gaming consoles and other items with the 3DOF.Sadly I think I will be returning these. For the price point, I wanted to use it for everything(gaming, watching shows, productivity) but for productivity and as a replacement for external monitors, I don't think the screen quality is there quite yet as it is quite hard to read text. If the Xreal One Pro fixes the reading issue then I'll probably get those instead. But if you're mainly using this for media consumption and gaming, I think it's pretty great.