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I've been investigating 3 pairs of astute glasses that correspond 3 antithetic philosophies astir what wearable displays should be. The RayNeo Air 3s Pro bets connected brightness and affordability.
The XREAL 1S focuses connected polished spatial computing with a dedicated embedded chip. And the Viture Beast promises the widest tract of presumption connected the marketplace with next-level features connected the horizon. After extended testing, 1 of them is my wide favorite.
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These are wearable displays that link to your phone, laptop, oregon gaming handheld via USB-C. Think of them arsenic idiosyncratic monitors you deterioration connected your look and not standalone XR headsets similar the Apple Vision Pro oregon the Samsung Galaxy XR.
Pair #1: Viture Beast ($549)
The Viture Beast is the astir costly and ambitious enactment here, featuring the widest tract of presumption astatine 58 degrees and the brightest show of the clump astatine 1,250-nits. It includes built-in 3DoF tracking via its VisionPair system, a front-facing camera for aboriginal 6DoF capabilities, a built-in microphone, and the astir granular airy power with 9 levels of electrochromic dimming for the outer lenses.
On paper, it should beryllium the wide winner. However, it ships with important features that volition beryllium added successful aboriginal firmware updates. The advertised 1200p solution astatine 120Hz is presently disabled, leaving them with 1080p astatine 60Hz until Viture releases an update. The 6DoF tracking from that beforehand camera is besides pending aboriginal firmware. For a $549 product, buying connected the committedness of aboriginal updates is simply a pugnacious pill to swallow.
Also: I replaced my bureau monitors with XR glasses, and the 174-inch surface spoiled me
In my testing, I didn't acquisition the drift issues that immoderate different reviewers person reported with the 3DoF tracking. However, I did announcement that bumping the frames causes a water-ripple effect successful the show that's much pronounced than connected the different 2 glasses. It's not a dealbreaker, but it's noticeable erstwhile comparing them broadside by side.
At 94 grams, it's besides the heaviest enactment here. The rounded framework plan is really the astir comfy of the three, but the physique feels plasticky contempt Viture's selling of a "premium full-metal aluminum-magnesium frame," which is intelligibly hidden underneath that integrative outer layer. To beryllium fair, though, they each consciousness beauteous plasticky to me.
The Beast has potential, but asking radical to wage a premium for promises alternatively than delivered features is simply a pugnacious sell. If you're consenting to hold for those important firmware updates, the wide FOV and slick plan mightiness warrant your acquisition now.
Pair #2. Xreal 1S ($449)
The Xreal 1S is the 1 I scope for astir often, and portion of the crushed is that it gets the fundamentals right.
The show is 1200p with a 52-degree tract of presumption and a 16:10 facet ratio. At 82 grams, it's lighter than the Beast and lone somewhat heavier than the RayNeo Air 3s Pro. The existent differentiator is the X1 Spatial Computing Chip embedded into the frames, which handles 3DoF tracking with 3ms motion-to-photon latency.
The virtual surface stays locked successful abstraction adjacent erstwhile you determination your caput quickly. The downside of this onboard processing is that the spot generates noticeable vigor connected the forehead. I noticed the "hot face" origin much connected the Xreal 1s than connected either of the different 2 successful this rundown.
I've recovered Real 3D to beryllium amazingly effective, converting immoderate 2D contented into 3D successful existent clip with debased latency. I tested it connected everything from YouTube videos of varying prime to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe connected the Nintendo Switch utilizing the abstracted Xreal Neo video hub. The diagnostic decidedly works amended with crisp, well-produced footage than fast-moving oregon low-light content.
The main trade-off is brightness, arsenic these are the dimmest successful this rundown astatine 700 nits. The three-level electrochromic dimming decidedly helps compensate, and I haven't recovered brightness to beryllium limiting successful my indoor use.
For astir people, this is the 1 I urge most. It's feature-complete, the tracking is stable, and it ships with each features acceptable to usage retired of the box.
Pair #3. RayNeo Air 3s Pro ($299)
The RayNeo Air 3s Pro is simply a coagulated fund enactment that makes astute compromises to deed that terms point. You get a 1080p show with a 46-degree tract of view, 120Hz refresh rate, and an awesome 1,200-nit brightness. At 76 grams, it's the lightest enactment successful this comparison. In my outdoor testing, the 1,200-nit show held up impressively successful nonstop sunlight, making it a beardown prime for outdoor usage contempt its little terms point.
Think of the Air 3s Pro arsenic a no-frills solution that bypasses 3DoF tracking, meaning the surface is rigidly locked to your caput question with nary pinning and nary gentle travel smoothing. There's besides nary electrochromic dimming, truthful the sunglasses' tint of the outer lenses ne'er changes.
This makes the RayNeo little suitable for productivity use, arsenic looking down astatine your telephone oregon keyboard becomes much challenging due to the fact that the tint obscures your view. They besides person the narrowest tract of presumption astatine 46 degrees. RayNeo offers an app for connected smartphones that attempts to adhd constricted 3DoF tracking, but successful my experience, it was beauteous unreliable.
If you're looking for a simple, plug-and-play outer show that happens to beryllium wearable, and you don't attraction astir spatial computing features, the RayNeo is simply a coagulated choice. It does the basics good enough, and that other brightness is simply a coagulated bonus.
Writer's choice
The Xreal 1S is the wide victor for astir people. It's feature-complete, the spatial tracking really works, and it's $100 cheaper than the Viture Beast portion delivering what it promises close now. The RayNeo Air 3s Pro remains the fund champion for outdoor brightness and no-frills plug-and-play use. The Viture Beast doesn't rather warrant its $549 terms tag yet, but that could easy alteration erstwhile Viture delivers connected its promises down the line.
Follow my latest tech reviews and projects crossed societal media. You'll find maine connected YouTube at YouTube.com/@JasonHowell, connected X (formerly Twitter) at @JasonHowell, and connected Instagram at Instagram.com/thatjasonhowell.
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