Everyone interested in dipping their toes into video glasses probably has one common barrier: price. As enticing as gluing a huge virtual screen to your eyeballs can be for some people, spending up to $850 to do so feels like a tough sell.
To combat sticker shock and invite newcomers to try video glasses out, Xreal has launched a new subbrand called X by Xreal, or XBX, and its first glasses start at just $299. For comparison, the starting price of Xreal glasses (the Xreal One) is $450—not an earth-shattering difference, but likely a significant one for many people.
X by Xreal’s first glasses, the a01, look solid on paper. They have a 1,600-nit micro OLED display with HDR10 and weigh 62g, which is notably lighter than the Xreal One that clocks in at about 82g. That weight reduction is thanks to an “ultralight” nylon body. The screen has a 50-degree field of view and (virtually speaking) is the equivalent of a 147-inch TV when you have it on your face. Xreal says it’s also included a first-of-its-kind “anti-shake algorithm” designed to stabilize images without blurring things and washing out colors.
Another interesting twist is that the a01 offers interchangeable front frames to switch up the look. According to Xreal, users can choose frames that fit “their outfit, mood, or personal style.” If you’re a “tinkerer,” Xreal says you can 3D-print your own front-frame accessory. First-party frames include Sport, Stealth, and Classic.
The a01 don’t have any DoF (degrees of freedom) support, meaning they can’t track your body and your head for a 3D spatial experience, but at their accessible price point, that’s to be expected. On paper, the a01 remind me a lot of the RayNeo Air 4 Pro, which I tested recently. The price is the same, the specs are similar, and while there were still some quirks with the fit and comfort on my end, I determined that the Air 4 Pro provide solid value, especially for those looking to dip their toes in video glasses. I can’t make any determinations until I’ve tried the a01, but I’m hopeful that they’re a similarly good deal.
If you’re looking to try a pair of video glasses, the a01 are now available in China, and Xreal expects to launch them in the U.S. in July.
