I’ve spent months within the lab testing the most recent AR glasses from Xreal and Viture. By “lab,” I imply cozied up on my sofa every night time, enjoying my Steam Deck or Nintendo Change 2 on an enormous, digital display that solely I can see via these glasses.
Utilizing AR glasses as a transportable show in your handhelds (and different USB-C units, like telephones, tablets, and laptops) is nothing new. Nevertheless, the most recent variations have one must-have function in frequent: three levels of freedom, or 3DoF, which helps you to anchor the display anyplace you’d like, versus having it nauseatingly wiggle with each head motion. This received’t make AR glasses price their $400-plus prices for many players. However this makes them extra helpful in the event you journey lots, or in order for you a extra ergonomic handheld setup.
I examined three widespread fashions — Xreal’s $449 1S, its $649 One Professional, and Viture’s $549 Beast — and there’s no greatest pair that everybody should purchase. Every does just a few issues properly and some issues not so properly, which leaves me no different alternative than to record out the substances that may make for one good pair of AR glasses for gaming.
The consolation, sound high quality, and ease of use of Xreal’s glasses
All of those AR glasses are heavier and thicker than common glasses, however Xreal’s 1S glasses are the lightest mannequin of the bunch. On my kitchen scale, they weigh 85 grams (for comparability, the One Professional glasses weigh 91 grams, whereas the Viture Beast glasses are 96 grams). A small factor that’s truly an enormous deal is that they (in addition to the One Professional) have nice weight distribution and thinner temple arms than Viture’s Beast, which helps me really feel much less pressure on my ears. It’s nice that Xreal’s most inexpensive AR glasses are simply as snug as its most costly pair.
Every pair comes with adjustable nostril pads to suit totally different nostril bridges.
Viture’s Beast glasses (left) have thicker temple arms than Xreal’s glasses, significantly the place they relaxation in your ears.
Xreal’s glasses sound lots higher than Viture’s Harman-tuned glasses.
An instance of what the 1S’s electrochromic lenses appear like with most dimming.
The 1S and One Professional glasses ship better-sounding audio via their temple arms than Viture’s newest glasses. Xreal’s audio is tuned by Bose, and the glasses have balanced audio with surprisingly good low-end efficiency. Viture’s is tuned by Harman, and the Beast glasses pack significantly much less oomph, with extra emphasis on the mids and highs. Music, films, and video games are all extra enjoyable to take heed to via Xreal’s glasses, even at low volumes.
The 1S and One Professional glasses have fewer buttons than Viture’s glasses, which lowers the training curve. Xreal’s glasses have 4 buttons in complete, all of that are alongside their proper temple arm. To be truthful, all AR glasses’ button layouts take some time to study. However the Beast has six in complete unfold throughout each temple arms, two of that are a button rocker devoted solely to adjusting the opacity of its electrochromic lenses — it’s overkill.
The superior distinction and readability of Viture’s Beast glasses
The three pairs of AR glasses that I examined use comparable Sony micro-OLED screens, however Viture’s glasses are my favourite in terms of displaying video games with the identical wealthy distinction, inky blacks, and vibrant highlights as would seem on the OLED TV in my lounge. Simply as necessary, image high quality appears nice no matter the place you employ these glasses as a result of their optics reduce down on reflections (nevertheless, they’re not “4K-like,” as Viture misleadingly advertises). The Xreal One Professional glasses are additionally improbable when it comes to image high quality and exhibit subsequent to no reflections attributable to having high-end optics, however they’re sometimes $100 extra — although typically simply $50 — than Viture’s Beast.
The Beast glasses look much more refined than Viture’s earlier fashions, however they solely include blue-tinted lenses.
The Sony micro-OLED screens are comparable throughout all AR glasses I examined, however optics have a big effect on how they give the impression of being (Xreal 1S proven right here).
A have a look at the flatter optics utilized by the Viture Beast (high) and Xreal One Professional (backside) that hold out reflections.
The birdbath optics of the Xreal 1S (left) seen subsequent to the flat optics used within the One Professional (proper).
Sadly, the Xreal 1S’s largest weak spot is reflections. Shiny rooms make their OLEDs exhibit crushed blacks, wanting extra like LCDs in these eventualities. They will produce a great picture in low-light eventualities, although content material seems blurrier via them than with the opposite glasses.
The good match and end of Xreal’s glasses
Xreal is peerless in terms of construct high quality, and its $449 1S feels simply as high-end as its pricier One Professional. Each pairs have snappy steel hinge mechanisms that forestall their temple arms from opening unintentionally (those on Viture’s Beast shortly swing open and really feel low-cost). Furthermore, Xreal’s glasses look extra like actual sun shades than the Beast glasses do (Viture can’t resist going with a barely gamer-y look that you simply’ll love or hate, although the Beast glasses look far more refined than its Luma sequence). Sure, these traits are indistinguishable as soon as they’re on my face, however they’re price contemplating given their excessive value.
The consumer expertise is extra polished throughout the board with Xreal’s glasses. My Steam Deck and cellphone are just a few seconds sooner to hook up with the Xreal 1S and One Professional, and as talked about earlier than, the training curve is decrease. Xreal additionally at the moment has the higher 3DoF implementation just because the display stays put when it’s anchored. With the Viture Beast glasses, the “anchored” display strikes, slowly sliding out of view. That’s a deal-breaker.
Xreal’s Real3D function, which is healthier than I anticipated (in small quantities)
Xreal glasses which have the X1 chip (ones that launched prior to now two or so years) now have the Actual 3D function. The mode can flip 2D content material into 3D, and there’s a multi-step software program slider to extend its impact. I get pleasure from utilizing its mildest conversion setting greater than I anticipated to.
The 3D impact is just not as pronounced because the Nintendo 3DS’s 3D impact, however the delicate enhancements are straightforward to note. It really works particularly properly in video games that don’t require a ton of quick motion.
Viture’s Change 2 compatibility
Sadly, no AR glasses can join with a single USB-C cable to the Change 2 (blame Nintendo). You want a appropriate dock, one in every of which doesn’t exist only for Xreal glasses homeowners. The corporate canceled its Neo charging dock it introduced at CES 2026 attributable to reliability issues (the unit it despatched me for testing nonetheless works nice with my console). So, of us with Xreal glasses and a Change 2 will want a unique accent to play.
Viture’s glasses work like a attraction with Change 2 by way of its $130 dock.
The Xreal Neo enabled Change 2 compatibility (and has a slick design), however was canceled.
It’s simpler in case you have Viture’s glasses, however not precisely inexpensive. Viture makes a $130 Professional Cell Dock that works completely with the Change 2 for the Beast. This dock doubles as a 13,000mAh battery so you’ll be able to cost up whilst you recreation. If the Change 2 isn’t your factor, the dock incorporates a full HDMI port, letting you view a console’s video feed inside your glasses. Video passthrough works for Xreal glasses, too, however audio didn’t work properly sufficient for me to advocate it.
$449
The Good
- Snug
- Nice construct high quality
- Greatest-in-class sound
The Unhealthy
- Reflection metropolis
- Distinction is missing
- Why does 1200p look this fuzzy?
$649
The Good
- Snug
- Nice construct high quality
- Greatest-in-class sound
- Reflections be gone!
The Unhealthy
- Dear
- Distinction isn’t fairly as wealthy as Viture’s Beast
$550
The Good
- Stellar distinction
- Nearer to function parity with Xreal’s glasses
The Unhealthy
- Sound and construct high quality are missing
- Shifty 3DoF integration
- Marketed 1200p mode isn’t accessible
Pictures by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge
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