XReal One: a REAL life review (unsponsored, unfiltered)

Summary

In this honest, unfiltered review of the XRL1 AR glasses, the reviewer tackles key questions: Are they augmented reality glasses? Do they make you look foolish? And what about the screen size? The glasses, while offering a portable display experience, do not qualify as true AR devices and come with several limitations. The reviewer highlights their usefulness for movie watching on planes but critiques their overall performance for productivity tasks. With a realistic take on the hype around the product, the review focuses on the glasses' novelty and offers a perspective on their best use case: casual content consumption on the go.

Takeaways

• 😀 The XRL1 AR glasses are not augmented reality (AR) glasses, despite the marketing claims. They are essentially portable screens.
• 😀 The reviewer mentions that they look a bit silly while wearing the glasses but don't mind it, implying a practical rather than aesthetic focus.
• 😀 The screen size of the glasses is claimed to be 184 inches at a distance of 6 meters, comparable to a 50-inch TV at 2 meters away.
• 😀 One of the primary use cases for the glasses is watching movies on a plane, where they provide a larger viewing area than phone screens or in-flight entertainment systems.
• 😀 The glasses are portable but cannot be used like AR devices that interact with the environment. They lack awareness of surroundings, so they do not anchor to real-world objects reliably.
• 😀 The glasses' 'anchor mode' sometimes fails when the user moves (e.g., on a plane), as they don't account for real-world movement and positioning accurately.
• 😀 Despite their portability, the reviewer does not recommend using the glasses for productivity tasks, as the text can become blurry and uncomfortable for long-term use.
• 😀 The 200-inch screen marketing claim is considered misleading. The actual experience with the glasses does not match the hype, as the field of view limits the screen size effect.
• 😀 The glasses' screen edges become blurry when viewed from certain angles, making them less effective for precision tasks like reading or working on documents.
• 😀 The reviewer concludes that while the XRL1 AR glasses are a cool novelty for personal content consumption (like movies on planes), they are not suitable for replacing traditional screens for work or gaming.

Q & A

Are the XRL1 AR glasses considered augmented reality (AR) glasses?

No, the XRL1 AR glasses are not considered augmented reality glasses. They do not interact with or understand the user's surroundings, which is a fundamental requirement for true AR devices.

Do the XRL1 AR glasses make you look like an idiot when wearing them?

While the reviewer acknowledges that the glasses do look somewhat large, they don't believe wearing them makes you look ridiculous. In fact, the reviewer mentions that the glasses are not as intrusive as other similar devices, such as the Apple Vision Pro.

How large is the screen size of the XRL1 AR glasses?

The XRL1 AR glasses can project a screen size of up to 225 inches at a distance of 4 to 7 meters. However, the field of view is narrow, and the screen may not appear fully immersive unless adjusted properly.

What is the ideal use case for the XRL1 AR glasses?

The reviewer finds the glasses particularly useful for watching movies on a plane, as they offer a larger screen experience compared to a phone. They are also useful as portable screens for entertainment on the go, though not recommended for productivity tasks or replacing computer screens.

How does the 'anchor mode' work on the XRL1 AR glasses?

The anchor mode allows the user to 'anchor' the screen to a specific position in their field of view. However, it doesn't work well in dynamic environments, such as when a plane is moving, because the glasses don't track the surrounding space and only recognize their position relative to the Earth.

Can you use the XRL1 AR glasses while walking around?

No, the reviewer states that using the glasses while walking around is difficult. The glasses are too transparent and reflective, which makes it hard to see the environment clearly and can be distracting.

Are the XRL1 AR glasses suitable for productivity tasks like working on a laptop?

No, the glasses are not ideal for productivity tasks. The reviewer mentions that the text appears blurry when using them as an external screen for work, making them unsuitable for tasks that require reading or detailed visual work.

What is the size of the screen when the XRL1 AR glasses are used as an external display for a laptop?

The reviewer compares the screen size when using the glasses with a laptop screen, estimating it to be roughly the size of a 15.6-inch laptop screen, which is smaller than a typical desktop monitor, making it less effective for detailed tasks.

Is the XRL1 AR glasses' screen quality suitable for watching movies?

Yes, the screen quality is considered good enough for watching movies, particularly on a plane, where the glasses offer more screen real estate than alternatives like a phone. However, the edges of the screen can be blurry when adjusting for size and distance.

What are the limitations of the XRL1 AR glasses' marketing claims regarding screen size?

The reviewer believes the marketing claims about the 200-inch screen are misleading. The screen size appears much smaller in practice, especially since the field of view is narrow and the user must adjust the glasses for optimal viewing, which makes the screen appear smaller than claimed.