XReal Air 2 Pro VS Meta Quest 3 - Can VR/AR enhance your productivity?

Summary

In this video, the host explores whether VR and AR devices like the Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest 3, and X-Real Air2 Pro can enhance productivity or if a traditional large monitor is still superior. After testing these devices for various tasks, the host concludes that while they offer unique features like portability and immersive experiences, they currently can't replace a good widescreen monitor for long-term productivity due to issues like limited field of vision, motion sickness, and discomfort from prolonged use.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The video explores whether devices like Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest 3, or Xreal Air2 Pro glasses can enhance productivity compared to using a large monitor.
• 💸 The creator doesn't own an Apple Vision Pro due to its high price but uses the Meta Quest 3 and Xreal Air2 Pro glasses for comparison.
• 🕶️ Xreal Air2 Pro glasses are much smaller and lighter than Meta Quest 3 but require connection to a companion device like a MacBook, and they have limited field of view and screen size.
• 🎛️ The Meta Quest 3 is a self-contained VR headset with a much wider field of view and superior resolution, but it's bulky and heavy, making long-term use uncomfortable.
• 🖥️ The Xreal Air2 Pro glasses provide a basic virtual display, acting as an additional monitor when plugged in, but the screen feels small, and the field of vision is limited.
• 🎮 Both devices have some drawbacks for productivity: the Xreal glasses cause motion sickness in virtual mode, and the Meta Quest 3 feels too heavy for prolonged use.
• 🖱️ The virtual desktop software on the Meta Quest 3 shows significant lag when using a mouse, making it impractical for productivity tasks.
• ⚙️ The Immersed app works better for Meta Quest 3 in creating a smooth, lag-free virtual workspace with virtual monitors, but the device's weight remains a challenge.
• 💻 The Xreal glasses are great for media consumption and provide some privacy for work in public places, but they're not as efficient for complex tasks.
• 🏁 The conclusion is that neither the Meta Quest 3 nor the Xreal Air2 Pro can fully replace a traditional large monitor for productivity.

Q & A

What was the initial discussion that prompted the video's exploration?

The discussion began when the video creator's colleagues mentioned they bought the Apple Vision Pro to enhance their productivity, which led to the question of whether such devices can genuinely improve productivity or if a large monitor is still superior.

What are the two devices compared in the video for productivity purposes?

The video compares the Meta Quest 3, a popular VR headset, and the X Real Air2 Pro glasses, which are one of the more popular glasses format displays, to determine their effectiveness for productivity.

What are the specifications of the Meta Quest 3 mentioned in the video?

The Meta Quest 3 is a full VR headset with color video pass-through, two LCD screens each with a resolution of 2,640 by 2,280, a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage.

What are the key features of the X Real Air2 Pro glasses as described in the video?

The X Real Air2 Pro glasses feature two micro OLED screens with full HD resolution per eye, electrochromatic dimming lenses for variable light control, and a face plate for additional darkness. They are significantly smaller and lighter than the Meta Quest 3.

How does the field of view (FOV) differ between the X Real Air2 Pro glasses and the Meta Quest 3?

The X Real Air2 Pro glasses have a field of view (FOV) of about 46°, which is quite limited, while the Meta Quest 3 offers a much larger FOV of 110°, allowing for a more immersive peripheral vision.

What software does the video creator use to test the productivity of the X Real Air2 Pro glasses?

The video creator uses the Nebula software to test the productivity of the X Real Air2 Pro glasses, which allows for the creation of virtual desktops and an extended workspace.

What issues were encountered when using the virtual desktop feature with the X Real Air2 Pro glasses?

The virtual desktop feature with the X Real Air2 Pro glasses caused motion sickness due to a noticeable judder and motion lag, making it difficult for the video creator to use for an extended period.

How does the comfort level of the Meta Quest 3 compare to the X Real Air2 Pro glasses?

The Meta Quest 3 is much heavier and less comfortable for prolonged use compared to the X Real Air2 Pro glasses, which are lightweight and comfortable to wear.

What app is used to test the productivity of the Meta Quest 3, and what were the findings?

The Immersed app is used to test the productivity of the Meta Quest 3. The video creator found it to be more usable than Virtual Desktop for productivity tasks, with better mouse tracking and the ability to set up a workspace with virtual displays.

What is the conclusion of the video regarding the use of VR and AR devices for productivity?

The conclusion is that neither the X Real Air2 Pro glasses nor the Meta Quest 3 can realistically replace a good widescreen monitor for productivity. The glasses have a limited FOV and the VR headset, despite offering a better FOV and smoother experience, is too heavy and uncomfortable for long periods of use.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Can VR Headsets Really Boost Productivity?

The video begins by discussing how the topic of productivity in VR devices started when the creator’s colleagues purchased the Apple Vision Pro. This made the creator wonder whether these devices truly enhance productivity or if a large monitor is still a better option. The creator does not own a Vision Pro but has a Meta Quest 3 and Xreal Air2 Pro, both of which will be compared in terms of productivity.

05:03

🕶️ Overview of Xreal Air2 Pro Glasses

The creator introduces the Xreal Air2 Pro glasses, which are compact and feature two micro OLED screens. These glasses require a companion device, unlike the Meta Quest 3, and offer features like electrochromatic dimming. The glasses can be plugged into a MacBook for use as an external display, providing a simple and effective setup for productivity. However, the field of vision is limited, and the display feels small compared to a traditional monitor.

10:07

🤢 Motion Sickness with Xreal Glasses

After using the Xreal glasses for 30 minutes, the creator begins to feel motion sickness due to the judder in the virtual desktop. Although the fixed single screen mode is clear and works well, it's not better than a large monitor for stationary use. However, the glasses are lightweight and comfortable, making them a great option for working in private, especially while traveling.

15:10

🪄 First Impressions of the Meta Quest 3

The Meta Quest 3 is much bulkier than the Xreal glasses but offers a wider field of vision (110° compared to 46°). The initial attempt to use Virtual Desktop software resulted in significant mouse lag, making it unsuitable for productivity tasks. However, the display and head tracking are superior, with much more screen space available for work. Immersed software, while slightly jittery, offers better performance for working with multiple virtual monitors.

20:11

⚖️ Comparing Productivity in VR and AR

After using both devices for a while, the creator concludes that while the Meta Quest 3 has better visuals and tracking, its weight and bulkiness make it uncomfortable for long periods of work. Meanwhile, the Xreal glasses are comfortable but limited in screen space and prone to motion sickness when using virtual desktops. In the end, neither device can replace a traditional widescreen monitor for productivity, though both have potential for other use cases like media consumption and gaming.

Keywords

💡Apple Vision Pro

The Apple Vision Pro is a hypothetical device mentioned in the script, which the speaker's colleagues purchased to enhance productivity. This device serves as a catalyst for the video's exploration of whether VR and AR technologies can genuinely improve work efficiency. The term is used to introduce the theme of the video, which is to evaluate the utility of VR and AR devices for productivity purposes.

💡Productivity

Productivity is a central theme of the video, as the speaker aims to determine if the use of VR and AR devices like the Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest 3, and Xreal Air2 Pro can boost work efficiency. The script discusses how these devices might be used to improve multitasking, screen real estate, and immersive work environments, which are all factors that can contribute to an individual's productivity.

💡Meta Quest 3

The Meta Quest 3 is a VR headset highlighted in the video script as a popular device for virtual reality experiences. The speaker compares it with the Xreal Air2 Pro to assess which device might be more suitable for productivity tasks. The Meta Quest 3 is noted for its full VR capabilities, including high-resolution screens, a powerful processor, and motion controls, which are all evaluated in the context of their potential to enhance work tasks.

💡Xreal Air2 Pro

The Xreal Air2 Pro is a pair of AR glasses mentioned in the script as a more portable and lightweight alternative to the Meta Quest 3 for potential productivity use. The device features micro OLED screens and is designed to be plugged into a companion device for functionality. The script discusses its comfort, ease of use, and the potential for creating virtual desktops as ways it might improve productivity.

💡Field of Vision (FOV)

Field of Vision (FOV) is a critical concept in VR and AR technologies, referring to the extent of the observable environment one can see at a given moment. In the script, the speaker compares the FOV of the Xreal Air2 Pro and the Meta Quest 3, noting that the latter offers a much wider view. This is significant for productivity as a larger FOV can provide a more immersive and comprehensive workspace, potentially leading to a more efficient work experience.

💡Virtual Desktops

Virtual desktops are a feature discussed in the context of the Xreal Air2 Pro, where the user can create multiple virtual screens to enhance productivity. The script explores how these virtual desktops can provide additional screen real estate, allowing for multitasking and improved organization of work materials. However, the speaker also notes issues with motion tracking and potential motion sickness, which could detract from the productivity benefits.

💡Motion Controls

Motion controls are a feature of the Meta Quest 3 that allow users to interact with the virtual environment using hand gestures. The script mentions that these controls work well for gaming but are less effective for productivity tasks due to issues like mouse lag. The concept illustrates the need for precise and responsive controls in a device intended for work use.

💡Immersed App

The Immersed App is software mentioned in the script as a solution for using the Meta Quest 3 for productivity. It allows for the setup of a virtual workspace within the VR environment, with features like keyboard cutouts and the ability to manipulate virtual screens. The script evaluates the app's effectiveness in providing a smooth and productive VR workspace, noting some issues with jitter but overall better performance than other options tested.

💡Comfort

Comfort is a recurring theme in the script, especially when comparing the wearable experience of the Xreal Air2 Pro glasses versus the Meta Quest 3 headset. The speaker discusses the weight and fit of each device, noting that the heavier Meta Quest 3 can cause discomfort over extended use, which is a significant factor when considering long-term productivity use.

💡Multitasking

Multitasking is a concept explored in the context of productivity, where the speaker evaluates whether the VR and AR devices can facilitate handling multiple tasks simultaneously. The script discusses the potential for virtual desktops and multiple screen environments to enhance multitasking, which is a key aspect of productivity in many work scenarios.

Highlights

The Apple Vision Pro is considered for enhancing productivity, but its effectiveness is questioned.

The presenter does not own a Vision Pro and has no plans to purchase one due to cost.

The Meta Quest 3 and Xreal Air2 Pro are compared as popular VR and AR devices.

Meta Quest 3 features color video pass-through and a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor.

Xreal Air2 Pro glasses are smaller and require connection to a companion device.

The Xreal Air2 Pro offers electrochromatic dimming lenses for variable darkness.

Nebula software allows creating virtual desktops with the Xreal Air2 Pro.

Motion lag in the virtual desktop environment can cause motion sickness.

The fixed single-screen mode on Xreal Air2 Pro is praised for clarity and ease of use.

Meta Quest offers a larger field of view compared to Xreal Air2 Pro glasses.

Virtual Desktop app on Meta Quest is praised for gaming but not for productivity due to mouse lag.

Immersed app on Meta Quest provides a smoother experience for productivity tasks.

The weight and comfort of the Meta Quest are concerns for long-term productivity use.

Neither device can replace a good widescreen monitor for the presenter's productivity needs.

The presenter concludes that individual user needs will dictate the utility of these devices for productivity.

The video invites viewers to engage for more comparisons and use cases beyond productivity.

Transcripts

this video like a lot of my videos

recently just kind of spiraled out of

nothing it all started when a couple of

my colleagues said that they' recently

bought the Apple Vision Pro and I asked

why uh and their response was uh to

enhance their productivity and it got me

thinking can these devices actually help

productivity or are you still just

better off with a large monitor

[Music]

don't have a Vision Pro nor do I ever

plan to buy one if someone wants to lend

me one I'll definitely check it out but

I have no plans to buy one my pockets

are not that deep but what I do have is

the meta Quest 3 which is definitely one

of the most popular VR headsets at the

moment and the X real air2 Pro uh

glasses which are I would say one of the

more

popular GL screens in glasses format I

don't know what you would call that

format but uh those two kind of I think

the most popular ways of doing VR AR

that kind of world so I thought I'd pick

the two against each other and see if

either of them can actually enhance my

productivity uh or if like I said I'm

just better off with a big Monitor and

uh getting on with my life first up we

have the uh meta 3 this is a full VR

headset you sort of fully enclosed and

looking at two screens it does have

color video pass through so you can

still see the world around you and

you've got uh two LCD screens one for

each eye one and they're both that a

resolution of

264 by 2 2,2 8 had to look at that but

uh those are the resolutions for each

eye it's also got a Snapdragon

XR 2 Gen 2 uh processor inside 8 GB of

RAM 128 GB of storage so it's a full

self-contained device um you can do a

lot just with it um it also obviously

comes with motion controls you won't

actually need for this video but uh yeah

you get the full package and definitely

as far as VR goes and particularly VR

Gaming this is a really great option I

haven't done a full review on this so uh

do comment down below if you're

interested in a full review but today

specifically we are looking at

productivity so that's the first device

and next up we have the uh xreal air2

Pro glasses which are obviously straight

away you can

tell a sizable size difference uh they

are significantly smaller every single

Direction possible uh they do also

feature two micro OLED screens at full H

full HD on each eyes so lower resolution

but better screen technology they're

also obviously significantly smaller as

we've mentioned uh in part because

there's no built-in kind of operating

system there's no built-in storage or

anything like that these have to be

plugged in to a some sort of companion

device to

function these are also the pros so they

do have electr chromatic dimming lenses

which means that uh basically you can go

from kind of seeing everything normally

to uh it being quite dark inside they do

also come with this face plate which you

can put on to give even more Darkness

not a fan of this so far um again I

haven't done a full review on these if

that's something really interesting you

do comment down below but uh yeah we can

basically use both of these in some sort

of way for productivity so I'm going to

get it set up we're going to look at the

apps that we would use and uh see what

it's like to actually try and get some

work done in these environments so we're

going to start with the x- real glasses

because they're definitely the easiest

to get out set up and going with um I

should mention of course that I do wear

normal glasses um so I have a

prescription it's not a particularly

High prescription um and I don't have

presp description lenses for either

device so I'm not really going to be too

focused on things like when the image is

a little blurry because I believe that's

going to be much more down to my

eyesight than the devices themselves um

and if I find that this is actually

quite a useful environment you can get

prescription lenses for both devices so

there is always that option in the

future for me to do that but the X real

glasses uh just wear like normal glasses

as you might be able to see they have

the screens inside them um so you can

see both eyes have their own screens and

essentially you just plug it into a

device using USBC that supports display

out through USBC so that will work quite

well with a lot of smartphones but in

this instance we're using my MacBook

and as standard just by plugging them in

essentially they just work as a external

display so if you pop them on um you

can't see this but I can just see a

virtual display play and it move it

stays like fixed on just the screen so

when I move my head it moves with me and

it's just an image um it works quite

well in that respect it's very quick

it's easy it doesn't require any

software it's all built in as far as the

operating system just sees it it is just

another monitor um I will say

that the we I'm already kind of noticing

that the uh field Vis vision is very

small on this uh we'll get into the

actual specs later but essentially they

claim it's like you're looking at a 130

in

screen h i for movie watching perhaps

but in terms of productivity this is

definitely a much smaller display I

would say uh it's physically larger

because it's close to my face but in

terms of actual usable space it's about

the same as the macbook's screen already

still completely plug and playay super

easy to get started and it has that

Electro chat dimming so now the dimming

is off I can kind of see my world I can

see through the image just fine and

there are two other layers of dimming to

kind of block out the world around me

obviously I can still see a lot of light

around my face that's just the nature of

these glasses they do kind of sit quite

far away they're not quite normal

glasses looking there's something just

slightly off about them I have to agree

but there is another party trick that

this does have and that is the nebul

software that you can download from Mac

OS um or mobile and that will allow you

to create virtual desktops so let's

check that out I'm going to get OBS

recording as well so you can see what I

can see but essentially this allows you

much more control as you can see

currently in OBS and essentially now I

have a virtual desktop that is actually

tracking with the glass's movement does

create these cool infinite Loops in OBS

but let's get that closed down now in my

virtual desktop environment and

essentially I have three virtual

monitors that I can see when I look

around and actually move in the real

world um this gives you a lot more

working space and definitely is

something that we can kind of make good

use of so I can have lots of

different things open at once and like I

might be working on an Android project

over

here let's see um maybe I will open up

visual

studio over

here and I might be working on something

here and then over here maybe I'll have

a web page or something along those

lines but it is a fully kind of virtual

environment now there's one thing I'm

immediately noticing is the image kind

of doesn't quite track properly there is

a little bit of a judder every time I

move as it's kind of trying to catch up

and reposition so that quite possibly

very quickly give me some motion

sickness we'll see um you'll also notice

that kind of it's quite zoomed in at the

moment now that is something that you

can control you can kind of change the

distance the images away and also the

POV uh kind of ratio so you can make it

really small so you can see the whole

thing or zoom in I do find that I need

to zoom in a little bit to be able to

actually read the text um okay part of

that's going to be my eyesight but also

part of that is just going to be that I

think actually at the lower end it's

really too small but still you do have

these kind of virtual screens that you

can work on like I said I think if I was

maybe uh having to focus on lots of text

like doing some coding I would probably

use the a fixed single screen I probably

wouldn't use this software uh but maybe

if I was kind of had just a couple of

things open and I was keeping an eye on

them uh this might be a better option

still it just for me it does feel a

little bit like the the motion lag is

just a little bit too much there to be

precise for what I need but still let's

give it a go I'm going to work in this

environment now for you know at least an

hour and get some uh Impressions I've

been using the glasses now for about

half an hour um and as I kind of

expected the Jess of the uh motion is

definitely causing some motion sickness

um getting a bit of a headache and

generally not great I will say though

that changing it to just be the fixed

display that works very well obviously

you get way less screen space but you

can see all of it at once it's

clear and it's a great way if you maybe

you're traveling and you want to be able

to work in private no one can see what

you can see if instead of mirroring the

screen you have it as a separate display

uh so there's definitely some advantages

there it's also incredibly comfortable

it's very light it only weighs about 72

G all in so I have no problem wearing

these at all I definitely see myself

wearing them long term it's just that

virtual display which is I have

currently still enabled and genuinely is

making me a little nauseous let's turn

it off oh okay so that is now off I

definitely feel better and and I would

definitely say that just having that

single screen it works very well um it's

much easier to kind of just sit and

focus and work and yeah I could see it

being useful is is it better than just

having a big monitor if you're

stationary at a desk I would say no I

there's no advantage to just having a

single screen up the virtual screens you

you get more screen real estate but it's

just it's it's too much judder and it

does not work well enough yet I do

believe this feature is in beta so you

know things might change but as far as

I'm concerned it doesn't work well

enough and the standard setup only gives

you the one display so you're not

getting any extra

space but if you're traveling in uni

privacy very useful very useful indeed

so we will put that to aide and let's

give the meta quest to go okay so the

meta Quest is obviously a much chunkier

device it weighs about

515 G compared to the glasses 72

G however the fov on this is much much

bigger the fov on the glasses about 46°

so you really can't see much more than

just straight on the quest however has

110° so you can see a lot more of your

per peripheral vision in the quest Let's

Get It On Let's get it set up and let's

see what it's like we are now recording

in the quest I'm using the hand gestures

and they work very well I've just

noticed however that we are about to run

out charge this is the problem I always

forget to put this thing to sleep and

not just charge it so let's plug in and

then we can go from

there there we go so we're we are now

plugged in and we can kind of move stuff

around and I can keep oh there we go I

can keep recording and you can see what

I can see so as far as Max support on

the quest goes there isn't a kind of

specific uh first party setup for

virtual desktops the question is

obviously much more than just a

productivity tool and there's a lot of

gaming Focus so there are a couple of

pieces of software that I have used in

the past and normally use when I want to

interact with a computer using the quest

the first is virtual desktop this is my

go-to when I want to do VR Gaming um and

it works incredibly well for that

purpose I'm in the virtual desktop

streamer app which I use for VR all the

time um and oh there's goes that monitor

come

back it works very well for gaming

purposes what I found it not to work so

well is for desktops for one there's no

support for virtual desktops it's only

showing you the actual desktops from my

computer so we've got the actual laptop

screen and then my ultra wide screen um

and okay that's not the Great setup but

maybe you know fine whatever but the

killer thing for me that I found is that

the mouse is super laggy like like I

don't know if I can show you that but uh

I've stopped moving and there's like a

good second of lag

between what my mouse is doing and what

my mouse is doing on the screen

completely useless if you want to do

this sort

of working and productivity and focus

immediately I will say though

the it's very clear that the resolution

that you're getting through the eyes is

so much better you've obviously got a

much wider uh Vision so like my whole

vision is pretty much taken up by screen

there's only a little bit of black area

around the edges and you've got kind of

very smooth head tracking that I can

kind of sit in this nebulous world that

I'm currently in and it works very well

uh so great way to kind of enclose

yourself in the environment but just not

going to work at the moment with this uh

Mouse jutter so there's another app that

I will be trying so let's quit out of

virtual desktop and we're going to go

into this app called immersed now

immersed is another app that I've never

actually used before until I started

this kind of project so let's give it it

a go we are now in the

immersed um app one thing I particularly

like is that they allow you to do

basically a cutout for your keyboard so

you you can still see your keyboard uh

is a little weird it's a little jarring

um and obviously the video quality isn't

like as good as your eyes but this is

actually quite a nice way to be able to

still access your keyboard um also most

importantly uh the mouse is working

perfectly everything is very smooth you

have virtual displays interestingly you

have to have unplugged any external

displays that you have it won't let you

run it unless that's the case you could

only have your max display running but

but there's a lot of opt options to kind

of move these about and you can kind of

set up the workspace pull it towards you

push it away you can kind of set how

curved you want the

screens um there is a little bit of

Jitter when you kind of move your head

quickly doesn't quite look right but if

you're just focusing on a screen this is

a lot more usable I would say so I'm

going to give this a go I'm going to see

what it's like and and uh report back so

I've been using the quest now for a

little while

and this is a tricky one

uh the the the visuals so much better

the tracking so much better stuff stays

where it's supposed to it's much better

displaying itself on the world um the

immersed app is much better for the

productivity side of things yeah you get

three large good siize monitors um this

is kind of would be more along the lines

of what you could use to actually

replace your own

monitor

but it's so heavy it really is and as

you can probably see makes me rather

sweaty as well let's get my glasses back

on it's yeah

it it's probably too much for me to

handle on my face and still uh be

productive for long periods of time I

certainly can't be wearing that for

hours and hours and hours now I did have

it plugged in and cabled because the

battery was running low but you do have

some Wireless and uh that doesn't really

seem to affect the quality too much so

you can get like two or three hours of

battery life out of it so there's

obviously a a good advantage to that

you're not Tethered to your

computer but I just

I couldn't use it for hours and hours

each day that's for sure for me it's

still too big too uncomfortable which

puts these two devices in a very awkward

position cuz on one hand we have the xra

glasses which are light easy to use

comfortable but you've got a very low

field of vision uh you're not really

getting much benefit from the one single

screen and multiple screens are still

quite jittery and give me motion

sickness on the other hand you have the

quest which fixes the fov issues fixes

the jitteriness is very smooth but it's

so heavy having this strap to your head

all day um and I can only imagine it's

worse with the with the Vision Pro

because it's even

heavier I couldn't see myself using it

for for long and in fact I don't when it

comes to VR Gaming after about half an

hour I have to stop it's a a lot of fun

but uh only in short periods of time to

answer the question can these devices be

used for productivity I think we're

still in a world where it's going to be

very much down to the individual user

what do you want to get out of it I

could easily sit and uh use the x-r

glasses to consume media for example

these are a brilliant device for

watching videos on and if actually

that's something you need to do to be

productive very very very good

option on the other side if you want

something that can uh do more than just

display a

screen the full VR headset is definitely

a better option but then comes with it

the sheer amount of

weight and the fact that that really

reduces the amount of time that you

could actually wear this thing for for

me neither of these things neither of

these devices can realistically replace

a good widescreen monitor that's just

not something we're there to yet the

Optics on this are good but it's just

too heavy this is the light perfect size

ideal but it's not got good enough uh

range and display ability

so for this video I'm going to have to

say that no neither of these work for me

and I will be sticking to a monitor but

I hope hope you found this video useful

and an insight and of course if you

would like more videos comparing these

devices there are obviously lots more

use cases for both we haven't looked at

gaming we've barely touched at consuming

media there are lots of more things that

these have tricks up their sleeves so if

you're interested please do hit that

like button subscribe and leave a

comment down below and I will make some

more videos in this series and we can

kind of really compare these for other

use cases not just

productivity thank thank you very much

for watching I hope you have enjoyed it

and I'll see you again very very soon

bye for now

[Music]