Portability and overall function, these look amazing. I wasn't expecting this kind of tech on the regular market for a few more years, but the future is now, I guess. I'm really looking forward to the v2 of these with the minor tweaks and improvements to make them more comfortable and look better.
Exactly how I feel. I'll wait a generation or maybe even 2 for the tech to get better but I'll definitely be interested in V2 or like a V2 Pro or something
@Carl Gunderson These are actually closer to AR than you might think. The hardest part in AR are the optics, everything else is quite simple, if maybe a little power hungry.
Fun Fact: When using with the Steam Deck, the screen turns off, and the two screens in the glasses likely use LESS energy than the Deck uses to power its own screen; you might get longer playtime with the glasses than if you weren't using them at all! :D
I don't play the Steam Deck these days without those glasses and my work commute wouldn't be the same. I use an old Samsung Galaxy s20 and load them with videos. Game changers for me. I have a cruise in two weeks and I'm definitely taking them with me.
How's the video quality in these? How bad it is? :) I'm afraid that using steam deck is more better to see the game world, that in those glasses you can miss the surroundings.
@@BlobBlobkins The video quality is literally a 1080p OLED screen in your face. The screen is very bright, the colors pop and are just as vibrant as you'd find on an OLED, blacks are deep as well. The image quality is better than you'd find on the Steam Deck. I love the Steam Deck but I was never a fan of the screen on it. The whole goal of using that Vibrant Deck app with Decky is to achieve what these glasses do to fix the terrible color reproduction on the Steam Decks display.
FYI: If you're using the Nreal adapter, you can adjust the volume on the glasses by using the brightness buttons. Press and hold the power button to switch between brightness and volume.
@@brandon_nope Agreed. Hopefully, they'll add that feature to a future firmware update. They recently just released an update that enables SBS 3D (hold down brightness + button), and Nebula for Windows is scheduled to be release in a few months, so it's nice to know they're still adding features.
@@Shadouian Thanks for the update info. I tried to watch one of my 3D movies using MX player and it didn't switch over correctly. The movie is SBS but now it looks like they just overlapped the video together so it's not 3D at this time. Not sure if I'm doing this right but I will test it out some more.
Happy late birthday and great video as always man! I appreciate how honest and in-depth your reviews are. It really does give the viewers a thorough understandin of it.
I have found the best method for me is using an android phone like a Galaxy S20, connected to Switch Joycons. You can tuck the phone in your front geek pocket and play Moonlight/Steam Link/any controller supported game discreetly (barring big honkin' glasses with a cable coming out, but a hoodie takes care of aesthetics, and you can tuck your hands in the hoodie to hide the controllers) Game in ultra mode while waiting in line for anything, without distracting others.
Thanks for being brave enough to review a product that's near impossible to review lol. The challenge with these products is that they're creating an experience that doesn't translate to review media, and so consumers have to basically imagine what the reviewer is talking about, other than the form, fit, connectivity of the device. I like the blackout "sunglasses" and integrated speakers. Hopefully this gets integration with look around inputs for FPS, like how original Quake had the ability to look around independent of movement - it would be great if they could do independent 6DoF head tracking for the camera, but it must not affect aim to the extent that it does in original Quake. I also hope that they produce these with a broad spectrum of diopter and PD adjustments, because the lack really kneecaps a lot of the other AR/3D glasses products.
Russ - awesome job! I use the Odin Base with the glasses. The Odin has the video over USB, shuts off the screen, has a microSD to store offline videos, a headphone jack to handle the audio. I ended up with the same conclusion - only video viewing and not gaming.
Just got these the other day, and I'm having a blast! These glasses are easily best used with a compatible samsung phone. samsung dex let's you have the desktop experience with your phone being the mouse and your apps being programs. Sooo, I made the desktop background transparent to give a true AR experience! With that change, here are a few more real world uses: Walking directions - the windows in samsung dex are moveable/resizeable, so you can put that window in the corner of the screen, and boom, AR walking directions(driving too, but that might just get you hurt...) For extra fun, Google maps has a new feature called 'live view' that let's you use your phones camera to make a HUD experience with huge navigation arrows overlayed on real world like playing need for speed! You put your phone in a front shirt pocket or on your bikes handle bars, and you're living in the future. Real-time language translator - Google translate lets you use an auto translator that will playback the translation like subtitles in a foreign film in real time! Put that window somewhere on screen(AR) and you have a way of casually understanding at least 20 languages. Since the glasses have speakers, turn them up, speak, and have your words played back out loud in whatever language you choose without having to look away. Picture-in-picture(kinda) - not for AR purposes, but still cool. while using ps remote play or steam link, go ahead and open up any other streaming apps, size one small, and pin it to the top of the screen. Boom, picture in picture! The opacity of the pinned window can also be adjusted. Now you can still watch the game and play video games without turning the TV on. I'll find more uses, but these 3 are pretty kick ass. I don't work for nreal, just a nerd for new tech!😁
Even though it takes some tweaking for the Nreals to work reliably (including a splitter/HDMI adapter out to charge while playing) i love these things. Its a personal movie theatre for me.
Man wish it had bone conducting speakers on this one. It would have helped a lot with the volume for the user and also would make it quieter for everyone else.
Regarding the audio review of the device: For such a niche product, they should have looked at bone conduction for audio tbh. The glasses are already pressing into the sides of your head so I think that already helps conductivity too
Wouldn’t that make the screen blurry? At that size I imagine it would be like trying to record a video with a 20x zoom. The slightest movement gets amplified.
You know who should invest in this? Airline companies. Specifically, the long flights If they bought a shit ton of these, and made people rent em or give em in the higher tiers, I think it'd be really popular (they'd have to get those who use them agree to have some earphones when using it tho)
These are awesome... I played Manhunt 2 in the backseat on a vacation using the ppsspp app in 3d mode in my Oculus Quest 2 and it was one of the best gaming experiences I've had. Now I have a simple way to do that.
@RetroGameCorps Great review video bro thanks I just wanted to let you know I’ve had my Nreal air AR glasses for a few months now and I love mine I use them on my Odin pro my rog phone 3 two iPhones a x and a SE 3rd gen and my laptop and my steam deck but hate I can’t charge my steam deck while playing with the glasses but still there’s something very cool I figured out about them that most/no one I’ve seen has said about it but I hope it helps you guys that have them 🤘🏼 there is a rocker button on the right side that changes the brightness up and down and also a button in front of them that turns the screens display off/on but what I’ve learned is if you hold the display on/off button for three seconds it changes the brightness buttons into volume buttons the just hold the display on/off button to change them back to brightness control I have watched a lot of videos on these glasses before and after I’ve got them but no one tells you they can do this so I hope you can share with your viewers thanks again🙌🏼🤘🏼💯
Good review one quick comment during the comparison section you kept saying 'this one' and then 'on the other one' which was confusing if you're not 100% paying attention to the video, just listening or glancing at the screen. Plus they look pretty similar! For future comparisons I would ensure you keep using the name of the product. Cheers!
I use my Nreals most days and don't have the same audio problems you described. For others who may be concerned about this issue, I often put my 5 and 2 year old to be while wearing them to watch the end of NBA games. I haven't disturbed them or had issues with clarity and am often impressed when I take them off and they are so much quieter that I perceive them when they are on
Agreed. I have the Airs too and I have no idea what the reviewer was talking about regarding the audio. Very different experience. I sit on the couch using mine next to other people and they say they barely hear it if at all. Also the sound is decent. Not Bose good, but clear. Especially for speech in movies/videos. I do often prefer to use my noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones though, because other people are noisy lol (and it's more immersive).
@Uge Plex yea I agree the audio is perfectly fine but headphones will always be a better listening experience. I do either depending on the situation. It's always others that are too noisy for me, not the other way around
Your comprehensive walkthrough made me hestitate to jump on these glasses. I would love to play my home console without having to steal the tv, and with my space I could totally do that with PS5, Xbox Series S, PC, and Switch but the extra hoops to jump through to make it work...I am just not sold yet on them. Who knows maybe there's a developer out there producing glasses that can use wifi to send the signal like PCVR Airplay on Quest 2. Here is to the future.
I had these for a time. They were great; I used them with my Steam Deck and my Samsung Galaxy Fold 4. They were brilliant with Samsung DEX. I didn't use the Nreal software very much, I mainly used the HDMI input. However, like VR headsets, they began making me nauseous after about an hour of use. I already have a Quest 2 headset and whilst the Nreal were more versatile in what I could connect them too and had a better image quality, I ended up keeping the Quest because I would have the option of VR. Ideally I would have kept both, but I couldn't justify it.
I bought a pair of these to take when i travel and use as a second monitor. It's way easier than taking an actual portable monitor. As a bonus it works with my Win 3 and Win Max 2 and makes for a great experience to play while laying in a hotel bed. It's a fantastic gaming setup and i haven't found any issues with the music. I've only played games with no spoken dialog, however, but the Tunic soundtrack came through super clear and so did Rogue Legacy 2. Those are just the most recent that I've used it with. I'll try something with dialog next time i use them. But i still recommend them if you have to fly often, they make great in-flight media consumption devices
Great video. I was actually looking into these glasses a few months ago but before buying I like to watch reviews with different use cases. If we could use them for a 3DS style stereoscopic 3D including 2D games (think of Sega 3D Classics Collection or Shantae on the 3DS), this would be awesome! Btw, they still remind me of the Elsa 3D Revelator glasses.
5 months later and I am/was (maybe?) considering these for my current setup. As it is I don't have a lot of space in a new location and these would work around that. While I do have a Steam Deck I was mostly thinking of using these on my PC because of the limited space I have, but I would also need the adaptor. As you said, it would work best with the Steam Deck, but the cable issue mentioned with the Switch wouldn't be a problem for me, and if I use it with my PC then I'll already have the adaptor in that scenario. This review has given me a lot to think about. The main reason I was thinking of getting it, is almost pointless but with my Steam Deck, it would make the most sense. I'm suddenly reminded of the R-Zone gaming devices from the 90's just thinking about taking the Steam Deck and these out in pubic LOL. I may just wait and see, but I do know if I do get them, it will be for the sake of using my Steam Deck and not just for the gaming aspect.
The nreal adapter can be connected to the Genki covert dock (if you have one, I do). Setup would be this...sit by a wall outlet (all throughout my house and close to everywhere I sit. Bed, recliner, patio, etc) and plug in covert dock -> short usbc to usbc cable from covert dock to Switch -> 1ft HDMI to HDMI cable plugged into covert dock and nreal adapter -> plug glasses into nreal adapter. 2 very short cables, adapter, dock, Switch, glasses...done, no cables across the floor. Although I already have the Apple adapter, from years of using iOS devices. I would watch on my iPad 6 mini or iPad Pro because it is usbc. But the iPhone is smaller so it depends where I am and the case that I would use it over the iPads. My recliners have usbc ports in the arms so I could connect it in the way you did so I could use power through the lightning adapter from recliner. Come on Apple, put usbc on the iPhones like the iPads. Edit: got to the peakdo presentation you did. Nice but I will stick with my covert dock idea. Especially since I carry the covert dock as my power brick for my Switch anyway.
I feel like AR glasses would work really great for my use case, but at that price, I feel like I'd rather just continue saving and get a VR headset, because I don't see myself using it outside the home much anyway. Really interested to the prices come down on this technology.
For me personally, I've tried using vr goggles for media consumption quite a few times but it has always been too exhausting for my eyes or my head. Until the tech gets less bulky I think glasses like these are the way to go for media. For vr gaming yeah definitely grab a full headset but if you want to play flat games and watch Netflix, glasses will probably be best.
@@retronymph That makes sense. I want a VR headset primarily for gaming anyway, and if I had to pick only one to go for at first, I would rather focus on saving for that and then decide if something smaller like this would be worth the additional investment, at least that was my train of thought.
I still have my original Oculus Go which is great for what looks like a similar experience for movies and UA-cam etc (if you just want it for video basically), and a lot cheaper these days second hand etc
iPhone users, you might be better off just getting a cheap android phone to travel with. The experience of walking around with the iPhone dongle is not fun. I’ve really enjoyed using this with the Steam Deck and Samsung S10+ during travel. I don’t use them much at home, but they are great if you fly a lot.
@@orenmontgomery8250 better yet, just let people use whatever phone they like. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, realistically their not that different
@@Kosecant repeating the same decade old statement eh? Android as an OS has caught up and now even has all the benefits iOS provides. Android is the better system for gaming too as Snapdragon phones have better GPUs and you can freely run emulators on Android. You can even play most iOS games not available in Android like Fez and Hyper Light Drifter and Samurai Jack etc using Skyline, the Nintendo Switch emulator on Android. Suck it up, iOS OBJECTIVELY has no more points for it anymore. Android is objectively better in every single way now.
@@Arkhalizard all you mention is gaming stuff which makes perfect sense why you would prefer Android. I communicate my entire family on iMessage and FaceTime and have all my passwords saved on iCloud. I’m never leaving the Apple ecosystem and will just game on my retroid if I need emulation Honestly I’m buying the Apple AR glasses whenever those launch so I’m not in the market for this device anyway.
I love your reviews and I was hoping you did get to review this before doing an impulse buy. Definitely will think of this on my next long trip but I don't see much use in my home since I'm saving for a 80 inch 4k tv
I just bought a pair last week while in Japan (shout out Yodobashi Camera Aki). I love them and think they are a really fun TOY. By TOY I mean they are for fun and like Russ said in the video for very specific things like media consumption if you have a USBc device and yada yada which i do. BUT I also bought them in Japan. They were 46,000 yen. This 345 USD but we also get tax free wich is 10% off. So in the end I got them for around 300 and at that price I thought they were justified for something fun to play with.
Regarding the 16:9 which gives us the full virtual screen 130" of the Air Glasses ... STEAM DECK has 16:10 aspect ratio screen so...that means that games Will not get the 130" of the Air Glasses screen??? Will appear the black bars at the top and the button of the virtual screen? Maybe, if in game settings you select 16:9...Will Fix It to get the 130"??? Could any Steam deck Owner check and confirm this please?? Thank you
I have the XREAL AIR 2 Pro combo pack on order. It will ship at the end of November 2023, about three weeks away. However I am checking in with Amazon daily…if I see it available before then, I’ll simply cancel the first order and go with the one from Amazon IF it will ship more quickly. The pro version has that electric optical dimming feature where the actual glass will switch between three levels of darkness from what I’ve seen. I want that feature because it’s just a bit less weird looking if I use it in public (e.g. on a plane, train etc.). My use cases are two. The first is to plug it into my laptop and pull up a three screen windows desktop which will support my daily PC based workflows. The second use case is to pull up the 330 inch screen and run DCS (a very realistic aircraft simulator), also using a small head tracking unit also attached to the laptop. I should be able to fly an F14, F15, F22 etc. and be able to look up, down at my instruments, side to side and even look back through the canopy on both rear facing sides of the airplane while flying. If that use case alone prevails it will be absolutely worth it. And most likely, breathtaking in terms of realism. Fingers crossed for the best, and willing to return it if the unit just doesn’t measure up to what I need from either use case.
How the heck did they think it was a good idea not to include a separate USB C port to power that adapter? For that price it's silly to only have battery power.
Thanks for the great review. One piece of constructive criticism: when you compared the two different glasses, you said “the other ones” a lot and that’s a little hard to track. It would’ve been nice if you referred to them by name instead (eg, “the Nreals”).
PeakDo wireless HDMI is pretty easy to setup. Ideally, you don't want to plug it directly into the back of your console. Best configuration is to run an HDMI cable from the console to the PeakDo transmitter and also use an articulating HDMI dongle+coupler. This gives you the flexibility to place the transmitter in the best position to face the receiver. For receiver placement, tripods are clunky and take up too much space. Ideally, you want the receiver close to your recliner or whereever you are sitting. Depending on your setup, you can get a SmallRig or even goPro mount with Shredlights action clip. The transmitter has the proper mounting hole for these. If you've updated your Airs and PeakDo, you should be able to just plug straight into USBCDP out on the PeakDo transmitter and not have to use the Xreal HDMI adapter.
I am pre ordering Rokid Max wish me luck the screen is going to be so much bigger you will want this as your TV just don't replace it because you will need to have an Air Casting TV for the wireless display if you want video games.
But if you are an avid Steam Deck user but have to limit play due to neck issues then having an nreal air should help with posture and allow for longer play time.
Please don't waste money for that official USB-C to HDMI adapter. You can get a USB-C to HDMI cable for $10-$15. I think that I paid a 2 meters one maybe $20 but I think that it was cheaper.
A little time should have been spent on Dex mode and using it as a portable mini laptop with you Samsung phone. Or even with your steam deck in desktop mode. That’s huge for business travelers and those at universities in lecture halls. There’s also a new 3D mode which is gimmicky but cool
I think the best use case would be for those who are looking for a large picture but don't have the space for it. Think someone renting a small room in a flatshare. I'm considering it for sim racing in a small room.
I haven't watched the video yet, but in case you haven't realized it yet, your mini classics or anything 720p or lower will work with nreal if you have the mclassic adapter.
If I have Myopia can I use this without my prescription glasses as the screen is just inches from my eyes? Are the prescription inserts just for Presbyopia?
3D PC Games using VORPX or other 3D solutions and a 3rd party adapter are amazing. Been enjoying Rocket League, Cyberpunk and Arkham City in 3D…. Note 3rd party adapters to date do not send audio to glasses.
So it's more or less a huge external monitor that takes up space of a soda can? I wonder if the Backbone One USB C passthrough would work. Seems like I'd be good for gaming.
Bluetooth earbuds (any you already own) work with anything that uses Bluetooth, so, anything that would use this handheld (I can see how some HDMI sources don't think to include Bluetooth connectivity)
So in your opinion which XR glasses do you prefer? The TCL or the Xreal? And do you think 3d printing a blackout cover for the TCL would help with the image quality?
So it's best (for now, at least) for movie watching & gaming with resting hands, but still lays down a sort of groundwork for movie & XR (VR, AR, & other kinds) glasses?
Fun fact, iPhone thunderbolt fits both ways, so you can literally plug in the adapter the other way so when your phone is laying down face up the lights on the adapter are face down. Problem solved. Also, you can just use a magsafe charger to charge your phone, so you don't need to use the hdmi cable to allow you to access the power source on the adapter.
The AR mode is gimmicky, but super cool none the less. That would have been a compelling re-imagination of google cardboard that I think would have really caught on. It might yet have a future in light duty enterprise XR.
Would you say it’s possible doing the dishes, laundry, vacuuming etc. while watching UA-cam videos with this? So content that does not need to have perfect picture quality, while still being able to interact with your surroundings?
This is something I had not really thought of a lot of youtube videos you don't need to have perfect picture but are annoying to hear but not see while your wandering around
The audio is fine for me… When I watch movies I can turn them low enough so that no one else around me can even tell I’m listening to something. When no one is around yes I crank it up a notch and you can tell anyone can hear them around u
![XREAL One - INSANE 200" AR Glasses... Should You Buy? [2025]](/img/n.gif)
Portability and overall function, these look amazing. I wasn't expecting this kind of tech on the regular market for a few more years, but the future is now, I guess.
I'm really looking forward to the v2 of these with the minor tweaks and improvements to make them more comfortable and look better.
My thoughts exactly, I'll wait for version 2, right now a bit sketchy to buy it.
Exactly how I feel. I'll wait a generation or maybe even 2 for the tech to get better but I'll definitely be interested in V2 or like a V2 Pro or something
ik im on the fence about them for my steam deck, but dont know how long itll be till a v2 is made
@Carl Gunderson These are actually closer to AR than you might think. The hardest part in AR are the optics, everything else is quite simple, if maybe a little power hungry.
Technically this is v2 since the Nreal’s “Light” model came out a few years ago in Asia and then released through Verizon like a year or two ago.
Fun Fact: When using with the Steam Deck, the screen turns off, and the two screens in the glasses likely use LESS energy than the Deck uses to power its own screen; you might get longer playtime with the glasses than if you weren't using them at all! :D
There are a few adapters that let you charge while connected to the glasses
@@LazyTeeRex from what ive seen those adapters are like 70$, too expensive for me
@@nope-p3t so the anti glare screen dosnt do much for the steam deck?
@@TianLong72k get the cheapest deck and buy a 1tb sd.
@@TianLong72k nreals are around 379$…70$ more don’t really is “much” more
I don't play the Steam Deck these days without those glasses and my work commute wouldn't be the same. I use an old Samsung Galaxy s20 and load them with videos. Game changers for me. I have a cruise in two weeks and I'm definitely taking them with me.
How's the video quality in these? How bad it is? :) I'm afraid that using steam deck is more better to see the game world, that in those glasses you can miss the surroundings.
@@BlobBlobkins The video quality is literally a 1080p OLED screen in your face. The screen is very bright, the colors pop and are just as vibrant as you'd find on an OLED, blacks are deep as well. The image quality is better than you'd find on the Steam Deck. I love the Steam Deck but I was never a fan of the screen on it. The whole goal of using that Vibrant Deck app with Decky is to achieve what these glasses do to fix the terrible color reproduction on the Steam Decks display.
FYI: If you're using the Nreal adapter, you can adjust the volume on the glasses by using the brightness buttons. Press and hold the power button to switch between brightness and volume.
Wish you could adjust the volume without the adapter
@@brandon_nope Agreed. Hopefully, they'll add that feature to a future firmware update. They recently just released an update that enables SBS 3D (hold down brightness + button), and Nebula for Windows is scheduled to be release in a few months, so it's nice to know they're still adding features.
@@Shadouian Thanks for the update info. I tried to watch one of my 3D movies using MX player and it didn't switch over correctly. The movie is SBS but now it looks like they just overlapped the video together so it's not 3D at this time. Not sure if I'm doing this right but I will test it out some more.
Happy late birthday and great video as always man! I appreciate how honest and in-depth your reviews are. It really does give the viewers a thorough understandin of it.
I don't even know what these are but I always look forward to your thorough and in depth reviews. Cheers lad
I have found the best method for me is using an android phone like a Galaxy S20, connected to Switch Joycons. You can tuck the phone in your front geek pocket and play Moonlight/Steam Link/any controller supported game discreetly (barring big honkin' glasses with a cable coming out, but a hoodie takes care of aesthetics, and you can tuck your hands in the hoodie to hide the controllers) Game in ultra mode while waiting in line for anything, without distracting others.
Cheers Russ, nice to be kept in the loop with this tech.
hearing this channel's intro just makes me think of soming home after a long holiday. like I've come home.
thank you!! i can’t stand people saying it’s like a 150 ft screen, it’s so misleading. i tell people it’s like being 5-7 feet from a 1080p 75 inch tv.
Thanks for being brave enough to review a product that's near impossible to review lol. The challenge with these products is that they're creating an experience that doesn't translate to review media, and so consumers have to basically imagine what the reviewer is talking about, other than the form, fit, connectivity of the device. I like the blackout "sunglasses" and integrated speakers. Hopefully this gets integration with look around inputs for FPS, like how original Quake had the ability to look around independent of movement - it would be great if they could do independent 6DoF head tracking for the camera, but it must not affect aim to the extent that it does in original Quake. I also hope that they produce these with a broad spectrum of diopter and PD adjustments, because the lack really kneecaps a lot of the other AR/3D glasses products.
Russ - awesome job! I use the Odin Base with the glasses. The Odin has the video over USB, shuts off the screen, has a microSD to store offline videos, a headphone jack to handle the audio. I ended up with the same conclusion - only video viewing and not gaming.
Thanks for the honest review. You trully are an unicorn amongs tech reviewers.
Just got these the other day, and I'm having a blast! These glasses are easily best used with a compatible samsung phone. samsung dex let's you have the desktop experience with your phone being the mouse and your apps being programs.
Sooo, I made the desktop background transparent to give a true AR experience!
With that change, here are a few more real world uses:
Walking directions - the windows in samsung dex are moveable/resizeable, so you can put that window in the corner of the screen, and boom, AR walking directions(driving too, but that might just get you hurt...) For extra fun, Google maps has a new feature called 'live view' that let's you use your phones camera to make a HUD experience with huge navigation arrows overlayed on real world like playing need for speed! You put your phone in a front shirt pocket or on your bikes handle bars, and you're living in the future.
Real-time language translator - Google translate lets you use an auto translator that will playback the translation like subtitles in a foreign film in real time! Put that window somewhere on screen(AR) and you have a way of casually understanding at least 20 languages. Since the glasses have speakers, turn them up, speak, and have your words played back out loud in whatever language you choose without having to look away.
Picture-in-picture(kinda) - not for AR purposes, but still cool. while using ps remote play or steam link, go ahead and open up any other streaming apps, size one small, and pin it to the top of the screen. Boom, picture in picture! The opacity of the pinned window can also be adjusted. Now you can still watch the game and play video games without turning the TV on.
I'll find more uses, but these 3 are pretty kick ass. I don't work for nreal, just a nerd for new tech!😁
I have an Pixel 7, I wonder if I need the adapter?
BEST DETAIL REVIEW EVER!!! OVER ALL
Even though it takes some tweaking for the Nreals to work reliably (including a splitter/HDMI adapter out to charge while playing) i love these things. Its a personal movie theatre for me.
Man wish it had bone conducting speakers on this one. It would have helped a lot with the volume for the user and also would make it quieter for everyone else.
Regarding the audio review of the device: For such a niche product, they should have looked at bone conduction for audio tbh. The glasses are already pressing into the sides of your head so I think that already helps conductivity too
Wouldn’t that make the screen blurry? At that size I imagine it would be like trying to record a video with a 20x zoom. The slightest movement gets amplified.
You know who should invest in this?
Airline companies. Specifically, the long flights
If they bought a shit ton of these, and made people rent em or give em in the higher tiers, I think it'd be really popular (they'd have to get those who use them agree to have some earphones when using it tho)
These glasses are great. Love them when using my steam deck.
These are awesome... I played Manhunt 2 in the backseat on a vacation using the ppsspp app in 3d mode in my Oculus Quest 2 and it was one of the best gaming experiences I've had. Now I have a simple way to do that.
can it help to read texts in games? On steam deck rpg's texts are really small and my eyes hurt.
@RetroGameCorps Great review video bro thanks I just wanted to let you know I’ve had my Nreal air AR glasses for a few months now and I love mine I use them on my Odin pro my rog phone 3 two iPhones a x and a SE 3rd gen and my laptop and my steam deck but hate I can’t charge my steam deck while playing with the glasses but still there’s something very cool I figured out about them that most/no one I’ve seen has said about it but I hope it helps you guys that have them 🤘🏼 there is a rocker button on the right side that changes the brightness up and down and also a button in front of them that turns the screens display off/on but what I’ve learned is if you hold the display on/off button for three seconds it changes the brightness buttons into volume buttons the just hold the display on/off button to change them back to brightness control I have watched a lot of videos on these glasses before and after I’ve got them but no one tells you they can do this so I hope you can share with your viewers thanks again🙌🏼🤘🏼💯
Very good and detailed video review. Thank you! My glasses is on the way :)
Good review one quick comment during the comparison section you kept saying 'this one' and then 'on the other one' which was confusing if you're not 100% paying attention to the video, just listening or glancing at the screen. Plus they look pretty similar! For future comparisons I would ensure you keep using the name of the product. Cheers!
When you say it’s like having a massive screen up close to your eyes, do you get any eye strain at all?
Not for me personally
I use my Nreals most days and don't have the same audio problems you described. For others who may be concerned about this issue, I often put my 5 and 2 year old to be while wearing them to watch the end of NBA games. I haven't disturbed them or had issues with clarity and am often impressed when I take them off and they are so much quieter that I perceive them when they are on
Agreed. I have the Airs too and I have no idea what the reviewer was talking about regarding the audio. Very different experience. I sit on the couch using mine next to other people and they say they barely hear it if at all. Also the sound is decent. Not Bose good, but clear. Especially for speech in movies/videos.
I do often prefer to use my noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones though, because other people are noisy lol (and it's more immersive).
@Uge Plex yea I agree the audio is perfectly fine but headphones will always be a better listening experience. I do either depending on the situation. It's always others that are too noisy for me, not the other way around
Your comprehensive walkthrough made me hestitate to jump on these glasses. I would love to play my home console without having to steal the tv, and with my space I could totally do that with PS5, Xbox Series S, PC, and Switch but the extra hoops to jump through to make it work...I am just not sold yet on them. Who knows maybe there's a developer out there producing glasses that can use wifi to send the signal like PCVR Airplay on Quest 2. Here is to the future.
NReal air +, Samsung Dex +Retroarch + 8 bit duo controller is awesome combo.
I had these for a time. They were great; I used them with my Steam Deck and my Samsung Galaxy Fold 4. They were brilliant with Samsung DEX. I didn't use the Nreal software very much, I mainly used the HDMI input. However, like VR headsets, they began making me nauseous after about an hour of use. I already have a Quest 2 headset and whilst the Nreal were more versatile in what I could connect them too and had a better image quality, I ended up keeping the Quest because I would have the option of VR. Ideally I would have kept both, but I couldn't justify it.
I am getting motion sickness with Quest 2. So better avoid the Nreal I guess ?
Oh absolutely. Instead of getting the HDMI Adapters for 100+$, you can get a Samsung Phone with much better capabilities for the same price.
I bought a pair of these to take when i travel and use as a second monitor. It's way easier than taking an actual portable monitor. As a bonus it works with my Win 3 and Win Max 2 and makes for a great experience to play while laying in a hotel bed. It's a fantastic gaming setup and i haven't found any issues with the music. I've only played games with no spoken dialog, however, but the Tunic soundtrack came through super clear and so did Rogue Legacy 2. Those are just the most recent that I've used it with. I'll try something with dialog next time i use them. But i still recommend them if you have to fly often, they make great in-flight media consumption devices
can it help to read texts in games? On steam deck rpg's texts are really small and my eyes hurt.
Great video. I was actually looking into these glasses a few months ago but before buying I like to watch reviews with different use cases. If we could use them for a 3DS style stereoscopic 3D including 2D games (think of Sega 3D Classics Collection or Shantae on the 3DS), this would be awesome!
Btw, they still remind me of the Elsa 3D Revelator glasses.
New camera position is great!
5 months later and I am/was (maybe?) considering these for my current setup. As it is I don't have a lot of space in a new location and these would work around that. While I do have a Steam Deck I was mostly thinking of using these on my PC because of the limited space I have, but I would also need the adaptor. As you said, it would work best with the Steam Deck, but the cable issue mentioned with the Switch wouldn't be a problem for me, and if I use it with my PC then I'll already have the adaptor in that scenario.
This review has given me a lot to think about. The main reason I was thinking of getting it, is almost pointless but with my Steam Deck, it would make the most sense. I'm suddenly reminded of the R-Zone gaming devices from the 90's just thinking about taking the Steam Deck and these out in pubic LOL.
I may just wait and see, but I do know if I do get them, it will be for the sake of using my Steam Deck and not just for the gaming aspect.
The nreal adapter can be connected to the Genki covert dock (if you have one, I do). Setup would be this...sit by a wall outlet (all throughout my house and close to everywhere I sit. Bed, recliner, patio, etc) and plug in covert dock -> short usbc to usbc cable from covert dock to Switch -> 1ft HDMI to HDMI cable plugged into covert dock and nreal adapter -> plug glasses into nreal adapter. 2 very short cables, adapter, dock, Switch, glasses...done, no cables across the floor.
Although I already have the Apple adapter, from years of using iOS devices. I would watch on my iPad 6 mini or iPad Pro because it is usbc. But the iPhone is smaller so it depends where I am and the case that I would use it over the iPads. My recliners have usbc ports in the arms so I could connect it in the way you did so I could use power through the lightning adapter from recliner. Come on Apple, put usbc on the iPhones like the iPads.
Edit: got to the peakdo presentation you did. Nice but I will stick with my covert dock idea. Especially since I carry the covert dock as my power brick for my Switch anyway.
TIL Russ has the same AirPods case as me and it made my day!
I feel like AR glasses would work really great for my use case, but at that price, I feel like I'd rather just continue saving and get a VR headset, because I don't see myself using it outside the home much anyway. Really interested to the prices come down on this technology.
For me personally, I've tried using vr goggles for media consumption quite a few times but it has always been too exhausting for my eyes or my head. Until the tech gets less bulky I think glasses like these are the way to go for media. For vr gaming yeah definitely grab a full headset but if you want to play flat games and watch Netflix, glasses will probably be best.
@@retronymph That makes sense. I want a VR headset primarily for gaming anyway, and if I had to pick only one to go for at first, I would rather focus on saving for that and then decide if something smaller like this would be worth the additional investment, at least that was my train of thought.
can't wait to see where this market goes. very interesting
Love the VR content ✨
That's exactly what i wanted to hear
Great review thank you.
I still have my original Oculus Go which is great for what looks like a similar experience for movies and UA-cam etc (if you just want it for video basically), and a lot cheaper these days second hand etc
iPhone users, you might be better off just getting a cheap android phone to travel with. The experience of walking around with the iPhone dongle is not fun. I’ve really enjoyed using this with the Steam Deck and Samsung S10+ during travel. I don’t use them much at home, but they are great if you fly a lot.
Better yet, make it your main phone.
@@orenmontgomery8250 better yet, just let people use whatever phone they like. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, realistically their not that different
@@Kosecant you just said they are not that different
@@Kosecant repeating the same decade old statement eh? Android as an OS has caught up and now even has all the benefits iOS provides. Android is the better system for gaming too as Snapdragon phones have better GPUs and you can freely run emulators on Android. You can even play most iOS games not available in Android like Fez and Hyper Light Drifter and Samurai Jack etc using Skyline, the Nintendo Switch emulator on Android.
Suck it up, iOS OBJECTIVELY has no more points for it anymore. Android is objectively better in every single way now.
@@Arkhalizard all you mention is gaming stuff which makes perfect sense why you would prefer Android. I communicate my entire family on iMessage and FaceTime and have all my passwords saved on iCloud. I’m never leaving the Apple ecosystem and will just game on my retroid if I need emulation
Honestly I’m buying the Apple AR glasses whenever those launch so I’m not in the market for this device anyway.
I love your reviews and I was hoping you did get to review this before doing an impulse buy. Definitely will think of this on my next long trip but I don't see much use in my home since I'm saving for a 80 inch 4k tv
Always the best, thank you 👊🏻👽
My previous comment was deleted, so let me keep it short. The PeakDo wireless adapter is life changing with the nreals!
I just bought a pair last week while in Japan (shout out Yodobashi Camera Aki). I love them and think they are a really fun TOY. By TOY I mean they are for fun and like Russ said in the video for very specific things like media consumption if you have a USBc device and yada yada which i do. BUT I also bought them in Japan. They were 46,000 yen. This 345 USD but we also get tax free wich is 10% off. So in the end I got them for around 300 and at that price I thought they were justified for something fun to play with.
Great review bruh.
Maybe the only honest review of this product.
I have a pair nreal air. They are great! The new rokid max also look pretty good.
You should check out the Viture One XR Glasses to do a review and comparison between the two.
Regarding the 16:9 which gives us the full virtual screen 130" of the Air Glasses ...
STEAM DECK has 16:10 aspect ratio screen so...that means that games Will not get the 130" of the Air Glasses screen??? Will appear the black bars at the top and the button of the virtual screen?
Maybe, if in game settings you select 16:9...Will Fix It to get the 130"???
Could any Steam deck Owner check and confirm this please??
Thank you
I have the XREAL AIR 2 Pro combo pack on order. It will ship at the end of November 2023, about three weeks away. However I am checking in with Amazon daily…if I see it available before then, I’ll simply cancel the first order and go with the one from Amazon IF it will ship more quickly. The pro version has that electric optical dimming feature where the actual glass will switch between three levels of darkness from what I’ve seen. I want that feature because it’s just a bit less weird looking if I use it in public (e.g. on a plane, train etc.).
My use cases are two. The first is to plug it into my laptop and pull up a three screen windows desktop which will support my daily PC based workflows. The second use case is to pull up the 330 inch screen and run DCS (a very realistic aircraft simulator), also using a small head tracking unit also attached to the laptop. I should be able to fly an F14, F15, F22 etc. and be able to look up, down at my instruments, side to side and even look back through the canopy on both rear facing sides of the airplane while flying. If that use case alone prevails it will be absolutely worth it. And most likely, breathtaking in terms of realism.
Fingers crossed for the best, and willing to return it if the unit just doesn’t measure up to what I need from either use case.
Now you have to try the new Rokid max and compare them to the Nreal air
How the heck did they think it was a good idea not to include a separate USB C port to power that adapter? For that price it's silly to only have battery power.
Thanks for the great review. One piece of constructive criticism: when you compared the two different glasses, you said “the other ones” a lot and that’s a little hard to track. It would’ve been nice if you referred to them by name instead (eg, “the Nreals”).
PeakDo wireless HDMI is pretty easy to setup. Ideally, you don't want to plug it directly into the back of your console. Best configuration is to run an HDMI cable from the console to the PeakDo transmitter and also use an articulating HDMI dongle+coupler. This gives you the flexibility to place the transmitter in the best position to face the receiver.
For receiver placement, tripods are clunky and take up too much space. Ideally, you want the receiver close to your recliner or whereever you are sitting. Depending on your setup, you can get a SmallRig or even goPro mount with Shredlights action clip. The transmitter has the proper mounting hole for these.
If you've updated your Airs and PeakDo, you should be able to just plug straight into USBCDP out on the PeakDo transmitter and not have to use the Xreal HDMI adapter.
Why manufacturer don't add bone conduction audio support? It looks like a perfect solution for me. 🤔
When you where on the bed... I definitely laughed. I wouldn't but these for that use case.
I am pre ordering Rokid Max wish me luck the screen is going to be so much bigger you will want this as your TV just don't replace it because you will need to have an Air Casting TV for the wireless display if you want video games.
Damnit... have a steam deck, an ipad and an urge to play steam deck/watch youtube laying in bed on my back, must fight the laziness!
Great review! - What's their latency?
It's a direct hdmi/displayport connection so the same as a standard monitor. Usually around 6-12ms.
Good to know - thanks!
But if you are an avid Steam Deck user but have to limit play due to neck issues then having an nreal air should help with posture and allow for longer play time.
Please don't waste money for that official USB-C to HDMI adapter. You can get a USB-C to HDMI cable for $10-$15. I think that I paid a 2 meters one maybe $20 but I think that it was cheaper.
You cant power the glasses with just hdmi to usb c so thats not a thing
I as deaf person already got this. I am fking happy. I don't need to wait for better audio, lol
A little time should have been spent on Dex mode and using it as a portable mini laptop with you Samsung phone. Or even with your steam deck in desktop mode. That’s huge for business travelers and those at universities in lecture halls. There’s also a new 3D mode which is gimmicky but cool
Looking good, Russ 😅
I think the best use case would be for those who are looking for a large picture but don't have the space for it. Think someone renting a small room in a flatshare.
I'm considering it for sim racing in a small room.
I haven't watched the video yet, but in case you haven't realized it yet, your mini classics or anything 720p or lower will work with nreal if you have the mclassic adapter.
That is an awesome tip. I have the mClassic and now will make use of it for this :)
Gotta love this down to earth no BS point of view.
Does anyone know if you can use Bluetooth headphones or earbuds with the device? Maybe russ mentions it but I didn’t hear it.
Yes
If I have Myopia can I use this without my prescription glasses as the screen is just inches from my eyes? Are the prescription inserts just for Presbyopia?
Mine constantly disconnect from the steam deck for no reason, strange it seems alot of people are having same issue but no information why?
Can these be connected directly to a Blu-ray player? Would love to know if they then work correctly with stereoscopic 3d movies.
If you get the HDMI adapter yea
@@brandon_nope Had a reply from the official website who said it doesn’t work. Probably best to try it first before giving incorrect information.
thanks for being honest
is this a good option for a Retroid Pocket 3+ ?
Sure, but it’ll need the Nreal Adapter since the video out is only via HDMI, not the USB port.
3D PC Games using VORPX or other 3D solutions and a 3rd party adapter are amazing. Been enjoying Rocket League, Cyberpunk and Arkham City in 3D…. Note 3rd party adapters to date do not send audio to glasses.
If the bose audio sunglass team made a fusion with these, they'd be amazing
So it's more or less a huge external monitor that takes up space of a soda can?
I wonder if the Backbone One USB C passthrough would work. Seems like I'd be good for gaming.
Unfortunately the Backbone controller's passthrough will not supply a video signal.
They should have an earbud on each arm to use for audio! Connected via a really short wire so its not going to get lost or need charge of it's own
Bluetooth earbuds (any you already own) work with anything that uses Bluetooth, so, anything that would use this handheld
(I can see how some HDMI sources don't think to include Bluetooth connectivity)
How is the input lag on these? I'm contemplating on picking up a pair but if the input lag is bad then I will just pass.
I think I'd love to have all these things, even if the combined effort is still something to work with.
Wondering how these compare to the Viture. Maybe a shootout of the 4 top models across companies.
Appreciate it mang
How's the latency when using them with the steam deck
Speaking of phones, when you review a hand held, could you put it next to a phone for size comparison??
I think you should keep the cover on it the whole time and put googly eyes on them
So in your opinion which XR glasses do you prefer? The TCL or the Xreal? And do you think 3d printing a blackout cover for the TCL would help with the image quality?
So it's best (for now, at least) for movie watching & gaming with resting hands, but still lays down a sort of groundwork for movie & XR (VR, AR, & other kinds) glasses?
Fun fact, iPhone thunderbolt fits both ways, so you can literally plug in the adapter the other way so when your phone is laying down face up the lights on the adapter are face down. Problem solved. Also, you can just use a magsafe charger to charge your phone, so you don't need to use the hdmi cable to allow you to access the power source on the adapter.
heey, are you still using these or have u stopped completely?
Great video 👍🏼
I wanted to ask are you getting another handheld PC ?
Signs point to yes 😂
You can resolve the bright LEDs on the adapter by sticking a Light Dim sticker on it. I've been buying them for years to dim distracting LEDs.
The AR mode is gimmicky, but super cool none the less. That would have been a compelling re-imagination of google cardboard that I think would have really caught on. It might yet have a future in light duty enterprise XR.
@@Carl_Gunderson you can use the app to put screens in the room and they'll stay in the same spot in the room as you look around.
Would you say it’s possible doing the dishes, laundry, vacuuming etc. while watching UA-cam videos with this?
So content that does not need to have perfect picture quality, while still being able to interact with your surroundings?
Definitely possible if you don’t put the blackout cover on the lenses. With the blackout covers it will be a little awkward.
@@RetroGameCorps thanks a lot for your reply :)
this makes the glasses much more interesting to me
This is something I had not really thought of a lot of youtube videos you don't need to have perfect picture but are annoying to hear but not see while your wandering around
The audio is fine for me… When I watch movies I can turn them low enough so that no one else around me can even tell I’m listening to something. When no one is around yes I crank it up a notch and you can tell anyone can hear them around u
Can I watch streams like ESPN, Netflix and UA-cam TV via my iPad with good results?
Best review
screen response time?
Can you try the Viture glasses next? The blue ones ❤
You’re not the only one complaining about blurry text. Cas & Chary did a comparison to Rokid Max, and the Rokid had sharper text.