The XReal One AR glasses stand out in the ever-changing world of augmented reality (AR) technology because they combine the latest features with ease of use. These glasses cost $499 and promise a portable, high-quality virtual display experience thanks to XReal’s own X1 spatial computing chip. It’s clear that the XReal One is a big step forward for AR fans, gamers, and people who want to be more productive after looking at user reviews, expert reviews, and hands-on testing. But is it worth the money? Let’s get into it.
Design and Comfort: Smooth but Heavy
The XReal One has a sleek, matte black design that makes it look more like regular sunglasses than older AR models that were bigger. But the micro-OLED screens built into the lenses make them look noticeably thicker. The One is a little heavier than the XReal Air 2, but it’s still comfortable to wear for a long time because it has flexible temple adjustments and three sizes of interchangeable “Air Cushion” nose pads.
One big improvement is the addition of electrochromic dimming, which lets you choose from three levels of lens tinting to find the right balance between immersion and awareness of your surroundings. The XReal One’s dimming is smooth and can be turned on and off with a customizable “Quick Button” on the right temple. This is different from competitors like the Rokid Max 2, which use clunky physical blackout shields. This feature makes the glasses more useful for people who are always on the go because they don’t need any extra accessories.
But people who need prescription lenses will have a small problem. The Viture Pro has built-in diopter adjustments, but the XReal One does not. Users have to order custom prescription inserts from companies like Hons VR, which start at about $50. This makes things more expensive and complicated, especially for people who travel a lot and switch between glasses and contacts.
Display and Performance: A Virtual Monitor That Stands Out
The XReal One‘s micro-OLED projectors make a 1080p image for each eye, making it look like a 147-inch virtual screen with a 50-degree field of view (FOV) and 600 nits of brightness. The display isn’t the brightest (the Viture Pro has 1,000 nits), but it’s sharp, colorful, and lively, which makes it great for movies, games, and work. The X1 chip lets you track three degrees of freedom (3DoF) natively. This means that the virtual screen can either “anchor” in a fixed position or “follow” your head movements. You don’t need any extra apps or setup for this feature to work.
The One has a slightly wider FOV and clearer edges than the XReal Air 2, which makes the edges less blurry than they were in earlier models. The X1 chip also reduces lag and makes images more stable, so the virtual screen stays put even when you move it. People say that this makes the XReal One feel like a real monitor replacement, whether you’re coding, playing games on a Steam Deck, or watching Netflix on a plane.
The 1080p resolution and 50-degree FOV, on the other hand, aren’t as good as the Apple Vision Pro or even the XReal One Pro’s 57-degree FOV. Some users may find this limiting if they want a more immersive experience, but the trade-off is a lower price.
Audio: Sound that Stands Out with Bose Power
The Bose-tuned open-air speakers built into the temples are one of the XReal One’s best features. These AR glasses have surprisingly good bass and clear, balanced sound. You can watch movies and play games without headphones with them. The speakers are better than most of the competition, like the Viture Pro, which often needs extra audio accessories. However, they can’t match the immersion of noise-canceling earbuds. There may still be some noise from outside, but the sound quality is a big improvement for the category.
Connection and Compatibility: Just plug it in and go
The XReal One only needs one USB-C cable to connect to devices that support DisplayPort output. This includes most modern smartphones (iPhone 15 and later, Android), laptops, and gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck. You need a third-party HDMI-to-USB-C adapter for consoles like the Nintendo Switch or PS5 because XReal’s own adapter doesn’t work. Setting it up is easy: just plug it in, and the virtual display will show up in a few seconds. There are buttons on the device that let you change the screen size, distance, and brightness.
When you pair it with the optional XReal Beam Pro ($199), you can do things like spatial photo capture and set up multiple monitors to boost your productivity. The Beam Pro isn’t necessary, but it goes well with the glasses, especially for Samsung users who use DeX to create a simple workstation.
Examples of Use: Useful but not for everyone
The XReal One is great in a lot of different situations:
• Playing games: Playing games like Super Mario Odyssey on a virtual 147-inch screen is very immersive, especially on portable devices like the Steam Deck. The 120Hz refresh rate makes sure that the pictures are smooth.
• Entertainment: It’s easy to watch movies or YouTube on a plane with the virtual screen, which is portable and private.
• Productivity: The glasses give coders or people who work from home a big, private space to work. Users say they can do things like pentesting and working with spreadsheets, but the lack of 6DoF makes it hard to set up more than one monitor without the Beam Pro.
Things to think about and problems
The XReal One has some good points, but it’s not perfect. Compared to other products with similar features, like the Viture Pro, which costs less, the $499 price is high. People who wear glasses might not want to use these because they don’t have built-in diopter adjustments and need prescription inserts. Also, the 3DoF tracking is great, but it’s not as advanced as the 6DoF tracking that comes with the XReal One Pro and the Eye accessory. This could make AR apps less future-proof. Lastly, some users say they have had small problems with the software, but firmware updates have made the colors more accurate and stable.
Who Should Get the XReal One?
The XReal One is great for people who love AR, travel a lot, or need a portable monitor replacement for work. These glasses are a great choice if you care about good display quality, ease of use, and high-quality sound. But if you’re not a serious user or are on a tight budget, the Viture Pro or older XReal models might be enough, especially if you’re worried about prescription lenses. The XReal One Pro ($599–649) has a wider FOV and supports 6DoF, which may make the extra cost worth it. However, the One offers almost the same experience for less.
The verdict: A step toward the future of AR
The XReal One AR glasses live up to their promise of being a portable, high-quality virtual display that doesn’t need a lot of setup. The X1 chip, Bose audio, and electrochromic dimming make these AR glasses the best on the market. They can be used for gaming, entertainment, and work. The price and the trouble with getting prescription lenses are two big problems, but the XReal One is still one of the best AR glasses you can buy in 2025. The XReal One is a good choice if you’re ready to spend money on something that feels like “headphones for your eyes.”
 technology because they combine the latest features.){kind=link}