SCORE
PRICE
£374 (£449 inc VAT)
from amazon.co.uk
X
real’s long-running family of augmented reality (AR) glasses has recently been joined by two new models, the Xreal One and the One Pro. They’re quite similar, so we’ll focus– if you’ll pardon the expression – on the Xreal One, which costs £100 less than the Pro model.
The price is still £159 more than the mixed-reality Meta Quest 3S (see issue 363, p64), but this is a different type of headset. Unlike Meta’s offering, the Xreal One isn’t a standalone unit, but rather an add-on display for any device that supports HDMI or DisplayPort over USB Type-C.
Like most AR spectacles, the One looks like a pair of oversized sunglasses, with thick frames and side arms. The frame holds dual Sony micro-LED displays with an effective pixel density of 3,320ppi, firing down onto a triangular birdbath lens to create a 1080p screen with an expansive 32:9 aspect ratio. The arms of the One include Bose-branded open-air speakers, and the left one features the USB-C port, which connects to your host device via a supplied cable. A red “X” button on the underside of the right arm brings up the main menu, where you can adjust the screen size, distance, brightness enhancement, colour temperature, interpupillary distance and more. A rocker switch adjusts the brightness of the display, or navigates up and down in the menu system, and a customisable black button on top of the right arm can be set to your preferred function.