Although most forms of technology are advancing rapidly, the same cannot be said for augmented and virtual reality glasses. Since the Google Glass concept was first unveiled in 2013, the smart glasses space hasn’t taken off like you might have expected in the past decade. The best versions of this concept are complete headphones that are useless for everyday use, and real smart glasses are very limited.
That’s why, in the decade since the concept of Google Glass, companies have moderated their ambition with smart glasses. The consumer smartglasses available for purchase today don’t attempt to give us an Iron Man helmet-shaped display. Instead, they serve more modest goals, such as playing music or projecting a screen in front of our eyes.
But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The current crop of smart glasses may not be as ambitious as Google Glass, but they cost a lot less, look less gimmicky, and most can do the only thing they promise to do well. Maybe thinking about smart glasses the way we did about the best foldable phones when we first saw them, great ideas with room for improvement, a good way to look at smart glasses.
We at XDA have tried out the latest consumer smart glasses, and here’s our list of the best.
Our favorite smart glasses in 2023
Excel Air
Best smart glasses overall
This program sets this apart from the rest
Xreal just launched Windows support for its Air AR glasses, which create a virtual 130-inch screen that floats in the air. You’ll never want to use the built-in 7-inch screen again.
- Excellent presentation
- The software allows the glasses to output virtual desktops on macOS and Windows
- They look more like regular glasses
- The speakers aren’t as big as the main competitor, the Rocade
- Slightly thinner nose pad
nReal was recently rebranded as XReal, but its flagship product remains the same, which is a good thing. The XRal Air are smart glasses with two micro-OLED screens behind each lens that can project a virtual screen in front of the wearer’s face. Using a technology known as “birdbath optics,” the screens are directed downward and then reflected back into the wearer’s eyes, which greatly relieves eyestrain and also gives the illusion that the screen is further away rather than sitting directly in front of the wearer’s face.
The displayed screen is equivalent to viewing a 205-inch screen from approximately 10 feet away. XReal Air does not have internal storage or any processing unit, so it can only render visuals from a source device, such as a smartphone, Nintendo Switch, or computer. Connection is via the trusty USB-C cable. So yeah, the XReal Air is mostly just a wearable portable monitor without a lot of actual “smart” features. But that’s okay because he’s so good at what he does.
The visuals are in vivid 1080p resolution, and with speakers built into the glass arms, you can connect the Air to your phone and watch NetFlix or YouTube on a giant screen anywhere. But what really sets the XReal Air apart from other premium glasses is the Nebula desktop software. Initially only available for macOS but now available for Windows, Nebula can create a virtual desktop with three separate computer screen states. This means that you can set up a virtual triple display of the screen from one pair of glasses and one laptop.
For digital nomads who do most of their work on laptops in coffee shops, the XReal Air’s appeal is clear. I’ve personally worn the glasses on planes and coffee shops, and turned off the triple screen default, with Chrome on one screen, Slack on the other, and my Twitter feed on the third.
Rocked Max
Best for media consumption
The best speakers and biggest display output yet
$439 $599 Save $160
The Rokid Max is a pair of augmented reality glasses that pump out images equivalent to watching a 215-inch screen from about 20 feet away. It stands out from other augmented reality glasses on the market by having superior amplifiers and adjustable diopters for those with nearsightedness.
- The best speakers of any smart glass
- It can output a screen of 215 inches, which is the largest in the market
- Software can’t do what NReal software can do.
- The price.
The Rokid Max works just like the XReal Air above: It’s a pair of glasses with a pair of MicroOLED screens that inject a virtual floating screen in front of your face. The Max does some things better than the XReal Air, but it also falls short in one key area. Notably, Rokid’s smart glasses can output a larger screen, roughly equivalent to a 215-inch screen viewed from about 10 feet away. It’s actually the largest screen any smart glass can now pump out.
The Max’s speaker system is the best we’ve tested on XDA, producing a fuller sound with stronger bass and higher max volume. These two forces combine to make the Rokid Max the best pair of smart glasses for media consumption. Whether you’re watching a movie, a TikTok video, or even listening to music or a podcast, these glasses produce the most immersive visuals with the best sound.
However, Rokid is not available. It can basically just mirror the screen of whatever your device is displaying. Rokid’s software can’t produce a virtual desktop the way XReal’s Nebula can. This means if you like to do actual productivity work and could benefit from having more than one home screen, the XRal Air is still more capable. But for pure movie watching, these are pretty good. I use it more at home than on my TV or monitor on my desk.
Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses
Best for capturing content
Take photos or videos directly from the glasses
Co-developed by Facebook, Ray-Ban Stories are glasses with cameras that can take photos or videos. The cameras are so well hidden that they almost look like a regular pair of Ray-Bans, which unfortunately also means these glasses can be abused.
- They look almost like regular Ray-Ban sunglasses
- Voice commands can be used for complete hands-free control
- Video quality is on par with an $80 budget phone camera
- It is very discreet and can be abused by reptiles
A joint product developed by Facebook and Ray-Ban, the oddly-named Stories are essentially Ray-Ban sunglasses with a pair of front-facing cameras built into the frame that can take photos and videos. The quality of captured media is relatively mediocre: it’s low-res at 2592 x 1984 pixels and 1184 x 1184 video at 30 frames per second, and the dynamic range and stabilization are worse than any phone’s above $150. But given that these glasses are only slightly bulkier or heavier than regular Ray-Ban sunglasses — to the point where I don’t think most people will be able to tell they aren’t regular sunglasses — it’s pretty impressive that you basically have a wearable camera.
You can use the cameras by pressing a dedicated button on the right glass arm or using voice commands (“Hey Facebook, take a picture”). That’s about it as far as voice commands are concerned. You can’t say, ask for the time or weather information. There are also speakers on the glass arm that pump out flat but usable sound. Media is saved by the glasses’ internal storage (4GB) and can be transferred to smartphones via the companion app (designed by Facebook and requires a Facebook account to log in).
Facebook and Ray-Ban say these glasses are made for people who want to document their daily lives without pulling out a phone all the time, but one of the main concerns many reviewers have is whether these glasses could be misused to photograph people without their consent. Technically, there is a small LED on the glasses that appears when recording video, but it’s so small that most people won’t notice it unless they’re inches away from the glasses.
However, bad actors can abuse any technology, so perhaps the concern is overblown. Ultimately, it’s up to you to practice good manners and common sense with wearable cameras.
Amazon Echo Frames (2nd generation)
The best for sound
Lightweight with open speakers and Alexa support
Amazon’s Echo Frames (2nd generation) have open speakers for easy audio listening, as well as support for Alexa.
- Relatively affordable compared to other glasses on this list
- The speakers pump out powerful bass
- Alexa support
- A little cute looking
- special charging cable
If you just need your smart glass to play audio, Amazon’s second-gen Echo Frames are worth a look. Lightweight (39 grams) and relatively low in price (at least compared to other glasses on this list), these sunglasses have open-ear speakers designed to do one thing: produce loud, clearly audible sound. Although the bass isn’t quite as powerful, the mids and highs are clear and detailed enough to make them ideal for listening to audiobooks or podcasts.
These glasses also feature Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant. You can summon Alexa via voice commands and ask her questions. Alexa can also read incoming notifications for you. Unfortunately, the Echo Frames are powered by a proprietary cable, which means if you lose a cable, you’ll have to buy another cable from Amazon for $15. It would have been better if these glasses were charged via USB-C.
Lenovo ThinkReality A3
Best for Windows productivity
Expensive, but capable
Lenovo ThinkReality A3 smart glasses are designed for heavy productivity work with Windows PCs.
- Virtual desktop can be output to multiple monitors with Windows devices
- Customizable nose piece and ear horn attachments
- By far the most expensive glasses on this list
- It can only work with Windows devices
If you do serious work on Windows laptops and are on the go a lot, the Lenovo ThinkReality A3 smart glasses might be worth considering. When connected to a Windows machine, these glasses can output a virtual desktop with up to three virtual screens at once. This is similar to what the XReal Air can do, but virtual desktops work much more stable here thanks to Lenovo’s custom “Virtual Display Manager” built specifically for Windows 10 and 11.
The ThinkReality A3 is also the most advanced pair of glasses on this list in terms of controls, as it can have sensors to detect the wearer’s eyesight for “stare-based navigation.” While this takes some getting used to, it feels more advanced than navigating through a connected smartphone.
However, with this advanced technology comes a high price tag: the ThinkReality A3 is priced well in the four figures, making it by far the most expensive pair of glasses on this list.
The best smart glasses in 2023: the final say
While the Lenovo ThinkReality A3 is the more capable pair of smart glasses here, it’s priced a bit too high for the average consumer. The XReal Air is about a third the price, can do about the same things, and has a much simpler, cleaner design to boot. nReal also has the most powerful “AR software” user interface at the moment, which allows the wearer to map multiple windows onto a virtual space.
Smart glasses devices are starting to mature, allowing these devices to look more like regular glasses and hopefully continue to lower the price. Another thing that hardware improvements will bring is offering more features with better overall results, such as picture quality, full sound, and more intuitive ways to navigate the user interface. While brands are creating necessary use cases for smart glasses to entice adoption, the devices on this list are very good and will continue to improve over time.
Excel Air
Xreal just launched Windows support for its Air AR glasses, which create a virtual 130-inch screen that floats in the air. You’ll never want to use the built-in 7-inch screen again.
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