AR glasses? Smart glasses? Glasses with a HUD? In my opinion, the XReal Air 2 Pro and Ultra are fantastic portable cinemas that you can take anywhere - although they're not perfect yet
I'll start this review bluntly - the XReal Air 2 Pro and XReal Air 2 Ultra are almost identical when you connect them to your phone or use them with the Beam Pro. Of course, I'll discuss the advantages, disadvantages and specific similarities of both models later in the review, but here's a quick summary: if you're planning to use these glasses as a portable cinema for trips out, go for the XReal Air 2 Pro. It's the best choice in almost all cases, unless you need specific 6-DoF tracking or are a developer interested in creating apps for AR glasses - in which case the XReal Air 2 Ultra shines.
With that in mind, let's dive into the review.
What are the differences between the XReal Air 2 Pro and the XReal Air 2 Ultra?
Although both devices look similar, the XReal Air 2 Ultra has a few differences. Firstly, its titanium frame stands out in an elegant silver colour, which helps to visually differentiate the two models. The most important difference, however, is the two cameras on either side of the XReal Air 2 Ultra. These cameras enable 6-DoF tracking, room mapping and potentially also hand tracking (although the latter is currently disabled, but can be activated by developers for specific applications).
There are also more subtle differences. The XReal Air 2 Ultra weighs a little more, although the difference is only a few grams and barely noticeable during use. The Ultra also has a slightly wider field of view (52 degrees compared to 46 degrees on the Air 2 Pro), although in my experience the difference in FOV was minimal.
The 6-DoF tracking, room mapping and hand tracking features technically qualify the XReal Air 2 Ultra as 'true AR glasses'. However, they use simpler optics compared to the more advanced waveguide technology used in high-end AR glasses, such as Meta's recently announced 'Orion' glasses, and in the most likely all AR glasses to be issued by Meta and other companies in the coming years. All XReal glasses use birdbath optics, which allows for no-cost manufacturing and efficient screen viewing, but leads to a 'thicker' design that stands out against regular glasses. Nevertheless, they offer the ability to track virtual objects in real space, providing an authentic AR experience.
6-DoF tracking is available on select Samsung phones or via the latest XReal Beam Pro, which is also compatible with the Air 2 Pro. This tracking capability opens up a wide range of AR experiences at a relatively affordable price with the XReal Air 2 Ultra (compared to other AR glasses), and XReal hopes to attract developers to build on its platform.
At the moment there are only two AR 6-DoF experiences available on the XReal Air 2 Ultra. One is a maze game where you roll a ball through a maze using your Beam Pro, and the other is a balloon shooting game. Although both are a bit kitsch, I found the balloon-shooting game enjoyable as a quick demonstration for people who have such a thing on their mind for the first time.
I think the XReal Air 2 Ultra is primarily for developers who want to create real AR apps. The 6-DoF tracking for spatial windows can also be counted as something of little use; while it may be fun at first, it quickly becomes impractical for actual screen viewing. The limited field of view of 52 degrees means that even small movements of the head can cut off the image, unless you're viewing medium-sized (M) content.
These are the only noticeable differences between the two glasses. Therefore, unless you are a developer, I would advise against buying the XReal Air 2 Ultra, as you will pay more for an experience that is largely the same as that offered by the Air 2 Pro.
XReal Air 2 Pro review - What do they do?
From this point on, I will mainly focus on a review of the XReal Air 2 Pro glasses. As the experience is identical on both models, comparing them would be redundant.
Now let's discuss what the XReal Air 2 Pro can do. XReal glasses, in contrast to the Meta Ray-Ban Wayfarer glasses, have a screen on which to watch the media. This product offers an intriguing solution for those looking for a portable cinema, and I mean that literally. The screens on these glasses are impressive, featuring microOLED displays with a resolution of 1920×1080 for each eye, allowing you to enjoy Full HD content. For me, this was more than enough, as the rich colours and contrast of the OLED screen greatly enhanced the viewing experience. Watching movies in a dark environment is simply an amazing experience.
The glasses can be connected to a phone or any device with a USB-C port, although compatibility varies. I had no problems with iPhones, but some Android devices I tested did not work properly. My Windows laptop connected without a problem, while my desktop computer did not, as it needs a suitable adapter.
When connected to a device via USB-C, the glasses simply mirror what is displayed on that device. This screen reflection is locked in 0-DoF mode, meaning the screen always follows the movement of your head. Imagine having the screen glued to your eyes - it moves with you wherever you go.
Having 0-DoF tracking is completely sufficient for watching movies. I used these glasses during an 8-hour bus journey and watched several movies and episodes of various series. They provided an excellent movie experience - by far the most comfortable and private viewing option I found while travelling. Both the XReal Air 2 Pro and XReal Air 2 Ultra have electrochromic dimming with three settings. This is an extremely useful feature that allows you to adjust the environment to 0%, 35% or 100% for full immersion. The dimming option was particularly helpful when I wanted perfect blacks during the day.
On the other hand, the sound quality of the glasses is not impressive. While it may be sufficient for watching short films, it does not provide the fully immersive cinema experience that glasses screens offer. Poor sound quality can significantly affect the overall experience. In addition, the sound escapes to the outside world, meaning that although those around you cannot see what you are watching, they will certainly hear it.
The obvious solution to this problem is to connect my own headphones, which I did. This worked fine with the Beam Pro, but I encountered problems when connecting the glasses directly to my phone when my Bluetooth headphones were also connected. My phone would sometimes recognise the XReal Air 2 Pro as headphones and other times as my over-ear headphones. What worked best for me was to connect the glasses first and then the headphones, although even this could sometimes be faulty.
0-DoF ensures that the screen you see is not clipped due to the limited field of view of the glasses and remains perfectly centred. However, if you prefer to have several screens open or don't like the feeling of a screen "stuck to your face," turning on 3-DoF or so-called "Smooth Follow" may be a better option. But how do you do it?
XReal Beam Pro and XReal Air 2 Pro
If you want to incorporate features such as smooth following and 3-DoF (or 6-DoF on the Ultra!), or are looking for a dedicated device to store all your films and series, the XReal Beam Pro could be a great choice. It serves as a user-friendly interface for navigating the system and a space camera.
The XReal Beam Pro is a dedicated device created specifically for the XReal Air 2 Pro and Ultra glasses. It resembles a phone, but is not one. You cannot insert a SIM card into it, as it has been created solely as a support device for the XReal glasses and not as a stand-alone phone.
Like the phone, the XReal Beam Pro is equipped with cameras, although their positioning is rather unusual. The cameras are spaced 50mm apart and can capture high-quality spatial video and photos ('high quality' at least in terms of depth), which can later be viewed on the XReal Air 2 Pro or Ultra glasses.
As I mentioned, the depth of the photos and videos taken with the Beam Pro is impressive. Unfortunately, the quality leaves a little to be desired. In particular, it is the video quality that is poor - it looks decent on a sunny day outside, but in most situations it is unpleasant to watch, despite the impressive depth. Photos, on the other hand, are excellent! I think the spatial photos are superior to the spatial videos in terms of quality. The depth in the photos seems even more pronounced, probably because I am dealing with a still image, devoid of blurring and artefacts, which allows the depth effect to be fully appreciated.
You can use the Beam Pro "like a phone," but without the calling or messaging functions. It has the specifications of an average Android phone. When connected to your glasses, you can use it as a 3-DoF controller to navigate the interface. It has a pointer that allows you to interact with spatial apps and validate choices on screen. Overall the experience is intuitive, although I did encounter a few bugs, which I'll talk about in a moment.
Disadvantages of XReal Air 2 Pro and XReal Beam Pro
Pointing out the shortcomings of these glasses is difficult, as there is currently nothing better on the market at this price. Overall, they live up to their promises, offering an impressive visual experience. However, the overall 'spatial computing' aspect leaves one unsatisfied. The Beam Pro, which serves as the 'computer' for these glasses, is not powerful enough for effective multitasking, which is further complicated by the glasses' narrow field of view. As a result, I often encountered an erroneous and delayed user interface due to the Beam Pro's limitations.
Managing multiple windows can be laggy, and actions such as adjusting the volume sometimes caused crashes. Performance issues translate into a limited number of real AR apps, which often feel like short experiences, more in the form of gadgets than real tools. Developers have to design these apps within hardware constraints, which limits their potential.
Another obvious shortcoming of the glasses, which I have mentioned many times, is the field of view. While it is sufficient for basic video viewing, especially in smooth follow mode, it is insufficient for multitasking or viewing 6-DoF content on Ultra glasses. The use of birdbath optics cannot be considered a disadvantage, even if they make the glasses appear bulkier, as this choice was necessary to keep the price of "AR glasses affordable."
Verdict
Overall, I think XReal has done a great job with their new product line. The XReal Air 2 Pro, combined with the Beam Pro, makes for an excellent OLED cinema experience on the go, created specifically for media consumption. The content viewing experience is exceptional. However, the roughly 50-degree FOV is sufficient for watching movies, but multitasking is a no-go, as even small head movements can cause the screens to cut off due to the narrow FOV.
The Beam Pro serves as both a controller and a "puck" for the glasses and performs quite well in this role. However, its limitations become apparent, even when performing basic tasks such as moving a window in 3-DoF or 6-DoF mode or running two applications simultaneously in "multitask mode." Occasionally this caused the glasses to completely fail, but it did not significantly affect the overall experience.
On the other hand, the XReal Air 2 Ultra is a great tool for developers who want to experiment with true 6-DoF AR glasses now, without having to wait a few years for advanced AR technology to be developed at an affordable price. I'd recommend it mainly to developers, unless you're particularly keen on 6-DoF tracking and a slightly wider field of view.
The Beam Pro also has two cameras for taking 3D photos and videos, which can later be viewed on 3D effect glasses. Although the 3D photos taken with the Beam Pro look impressive, the videos were often blurry and generally of poor quality.
All in all, I think the XReal Air 2 Pro and Beam Pro do an excellent job of what they were designed for. I often use them to watch movies in bed and they have really made a significant difference to my long bus, train, car or plane journeys. If you are looking for a fantastic movie experience on the go, I would definitely recommend these devices.
FAQs on XReal Air 2 Pro, Ultra and Beam Pro
How to use XReal Beam Pro
To use the XReal Beam Pro, connect it to the XReal AR glasses via USB-C. The device runs on the Nebula OS, offering access to various apps and features such as screen mirroring and surround video recording. You can also navigate and interact with apps using the touch controls on the Beam Pro. A tutorial app is available on the home screen of the XReal glasses to help you learn how to use the Beam Pro effectively.
How to charge the XReal Beam Pro
The XReal Beam Pro charges via a USB-C port and supports 27W fast charging, allowing you to replenish power quickly. It can also be kept plugged in while in use to prevent the battery from draining while using the glasses.
How to connect XReal Air 2 Pro to Windows
To connect the XReal Air 2 Pro glasses to your Windows PC, use a USB-C cable or Bluetooth (if supported). Make sure that Windows recognises the glasses as an additional display. You may need to purchase an additional adapter and adjust the display settings in Windows to extend or duplicate the desktop to the AR glasses.
Is the XReal Air 2 Pro worth buying?
If you're looking for a portable, private OLED cinema on the go, how to most. I would definitely recommend these glasses, especially to people who frequently travel long distances by bus, train or plane.
