Xreal (formerly Nreal) is bringing the second generation Xreal Air 2 glasses to a wider audience with launches in Europe and the US coming up (they are already available in China and Japan). The new glasses are slimmer, lighter and more comfortable, while having better displays and this time around there is a Pro model too.
The Xreal Air 2 is 10% thinner and 10% lighter than the original Air (which we reviewed a few months ago). Comfort is further enhanced by the new elastic temples and the improved AirFit nose pads, so you can wear the glasses longer.
Xreal asked its customers and 50-60% of them responded that they wear AR glasses between 1 and 3 hours a day. Most (68%) use them for productivity tasks for at least an hour, but entertainment is a very common use case too (57% stream movies and TV for at least an hour, 47% use the glasses to play games).
The second generation glasses feature new micro-OLED displays from Sony. They support 120Hz mode (the original Air got 120Hz mode as a software update) and are brighter at 500 nits (up from 400 nits). Color accuracy has been improved too and the displays are calibrated at the factory to hit 2.2 gamma. The glasses keep the resolution at 1080p per eye and the pixel density at 49 pixels per degree (PPD) with 46° FoV.
The new addition for this generation is the Xreal Air 2 Pro with its electrochromic dimming. This solves a real issue for AR glasses – sometimes you want to black out the glasses, but you need to carry a shade attachment. The Pro model can change the transparency of the glasses at the tap of a finger.
There are three modes. Transparent mode lets all the light through so you can see clearly as you move around, this is the mode for AR use. Productivity mode blocks 35% of light, allowing you to focus on the virtual display while still being aware of your surroundings. Finally, immersive mode blocks 100% of light, which is perfect for watching a movie or playing a game. Speaking of, the virtual display can be configured in size and can go all the way up to 330″.
Entertainment use cases also benefit from the improved audio system. You can use headphones if you want, however, the glasses themselves have built-in speakers – they are open speakers, but they are aimed at your ears so that they won’t disturb people around you. And if you use these for work, there are EQ calibrated beamforming mics so you can use these for voice calls (or in-game chat).
The Xreal Air 2 and Air 2 Pro come in two colors – Graphite Gray and the Carmine Red. But if you really want to attract some attention, check out the Kaleido Kit. It’s a collection of adhesive skins that help you customize the look of the Air 2. Right now there are six colors: Navy Blue, Verdigris, Royal Blue, Dale Dogwood, Jonquil and Dartmouth Green.
The Xreal Air 2 and Air 2 Pro are available for pre-orders starting today, check out xreal.com, Xreal glasses are sold through Amazon as well. The new models are coming to Germany, France and Italy in early November and will roll out to the UK and the US in mid-to-late November (as mentioned previously, they are already available in Japan and China). The Xreal Air 2 will cost $450/€460/£450, while the Xreal Air 2 Pro will go for €515.
