Xreal’s new AR glasses are way cheaper and almost just right

As with every pair of AR glasses that I’ve tested , I played a lot of games from my Steam Deck on the A01 Plus. First impressions with these glasses were mixed. The 1080p resolution, brightness, 120Hz refresh rate, and contrast looked good, but the screens appeared very blurry. However, Xreal provided a set of HonsVR prescription lenses that drastically improved clarity. The glasses have an IPD range of 54.5mm to 74.5mm, but I can’t guarantee that you’ll have a better experience than I did out of the box unless you buy some lens inserts, which will likely cost around $50.

Some of my complaints about the A01 Plus come from being spoiled from using the $449 1S. The biggest feature omission here is three degrees of freedom, a feature that gives you the option to lock your virtual screen in position. Xreal aims to bridge the gap between zero and three degrees of freedom with a toggleable stabilization feature that operates kind of like a gimbal. It does a decent job of reducing unwanted screen movements (moving it just a little instead of a lot), but it introduces jitter that’s easy to spot with text. Also, audio quality is decent on the A01 Plus, but they don’t get nearly as loud as the 1S, and they’re comparatively lacking in the lows and mids.

I understand cutting three degrees of freedom and sound quality to reach a lower price point, but other omissions don’t make as much sense. The A01 Plus has nearly the same button layout as other Xreal models, but there’s currently no way to adjust the volume from the glasses. You have to go to the audio source instead. Also, the screen can only display content at one size — equivalent to 147 inches with a 50-degree field of view that I can’t clearly see the borders of — and you can’t make it bigger or smaller like other glasses allow. It’s weird that these are apparently considered too premium to include in the A01 Plus.

Despite its shortcomings, the A01 Plus glasses are exactly what some people will be after: a relatively affordable set of USB-C AR glasses for mirroring their games, movies, or whole computer screens on. They’re lighter on features, but they nail the basics, with bright screens, serviceable audio quality, and a comfy, lightweight build. I’m actually impressed with all that’s included for the price.

The features you get by spending $150 more for the 1S might be worth the plunge for some, but generally the A01 Plus are great for first-time buyers who don’t want to spend more than $300 (just make sure to factor in the $50 you may need to spend on prescription lenses).