With an additional cost of $50, the XReal Air 2 Pro version comes with credible improvements from its previous models. With a sharper and better display, enhanced sound quality, and a dimming feature, let’s review if the Air 2 Pro is worth the upgrade.
Pros and Cons:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Sharp and wide display | Doesn’t sit well on the face |
| Comfortable to wear | It can cause motion sickness if worn for a longer period of time |
| USB-C connectivity | Expensive |
| Adjustable screen with Beam | No built-in battery |
| Electrochromic dimming | The Nebula app crashes a lot |
| Lacks AR capabilities |
Specifications
| Specifications | XReal Air 2 Pro |
|---|---|
| Size | Length- 148.5mm Width- 48mm Height- 52mm |
| Weight | 75 g |
| Colors | Black, red |
| Display | Latest SONY 0.55” Micro-OLED |
| Weight Distribution | 1:1 |
| Nearsighted Solution | Detachable prescription lens frame |
| 3DOF | 3 DoF Supported, Beam/Beam Pro Required |
| Nose Pad | Zero-pressure Nose Pad (S/M/L) |
| Temple | 3-position temple adjustment |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz Highest Refresh Rate |
| Color accuracy | ΔE <3, Individualized Color Calibration |
| Optical Design | Optic Engine 2.0 |
| FOV | 46 ° |
| Resolution | 4 Million Pixels,1080p |
| Brightness | 500 nits |
| UV Protection | 100% UV Protection |
| Sound | 2nd generation Sound System |
| 3 Electrochromic Dimming Levels | 0%/35%/100% |
| Flicker-free, Low Blue Light, Eye comfort, Color accuracy | Certified by TÜV Rheinland |
| Speakers | 2 Built-in Stereo Speakers |
| Sound leakage reduction | Directional Technology |
| Microphones | 2 |
| Screen Mirroring | USB -C Video Output Device HDMI Output Devices iPhone Android MacBook SteamDeck ROGAlly Windows |
| Price | $449 |
Design and Comfort
Right off the bat, I noticed the upgrade I was most waiting for hadn’t been addressed. The fit when wearing these glasses. I know it’s challenging to camouflage AR glasses as regular ones, but these sit too awkwardly and far away from my eyes for me to feel comfortable wearing them around in public.
The glasses come in a hard shell case, which I appreciate for easy storage and travel without worrying about them getting damaged. Though not very different from its previous versions, the Air 2 Pro is slightly lesser in weight and, therefore, a tad more comfortable, especially with longer and softer arms. The USB-C port at the end of the left arm is the same as before.
The nose pads are in 3 sizes, and the temples move across three angle positions with arms being slightly bendable. This makes the glasses more comfortable since the pinching from the arm ends is gone, and makes it a much smoother fit for longer wear time.
Then there’s a snap-on light-blocking attachment that blocks light from under the eyes, which certainly makes the Pro a better option than the Air 2. I’m not sure how useful the snap-on attachment is since there is a button on the right temple for ‘electrochromic dimming’, a feature that makes this upgrade seem like an upgrade.
There are three dimming levels from 0%-35%-100%, which work well in an indoor area but not in a super-lit-up space such as a bright outdoor setting. There is another feature on these glasses with a rocker on the right temple that adjusts brightness and switches to a volume button when held down for 3 seconds.
Connectivity, Display, and Sound
The Air 2 Pro features a Sony micro-OLED display with 1080p resolution and a refresh rate of 120Hz. Just like the previous versions, the Air 2 Pro can be connected to devices that support a DisplayPort (DP) and a USB-C port, like handheld PCs, gaming consoles, phones, etc.
The connectivity can further be expanded by using additional devices such as the XReal adapter, Beam, and Beam Pro, in case the devices don’t support a USB-C or a DP directly.
The visuals, owing to the Sony displays and the 500 nits brightness, are clear, crisp, and have no blurry edges, unlike the original Air.
The speakers are placed on both the top and bottom of the temples with decent sound quality. However, when I cranked up the volume to full, the sound was audible to people around me. Therefore, for a more immersive experience while gaming and watching movies, I prefer throwing my AirPods in the mix.
Performance and Functionality
While the connected devices work great, be it directly or with the additional adapters or Beam, the AR element of the glasses lacks depth and integration with the environment. This is due to the lack of cameras and sensors to make that happen.
The Nebula app sort of touches the AR element in these glasses. However, it wasn’t an interface I would use again. Let me explain…
There are several apps and games present on this app, which also enable up to 3 virtual screens for maximum productivity, with a 4:3 display on a single screen or 16:9 on multiple virtual screens.
The app works well when connected to a Mac, although the screens jitter when I move my head.
For Windows, the performance highly depends on the device’s hardware to ensure a smooth experience. However, that was not the case for me; the app crashes so often that it is not worth trying out. This is why I preferred using my Air 2 Pro glasses as a standalone or with the Beam Pro.
The Beam Pro
A smartphone-like device launched by XReal as an upgraded version of the Beam is the Beam Pro. Measuring 6.4” in height, 2.9” wide, and 0.4” thick, the Beam Pro is a device that connects to the XReal glasses and offers a 6.5” 2400×1080 LCD display with the NebulaOS.
Along with the ability to take 3D spatial photos and videos and a head-tracking interface, this comes with dual 50MP cameras, which save spatial photos as 22MP images and spatial videos in 3840×1080 resolution.
The lack of cellular connectivity is also a huge drawback, which makes it less versatile for on-the-go use. While a great product in theory, the Beam Pro requires the XReal glasses to unlock its full potential.
Pros:
- The Nebula app interface is engaging and allows for multitasking with up to 3 virtual screen displays.
- An otherwise dual display of 0.55” Sony Micro-OLED gets even bigger up to 330” when paired with the Beam Pro.
- It captures 3D photos and videos with two camera lenses, delivering 12MP or 1080p quality.
Cons:
- 2D pictures are of low quality due to an 8MP camera.
- Needs me to enter the password PIN repeatedly since it doesn’t have a biometric sensor for unlocking the device.
- It does not support cellular connectivity, which makes it useless if I don’t have WiFi around.
- NebulaOS is specifically designed for and is limited to the XReal ecosystem.
Price and Availability
The XReal Air 2 Pro is priced at $449, and they are available worldwide on their official website and via authorized retailers.
Final Verdict
Even for someone who could justify a prolonged use of these glasses, be it for gaming or work, I would suggest saving a few bucks and going for the XReal Air 2 instead of the Pro model.
While the electrochromic dimming is a great addition, there isn’t a lot of improvement in the Pro for an upgrade. While you’re at it, I suggest getting the Beam along with your device to also act as a battery bank, along with its other uses.
