Review: XREAL Air Glasses for Gaming and Video

** Note that the company rebranded to "XREAL" after this video released.

The XREAL Air glasses are the most popular option within this unique category of projector glasses, so let's see if they are a good fit for you. We'll test it with a variety of different use cases and accessories, from the simple (Steam Deck, Android phones), to the complicated (Switch, Xbox, iPhone, and wireless HDMI), to the gimmicky (AR).

Timestamps:
00:00 introduction
01:55 unboxing and impressions
06:16 fit/finish, image quality
11:41 audio quality
14:26 comparison with TCL glasses
17:04 gaming with the XREAL Air
23:11 HDMI output options
24:22 PeakDo P3S transmitter/receiver
26:55 watching videos with the XREAL Air
30:35 AR testing
34:26 summary
41:15 conclusion

This was a review unit sent to me by the manufacturer. All opinions are my own, they did not see this review ahead of time, and no money was exchanged in any way.

Theme song written by Jim Gray of Our Ghosts:

This video is for entertainment and educational purposes only.

#Nreal #SteamDeck #vr

[frankcastlefan]

Fun Fact: When using with the Steam Deck, the screen turns off, and the two screens in the glasses likely use LESS energy than the Deck uses to power its own screen; you might get longer playtime with the glasses than if you weren't using them at all! :D

[Shadouian]

FYI: If you're using the Nreal adapter, you can adjust the volume on the glasses by using the brightness buttons. Press and hold the power button to switch between brightness and volume.

[podracer]

Portability and overall function, these look amazing. I wasn't expecting this kind of tech on the regular market for a few more years, but the future is now, I guess.

I'm really looking forward to the v2 of these with the minor tweaks and improvements to make them more comfortable and look better.

[saiyanraoh]

I don't play the Steam Deck these days without those glasses and my work commute wouldn't be the same. I use an old Samsung Galaxy s20 and load them with videos. Game changers for me. I have a cruise in two weeks and I'm definitely taking them with me.

[bigal]

I have found the best method for me is using an android phone like a Galaxy S20, connected to Switch Joycons. You can tuck the phone in your front geek pocket and play Moonlight/Steam Link/any controller supported game discreetly (barring big honkin' glasses with a cable coming out, but a hoodie takes care of aesthetics, and you can tuck your hands in the hoodie to hide the controllers) Game in ultra mode while waiting in line for anything, without distracting others.

[eyitsmarcus]

thank you!! i can’t stand people saying it’s like a 150 ft screen, it’s so misleading. i tell people it’s like being 5-7 feet from a 1080p 75 inch tv.

[terrancesean]

Happy late birthday and great video as always man! I appreciate how honest and in-depth your reviews are. It really does give the viewers a thorough understandin of it.

[CyberCityGames]

thank you for this video!!! very high quality and close up look at the glasses that i needed!!! all other videos just show someone wearing them and talking about them. THIS is an AWESOME video review!!! much love!!!!

[ajaxx]

Just got these the other day, and I'm having a blast! These glasses are easily best used with a compatible samsung phone. samsung dex let's you have the desktop experience with your phone being the mouse and your apps being programs.

Sooo, I made the desktop background transparent to give a true AR experience!
With that change, here are a few more real world uses:

Walking directions - the windows in samsung dex are moveable/resizeable, so you can put that window in the corner of the screen, and boom, AR walking directions(driving too, but that might just get you hurt...) For extra fun, Google maps has a new feature called 'live view' that let's you use your phones camera to make a HUD experience with huge navigation arrows overlayed on real world like playing need for speed! You put your phone in a front shirt pocket or on your bikes handle bars, and you're living in the future.

Real-time language translator - Google translate lets you use an auto translator that will playback the translation like subtitles in a foreign film in real time! Put that window somewhere on screen(AR) and you have a way of casually understanding at least 20 languages. Since the glasses have speakers, turn them up, speak, and have your words played back out loud in whatever language you choose without having to look away.

Picture-in-picture(kinda) - not for AR purposes, but still cool. while using ps remote play or steam link, go ahead and open up any other streaming apps, size one small, and pin it to the top of the screen. Boom, picture in picture! The opacity of the pinned window can also be adjusted. Now you can still watch the game and play video games without turning the TV on.

I'll find more uses, but these 3 are pretty kick ass. I don't work for nreal, just a nerd for new tech!😁

[linuxgeex]

Thanks for being brave enough to review a product that's near impossible to review lol. The challenge with these products is that they're creating an experience that doesn't translate to review media, and so consumers have to basically imagine what the reviewer is talking about, other than the form, fit, connectivity of the device. I like the blackout "sunglasses" and integrated speakers. Hopefully this gets integration with look around inputs for FPS, like how original Quake had the ability to look around independent of movement - it would be great if they could do independent 6DoF head tracking for the camera, but it must not affect aim to the extent that it does in original Quake. I also hope that they produce these with a broad spectrum of diopter and PD adjustments, because the lack really kneecaps a lot of the other AR/3D glasses products.

[Bluepandaiscool]

hearing this channel's intro just makes me think of soming home after a long holiday. like I've come home.

[nullenski]

Even though it takes some tweaking for the Nreals to work reliably (including a splitter/HDMI adapter out to charge while playing) i love these things. Its a personal movie theatre for me.

[BearToeWasTaken]

I don't even know what these are but I always look forward to your thorough and in depth reviews. Cheers lad

[TioMostFrio]

Man wish it had bone conducting speakers on this one. It would have helped a lot with the volume for the user and also would make it quieter for everyone else.

[reklom]

You know who should invest in this?
Airline companies. Specifically, the long flights

If they bought a shit ton of these, and made people rent em or give em in the higher tiers, I think it'd be really popular (they'd have to get those who use them agree to have some earphones when using it tho)

[Sammy]

These glasses are great. Love them when using my steam deck.

[SandeepKoorse]

Russ - awesome job! I use the Odin Base with the glasses. The Odin has the video over USB, shuts off the screen, has a microSD to store offline videos, a headphone jack to handle the audio. I ended up with the same conclusion - only video viewing and not gaming.

[reklom]

Regarding the audio review of the device: For such a niche product, they should have looked at bone conduction for audio tbh. The glasses are already pressing into the sides of your head so I think that already helps conductivity too

[warlockboyburns]

These are awesome... I played Manhunt 2 in the backseat on a vacation using the ppsspp app in 3d mode in my Oculus Quest 2 and it was one of the best gaming experiences I've had. Now I have a simple way to do that.

[MicroFourNerds]

When you say it’s like having a massive screen up close to your eyes, do you get any eye strain at all?