Google and Samsung took the world by assault with their surprise announcement of Android XR glasses, which was completed with an impressive demonstration of prototype in a TED 2025 event, but does not need to wait until 2026 (which is when it is rumored that the glasses will be thrown) to try some excellent intelligent XR glasses for you.
In fact, we have just updated our best smart glasses guide with two new fantastic options that you can collect at this time. This includes a new entry in our number one slot for the best AR that you can buy (the Xreal One glasses) and a new choice in our best groove of affordable smart glasses called Rayneo Air 3S Glasias.
It is true that these specifications are not exactly what Google and Samsung boast of the Android XR glasses, but the XReal and Rayneo glasses are more for entertainment: you connect to a phone, laptop or compatible console to enjoy your movie, television or games content on a giant virtual screen wherever you are, and they are very good in what they do.
What is more are much less expensive than Android XR glasses are likely (based on pricing rumors for similar Ray-Ban Meta Ar) glasses, so if you are looking to immerse the world’s fingers in the world of AR before you take off, these two glasses will serve you well.
The best of the best
So, let’s start with the Xreal One glasses: our new number one selection, which are easily the best of the best intelligent glasses AR.
As I mentioned before, these intelligent specifications are perfect for entertainment, both on march and home (say in a narrow apartment, or when you want to relax in bed). Simply connect to a compatible device through your USB-C cable and see your favorite program, movie or game on a giant virtual screen that functions as your own private cinema.
This feature appears in other intelligent glasses, but the Xreal One experience is at another level thanks to the HD 120Hz OLED screens, which have up to 600 shine nits. This allows the glasses to produce vibrant images that have an excellent contrast to see dark scenes.
The image quality is even more improved with electrocromically inmapeable lenses, lenses that can be darkened or illuminated by electric input that can alternate with a switch in the glasses.
In its clearest form, the lenses allow you to easily see what happens around you, while in your darkest lenses serve as the perfect backdrop for what you are seeing, blocking the most wandering external light that would ruin your almost perfect image.
Beyond their image, these glasses are also impressive thanks to their speakers, which are the best I have heard with smart glasses.
With the sound adjusted by Bose (creators of some of the best headphones), Xreal One glasses can offer full body audio at maximum, intermediate and serious tones.
You will discover that the use of a pair of separate headphones can still raise their audio experience (especially because they drip less sound than these glasses), however, these are the first smart glasses that I have tried where a couple of cans feel like an optional complement instead of an essential accessory.
Combine all that with an excellent design that is functional and quite fashionable, and you have a stellar pair of ar glasses. Things improve even more if you hook a pair with an Xreal Beam Pro (an Android space computer that turns your glasses into a complete package, instead of a telephone accessory).
In addition, it only seems to improve with the next Xreal Eye complement that will allow glasses to take photos and videos in the first person, and that can help unlock some new spatial computing powers, if we are lucky.
The best in a budget (but still impressive)
At $ 499 / £ 449, Xreal One glasses are a bit expensive. If you have a budget, you will want to try the Air 3S Rayneo glasses instead.
These smart glasses cost only $ 269 (around £ 205 / au $ 435). For that, you will get access to its 650 -nits micro wave configuration that produces excellent images and audio that does not require a pair of headphones.
They are very similar to Xreal One glasses, but they have some sales as expected.
Audio performance is not so impressive. It is fine without headphones, but it is not as rich as Xreal’s alternative, and it is more permeable (so if you use these while traveling, your passenger companions can also hear what is happening).
In addition, while on paper its image quality should be better than the XREAL glasses, the general result is not so vibrant because the reflective lenses that use glasses as a backdrop are not as effective as the electrocromic attenuation used by the XREAL.
This allows more light to sneak through the backdrop that leads to image clarity problems (such as the image that appears washed) if you are trying to wear glasses in a brighter environment.
They also lack any type of camera complement if it is a characteristic that cares.
But these glasses are still very impressive, just like specifications, and I think most people should buy them because their value proposition is simply so fantastic.
Whether you choose the Xreal One of Rayneo Air 3s Smart Glasses glasses in which you are of a candy, and if you love the flavor of ar they provide, you will have a better idea of whether the Android XR and other G Glasses will be worth their time.
