Most smart glasses disappoint, but is Xreal's One Pro the exception?

Xreal’s One Pro has the largest field of view (FOV) in the market, allowing one to experience spatial computing.

A growing amount of companies believe that smart glasses will soon take off. Clear proof of that is this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), where you can see products of several new companies entering the market.

However, the vast majority of smart glasses just aren’t very good. They often have a few things in common: a narrow field of view, often uncomfortable wear, and a cheap feel.

However, I found a pair of glasses that looked appealing at CES 2025. They are Xreal’s One Pro, augmented reality (AR) glasses that are set to be released to consumers this spring.

The major upgrade of the One series is users' control over the screen they see, allowing them to anchor it in space, move it, or enlarge it.

“We built all that directly into the glasses, and something like that has never been done before in the world of AR glasses. Previously, it always required an extra piece of hardware,” the company’s representative tells me during the demo.

All this is achieved due to the company’s custom chip X1, which can be found in the previous version, Xreal One.

Xreal One Pro specs

The main difference between the One and One Pro is that the Pro has a slightly larger FOV – 57 degrees, which is the biggest in the market – and is priced $100 higher.

The Pro glasses also have flat prisms instead of the so-called “birdbath,” allowing for a bigger screen with smaller optics.

They come equipped with a Bose audio system, a 171-inch virtual screen with 1080p resolution, and a brightness of 700 nits.

Additionally, the Pro includes a 12MP detachable camera for first-person point-of-view photos.

Later this year, Xreal plans to introduce multimodal capabilities, such as image recognition, and add AI features similar to those in Meta's Ray-Ban glasses, including navigation assistance, translation, and more.

The demo

Wearing the One Pro glasses feels quite comfortable. My initial impressions were positive – they're easy to navigate, with two buttons conveniently located on the frame.

The ability to anchor the view allows you to easily enjoy content. And while the Pro weighs twice as much as a regular glasses (87 grams), the extra weight isn't really noticeable.

During my demo, I used the glasses to play a game on the Steam Deck and briefly connected them to a smartphone, a Mac, and a Windows computer. The One Pro supports Ultrawide Mode, offering a curved virtual screen of up to 310 inches, which enhances comfort during extended use.

The glasses can connect to almost any device with a USB-C port. You can watch movies, view pictures, or play games. Gaming is likely the most appealing use case.

The drawback, however, is the price. At $600, Xreal One Pro costs as much as a Steam Deck console.