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What are smart glasses?
Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) smart glasses are evolving rapidly, offering a mix of entertainment, productivity, and immersive experiences. While not as powerful as VR headsets, they provide a lightweight, portable alternative that seamlessly blends digital content with the real world.
Today, we’ll be reviewing some of the best AR and MR smart glasses, covering design, functionality, display quality, and unique features to help you find the right pair.
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses – The Most Stylish Choice
If style is your priority, the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses stand out as one of the most fashionable options available. Developed in collaboration with Meta, these glasses build on the Ray-Ban Stories with significant improvements:
✔ More comfortable and water-resistant
✔ 12 MP ultra-wide camera for capturing high-quality images and 1080p videos (up to 60 seconds)
✔ Louder, enhanced speakers with less audio leakage
✔ Built-in Meta AI Assistant and social media integrations
What They’re Best For:
- Hands-free photo and video capture
- Social media integration (live-stream directly to Instagram)
- Voice assistant functionality
❌ Limitations:
- No gaming or AR display features
- Short battery life (about 4 hours on moderate use)
These glasses are ideal for social media users and casual tech enthusiasts, but they won’t replace a VR or AR headset.
Rokid Max – The Best Smart Glasses for Entertainment & Gaming
The Rokid Max is an excellent choice for those looking for a portable display solution. Unlike the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, these are designed for media consumption and gaming, rather than AR overlays.
✔ 215-inch equivalent Full-HD OLED display
✔ 120Hz refresh rate for gaming
✔ 50° field of view & 600 nits brightness
✔ USB-C connectivity for phones, tablets, and handheld consoles
What They’re Best For:
- Watching movies and media
- Gaming on handheld consoles like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally
- Using as a secondary display for work
❌ Limitations:
- Not true AR glasses (no overlayed digital content)
- Requires additional Rokid Station for a standalone experience
- Bulky design, can heat up after prolonged use
If entertainment and gaming are your main goals, Rokid Max delivers the best screen quality on a smart glasses format. However, they lack the immersive AR capabilities found in more advanced models.
For a more in-depth review of the Rokid Max, head over to our Rokid Max AR glasses review.
Xreal Air 2 Pro – A Strong Competitor to Rokid Max
The Xreal Air 2 Pro is similar to the Rokid Max, with some key differences:
✔ Dual Micro-OLED displays (1920×1080 per eye)
✔ Electrochromic dimmable lenses for improved visibility in bright light
✔ Lightweight design for extended wear
Xreal Air 2 Pro vs. Rokid Max:
- Rokid Max offers a brighter screen (600 nits vs. Xreal’s lower brightness)
- Xreal Air 2 Pro has electrochromic lenses, while Rokid Max requires an attachable cover
- Xreal has a lower refresh rate (60Hz vs. Rokid’s 120Hz)
❌ Limitations:
- No AR functionality (just a virtual monitor display)
- Weaker brightness than Rokid Max
If you prefer a lighter design with adjustable dimming lenses, Xreal Air 2 Pro is a solid alternative to the Rokid Max.
RayNeo X2 – True AR Capabilities
Unlike the previous options, the RayNeo X2 is a true AR headset, offering real-world overlays and wireless smartphone connectivity.
✔ Full-color MicroLED optical waveguide displays
✔ Real-time language translation & navigation
✔ Built-in AI assistant for calls and messages
✔ 16 MP camera for photos and videos
What They’re Best For:
- Augmented reality overlays
- Live navigation, messaging, and productivity tools
- Gesture control and SLAM system for smart interaction
❌ Limitations:
- Not ideal for watching movies or gaming
- Higher price tag compared to entertainment-focused models
If you’re looking for a proper AR experience, the RayNeo X2 is a fantastic choice. However, if media consumption is your priority, models like Rokid Max or Xreal Air 2 Pro are better suited.
Viture Pro XR Glasses – A Premium Productivity & Gaming Option
The Viture Pro XR takes AR productivity and gaming to the next level, offering:
✔ 135-inch equivalent Micro-OLED display
✔ 120Hz refresh rate
✔ Electrochromic dimming for better screen clarity
✔ SpaceWalker app for enhanced productivity
What They’re Best For:
- Gaming with an immersive virtual screen
- Enhancing laptop capabilities on the go
- High-end display clarity
❌ Limitations:
- Expensive, especially with the Pro Mobile Dock & controller
- Limited viewing angle compared to Rokid Max
For gamers and professionals who need a high-end portable display, the Viture Pro XR offers one of the best viewing experiences on the market. However, the premium price might be a drawback for some.
Key Takeaways – Which smart glasses should you choose?
- Rokid Max & Xreal Air 2 Pro are great for screen mirroring but lack AR features.
- RayNeo X2 is the best choice for true AR applications.
- Ray-Ban Meta Glasses focus on hands-free media capture and AI integration.
- Viture Pro XR provides a high-end virtual screen experience but at a premium price.
Keep reading to see what happens when the YouTube streamer, #IShowSpeed, tries AI smart glasses for the first time.
Language translation glasses amaze iShowSpeed on stream
These AI smart glasses left iShowSpeed absolutely stunned when he came across them during his travels in China. The futuristic tech on display had him in awe, and it’s easy to see why. Speed has been lighting up his livestreams lately as he journeys across Asia, racking up views and winning over even more fans across the continent.
In fact, his visit to China was such a hit that local media dedicated a full 10-minute segment to his livestream reactions, highlighting his genuine amazement at the country’s cutting-edge innovations. One clip in particular went viral, Speed trying on a pair of smart glasses that can translate spoken language in real time. The moment he realized he could instantly understand what his Chinese fans were saying, thanks to live speech translation, his reaction was priceless.
To highlight Chinese tech advancements even more, these AI smart glasses that translate speech have been around for a few years already, quietly evolving into some of the most advanced consumer gadgets in the world. In Western markets, glasses like the Meta Ray-Bans can actually do this, too. Even though they currently only support Spanish, Italian, and French, they’re still super impressive. But Chinese brands like Vivo and TCL offer some awesome options that really widen the field when it comes to translation.
The TCL RayNeo X2 is packed with features
One standout pair is the TCL RayNeo X2, which is equipped with real-time speech translation that supports multiple languages. The built-in microphones pick up what someone is saying and then display translated subtitles right in front of your eyes through the transparent lens. They also include augmented reality navigation, where arrows and directions appear on-screen, making it perfect for exploring new cities. There’s also live camera streaming, letting you capture POV footage directly through the glasses. Plus, they support smart notifications—messages, calls, and reminders pop up on the lens without needing to check your phone. Some models even offer fitness tracking, integrating basic health sensors to monitor your steps and movement throughout the day.
But if I’m honest, if you just want speech translation, there are way cheaper options. While the RayNeo x2 are packed with features, they’re also super expensive, and until the price can come down, I wouldn’t choose this pair.
Alternative cheaper speech translation glasses options
I was amazed to find some really cheap deals being offered on AI smart glasses that are a fraction of the price of the RayNeo x2. Of course, these options don’t feature all the high tech, but for simple activities like listening to audio and speech translation, they are great for the price.
Out of the options, I think this pair by GenXenon looks really smart. Plus, the reviews are much more positive, but as with any tech where the brand is not as well known, it’s best to check them for issues and keep a hold of the warranty in case anything goes wrong.
If you still want speech translation but aren’t into the wearables. This language translator device hits the nail on the head for being travel-friendly, convenient, and easy to use. This device can translate speech in an impressive 138 languages. It weighs just over 8 ounces and makes language barriers a thing of the past. If you’re using ChatGPT you can get a similar experience using just your phone now.
That’s the quickest and cheapest way to get language translation. But this device does simplify the process a lot and it’s designed for that use alone. With only two main buttons on the front for record and translate, it really helps simplify translation.
Watch our video on the best smart translation glasses below:
In other news on smart glasses, check out our overview on the Google XR Smart Glasses.
Thanks for reading, We hope this review of the best smart glasses and language translation devices helped you! By the way, if you’re on the lookout for a new laptop, make sure try our Laptop Finder Quiz. Otherwise, check out our similar tech reviews on the links below.
