Meta vs. Xreal: Mixed Reality Glasses Face Off
Original: I Put on Meta and Xreal’s XR Glasses. Face Computers Are Finally Getting Good
Why This Matters
Consumer mixed-reality glasses are converging on $1,300, signaling a real market forming.
Xreal's Aura glasses launch at $1,279 on Android XR, directly competing with Meta's $1,299 VR Glasses. A hands-on comparison reveals similar experiences with key differences in design and availability.
Two serious mixed-reality glasses are now fighting for the same shelf space. Xreal officially priced its Aura glasses at $1,279—$20 less than Meta's $1,299 VR Glasses—with preorders open to early reservation holders and wider availability coming 'in the coming weeks.' The base model includes 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage, shipping first in the US, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. Broader regional launches follow in 2027.
Wired's Boone Ashworth tested both. The verdict: they're direct competitors with strikingly similar core experiences—video playback, gaming, and multi-monitor productivity. Meta's glasses wowed with video quality and comfort, surprising for a category historically dominated by hot, heavy headsets. Xreal's frames skew more glasses-forward, though still chunky. Both rely on a wired compute puck you pocket.
Xreal's Aura runs Google's Android XR platform, while Meta's device sits inside its own ecosystem. Snap's competing Specs, priced at $2,195, also enter the ring later this year. All three devices sit above simpler display glasses from Ray-Ban Meta and the upcoming Google/Samsung options, offering full mixed-reality bridging of virtual and physical environments.