Xreal xbx a01+ vs Viture Pro 2: Which AR glasses win?
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For a few years, RayNeo has been the king of budget virtual screen glasses that start at $299. This year’s Air 4 Pro glasses are an excellent example.
However, in the last few months, rivals Xreal and Viture have both thrown their hats into the ring with new wallet-friendly options in the X by Xreal a01+ and the Viture Pro 2 smart glasses. Like the RayNeo Air 4 Pro, both the a01+ and Pro 2 start at $299.
The two companies make the best smart glasses you can buy when it comes to high-end options, but what happens when they try to pare things back? The competition is tight, and just looking at the specs, they’re nearly identical. If you’re looking for a decent pair of virtual screen glasses while on a budget, either the Xreal a01+ or the Viture Pro 2 will be worth your time.
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Some slight differences could sway your decision on which to pick and I’ll explain why below.
Viture Pro 2 vs X by Xreal a01+: Specs
Spec | Viture Pro 2 | X by Xreal a01+ |
|---|---|---|
Display | Sony Micro-OLED, 146-inch virtual screen with 1080p resolution, up to 1,600 nits of perceived brightness, up to 120Hz refresh rate, adjustable for Myopia | 1080p micro-OLED screens, 1,600 nits peak perceived brightness with HDR10 support, up to 120Hz refresh rate |
Field of view | 50 degrees | 50 degree |
Audio | Dual speakers tuned by Harman | Stereo speakers |
Price | $299 | $299 |
Dimensions (when open) | 5.8 x 6.8 x 1.9 inches | 5.8 x 6.7 x 1.7 inches |
Weight | 2.2 ounces | 2.1 ounces |
Buy the X by Xreal a01+ if…
- You care about style
- Ease of use
- Desire HDR10 support
Most AR glasses are, at best, beefy Wayfarers on your face and only seem to come in black. The xbx actually brings some style to the form with a bright yellow USB-C cord, blue lens, bright logo emblazoned on the inside and a swappable faceplate.
Currently, Xreal doesn’t sell any faceplate accessories, but the company does promote 3D printing if you want to make a version for yourself.
Simply, the a01+ just looks more fun than other smart glasses. They’re also lighter and more comfortable than the RayNeo offerings. Xreal’s xbx glasses are one of the few that offer HDR support, with its AI SDR-to-HDR converter, making Apple TV+ content viable.
There are some flaws, like a cheap, plastic-y finish and no IPD adjustments. That isn’t unusual for cheaper AR glasses, but you should know that a01+ comes with a stock pupillary distance window between 54.5mm and 74.5mm.
If you’re just binge-watching or gaming, you should be fine; you may notice edge blurriness in the 50-degree FOV, but it shouldn’t break your immersion when gaming. However, it’s not great for productivity tasks.
On one personal note, the a01+ tethers out of the left arm of the glasses, while most smart glasses tether from the right side. I tend to set my devices on my left side and love the left-side connection. My personal plea is for smart glasses makers to allow you to connect from both ears and not just one side. This won’t make or break the glasses, but I appreciate it.
Buy the Viture Pro 2 if…
- You value comfort and adjustability
- Sharp display
- Want a more premium feel
Swapping between the Viture Pro 2 and a01+, the Xreal glasses actually feel more comfortable and lighter out of the box, even if it is just 0.1 ounces. However, I was able to make the Pro 2s more comfortable thanks to a variety of available adjustment features.
Viture offers three different-sized nose pads, same as Xreal, but the Pro 2 comes with seven different adjustment spots for the pads. The XBX are locked to one, beyond pushing out the pads a bit.
My favorite comfort adjustment is in the arms, which can be pushed individually up or down at the temples to make the glasses fit better. There are also two diopter wheels to adjust the focus in each lens, something neither the xbx nor RayNeo glasses offer.
While the brightness, refresh rate and resolution specs are all the same between the two glasses, I found the Pro 2 display sharper and clearer. There are also more adjustable levels, up to nine, and at least four filters, including true color, blue light, cinematic and warm, which is more than what the a01+ offers.
If adjustability is important to you, the Pro 2s have it in spades.
Like the Xreal glasses, the Pro 2 might not be the best for work, though they’re great for gaming or watching movies. I found the corners to be a bit blurry on the left side, but as I mentioned in my review, my left eye is weaker than my right, so it’s something to note if you have a similar situation.
Finally, this may come down to preference, but to me, the plastic finish on the Pro 2 feels a bit more premium than that on the a01+.
Bottom line
I live in the world of budget AR glasses, having tested the last three RayNeo spectacles plus both of our rivals here, and in this comparison I’d edge toward recommending the Viture Pro 2 — the adjustability with the diopter wheels, multiple nose settings, and arms make these spectacles more comfortable and usable. Plus, the display is brighter and again more tuneable.
If style and fun are what you want, the Xreal a01+ brings a bit of actual flair and joy to a category of tech that is often nearly indistinguishable from one another on the outside. My colleague Jason England uses the pub test for smart glasses, meaning: can you wear a set of AR glasses to the bar without getting weird looks? The xbx a01+ fit that bill and then some.
If you’re just using these glasses for gaming or binge-watching, I don’t think you’d go wrong with either set. Viture is more adaptable, but Xreal offers HDR. It’s all minute differences where you’ll have to decide what’s most important to you in a pair of AR glasses.
RayNeo finally has some real competition in the budget AR glasses space, and its glasses offer a lot at $299. But Viture and Xreal offer virtually identical budget-friendly options with nuanced enough differences that the space is getting more exciting as it matures.
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