Xreal’s A01 Plus AR glasses cut price and features to $299
The lightweight USB-C glasses keep bright 1080p displays but drop some controls and screen-positioning features, according to The Verge.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
3 min read
Xreal has introduced the A01 Plus, a $299 pair of USB-C AR glasses that undercuts its $449 1S model while giving up several higher-end features. The trade-off matters for buyers who want a lower-cost display for games, movies or a computer screen without paying for Xreal’s fuller-featured glasses.
In a hands-on report for The Verge, Cameron Faulkner described the A01 Plus as a stripped-down version of the 1S that still keeps several of that model’s strengths. He said the glasses are comfortable, visually sharp for the price and equipped with bright, high-contrast screens.
The A01 Plus weighs 62 grams, more than 20 grams less than the 1S, according to The Verge. Faulkner said that lighter frame made the glasses easier to wear, though he also found the construction more fragile-feeling than Xreal’s pricier model.
The hardware uses micro OLED panels and birdbath optics, The Verge reported. Faulkner said he had to be careful when adjusting the temple arms to center the displays because the frame and snap-on eyeglass shell felt easy to stress.
Modular covers replace adjustable dimming
Xreal is positioning customization as part of the A01 Plus pitch, according to The Verge. The glasses ship with a modular shell that places tinted lenses in front of the displays, and Xreal told The Verge that other covers, including 3D-printed versions, may be possible later.
The A01 Plus does not include electrochromic lenses with adjustable opacity, a feature found on many AR glasses, The Verge reported. Faulkner said reflective films on the rear of the optics helped limit light interference, and one alternate cover supplied with the review unit blocked light more effectively than the 1S in his testing.
For display specs, The Verge reported 1080p resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, strong brightness and a 50-degree field of view. Faulkner said he used the glasses with a Steam Deck and found the image initially blurry until he added HonsVR prescription lens inserts supplied by Xreal.
The A01 Plus supports an interpupillary distance range of 54.5mm to 74.5mm, according to The Verge. Faulkner said buyers who need inserts should expect them to cost around $50, which could push the real price above the headline figure for some users.
Lower price brings missing controls
The largest missing feature compared with the 1S is three degrees of freedom, The Verge reported. That feature lets users pin a virtual screen in place rather than having it move directly with their head.
Xreal instead includes a stabilization option that The Verge compared to a gimbal-style effect. Faulkner said it reduced some unwanted movement but added visible jitter, especially around text.
The Verge also found weaker audio than on the 1S, with lower volume and less presence in low and midrange frequencies. Another limitation is that volume cannot currently be changed from the glasses themselves, so users must adjust it on the connected device.
The A01 Plus also displays content at only one screen size, equivalent to 147 inches, according to The Verge. Faulkner said other AR glasses allow resizing, but the A01 Plus does not currently offer that option.
Despite those gaps, The Verge’s assessment was that the A01 Plus may suit first-time AR glasses buyers who mainly want a light USB-C display for mirrored content. Faulkner said the $449 1S remains more capable, but the cheaper model covers the basics with bright screens, acceptable sound and a comfortable build.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.