If you're looking for a pair of the best smart glasses around, we've got you covered right here.
Smart Glasses are looking to be the next big thing for augmented and mixed reality tech by bringing the power of AR to wearable frames on your head, as opposed to a large VR headset, for instance, which certainly looks to make things more convenient and portable.
The last decade or so has seen multiple attempts to bring the tech to market, including Google Glass, but it is only within the last couple of years that it's become more viable for AR-type smart glasses to make their way to us.
Offerings now include glasses that can display information on glasses that can have built-in audio functionality or both, and there are more on the way, as we'll discuss after our selections.
Here are what we think are some of the best smart glasses available right now.
Best smart glasses
- Vuzix Blade Upgraded
- Lenovo ThinkReality A3
- Epson Moverio BT-300
- Snap Spectacles 4th Generation
- Oppo Air Glass
- TCL NXTWEAR Air
Best smart glasses Vuzix - Vuzix Blade Upgraded
click to enlargeThe Vuzix Blade Upgraded, as things stand, is one of a handful of smart glasses around, and certainly does look rather capable.
You'll find that it runs Android and utilises a clever transparent display through waveguides which works by projecting the image onto a clear panel.
The resolution for this is 480 x 480, meaning its designed for showing key information only, but it's still rather cool that the glasses feature them.
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In addition, you'll find that the Vuzix Blade Upgraded runs Android and features voice control, which is convenient and offers up 8GB of total internal storage, which can be expanded via the included microSD card slot
A 470mAh battery also means you should be able to utilise these glasses for between four and six hours before they need to be charged.
Best smart glasses Lenovo - Lenovo ThinkReality A3
click to enlargeFor those wanting a powerful pair of tethered glasses that can connect to select PCs and smartphones, then the Lenovo ThinkReality A3s look to be an incredible choice.
In essence, these glasses allow you to create a virtual monitor that can be used for working alongside a phone or laptop and provide you with a clear way of seeing what you're working on, without the need for multiple, physical monitors.
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To achieve this, the Lenovo ThinkReality A3s feature 200 nits of brightness and a per-eye resolution of 1920x1080, or Full HD, and utilises a Qualcomm XR-1 Smartviewer processor.
As things stand, this is a brilliant choice for enterprise users, and considering Lenovo is a major exponent in Qualcomm's Snapdragon Spaces tech with these exact glasses, it may be the case that they also become a handy device for the general public, too.
Best smart glasses Epson - Epson Moverio BT-300
click to enlargeThe Epson Moverio BT-300s look like quite the versatile pair of smart glasses, and therefore are good for a wide range of tasks.
They come packed with power, which is spearheaded by its 1.44GHz Intel Atom processor, which can also allow it to work at snappy speeds and display content on the rather bright Si-OLED panels with a 1280x720 resolution and a 23-degree FOV.
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A weight of 60g also means the Epson Moverio BT-300s are some of the lightest smart glasses out there, and also in a wider sense, some of the lightest AR and VR devices around.
The fact these also feature Bluetooth connectivity and can work with Miracast means displaying content should be a doddle, and for developers, the point that these Epson glasses run Android is also definitely welcome for the sake of convenience.
Best smart glasses Snap - Snap Spectacles 4th Generation
click to enlargeIf you're wanting a pair of AR smart glasses specifically designed for the use of content creation, then the Snap Spectacles 4th Generation should be a handy choice.
For starters, they're integrated with Snapchat for the purpose of superimposing AR effects made within the app, which can be used for everything from playing games like basketball or fetch with a virtual dog, to calling and sending messages to friends.
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The panels present should be sharp with a 2000 nit quoted brightness, which means the Snap Spectacles 4th Generation looks to be suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, which is handy for the purposes of content creation.
There is a small caveat though - they aren't on general sale. To get the glasses, you'll need to fill in an application form on the glasses' product page, and they're only being given to a small number of people.
It may be the case that they go on general sale at some point soon, but that is of course unknown.
Upcoming smart glasses
As for a couple more long-term entries, the next few years may also see the return of Google Glass alongside the release of the Apple Glasses, by which point it may be expected that AR tech is a lot more widespread.
In addition, the likes of the upcoming Magic Leap 2 may suggest AR glasses may arrive sooner rather than later given they weigh around 240g and feature a design more akin to glasses, than a full-on headset.
So, there you have it, that's our list of the best smart glasses available right now, alongside some rather exciting ones for the future.
Be sure to check back in with us for more AR and VR news, guides and info, especially with 2023 seeming like a bumper year, especially with the potential release of headsets such as PSVR 2.
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