XREAL 1S AR Glasses - Info for Newbies

Hey peeps, I got the XREAL 1S today and wanted to share some info that newbies might find useful before diving into the world of AR glasses.

(I posted a version of this thread as an Amazon review, so if this looks familiar, yes, I wrote that too.)

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[Rambling Pre-Amble]

I tried the VITURE Pro XR/AR glasses a few months ago as my first pair and it was a lousy experience. Not because the tech is hard to use or understand (it's not), but because almost none of the various devices I owned supported DP Alt Mode, and in the end I couldn't do anything I wanted with them.

Now I have a compatible laptop and decided to give this tech another try.

Devices I'm using:

• XREAL 1S Glasses
• Alienware x16 R2 Laptop (RTX 4080, 32GB RAM, Ultra 9-I85H CPU) (Windows 11)
• Cable that came with the glasses

Unfortunately I still don't have a phone or tablet with DP Alt Mode. XREAL Beam Pro seems to be what I need, but damn it's another $300, on top of whatever prescription lenses will cost, plus maybe I need the XREAL Eye too? Oof. That's a ton of money to spend just so I can read comics in bed lol

Anyway, back to the point.

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[What are you buying?]

It's important to understand, the illusion that's being sold to you here is that you're viewing a gigantic 500+ inch screen from 10 meters away. The FOV only lets you see so much of that screen at once though. For some the perceived effect is more like a 1200p 27 inch screen at 1 meter. With this in mind, you really have to try them on to decide if you're okay with that for the price. If you aren't sold on the illusion, you're not going to like any AR glasses in general.

The glasses do let you adjust the size and perceived distance of the projected screen, you can even use ultrawide aspect ratios even if the host device doesn't have them. You can also lock the screen in space (3 DOF) or have it smoothly follow your eyes. You can do all this by tweaking the on-board Settings, no need for the super buggy ass Spacewlker app.

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[Fit and Lenses]

The 3 different nose pads sizes can be swapped out, they also move the glasses a little closer/farther from your face, which can impact visual clarity. The glasses can tilt at the arms to adjust how the glasses rest on your nose, and impact how centered the projected screen looks. The tips of the arms are flexible for comfort and flexing around your skull.

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[ATTENTION!]

• These glasses have IPD (pupil distance) adjustment in the Settings Menu, however they don't have diopter adjustments, which may be a dealbreaker for you. If you use prescription glasses, you will have to order custom lenses to mount in there.

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I will say though, depending on how thick your glasses are you actually CAN wear these XR glasses over your prescription glasses. It's going to be uncomfortable after a while though, some kind of headstrap would really help here to keep them in place and take pressure off your nose. I am writing this review with this setup, and while it's not ideal to look like a mad scientist with tape on their face, it does mostly work.

If you can't use your prescription lenses, unfortunately everything will look like a blurry mess until you order custom ones from XREAL.

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[Viewing Distance and Screen Size]

Using a very close viewing distance is like putting your face up to a computer monitor, the screen looks bigger but you can also start to see the screen's pixels. Using the farthest viewing distance of 10m and the largest screen size that will fit in your field of view is probably good for TV/movies, since it's like a kind of natural anti-alias.

If you're working with multiple text windows, you might prefer to use one of the glasses' ultrawide aspect ratios to have more screen space, and maybe a closer viewing distance if it helps make the text crisper for you.

The available Screen Sizes and Viewing Distances vary depending on the aspect ratio. For some reason you can't change the Viewing Distance if using an Ultrawide Mode, for example. Thankfully, so far I've found a combination of these settings that works with any situation I've run into.

Pro Tip: If using the XREAL 1S with a Windows laptop, the 16:18 Ultrawide Mode is like a "Portrait" mode, it makes the screen tall like a vertical tablet, keeping the Taskbar at the bottom. This can be useful for reading comics, you can lock the screen in place and look up/down naturally as if you were holding a tablet. (Using "Portrait" option in Windows itself rotates the screen 90 degrees instead, so the 16:18 option on the glasses is the way to go.)

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[Bugs, Errors, and Eggplants]

Much like a VITURE pair of XR glasses I tried, the XREAL 1S has its own random annoyances that may put a damper on whatever you intended to use them for. I like the glasses, but be aware of these things so you don't get scared at the thought of having a $500 paperweight.

• During the tutorial, the calibration screen instructions stayed on screen and could not advance. The XR glasses kept functioning, but the overlayed tutorial screen itself wouldn't go away.
• When connecting to a laptop, the glasses will sometimes display the error message "video is not supported by the device", even if it is supported. The same error message appears if you connect the glasses to a device that isn't compatible, so for whatever reason sometimes either the glasses or the device won't feel like cooperating.
• The glasses can spazz out when changing aspect ratios or 3D modes if you're simultaneously using another monitor. Sometimes the laptop and glasses will get stuck in a loop of trying to figure out what screen is being used and what's going on.
• Some of these can be "fixed" by unplugging and restarting the glasses. There's nothing else we can do on our end, it's up to XREAL to fix these things permanently.
• Some stuff can't be fixed, like HDCP errors. For example, I have the glasses connected to my laptop with the provided USB-C cable (DP Alt Mode). If I watch Amazon Prime Video through Firefox browser, I get a HDCP error that forces all video to play in 1080p, no higher.
• I got the same error when using VITURE's XR glasses and HDMI with their Pro Dock, I couldn't watch anything via a Roku Stick. You may need an HDMI splitter/stripper to bypass that restriction on official/legit streaming services.

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[Do you really need XR glasses?]

I think the XR glasses are a useful gadget, and if you have the cash go ahead and try them. They have most of the on-board functionality I want without needing a buggy app like Spacewalker. If you download all your media and play it natively on your device you can dodge HDCP errors. These glasses are probably the most user friendly out right now.

• I played the Toxic Commando Demo on Steam with them and had no issues, even the filthiest media you can imagine comes through crystal clear.
• The audio is good, though it sounds like it's coming from near the center of your head. Playing Toxic Commando I could still tell where stuff was coming from based on audio cues though.
• I tried the REAL 3D feature, and while it's not a dramatic effect I like it enough that I turn it on every chance I get just to see how much more I can make the Steam Lady pop off the screen and into my lap.
• The glasses can also be used to play 3D video (Half SBS and Full SBS), and it worked fine with the laptop and VLC Media Player.
• I'm not sure if the XREAL 1S glasses can display VR content, or if that requires the optional XREAL EYE camera. To take photos or record video or enable 6 DOF you definitely need it. Fortunately the glasses have innate 3 DOF, which is all I needed for my purposes.
• The screen can be anchored off to the left or right, so you can jog or solder electronics and watch a vid safely.
• I like the programmable Quick Action Button, 3 actions can be assigned to it to avoid digging in the settings for them.
• It's also cool that you can blackout the lenses or make them transparent as needed. Leave the black protective sticker on them forever if you want them blacked out permanently.

I can find excuses to like them, but the lack of diopter adjustment and no compatible phone/tablet is a dealbreaker for me. I want to keep them, but I'm bleeding money here and about to pass out lol. The XREAL Beam Pro is an option, but maybe it's better to find a budget smartphone? What portable budget device do you peeps recommend?