There’s a good set of selections if you wish to purchase XR glasses as of late, and whereas Xreal will get a bulk of the eye on this class, TCL-backed RayNeo has carved out a distinct segment on the again of sturdy releases. I began utilizing the Air 2 final 12 months, and what grew to become instantly clear was the sheer high quality of the Micro-OLED panel; with a 201-inch projection, 600-nit brightness, and 120Hz refresh, TCL ticked all the fitting packing containers.
But there have been points with blurriness across the edges, and the restricted adjustability meant I could not fairly get a safe match. Thankfully, RayNeo is addressing these points with the Air 2S; the good glasses share the identical Micro-OLED panel as the usual mannequin, however there’s a lot much less edge fuzzing this time, you get higher adjustability, and the sound high quality is markedly completely different.
Smart glasses are notably nice for gaming and streaming content material, and the Air 2S excels at these eventualities. I used the Air 2S for simply over a month, and here is why I believe these good glasses are an excellent alternative.
RayNeo Air 2S: Launch and availability
RayNeo unveiled the Air 2S on August 15, and the good glasses are actually obtainable on Amazon for $399. They can be purchased by way of RayNeo’s web site, and the model is bundling the MiraScreen Portable Adapter with all orders till September 15. If you are seeking to get the Air 2S to stream content material, there is a bundle that features the excellent Pocket TV — consider it as a battery-powered Chromecast — that can set you again to the tune of $539.
With the Air 2S now on sale, RayNeo is discounting the unique Air 2, and the good glasses might be purchased for $299. There are loads of variations between the 2 fashions, however if you wish to maximize worth, the Air 2 continues to be a good alternative.
RayNeo Air 2S: What I like
RayNeo made a whole lot of minor tweaks to the design of the Air 2S, and the result’s that the good glasses match comfortably — and are lighter. There’s quantity of adjustability as effectively, and you may tilt the hinges on the edges to fit your preferences. The nostril pads are additionally adjustable, and this ensures you get a safe match.
Like most different good glasses, RayNeo used a visor design on the entrance, and there is a silver tint that does job blocking out exterior gentle whereas nonetheless offering some visibility. There’s nothing discreet in regards to the design, and whereas the plastic chassis ensures the good glasses are gentle, they’re very outstanding — notably due to the visor.
Coming in at simply 79g, the Air 2S is comfy to put on for an prolonged period, and there’s no fatigue on this regard. I additionally like that RayNeo added controls to the good glasses, so you’ll be able to change coloration vibrancy, modify the refresh fee, change brightness and quantity from the machine.
The key differentiator of the Air 2S is the show; it has twin Sony 0.55-inch Micro-OLED panels with 1080p decision and 120Hz refresh, they usually’re implausible. You get lush colours with wonderful vibrancy, and it is the brightness the place the Air 2S actually shines; it goes as much as 600 nits, and even in out of doors use, I needed to flip down the brightness ranges.
The finest a part of the Air 2S is that you do not want any customized software program; simply join the glasses to any USB-C machine, and you can begin streaming content material. This is especially nice should you’ve obtained a gaming handheld and wish to prolong the display dimension with out connecting it to a TV. I used the Air 2S extensively with my Steam Deck, and it is a perfect pairing.
I did not see any points connecting the good glasses to a number of Android units, however I’ll observe that the telephone wants DisplayPort out; in any other case, you may want to make use of an adapter. It wasn’t a difficulty on latest Xiaomi and Vivo units, and even the Pixel 9 Pro XL did not pose any points on this space. Similarly, the iPhone 15 sequence related with none hassle.
The 120Hz refresh makes a distinction when gaming, and taking part in Hades on the Steam Deck when related to the Air 2S was totally gratifying. Another improve over the Air 2 that’s instantly noticeable is the audio high quality; the Air 2S has quad audio system this time, they usually get loud.
The sound high quality is astonishingly detailed when you think about the diminutive dimension of the drivers, and also you even get respectable bass. The vivid Micro-OLED panel mixed with the clear sound makes the Air 2S a terrific choice on this class. On that observe, RayNeo’s Pocket TV accent is a must have should you’re seeking to get these good glasses for leisure.
The accent connects by way of USB-C, and it’s basically a conveyable Chromecast machine with Google TV. It is simply as straightforward to make use of as any Google TV machine, and also you get onboard controls that make it comparatively straightforward to navigate to the content material you wish to stream. There are points with signing into companies like Netflix, however as soon as you’ve got arrange the machine, it is an effective way to stream content material with out having to plug in your telephone.
The Pocket TV has a built-in battery that lasts simply over three hours between costs, and that is greater than enough if you wish to stream a film on the go.
RayNeo Air 2S: What I do not like
While the Air 2S has appreciable benefits over the usual mannequin, it nonetheless misses out on just a few options. There’s no IPD adjustment obtainable — which is commonplace on most VR headsets — and the good glasses aren’t ultimate should you use prescription glasses. You can get customized inserts to make use of with the Air 2S, however that service is not obtainable in all areas.
Another annoyance is that due to the sheer dimension of the panel, the underside portion tends to chop out whenever you’re shifting your head round. This is especially annoying throughout gaming, and I needed to reorient the glasses intermittently. There’s nonetheless some blurriness across the edges, and that’s noticeable when watching movies. It is not anyplace as seen because the Air 2, however there’s simply sufficient that it turns into evident.
And pretty much as good as these good glasses are for leisure, they are not suited to productiveness duties. RayNeo’s Mirror Studio means that you can arrange a 3D surroundings and choose floating home windows, however it’s buggy at occasions, and has rendering points.
RayNeo Air 2S: The competitors
Xreal is the plain various to RayNeo, and the model’s Air 2 good glasses use an identical Sony Micro-OLED tech and are available a design that is nearer to common wayfarers. The brightness is not fairly as excessive as what you get on the Air 2S, however they seem to be a smidgen lighter, and have respectable onboard sound.
RayNeo Air 2S: Should you purchase it?
You can purchase this if:
- You need XR glasses for gaming and streaming content material
- You want a vivid Micro-OLED panel
- You need a light-weight design that is comfy
You should not purchase this if:
- You want prescription lenses
- You want good glasses for productiveness
- You want a strong software program ecosystem
Overall, RayNeo made a whole lot of needed tweaks to the Air 2S, and the result’s that the good glasses are significantly better than the Air 2. While each good glasses share the identical Micro-OLED panel, there’s much less edge blurriness on the Air 2S, the sound high quality is significantly better, they usually’re extra comfy to put on.
I do not suppose they do sufficient for productiveness, and the very best use case for these good glasses is watching movies or taking part in video games. An overwhelming majority of my utilization has revolved round connecting the Air 2S to the Steam Deck to spice up the dimensions of Valve’s handheld, and the good glasses are terrific on this regard.
Similarly, video content material is a delight on the Air 2S, and the quad audio system make an enormous distinction. There’s no HDR, however that is not actually an enormous omission, and the truth that you’ll be able to undertaking content material onto a large display on the go is a novelty that does not put on off.
There are just a few annoyances with RayNeo’s software program, however once more, should you’re simply seeking to get these glasses to stream movies, that is not going to be a difficulty. On the entire, the Air 2S is a superb alternative on this class, and the standard of the display mixed with the respectable sound makes it worthy of a advice.
With a vibrant Micro-OLED panel and detailed sound, the Air 2S is a superb alternative should you want XR glasses to play video games or stream films on the go.
