XREAL (formerly Nreal) is a leading consumer augmented reality (AR) company focused on delivering lightweight, wearable AR glasses that bridge the gap between smartphones, PCs, gaming devices, and immersive spatial computing. Headquartered in China with strong global presence (U.S., Japan, South Korea, Europe), XREAL has positioned itself as one of the most commercially successful AR glasses vendors worldwide.
Unlike bulky enterprise AR headsets, XREAL’s strategy centers on:
- Comfort-first industrial design
- Plug-and-play AR experiences
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Affordable consumer pricing
XREAL does not market its devices as fully standalone “metaverse headsets.” Instead, it emphasizes spatial displays—portable virtual screens that follow you anywhere.
XREAL Product Portfolio
1. XREAL Air (and Air 2 / Air 2 Pro)
Category: Consumer AR Glasses / Spatial Display
Primary Purpose: Personal virtual screens for work, gaming, and entertainment
Key Technical Features
- Micro-OLED displays (Sony panels)
- 1080p per eye resolution
- Up to 120Hz refresh rate (model dependent)
- USB-C DisplayPort input
- Lightweight frame (~70–75g)
- Electrochromic dimming (Air 2 Pro)
What Makes It Unique
XREAL Air glasses function like floating monitors that appear as large virtual displays in front of the user—often equivalent to a 100–330 inch screen depending on configuration.
They require no battery; power and video come directly from the connected device.
Typical Pairings
- Smartphones (Android with DP-Alt Mode)
- Laptops (Windows, macOS)
- Handheld consoles (Steam Deck, ROG Ally)
- Gaming consoles (PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch via adapter)
2. XREAL Beam
Category: Spatial Computing Accessory
Primary Purpose: Spatial anchoring, media streaming, and motion control
Key Capabilities
- Adds 3DoF spatial tracking
- Enables screen pinning in space
- Wireless casting (Miracast / AirPlay-like experiences)
- Physical buttons + touch controls
- Acts as a bridge between glasses and devices
Why It Matters
Without Beam, XREAL Air behaves like a fixed virtual screen. With Beam:
- The screen can stay fixed in space
- Users can walk around or recline without screen drift
- Motion sickness is significantly reduced
Beam effectively turns XREAL Air into a true spatial computing device.
3. XREAL Light (Legacy / Developer-Focused)
Category: AR Glasses with Environmental Awareness
Primary Purpose: AR development and experimentation
Key Capabilities
- Cameras for environmental tracking
- Gesture recognition
- SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping)
- More advanced sensors than Air
While not widely marketed today, XREAL Light played a key role in:
- Early AR application development
- Prototyping interactive AR experiences
- Establishing XREAL’s developer ecosystem
XREAL Software Ecosystem
Nebula OS
XREAL’s core software platform enabling:
- Multi-window AR desktops
- Virtual monitors (up to 3–5 screens)
- Head-tracking interactions
- macOS and Windows support
- Android AR experiences
Nebula transforms XREAL from “display glasses” into a portable spatial workspace.
Developer SDKs
- Unity-based development
- Android AR SDK
- Support for custom spatial applications
- Head tracking and gesture APIs (device dependent)
XREAL vs Traditional AR & VR
| Aspect | XREAL | VR Headsets | Enterprise AR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | Very light | Heavy | Medium–Heavy |
| Battery | No internal battery | Required | Required |
| Use Duration | Hours | Limited | Limited |
| Setup | Plug-and-play | Complex | Complex |
| Price | Consumer-friendly | Mid-High | Very High |
| Use Case | Spatial displays | Immersive VR | Industrial AR |