Asus Unveils Innovative Gaming Glasses, But a VR Headset Would Be More Exciting

One of the standout surprises at CES this week is the partnership between Asus and XREAL, unveiling a new pair of high-end gaming glasses. The ROG XREAL R1 essentially offers a high-refresh-rate monitor experience right in front of your eyes, delivering 240Hz, 1080p micro-OLED gaming that you can take anywhere. While that sounds impressive, my past experiences with XR glasses make me wish this innovation was directed toward a VR headset instead.

Not too long ago, there were whispers about an upcoming Asus VR headset running on Horizon OS, the same platform as the Meta Quest 3 and 3S. As a VR enthusiast, I was excited. More options in the market are always welcome, and an Asus headset leveraging Meta’s efficient OS with a focus on gaming specs seemed like a thrilling idea.

However, it appears Meta is less inclined to share its OS with other brands now that the Metaverse has officially flopped. I have to say, the shift to gaming glasses feels like a letdown.

I find the concept of gaming glasses intriguing, as they represent the ultimate goal of what VR headsets aim to achieve. Portable gaming is fantastic, but if you’re accustomed to high-refresh-rate displays at home and desire a more immersive experience, a pair of stylish glasses sounds appealing.

That said, my experience with the RayNeo Air 2 glasses last year was less than stellar. They were uncomfortable, unadjustable, and the virtual display integration was distracting, failing to deliver the seamless experience promised.

To be fair, XREAL is a different brand, and their glasses could offer significant improvements. Still, I’d prefer to use a phone screen, one of the best gaming handhelds, or simply enjoy some music with earbuds instead of relying on these glasses.

While a full VR headset like the Meta Quest 3S may not seem as exciting, I’d rather travel with something I know will work well and be comfortable without causing headaches.

Giving credit to XREAL and Asus, the specs and features of the R1 indicate that technology is progressing. For instance, the ability to pin your gaming display in place is a great feature. With the clever anchor mode, you can lock your virtual screen in your environment. The adaptive transparency feature is also impressive, allowing the lenses to tint based on your focus, making it easier to look around when not gaming.

I particularly appreciate these features because one of my main issues with the previous XREAL glasses was that the display projectors obstructed my field of view, making it difficult to navigate when not engaged with a game or my phone. The experience felt more like peering through a medieval helmet than enjoying a modern gadget.

That said, a 240Hz refresh rate is hard to overlook. For PC gamers, this could be a fantastic way to dive into flat-screen gaming without opting for a VR headset like the upcoming Steam Frame.

Plus, the glasses come equipped with Bose audio speakers, promising high-quality sound that should enhance your gaming experience while keeping you aware of your surroundings.

However, like with the RayNeo glasses, I can’t shake the feeling that this gadget might be somewhat unnecessary. We’ve become quite adept at placing screens where they’re easy to see. A phone is convenient, a laptop sits nicely on a table, and handheld gaming devices can be moved around effortlessly.

Sure, a 171-inch virtual screen powered by a dedicated X1 chip sounds fantastic, but considering the price of the XREAL Air 2 Ultra glasses at around $700, you could easily invest in a VR headset or a decent gaming monitor—or even both.

Moreover, to maximize the potential of these Asus glasses with most devices, you need to connect to a dock that links to your gaming platform. While it’s great that you can connect a DisplayPort cable from your GPU or an HDMI from a console for what should be solid picture quality, I doubt many will buy these glasses to replace their existing gaming monitor or TV.

I was immediately put off by the CES demo when Asus and XREAL showcased someone anchoring their virtual display above a perfectly good gaming monitor, lounging in a gaming chair, and playing on what likely was a lesser display than the one right in front of them.

Another scenario in the trailer showed someone at home using the glasses on a couch to play their Xbox ROG Ally. Isn’t the whole point of these glasses to be portable? I’m not convinced that a portable 1080p micro-OLED display will lure me away from my 4K gaming monitor at home.

According to a press release, Asus has launched the world’s first 240Hz, 360Hz, and 540Hz gaming monitors. I would have loved to see that ambition directed toward a gaming-focused VR headset. Imagine a VR headset with a refresh rate higher than the 90-120Hz options available on the PSVR 2 and Meta Quest 3. I hope to be proven wrong if I get a chance to test the Asus and XREAL glasses, but compared to a full-fledged VR headset, this feels like a step back.