Verdict: A Budget AR Display That Gets the Basics Right
The XREAL A01 Plus are budget AR glasses that plug into devices over USB-C to provide a floating 1080p Micro OLED display in front of your eyes, trading premium tricks for an affordable, lightweight way to watch movies or play games on a giant virtual screen. At USD 299 (approx. RM1,395), they undercut XREAL’s higher-end models that start at USD 449 (approx. RM2,095) while keeping enough display quality and comfort to make them a credible daily accessory rather than a novelty. In use, they feel closer to a portable monitor you wear on your face than to full-blown smart glasses with cameras or AI, but that clarity of purpose is part of the appeal. If you want a bright, comfortable personal screen and do not care much about advanced augmented reality anchoring or fancy lens tech, the A01 Plus are good value; power users who already love XREAL’s premium features will find them pared back.
Design, Comfort and the Light Shield Upgrade
The A01 Plus are defined by their weight: at 62g, they are noticeably lighter on the nose than rivals like the TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro at 76g, and that comfort advantage shows up in longer sessions. The slimmer lenses make them look closer to regular sunglasses, and three nose pad sizes plus arms that click through three angles help you dial in the fit and screen position. Swappable front frames are both cosmetic and practical; you can snap on a mirror-shade style plate or a fully opaque black visor when you want to block more light for movie watching. The key functional upgrade over the original A01 is the detachable light shield, which helps keep ambient light from washing out the image without permanently committing you to blackout mode. The trade-off is that those face plates feel light and a bit flimsy in hand, so they fit the budget vibe rather than a premium eyewear finish.
Display Quality and Real-World Performance
On the display side, the A01 Plus lean hard on their Micro OLED credentials: dual-layer panels offer 1080p resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10 support and real-time SDR-to-HDR conversion, with peak brightness rated at 1,600 nits. In testing, that brightness advantage over the TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro’s 1,200 nits and the slightly wider 50-degree field of view (versus 47 degrees) make the virtual screen feel larger and more legible, even in normally lit rooms. Movie playback looks lively, with big-budget titles appearing vivid, although darker scenes can still look muddy depending on content and ambient light. Where these budget AR glasses shine most is gaming: plugged into a handheld like a Steam Deck, colours and motion at 120Hz make action games feel bold and responsive. The anti-shake mode helps smooth rapid head movements, reducing jitter compared with a raw fixed display and partially compensating for the lack of a true “pinned” AR anchor.
| Spec | XREAL A01 Plus | TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1080p Micro OLED | 1080p class (similar segment) |
| Field of view | 50 degrees | 47 degrees |
| Peak brightness | 1,600 nits | 1,200 nits |
| Weight | 62g | 76g |
Missing Premium Extras and Everyday Trade-Offs
The main reason the A01 Plus can hit USD 299 (approx. RM1,395) is that they discard many of XREAL’s headline extras. There is no adjustable display sizing, no variable-tint smart lenses, no widescreen modes, no auto-transparency and, crucially, no way to pin the display in space like you can on XREAL’s 1S or One Pro. In practice, that means you are always looking at a fixed-distance floating screen that moves with your head, which some people find less immersive for productivity. The birdbath-style optics also introduce more glare from bright surfaces in your environment, such as logos on your shirt, because of how reflections bounce inside the lenses. Audio is another area where you feel the budget cut: the built-in speakers are serviceable but not as strong as XREAL’s more expensive models, so you may prefer pairing separate earbuds for long sessions. These compromises do not break the experience, but they keep the A01 Plus firmly in the “display glasses” camp rather than full-featured augmented reality gear.
Pros
- Lighter (62g) and more comfortable than many competitors, including TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro at 76g.
- Very bright Micro OLED display with 1,600 nits peak brightness and 120Hz refresh rate for movies and games.
- Anti-shake mode improves comfort when moving, echoing features from XREAL’s higher-end glasses.
- Detachable light shield and swappable face plates add flexibility for blocking ambient light and changing looks.
Cons
- Lacks adjustable display sizing, pin-in-place anchors, variable-tint lenses, widescreen modes and auto-transparency found on premium XREAL models.
- Face plates feel light and flimsy, undercutting the hardware’s otherwise solid feel.
- Birdbath-style lenses introduce extra glare from bright clothing or objects, which can be distracting.
- Onboard speakers are weaker than those on XREAL’s more expensive glasses, so audio quality is only adequate.
Buy if / Skip if
- Buy the XREAL A01 Plus if you want budget AR glasses that focus on a bright, comfortable personal display over complex smart features.
- Skip the XREAL A01 Plus if you rely on adjustable display sizing, pinned AR windows and advanced lens tricks from XREAL’s higher-end models.
- Buy the XREAL A01 Plus if you value lightweight comfort and wear glasses for long movie or gaming sessions, especially compared with heavier rivals like TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro.
- Skip the XREAL A01 Plus if premium build quality, stronger integrated audio and minimal glare are more important than saving money on display glasses.
- Buy the XREAL A01 Plus if you want an affordable augmented reality-style screen accessory that feels like an impulse-buy add-on for phones, handhelds or laptops.
