The 8 best augmented reality smartglasses in 2021
What are the best AR smartglasses?
Augmented reality is primarily experienced via a wearable glass device, head-mounted device, or smartphone applications. Augmented reality overlays digital content on top of the real world. Therefore, AR enhances the user’s experience in the real world rather than replacing it.
Not to be confused with virtual reality or mixed reality, even though they all fall under the extended reality spectrum, augmented reality is believed to have the biggest potential for mass consumption.
AR has the backing of investment of huge tech giants, who are investing not only in the hardware but also working with developers to create user-friendly toolkits and SDKs (software development kits). Furthermore, AR can be delivered on hardware that we already own and use: smartphones.
Here’s our selection of some of the best AR glasses available on the market.
The best AR smartglasses
Product | Brand | Release date | Country | Fov horizontal | Price Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …). | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOVERIO BT-300 | Epson | 2016 | Japan | 23 | $ 699 | Buy on Amazon France |
| Raptor | Everysight | 2018 | Israel | $ 649 | Contact the manufacturer | |
| Glass Enterprise Edition | 2017 | United States | $ 1,800 | Contact the manufacturer | ||
| SOLOS | Kopin | 2016 | United States | 10 | $ 499 | Contact the manufacturer |
| dynaEdge AR100 Viewer | Toshiba | 2018 | Japan | $ 1,899 | Contact the manufacturer | |
| Blade Smart Glasses | Vuzix | 2018 | United States | $ 999 | Contact the manufacturer | |
| X2 | ThirdEye Gen | 2019 | United States | 42 | $ 2,999 | Ask for a quote |
| M300 | Vuzix | 2016 | United States | 20 | $ 999 | Contact the manufacturer |
Overview of the best AR headsets
AR devices are available in three broad categories:
- AR glasses (smartglasses)
- Smartphone augmented reality (mobile AR)
- Tethered AR headsets
Some VR headsets such as the VIVE Pro also have AR capabilities but didn’t include those on this list.
AR glasses dominate our selection of the best AR devices available and are the most common type of AR device you can find. When it comes to actual headsets, they’re mostly aimed at business and enterprise-level users.
| Country | Japan |
| Price Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …). | $ 699 |
The Epson MOVERIO BT-300, also known as the MOVERIO BT-300 FPV, are quality augmented reality smart glasses, with impressive specs and an affordable price point. Their HD display and high-resolution (5 MP) camera receive positive user feedback.
Epson’s Moverio Apps Market also provides the user with a variety of content and applications.
Pros:
- Sharp 720p HD resolution OLED display
- Drone edition allows the use of the AR glasses to control, for example, a DJI drone
- Long battery life
- Dedicated controller
Cons:
- Limited to 32GB microSD card
- Small FOV of 23°
| Country | Israel |
| Price Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …). | $ 649 |
AR smart glasses designs for cycling have become very popular, and the Everysight Raptor is a highly regarded AR device.
In addition, these smartglasses offer a range of great features such as long battery life, high-quality front camera, and a host of connectivity options such as GPS, GLONASS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and ANT+. The additional options like the Everysight controller round out a great AR smartglass.
Pros:
- Battery life can last for up to 8 hours
- 13.2 MP front camera enables users to capture HD videos and photos
- Provided with intuitive touchpad and an optional controller is available
- Users may switch between different visor tints depending on the weather
Cons:
- Combined with additional accessories, these AR glasses can be pricey
| Country | United States |
| Price Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …). | $ 1,800 |
Google Glass Enterprise Edition, also known as the Google “EE”, are the updated AR smartglasses of the Google Glass and Google Glass Explorer. With a number of upgrades– assisted GPS, faster and more reliable WiFi, faster processor and an upgraded camera– Google had listened to community feedback and implemented great changes.
However, this AR device is aimed at business and enterprise-level users.
Pros:
- Battery life of 8 hours
- Superior upgrades compared to earlier product versions
Cons:
- Expensive price tag, restricting the target to enterprise level users
Another highly regarded AR smart glass, the Kopin SOLOS was designed for sports enthusiasts; cyclists, runners, and triathletes. In addition to an affordable price, the AR headset can also measure the user’s performance like elapsed time, speed, power, and heart rate.
Therefore, it offer users a great range of functions in addition to audio, video, and AR app use.
Pros:
- Affordable price point
- A range of user performance trackers
- Access to a large variety of AR applications
Cons:
- Limited 5-hour battery life
| Country | Japan |
| Price Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …). | $ 1,899 |
Toshiba dynaEdge AR100 Viewer is an augmented reality head-mounted display aimed at professional users. These AR smart glasses require it to be tethered to the Toshiba dynaEdge DE-100, a battery-powered mini Windows 10 PC.
Some of the features include noise-canceling microphones and programmable buttons which allow the user to personalize the way they navigate the software.
Pros:
- Fits over most traditional glasses
- Noise-canceling microphones
Cons:
- High price point
- Requires to be tethered to a mini PC
| Country | United States |
| Price Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …). | $ 999 |
Vuzix Blade Smart Glasses are AR glasses which work with smartphones running Android or iOS. In addition, the augmented reality wearable glasses feature a powerful 8 MP HD camera, haptic feedback, and rechargeable batteries. Other highlights include the versatile eyeglass options and noise-canceling microphones. Vuzix also manufactures the M100, M300, and iWear.
Pros:
- Powerful 8 MP HD camera
- Rechargeable battery
- Noise-canceling microphone
Cons:
- High price point for non-commercial users
| Country | United States |
| Price Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …). | $ 2,999 |
ThirdEye Gen X2 are augmented reality smart glasses which are compatible with AR and VR applications. Intended for professional and educational uses, these AR smart glasses can share the user’s point of view with a remote person via video communication and live audio for remote assistance. They boast an excellent battery life of 8 hours, but the user can also switch to external batteries.
Pros:
- Real-time screen sharing
- Long battery life and external battery option
Cons:
- Small FOV of 42°
- High price point for commercial use
Vuzix M300 are designed for enterprise use and not mass consumers. However, the AR glasses feature great memory (64 GB), a range of connectivity and VUZIX Basics™ Apps platform offers a variety of content. Furthermore, the augmented reality smart glasses are compatible with both Android and iOS. Vuzix also offers the M100, Blade Smart Glasses, and iWear.
Pros:
- Impressive 64 GB internal memory
- Variety of content available through VUZIX Basics™ Apps platform
- Full range of additional accessories available to purchase
Cons:
- Poor standard battery life of 2 hours (can use external batteries for extended use)
Special mentions
As we base our list on community feedback and trusted ratings, some noteworthy virtual reality headsets haven’t made their way into our main selection. That’s why we’ve decided to provide additional insight into the AR smartglasses market with special mentions for HMDs that are under the radar or that aren’t available to the masses just yet.
Gaming: Lenovo Mirage Star Wars Jedi Challenges
The Lenovo Mirage Star Wars Jedi Challenges is an easy-to-use and reliable product based on community feedback. We chose to leave it out of our list as it’s severely restricted to Star Wars gaming content/apps.
Promising prototype: Leap Motion North Star AR
The Leap Motion North Star is an open-source AR headset. Leap Motion isn’t currently planning to develop the hardware for commercial use, but this may change.
The key feature that has AR enthusiasts excited is the hand-tracking system. Furthermore, even as a prototype, the overall specs are impressive: 100° FOV, a high refresh rate of 120 FPS (frames per second), and 1600 x 1440p resolution per eye.
Affordable smartphone AR: Mira Prism
The Mira Prism is an augmented reality headset for smartphones, available at a very reasonable price point of $99. In addition, this AR HMD is compatible with iOS devices (4.7 to 5.8 inches). Users can access AR content on Apple’s App Store or through Mira’s proprietary AR apps.
Promising crowdfunding: ANTVR MIX
The ANTVR MIX is a tethered AR headset that was successful in raising funds through Kickstarter in 2018. The AR HMD aims to offer VR capabilities and has a wide FOV of 96°.
Retractable AR display: Optinvent ORA-X
The Optinvent ORA-X is another unique option as the wearable AR device are actually headphones featuring a retractable AR display. Users can interact with videos, play games, and use AR applications.
In addition to these, Apple, Samsung (in partnership with Windows), and Google are all rumored to be working on AR headsets or AR smart glasses.
Augmented reality: who is it for?
The rise of AR applications on smartphones makes them accessible to a large, mainstream audience. But AR is not limited to gaming or entertainment. At the enterprise level, augmented reality can benefit a variety of industries through remote assistance in workplace learning and development.
- Entertainment and gaming
- Manufacturing
- Social AR
- Marketing
- Travel
- Education
- Retail
- Healthcare
- Entertainment
- Real estate
- Sport
- Military
Augmented reality can be used in varying industries, and augmented reality companies are rapidly using augmented technology in innovative ways. According to the 2018 IDC report on VR and AR, non-smartphone AR headsets will lead the growth by 2021.
How to choose the best AR glasses
AR applications
The release of SDKs like ARCore for Android and ARKit for iOS allows developers to produce a greater range of user experiences and give users, in turn, an opportunity to experience augmented reality.
Examples of AR popular SDKs:
- Facebook AR studio: supports 3D rendering, real-time face tracking, object recognition and visual effects, AR shopping apps and navigation.
- Apple ARKit: a toolkit to create AR apps for iPhones and iPads.
- Google’s ARCore: uses 3D positioning, motion tracking, Google Lens, and AI-powered visual-search technologies that tether to smartphones or tablets.
Others AR toolkits include Vuforia, Wikitude, EasyAR, and many more.
Battery life and FOV
There are some key factors to consider in choosing an AR headset, aside from price limitations.
FOV (Field of view)
Increased FOV results in better immersion for the user. AR still falls behind VR headsets and the mixed reality headsets currently in production. The standard average is around 100° for these VR headsets but is significantly lower in AR glasses.
Battery life
Longer battery life ensures prolonged use of the augmented reality smart glasses and a better experience for the user. There is now a range of options to extend the use of the AR headsets, including battery packs, replaceable or rechargeable batteries, tethered devices (permanent power source), etc. which all have their own pros and cons.
Other requirements for AR glasses
The other requirements for augmented reality can include:
- Processing power
- Network connectivity options (Bluetooth, WiFi, etc.)
- Cameras for detecting surroundings and taking high-resolution images and video
- High-resolution display
- Microphone
- Speaker
- Internal sensors (GPS, gyroscopes, magnetometers, and accelerometers)
Our Ultimate VR, AR, MR guide explains in more detail the technical considerations for understanding the differences and examples of the technologies and products available.