TCL RayNeo Air 2 XR Glasses Review: Big Virtual Screen, Blurry
These glasses also work with MacBooks, Windows laptops, Chromebooks, tablets, and gaming consoles, like the Steam Deck, as long as they support DisplayPort USB-C Alt Mode. (Check before you buy.) TCL is also working on a JoyDock accessory that will allow you to use the glasses with your Nintendo Switch.
Big screen
Sony Micro OLED displays here give you a virtual screen of up to 201 inches at 1080p resolution. What has been improved, compared to TCL’s first generation Nxtwear S glasses, is the refresh rate (from 60 Hz to 120 Hz) and brightness (from 400 to 600 nits). The display is reasonably sharp, colorful and smooth.
The improved refresh rate is especially eye-opening when playing games, and it really helps keep the action smooth. Play mobile games like Asphalt 9: Legends It’s a lot of fun with the TCL RayNeo Air 2, but 15 minutes of gaming drained about 10% of my phone’s battery. If you use these glasses while traveling, you will probably want good portable charger with you.
Watching movies or TV shows works well, but even with improved brightness and shades, you need a solid, dark backdrop to get the best results. I watched Guardians on Netflix and had to turn up the brightness, even though I was indoors on a cloudy day. Dark scenes were difficult to make out, and if you don’t have a bright backdrop, you’ll see your surroundings show through.
While the center of the screen looks just fine, there is some noticeable blurring around the edges. It’s a bit like sitting too close to a big screen TV. When you mirror your connected device’s screen, it determines the aspect ratio. With the devices I tested, content was often cut off at the edges or bottom of the screen.
You may want to use the TCL RayNeo Air 2 XR glasses for work. Stuck in an airport or temporarily working somewhere, I can imagine plugging them into my laptop to get more screen space and some privacy, but it’s not the most comfortable experience.
The crux of the matter is that I wouldn’t want to wear these glasses for an extended period of time. Some games give me motion sickness, and it’s worse if your backdrop moves. The disconnect between the on-screen action and the real world is jarring, and I highly recommend you try before you buy. It’s not so bad if you can sit still with a plain background, but it could be a problem if you want to wear the TCL RayNeo Air 2 XR glasses in public places. You’ll also draw perplexed looks, because the one-piece mirrored lampshade is far from subtle.
The stereo sound won’t disturb people around you unless they are sitting too close, as it is very quiet. Unfortunately, there’s quite a bit of distortion if you turn up the volume, and it creates vibrations along the stems. A good pair of headphones is always best, but headphones can be difficult to wear over these glasses.
