For years, the idea of seeing your apps, videos, and messages superimposed over your view of the world around you has been a futuristic fantasy. Now, it’s rapidly becoming a reality thanks to the emergence of augmented reality glasses that project dynamic virtual displays into your visual field. But the future isn’t always budget-friendly. How much are AR glasses, and which ones are worth the AR glasses price being charged?
Naturally, the price of AR glasses will depend on many factors. Specs like image definition, sound quality, add-ons, and unique features can affect the cost. We’ll discuss some factors that can bump the price up and down, then review what you’ll pay for some of the current front-runners.
What if you don’t have time to read an in-depth breakdown of augmented reality pricing? In that case, we humbly recommend our MyW AR glasses as the best combination of value and premium display technology.
They’re fully wireless and offer superior image quality compared to competing models at similar prices. With features like real-time translation and a sharp wearable camera, our smart glasses provide more for your money than you’ll find anywhere else.
In this article:
How Much Do AR Glasses Cost On Average?
The answer to this question may depend on what you mean by AR glasses. These devices currently come in two distinct tiers with very different capabilities and prices:
Everyday AR Glasses
Price: Generally somewhere between $300 and $700.
Products in this category are designed to resemble ordinary spectacles or sunglasses as much as possible. They can interface with your devices or run apps in an onboard OS, projecting a vivid, TV-sized screen that only you can see. These AR glasses are great for viewing videos, using social media on the go, or creating a flexible virtual workspace.
High-End AR Headsets
Price: Around $3500
Users who want to experience the most futuristic version of augmented reality may be interested in this higher-cost tier of AR glasses. These advanced models include features like eye tracking, voice and gesture commands, and 3D cameras. Such capabilities come with a hefty price tag, not to mention a bulkier apparatus — currently, this kind of processing power can only fit into a sizable wraparound headset.
What Factors Can Influence AR Glasses Price?
There’s a vast range of features and tech specs that can affect how much your smart glasses cost, but here are the ones with the most significant impacts:
Display Quality
Since the most popular use for AR glasses is entertainment, the quality of their digital display technology is a significant price driver. Factors like the size of the field of vision (FOV), the screen refresh rate, and the resolution of the virtual screen all factor into the cost of AR glasses.
Storage and Processing Power
Many AR glasses are computing devices in their own right, not just wearable screens. Their storage capacity and CPU power can significantly affect their value.
Accessories
AR glasses often require external hardware like adapters and controllers for owners to use their capabilities thoroughly. An affordable base price might not always reflect what you need to pay to access all of the device’s features.
Material Quality
Another critical consideration is the basic sturdiness, flexibility, and comfort of your glasses and frames. Picking a cheap option could mean wearing AR glasses that are rigid and awkward or flimsy and easily breakable.
Prescription Inserts
If you wear glasses, they may not be able to fit inside your AR device. Most models include the option to order insertable prescription lenses to view the display clearly, but this generally costs extra.
Extra Features
All AR glasses include, at a minimum, built-in micro OLED screens and speakers. But most include other nifty capabilities, from high-resolution cameras to biometric security. These additional features can drive up the price of your AR glasses.
How Much Do The Leading AR Glasses Cost?
Now, let’s take a concrete look at what you can get for your dollar when buying smart glasses. Here are some of the most popular models available today and their prices.
Top Choice: MyW AR Glasses
Our signature augmented reality glasses offer a fantastic blend of affordability and functionality.
The immersive display creates the image of a 90-inch screen viewed from 12 feet away, presented in crisp detail at 700 nits of brightness for an ultra-clear viewing experience. Dynamic stereo speakers add surround sound, creating an immersive experience that can transform your seat on the bus into your own personal theater.
Unlike our competitors’ products, MyW AR glasses are cable- and hands-free. You can connect wirelessly to your devices or download Android apps directly to your glasses. Either way, you can turn your head anywhere you like without worrying about a cord snagging or tangling.
The appeal is obvious when it comes to style. The sleek single-piece wraparound outer lens gives these shades a look that’s a little bit futuristic and a little bit retro.
Other excellent features include:
- A 13MP camera captures high-quality first-person photos and videos
- Translation software that can recognize up to 50 languages and display subtitles during conversations
- Magnetic, polarized outer lens to switch quickly between indoor and outdoor lighting
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled
- Lightweight design with adjustable fit for maximum comfort
- Easy-to-use remote control with integrated keyboard
Available for $499 on Amazon, our MyW glasses offer an unbeatable value. Their display is sharper and brighter than any other AR options at a similar price point, and the fully wireless design provides greater freedom when using them while on the move.
XREAL Air AR Glasses
XREAL offers several types of AR glasses in the lower price tier:
All three options are good AR glasses for gaming, with an impressive 46° field of vision and a refresh rate reaching 120 Hz. XREAL smart glasses are also lovely for the fashion-conscious since they’re hard to distinguish from regular glasses.
Sadly, the picture quality isn’t as good as that of MyW AR glasses due to the lower resolution and brightness.
The final price tag will be higher if you want everything the XREAL system offers. Connecting to certain consoles, like the Nintendo Switch or the PlayStation 5, requires a $49 adapter. And you’ll need yet another piece of hardware, the $119 XREAL Beam, to download media and apps or use the system’s unique viewing modes.
Rokid Max Glasses With AR
Readers who want the most expansive viewing screen possible without jumping up to the $3k+ price tier might like the Rokid Max AR glasses.
They offer a 50° FOV, simulating the experience of a massive 215-inch screen. That may be nice if you mainly want AR glasses for movies. Their sound quality is also a bit better than that of devices in the XREAL line, particularly in the bass range.
One nice feature of the Rokid Max is its focus adjusters for each eye. Nearsighted users can toggle the screen to match their vision without needing to wear contacts or buy prescription lens inserts.
While taste is always subjective, many viewers may find the look of these frames a little off-putting; they look more like swim goggles than ordinary glasses. Rokid includes a lens cover to block outside light, but unlike those included with our MyW glasses, it doesn’t attach magnetically.
The Rokid Max costs $399, but you’ll need to bump that up to $499 if you want the remote control and media storage device that lets you use the glasses without your phone or laptop.
Apple Vision Pro
Apple’s new AR glasses fall squarely into the higher-end tier we described above. They offer a flexible augmented reality experience, with the ability to select apps by looking at them, move them anywhere with a gesture, and scale them to any size.
Productivity-minded users may enjoy the ability to wallpaper their room with different virtual screens, while those looking for entertainment might appreciate the visual quality of the 3D display, which features 23 megapixels in 4K definition.
You can also take pictures or record images in 3D; customer reports suggest that the spatial audio quality is clear and immersive.
Is it worth the $3499 price tag? That may depend on how much you value being an early adopter. First reports suggest that the software hasn’t entirely caught up to the hardware — there still aren’t many apps taking full advantage of the ability to blend virtual objects with physical space.
The Vision Pro is also at least as heavy as a VR headset, and many users say it can become uncomfortable to wear for long stretches. It’s also not genuinely cordless—an external battery pack is meant to sit in your pocket or on a table during use—and only offers two hours of battery life.
Apple has created a novel spatial computing platform, but it may not be ready to replace your desktop, phone, or tablet just yet.
Wondering what else is out there? We discuss several other options in depth in our article on the best AR glasses.
What are the potential adverse effects of using AR glasses?
Current evidence suggests that AR glasses are safe for the most part. However, some early studies suggest that there could be a slight increase in the risk of eye strain or fatigue with these devices. Extended use could lead to blurred vision, eye dryness, or headaches. Heavy models like the Apple Vision Pro may also strain neck muscles.
Bottom line? Make sure you’re taking regular breaks while using your smart glasses. We’d advise against wearing them near traffic, in work zones, or around other potentially hazardous environments. Adding virtual displays to your field of vision can limit visibility and cause distractions.
Get The Best AR Glasses For Your Buck With MyW
If you want to get the best possible value out of your augmented reality experience, our MyW AR glasses are the clear winners. They provide a more precise, sharper display than the other devices in their price range without tying you to a cable.
You also don’t have to pay extra for features like an onboard OS, media storage, or a compatible remote control and keyboard like you do with competing models.
Visit our product page to learn how MyW AR glasses can change how you work and play.