Gaming on the go has long been a compromise. You've either been staring at a tiny screen that required an eye doctor, or you've been lugging around a laptop that weighs as much as a sack of cement. ASUS and Xreal have just said, "Enough!" and offered us a third way. A way that makes you look like a cyborg but feel like a king. They are - ASUS ROG Xreal R1.
Smart glasses have been pretty… awkward for the most part until now. You wear them and people think you’re filming them or that you’ve lost touch with reality. And let’s face it, the technology in them has usually been so slow that you could read a newspaper faster. But when you combine the two ASUS's department Republic of Gamers (ROG), who probably drinks energy drinks instead of water, and Xreal, the leading manufacturer of AR glasses, are getting serious. They've created the ASUS ROG Xreal R1. And no, it's not just another gadget for reading email. It's a monster.
The engine under the hood: 240Hz of pure madness
If this product were a car, it would probably be a Lamborghini with a trailer full of processing power. The main star here is the display. Or two. We're talking Micro-OLED panels that offer FHD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) per eye. "Only 1080p?" I hear grumbling in the background. Stop the horses. It's not just about the pixels, it's about speed.
These glasses offer a refresh rate of 240Hz. Yes, you read that right. That's twice as fast as most gaming monitors you have at home. That means movement is as smooth as butter on a hot pan. No stuttering, no blurring. When you turn your head in a game, the world turns with you - instantly.
But the best trick? These glasses simulate a 171-inch (434 cm) screen at a distance of 4 meters (13 ft). Imagine sitting in your cramped office, putting these glasses on your nose, and suddenly looking at a canvas that's bigger than your wall. It's the definition of escapism.
Field of vision and sense of space
The ASUS ROG Xreal R1 has a field of view (FOV) of 57 degrees. That might sound small if you're used to VR headsets that completely isolate you, but in AR (augmented reality) that's impressive. Xreal claims that this covers 95% of your focused field of view. In practice, that means you'll be able to see the game without having to constantly move your head like a hawk.
This is where the “lifestyle” component comes in. The glasses use electrochromic lenses. That’s a fancy word for the fact that they can darken if you’re in a bright room, or brighten if you’re in the dark. The control over the light is in your hands. And because no one likes a virtual screen dancing in front of their eyes when they move, there’s 3DoF (Three Degrees of Freedom) technology and Anchor Mode. You can “pin” the screen to a space. You look away to take a sip of your coffee, and the screen stays where it was. When you look back, it’s waiting for you.
Connectivity: No more switching cables
The biggest problem with these types of toys has always been: “Where do I plug this in?” ASUS has solved that with the ROG Control Dock. It’s not just a box, it’s a nerve center. It has two HDMI 2.0 inputs, one DisplayPort 1.4, and USB-C.
What does this mean for you? That you can connect your PlayStation 5 and his own brutally powerful PC, and then you switch between them with a single button. But if you own a ROG Ally portable console or the newer Ally X, the thing works directly via USB-C. No dongle, no hassle. Plug and play, as they say.
The sound is handled by Bose. This is good news, as most glasses sound like you're listening to music through a phone sealed in a can. Expect decent sound, but it probably won't replace your studio headphones if you're an audiophile. But for playing Call of Duty on a plane? More than enough.
Conclusion: Is this the future or just an expensive hobby?
Look, ROG Xreal R1 These aren't glasses for everyone. If you're playing Candy Crush on your phone, skip them. These are gear for enthusiasts. For those who understand why 240Hz is important and why Micro-OLED is a superior technology.
The price is not yet known, but given that the Xreal Air 2 Pro model costs around $450 (comparable euros), expect this one with all the ROG stuff and the Control Dock to cost a lot more. Probably somewhere in the range of a decent used car you buy for a student.
Do you need them? Rationally speaking, no. Nobody needs a 171-inch screen in glasses. But automotive has taught us that rationality is no fun. Nobody needs 500 horsepower to drive to work, but it feels damn good to have it. These glasses are exactly that. A technological excess that allows you to disconnect from the boring reality and enter a world where colors are more beautiful, movement is smoother, and where you are the main character. And if that's not the essence of technology, then I don't know what is.
If you have money and you like games, these glasses are probably the best thing you'll put on your head this year. Just don't wear them on a date. Take my word for it.
