XREAL

XREAL launches much more affordable ‘a01’ AR glasses, coming soon to the US for $299

Ben Schoon | May 27 2026 - 8:05 am PT

XREAL is spinning off a sub-brand, “XBX,” which will launch more affordable AR glasses starting with the $299 a01, coming soon to the US.

While Android XR is a major point of focus for XREAL going forward, affordability is apparently another big goal. Following the debut of its most affordable XREAL 1S glasses debuting earlier this year, XREAL is now launching a sub-brand focused on “accessible and inclusive” hardware. “X by XREAL,” also referred to as “XBX,” will be launching new hardware at a lower price point, with the first set being the “a01” glasses.

X by XREAL a01 delivers a slighlty different experience compared to XREAL’s other AR glasses. They still accept input from external devices (like a smartphone or Steam Deck) and project that onto a display right in front of your eyes – a 1,600-nit HDR10 display at that – in a lightweight package. XREAL says a01 weighs in at 62g, about 20g lighter than XREAL 1S, thanks to a nylon body and reduced lens thickness.

Perhaps the most interesting big here is that the front frames are interchangable, allowing for more customization by the end user.

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There is one notable downside here, though. While the display is still very bright and shares the same electro-chromatic dimming, it has a much smaller field-of-view at just 50-degrees, less than XREAL 1S and One Pro. Still, it can create what feels like a 147-inch screen in front of you.

This all comes at a much more affordable price point, too. Compared to XREAL 1S’ $449 starting price, X by XREAL a01 will start at $299 when they launch in the US this July. They’re available now in China. For those solely looking to use these glasses as a portable big screen in their pocket, it’s a much more palatable price – we’re looking forward to trying them out.