Smart glasses are rapidly growing in popularity, with Chinese technology company XREAL at the forefront. XREAL is teaming up with Google on Project Aura, which are wired augmented reality (AR) smart glasses.
For unmatched immersion and portability, smart glasses go hand in hand with gaming. With a 70-degree field of view (FOV), a top-notch Snapdragon chipset, and a high refresh rate, the Project Aura smart glasses could be the ultimate gaming companion.
Project Aura’s Standout Specs
The current market is crowded with high-spec smart glasses, but XREAL’s Project Aura’s are looking to stand out from the crowd. With Google involved, the Aura glasses will run the feature-packed Android XR operating system.
The form factor may be different, but Project Aura will have many similarities with the Samsung Galaxy XR headset, which also uses Google’s Android XR operating system. The two devices also have the same impressive Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset.
The smart glasses use an optical see-through design, doing their best to look like regular glasses. As well as seeing your real-world surroundings, a digital overlay displays various information directly on the lenses.
As is usually the case with smart glasses, the Google XREAL’s will have a far shorter field of view than traditional VR headsets. However, the 70-degree FOV on the Project Aura smart glasses is considered exceptional for AR glasses. A wider FOV gives the user a much more immersive experience for gaming and general productivity.
Like the Samsung Galaxy XR and the Apple Vision Pro, which are high-end mixed reality headsets, the Project Aura will use an external puck. This will house the battery and processor and is small enough to be stored in a pocket. You can also use the puck as a trackpad, which is a neat feature.
The glasses will use hand and spatial tracking. There are three front-facing cameras and six degrees of freedom (6DoF). The Android XR system allows for seamless hands-free interaction.
Why the Project Aura Glasses Could Be the Perfect Gaming Companion
With gamers looking for the biggest and best displays to play their AAA games these days, smart glasses provide an excellent option. They take up no space and can offer an even more immersive experience than traditional gaming monitors and big-screen TVs.
With a 70-degree FOV, gamers can create an enormous display right in front of their eyes. Having a private virtual cinema screen from the comfort of your home is now a possibility with smart glasses, especially ones with a 70-degree FOV.
Portability is also a big win for the Project Aura smart glasses. With a tethered puck, the glasses remain lightweight, allowing for hours of gameplay and productivity. You can create a giant screen in seconds from anywhere in the world.
Alongside traditional 2D gaming, the Project Aura glasses open a world of mixed reality experiences. Running the same software as the Galaxy XR, a variety of MR games will be ready and waiting. Although designed mainly for productivity, the Samsung Galaxy XR holds up well as a gaming device thanks to MR.
The Project Aura smart glasses can connect to gaming PCs and home consoles. Whether playing platformers on the Nintendo Switch 2 in handheld mode or competitive shooters on the PS5 Pro, the Aura can handle all types of games and systems. The Aura’s high frame rate will enhance your gaming experience even more.
Expected Price & Release Date
XREAL and Google are keeping the price and release date under wraps for now, but that hasn’t stopped the internet from speculating. The XREAL One Pro glasses are $650, though the Aura’s could be slightly more expensive.
Rumours suggest that the new XREAL glasses could cost as much as $1000, due to the advanced chipset, specs, and features. However, a $700-$800 price tag seems more reasonable.
XREAL has been tight-lipped on the release date, though 2026 is expected. Some reports say that the smart glasses could come in early 2026 after the device was officially unveiled in December 2025.
Meta has delayed its upcoming smart glasses to 2027, but Google quietly confirmed a 2026 release for the Project Aura smart glasses.
