The Future of AR/MR: A Guide to the Best Headsets of 2024 and Beyond

Augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) are two of the most exciting technologies that are transforming the way we interact with the world. From entertainment to education, from gaming to health, AR and MR offer endless possibilities for enhancing our experiences and enriching our lives.

But what are the best AR and MR headsets that you can buy or look forward to in the next two years? In this post, we will review some of the most innovative and impressive devices on the market today or that were announced or released at CES 2024, the world’s largest consumer electronics show, as well as some upcoming products that are expected to launch in 2025.

The Best Headsets You Can Buy Today

Varjo XR-4 (Best PCVR Professional MR HMD)

The Varjo XR-4 is the world’s highest resolution mixed reality headset for ultra-high fidelity enterprise VR, XR and Spatial Computing. The Varjo XR-4 features dual OLED displays with 28 million pixels of pure visual fidelity with industrial-grade color accuracy, 200 nits of brightness, and local dimming for striking contrast. The Varjo XR-4 also features advanced tracking and audio technologies, as well as a wireless option. The Varjo XR-4 is powered by Nvidia GPUs and integrated with Nvidia Omniverse, enabling developers and industrial users to render photorealistic scenes and use ray tracing in mixed reality. The Varjo XR-4 launched in the fourth quarter of 2023 and is priced at $4,999.

HTC Vive XR Elite (Best Standalone Professional MR HMD)

The HTC Vive XR Elite is a powerful, lightweight, and portable headset that conforms to you and offers vivid passthrough, high-resolution tracking, and immersive audio. You can enjoy untethered freedom of all-in-one XR or PC VR gaming with Vive Streaming and Vive Ultimate Tracker, and access your Viveverse portal for immersive adventures. The Vive XR Elite features dual Mini-LED displays with local dimming to provide high-contrast between dark and light areas of the wearer’s view. The Vive XR Elite also supports a software ecosystem of over 100 third-party PC applications and 3D engines, including Unreal Engine and Unity. The Vive XR Elite launched in the first quarter of 2023, with a price tag of $999

Magic Leap 2 (Best Standalone Professional AR HMD)

Magic Leap 2 is the successor to the Magic Leap 1, which was one of the first AR headsets to offer a spatial computing experience. The Magic Leap 2 improves on its predecessor by offering a larger field of view, higher resolution, and better performance. The Magic Leap 2 also features a new design that is more comfortable and ergonomic, as well as a new controller that is more intuitive and precise. The Magic Leap 2 is compatible with a wide range of apps and platforms, including Magic Leap’s Lumin OS and Magicverse. The Magic Leap 2 began shipping in Q4, 2022.

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Meta Quest 3 (Best Consumer MR HMD)

The Meta Quest 3 is the successor to the Quest 2, which was the first VR headset to achieve mass-market success. The Quest 3 improves on its predecessor by offering a wider field of view, higher resolution, and better tracking capabilities. The Quest 3 also features dual RGB cameras that enable a seamless transition between VR and MR modes, making it one of the most versatile headsets on the market. The Quest 3 is compatible with a wide range of apps and platforms, including Meta’s Omniverse and Roblox. The Quest 3 is launched in the third quarter of 2023, with a price tag of $499

Qualcomm XR-2 Gen 2+ is Officially Announced at CES 2024

The Qualcomm XR-2 Gen 2+ is an improved version of the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform, which is a chipset designed for extended reality (XR) devices, such as virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) headsets. The XR2 Gen 2+ offers higher performance, higher resolution, and more cameras than the XR2 Gen 2, making it one of the most advanced XR platforms available. Some of the features and specifications of the XR2 Gen 2+ are:

• It supports up to 4.3K resolution per eye at 90Hz or 3.7K per eye at 120Hz, which is higher than the 3K per eye at 90Hz of the XR2 Gen 2.
• It can support more than 12 concurrent cameras, which can enable better tracking, passthrough, and depth sensing capabilities for XR devices.
• It has a 15% higher GPU clock speed and a 20% higher CPU clock speed than the XR2 Gen 2, which can deliver smoother and more realistic graphics and interactions.
• It is compatible with various platforms and services, such as Meta’s Omniverse, Google’s ARCore, and Qualcomm’s XR Enterprise Program.

The XR2 Gen 2+ debuted at CES 2024, and will be used by Samsung and Google in their upcoming XR headsets, as well as numerous other manufacturers in the next generation headsets. 

A Look Ahead at What’s Coming

Samsung Galaxy Glasses

Samsung Galaxy Glasses is the codename for Samsung’s upcoming AR/MR headset, which is expected to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro. The Galaxy Glasses will feature four tracking cameras, a pancake lens, two RGB outward-facing cameras, a depth sensor, eye-tracking, hand-tracking, OLED microdisplays, and Samsung’s Exynos 2200 chipset. The Galaxy Glasses will also leverage Samsung’s partnership with Google and Qualcomm to access a wide range of content and applications. The Galaxy Glasses are expected to launch in the second half of 2024.

LG XR Device

LG XR Device is the codename for LG’s first XR headset, which is being developed by its television division. LG XR Device will leverage LG’s expertise in OLED and MicroLED display technologies, as well as its partnerships with Meta and Apple, to create a high-quality and versatile device. LG XR Device will also support VR, AR, and MR modes, and will be compatible with various platforms and services. LG XR Device is expected to launch in 2025.

Xreal Air 2 Ultra

The Xreal Air 2 Ultra is the successor to the popular Xreal Air, which was the first AR glasses to achieve mass-market success. The Air 2 Ultra improves on its predecessor by offering a wider field of view, higher resolution, and better tracking capabilities. The Air 2 Ultra also features dual 3D cameras that enable a seamless transition between AR and MR modes, making it one of the most versatile headsets on the market. The Air 2 Ultra is compatible with a wide range of apps and platforms, including Qualcomm’s XR2 platform and BMW’s AR driving assistant. The Air 2 Ultra is expected to launch in the second quarter of 2024.

RayNeo X2 Lite

The RayNeo X2 Lite is a breakthrough device that eliminates the need for display prisms, which are the bulky and uncomfortable components that are typically used to project images onto the lenses of AR glasses. Instead, the X2 Lite uses MicroLED optical waveguide technology, which allows for a thin and transparent film that can display vibrant and bright images directly on the glasses. The X2 Lite is also extremely lightweight, weighing only 2.1 ounces (60 grams), making it one of the most comfortable and discreet AR glasses ever made. The X2 Lite is expected to launch in the third quarter of 2024.

Project Moohan

Project Moohan is a mysterious and ambitious MR headset that is being developed by a consortium of tech giants, including Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft. Project Moohan is rumored to be the first MR headset that can create a fully synthetic and photorealistic world, using artificial intelligence and cloud computing. Project Moohan is also rumored to feature brain-computer interface technology, which would allow users to control the headset with their thoughts and emotions. Project Moohan is expected to be unveiled in late 2025.

These are some of the most promising and exciting AR and MR headsets that you can expect to see in the near future. Whether you are looking for a device that can enhance your productivity, entertainment, or social interactions, there is a headset that can suit your needs and preferences. AR and MR are the future of computing, and the future is here.

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