Xreal opens pre-orders for Android XR Aura smartglasses from $1,279
In short
Xreal has opened pre-orders for the Aura, its Android XR smartglasses announced earlier this year at Google I/O, starting at $1,279 for a 12GB RAM / 256GB storage model and $1,499 for a 16GB / 512GB version. The glasses are tethered to a compute puck that runs Android XR with Google Play apps and Gemini, and weigh less than 95 grams. Xreal announced the price but not a release date; general-public orders are expected in the coming weeks, with shipping in the US, Canada, Japan and South Korea.
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Xreal has opened pre-orders for the Aura, the Android XR smartglasses it introduced earlier this year at Google I/O, with prices starting at $1,279 for a model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. A second configuration with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage costs $1,499, according to Engadget and The Verge. CNET reported that Xreal announced the price on Wednesday but did not give a release date, saying it should arrive in the next month or two. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The Aura is a tethered device: it attaches to a separate compute puck that runs Android XR, includes Google Play for apps and provides Gemini for AI capabilities, Engadget reported. The system uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chip, designed for augmented and mixed reality in smaller and lighter headsets, and the glasses weigh less than 95 grams with a 70-degree field of view and see-through lenses. Engadget said the puck also has a built-in trackpad and fingerprint sensor, and that the audio uses Bose-engineered technologies. Xreal said the Aura will come in medium (60-66mm) and large (66-72mm) sizes. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Pre-orders are initially limited to customers who already paid a reservation deposit, with ordering open to the general public in the coming weeks, according to Engadget and CNET. CNET described the earlier step as a $100 hold placed for the right to order. Engadget reported the Aura will start shipping soon in the US, Canada, Japan and South Korea, and that Xreal plans to release the model in more markets in 2027. CNET added that Xreal did not announce a release date. [ 1 , 3 ]
The launch puts the Aura against Meta's VR Glasses, which CNET and The Verge said are priced at $1,299 and due next year, $20 more than the Aura's starting price. The Verge said both devices overlay virtual objects and desktops on the real world and both house their Snapdragon Reality Elite chips and batteries in a compute puck, but differ in approach: the Aura has transparent lenses while Meta's device uses passthrough vision and offers more immersion. The Verge also said Meta's glasses include eye tracking, while the Aura relies on a touchpad in the puck and hand tracking. [ 2 , 3 ]
Hands-on impressions were positive but attributed to the outlets' own testing. Engadget said it found the Aura's visuals extremely sharp and bright even in sunny outdoor conditions when it tested the device at Google's developer conference, and CNET said it found the Aura one of the most fascinating devices it had tried in a while because it bridges gaps between glasses, AR and VR. CNET said the Aura has a larger field of view than previous Xreal glasses, which it said top out at 57 degrees. [ 1 , 3 ]
One open point remained at publication: The Verge said Xreal could not tell it by its publication time whether the 16GB of RAM would be important for some apps. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The Aura puts Xreal and Google into direct competition with Meta's VR Glasses, which CNET and The Verge price at $1,299 and expect next year, making price and timing the first points of comparison. Because the Aura runs Android XR with Google Play and Gemini, it also tests whether Google's platform can gain a foothold in wearable headsets. Broader availability is not expected until 2027, so the near-term contest is limited to a few markets.
Key facts
- Xreal opened pre-orders for the Android XR-powered Aura smartglasses, first introduced earlier this year at Google I/O. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Prices start at $1,279 for the configuration with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and $1,499 for 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Aura is tethered to a separate compute puck that runs Android XR, includes Google Play for apps and Gemini for AI capabilities. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The glasses use Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chip and weigh less than 95 grams, with a 70-degree field of view. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The puck has a built-in trackpad and fingerprint sensor, and the glasses use Bose-engineered audio. [ 1 ]
- Xreal said the Aura will ship soon in the US, Canada, Japan and South Korea, with more markets planned in 2027. [ 1 ]
- Pre-orders are initially limited to buyers who paid a reservation deposit, with wider ordering to follow in a few weeks. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Aura starts at $1,279, with a higher-specification version priced at $1,499. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Pre-orders have opened for the Aura, an Android XR device Xreal developed with Google. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Aura attaches to a compute puck that handles processing and runs Android XR. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Aura offers a 70-degree field of view. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The device uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chip, with compute and battery in the puck. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the 16GB RAM configuration matters for certain apps. The Verge said Xreal could not say by its publication time whether the extra RAM would be important for some apps.
- The exact release date for the Aura. CNET reported that Xreal announced the price on Wednesday but not a release date, saying only that it should arrive in the next month or two; Engadget said shipping would start soon after general-public orders open in the coming weeks.
- The size of the reservation deposit required for early pre-orders and the terms attached to it. Only CNET mentions a $100 hold placed earlier this year; the other documents describe a reservation deposit without a figure.
- Whether the field of view is measured diagonally or otherwise. The Verge describes the 70-degree figure as diagonal, while Engadget and CNET state a 70-degree field of view without that qualification.