If you’re looking for a way to take your displays with you, without having a physical display - as long as you already have a compatible laptop to use, the ThinkReality AR Smart Glasses will not disappoint.
Imagine a world where you can be working at a coffee shop, switching between 3 displays – but without having to carry any physical displays with you. This is no longer a pipe dream, but it’s a reality, thanks to Lenovo’s ThinkReality AR Smart Glasses.
Smart glasses and AR headsets are hardly a new concept, but Lenovo’s ThinkReality AR Smart Glasses offer something rather unusual in the world of smart wearables. To that effect, these glasses allow you to take your virtual workspaces anywhere, without the need for additional monitors. Not only is this super convenient, but it also allows you to work privately as needed.
The ThinkReality AR Smart Glasses are powered by Qualcomm’s Qualcomm XR-1 SmartViewer technology. They feature a 1080p resolution for each eye with 200 nits, an 8MP RGB Camera, 3 noise-suppressing mics, and stereo speakers covering the audio. It also features head/gaze tracking, a barcode reader, and High-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) for digital rights management (DRM). HDCP support means that you can use the AR glasses to watch movies legally without issues. They also provide eye protection compliant with ANSI Z87.1 standards.
In the box, there are multiple nose bridges and adjustable ear horns to adjust the distance from your eyes so you can get a custom fit for a good view. Prescription lenses can be mounted to the nosepiece and easily removed so that other people can use the glasses too. The glasses themselves are quite lightweight and comfortable to wear, weighing in at 130g (three-tenths of a pound). Otherwise, the design of the glasses is quite simple and non-obnoxious.
The real strength of the ThinkReality AR Smart Glasses is how clear and crisp it’s able to display its virtual displays. While there is definitely room for improvement, we haven’t come across a better option on the market. That said, we’d love to see Lenovo offer a 4k option, or at minimum a 2K option, which would be even sharper. Also, we wish the nits (brightness level) was higher.
The biggest “catch” with the ThinkReality AR Smart Glasses is that they currently only work a limited amount of Lenovo laptops with dedicated GPUs such as the ThinkPad P Series mobile workstations. Alternative, they’ll work when tethered to a Moto G100 smartphone – but this isn’t a phone that many people own. Our hope is that Lenovo is able to expand its list of compatible devices. But for now, you’re going to need quite a powerful and pricey laptop to take advantage of these glasses.
ThinkReality AR Smart Glasses review verdict
Lenovo’s ThinkReality AR Smart Glasses are priced at $1399+, and for now, they are targeted at the enterprise market. Ultimately, we see these AR glasses as a vision of the future. We anticipate, that over time, Lenovo will bring this tech to consumer products at a more affordable price point – well, we can only hope.
If you’re looking for a way to take your displays with you, without the inconvenience of physical displays, as long as you already have a compatible laptop to use, the ThinkReality A3 AR glasses will not disappoint.