All the AR, VR, MR and XR headsets we saw at CES 2023 (2023)

WOW. That's about all we can say about the huge number of augmented reality headsets, virtual reality headsets, mixed reality and extended reality that are being announced.CES 2023. Wow.

In all shapes, sizes and colors, these gadgets aim to bring real-time translation, navigation, games, conversations and much more into your field of vision. We were able to test some and, where possible, we looked at fit, usability and usefulness.

But with that selection of equipment, we clearly couldn't look at or examine all of them. And with an Apple entry on the horizon, that market is clearly overcrowded. Who could succeed? Where should you invest that hard-earned dollar? Here's a quick rundown of the latest announcements from the giant tech show.

TCL RayNeo X2

The TCL RayNeo X2 glasses share many similarities with other recent AR smart glasses appearing on the scene - such as thereal waterEVITURE One XR-Brille. Just like their predecessors, they look like thick glasses, but the lenses have been updated with a pair of Micro-LED optical waveguide displays, giving the wearer a personal alert display, and you'll find speakers in the temples of the glasses. , so you can hear the audio through them as well.

Unlike the old Google Glass, they have screens on both lenses, which is crucial for information to look sharp and fit in with the world around you. What "optical waveguide displays" means is that the screens are actually in the frame of the glasses and project through the lens. The angled grooves in the lens reflect light towards your eyes, so there are no pixels or electronics on (or in front of) the lens itself. If you need prescription lenses, you can get them and you can change them in the future without having to get rid of the electronics.

It works exactly as TCL describes - you can see right through them perfectly, but the information also floats in front of your eyes. And that information is clear and crisp and can be displayed over a wide area of ​​your vision, top to bottom, left to right. never isforaway from the center so you don't have to move your eyes a lot and strain to see anything. It's obviously thought out very carefully in terms of all-important ergonomics. Read more aboutTCL RayNeo X2.

HTC Vive XR-Elite

HTC is a leader in immersive, augmented experiences for everyone. The original device you may be familiar with was VR only and required beacons placed around a room to know its position; The new HTC Vive XR Elite is completely independent. It has also been redesigned to be lighter and compatible with AR and VR.

HTC has put together half a dozen experiences for TechRadar to try out, but first we had to get used to the new headgear, which now looks more like goggles attached to a padded head ring. You fasten it with a big button at the back of the neck. Like the Magic Leap headset, you'll need to remove your glasses to use it. On the HTC Vive XR Elite, small dials around the lens let you adjust the focus, and you can slide the eyepieces further or further apart to adjust them to your own interpupillary distance. In the viewfinder you will see a green grid that will help you position the lens correctly.

None of it was difficult or lasted more than a moment. To further support the headset is a thin elastic strap that goes over the head. I found the fit extremely comfortable. Read more aboutHTC Vive XR-Elite.

PlayStation VR2

TechRadar couldn't test VR2, but our friend Tom's Guide did. Here's what they had to say in theirspractical review:

“With PlayStation VR 2, Sony is looking to bring PC-level performance to its console-based VR platform. That is, the PS VR 2 for thePS5has a higher resolution than its predecessor and runs smoothly thanks to the addition of eye trackers that enable foveated rendering, allowing the headset to dedicate more processing power to the area your eyes are looking at and less processing power to the areas that you are not focusing .

Also impressive is the fact that PS VR 2 does not require the PlayStation Camera or PS3 Move motion controllers that the original PS VR used. PS VR 2's new improved controllers are more tactile and can be tracked by the sensors in the headset itself - solving two of our biggest issues with the original headset with an elegant solution. This could easily be one of the best virtual reality headsets out there, at least for console gamers.

We have our reservations about the headset, which is a little worrying given its steep $549 price tag - but fans of next-level VR experiences on consoles have a lot to look forward to when PS VR 2 launches in mid- February.PlayStation VR2.

Slow Lumus Z

Lumus makes a lens that is just perfect. Or onewave guide,should we say, the technical term for projecting an image onto or inside the glasses in front of your face. "There are two approaches to the waveguide," Dave Goldman, vice president of marketing for Israel-based Lumus, told TechRadar. “One is called diffractive, and those are the other guys. And I mean everyone else, I'm talking about some of the in-house teams at the top tier companies, as well as all the competitors that Lumus currently has."

These include, for example, thereal waterEVITURE One XR-Brille- it's newTCL RayNeo X2 Brille. Goldman's company uses a different technology,reflectiveWaveguides that allow significantly brighter images and much more efficient waveguides, which means lower power solutions. This means the lenses are thin and bright enough to fit into regular eyeglasses. The Z-Lens image is generated by a projector module that sits on the frame; it has an LED and LCOS display and a prism. Light from the projector is sent to the waveguide, where two sets of mirrors built into the lens expand the image to fill your field of view. So mirrors, they're all mirrors. Really smart mirrors.

To try them on, Goldman gave us a pair of thick blue Buddy Holly-style glasses with flexible, coiled cords emerging from each temple. We put them on - they are light and look like ordinary glasses. And floating before our eyes was a perfectly readable, perfectly bright and clear grid of images and text - a simple demonstration of what the Lumus Z-Lens can do. Everything worked perfectly, bright enough to see in normal sunlight, clear enough to see through, and completely invisible to anyone looking at us. Read more aboutSlow Lumus Z.

magic jump 2

To test out the latest from Magic Leap, TechRadar met the company's CTO, Julie Larson Green, a former retired Microsoft Windows legend who is guiding Magic Leap's transition from an inscrutable, up-and-coming prodigy to a practical AR headset. and purpose for industry and... Factories Controls, Disaster Prevention and more. As we discussed Magic Leap's initial promise in the crowded booth, Green told me, "The technology was very early and the consumer scenarios weren't as clear."

Enterprise, however, is a different story. Industry, factories and even doctors' offices: "They are used to carrying things on their faces." Green encouraged me to equip myself with the latest headset, the Magic Leap 2, which is 50% lighter and smaller than the original. It also features a powerful new custom AMD SoC.

Unlike the new HTC Vive XR Elite and theMetaQuest Pro, The Magic Leap 2 maintains its slim form by housing the battery and processor on a separate disk that you can wear on your belt. This has the effect of making the hat light and quite comfortable to wear. It also means that there was a cable running from the disc to his head and I could feel the disc in my hip. Read more aboutmagic jump 2

Vuzix - Ultralite

NoCES 2023, Vuzix introduced new Ultralite AR glasses, ordinary-looking plastic frames with a tiny projector on one arm and a small battery and Bluetooth radio on the other. Combine that with Vuzix's waveguides - a layer on the glasses that directs the projector's light into your line of sight - and you have ordinary-looking glasses that do extraordinary things.

We put on the Vuzix Ultralite and saw a line of green text in the corner of the right lens, the kind you'd see on old mainframe computers in the movie WarGames. It was crisp, perfectly legible, and bright as day. It was a real-time transcription of what another Vuzix employee was saying; The device is also adept at displaying directions, with arrows indicating where you should travel, workout status, text messages and so on.

To be clear, this is not 30fps color video. But the Vuzix Ultralite is here today, it's affordable and probably just what you've been looking for. It doesn't have a huge battery (or a cable for a battery you put in your pocket) as it works directly with your phone thanks to a simple Bluetooth connection. There isn't much video transmitted over this connection, so this cable isn't necessary either. It's just regular glasses that use your phone's power. Read more aboutVuzix - Ultralite.

dream VR1

Somnium Space is a Metaverse platform from the Czech Republic. At CES 2023, the company unveiled the Somnium VR1, an open source high-end PCVR headset featuring high-resolution displays, custom crystal clear non-Fresnel lenses, eye tracking, hand tracking, and a modular design that makes it allows users to change, add or modify many parts of the headset.

Additionally, Somnium Space provides access to most sensors, allowing advanced users to create custom mixed reality experiences.

AjnaXR

Indian company AjnaLens, which has been developing in secret over the past few years, unveiled its entry into the advanced world of mixed reality headsets at CES, namedAjnaXR.

AjnaXR wasn't built for gaming, the company explains, but it's changing the way you find and keep a job. This particular headset is designed for learning and offers the user a wide range of immersive courses; Pair the headset with haptic gloves, which the company also sells, and you can get hands-on training remotely - one of the least talked about and most practical uses of virtual and mixed reality.