What you need to know
- The ASUS, Xreal partnership is finally here, as the ROG Xreal R1 AR gaming glasses have debuted.
- The glasses feature a Sony 0.55-inch micro-OLED display, but users can project a 171-inch virtual screen.
- This device has been crafted to feel like a true extension of the ROG Ally, a handheld gaming console, with smooth fresh rates, vibrant visuals, enhanced sound, and 2D-to-3D conversion for games.
- The glasses are available for pre-order at Best Buy for $849.
If you’ve been keeping an eye on a specific pair of gaming-oriented smart glasses collaboration, today is your day.
ASUS (ROG) and Xreal’s collaboration for a pair of AR smart glasses has been teased since January, and now the ROG Xreal R1 is available for pre-order today (May 15). In a press release, ASUS claims that the R1 glasses have evolved into an extension of the ROG Ally (a portable gaming handheld). ASUS states it’s helped to unify the “hardware and software to deliver a cohesive experience.” When it comes to Xreal, its XR technology helps bring everything together.
As a result, the R1 smart glasses feature a Sony 0.55-inch (and a projected 171-inch virtual) micro-OLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz. To further the feeling of “wearing” a handheld gaming console on your face, the post states the display offers minimal motion blur and jittering, while providing smooth visuals and a “highly responsive” experience.
Users can adjust the brightness, display size, aspect ratio, effects, and more in real-time. What’s more, the collaboration facilitates 95% coverage for the user’s “focused” vision. Speaking of staying focused, the R1 glasses feature “Electrochromic Lens” technology. This fancy term encompasses the device’s ability to become transparent if the user looks away from the screen. When you return, the area around the anchored display tints, so you can focus on your gameplay.
It’s difficult to game without the right equipment, and that’s where the ROG Control Dock comes into play. Connected to the ASUS DisplayWidget Center, users can customize their virtual screen via a keyboard and mouse for system-wide control. Other features, like AI-enhanced crosshairs and more, helped push the “PC-like quality” experience, but for a pair of AR glasses.
Breaking the norm is the real-time 2D-to-3D conversion. This lets users turn their standard games into something with more “depth and scale.” Users can pin their display to a fixed position or utilize its seamless tracking. Other tools let users customize the level of display tint, alongside a frame rate booster. For audio, the two companies are leaning on Bose to carry the way.
Xreal and ASUS feel confident that this audio support will provide clarity for distant footsteps and explosions for “heightened awareness.”
The gaming glasses are here
The ROG Xreal R1 gaming glasses are available for pre-order via Best Buy for $849. The press release notes that pre-order availability will open on the official Xreal store on May 17 at 3 am ET (12 am PT).
ASUS and Xreal’s appearance at CES 2026 got us hyped for this release. These glasses are trying to nail down one specific area: gaming. The R1 glasses provide an anchored display in the lens, but the projected display can take your gaming experience to another level. Either way, with strong PC-like gaming quality and controls, users will find a totally new way to play their favorite games.
Android Central’s Take
These glasses are cool. I find these cooler than the other smart glasses on the market today, but that’s just because I’m a gamer. I already play a few games on my phone, games that I can also play on a PC or a standard gaming console, but this is different. The projected screen is another aspect that’s got me curious. Though it can only project this screen from roughly 13 ft away, it’s a neat addition that they didn’t have to add. I think one aspect about these glasses will be the price. I’m curious to see how many chase these glasses at that price point.
