These glasses also work with MacBooks, Windows laptops, Chromebooks, tablets, and game consoles, like the Steam Deck, provided they support the DisplayPort USB-C Alt mode. (Check before you buy.) TCL is also working on a JoyDock accessory that will enable you to use the glasses with your Nintendo Switch.
Big Screen
The Sony Micro OLED displays here give you a virtual screen that goes up to 201 inches at 1080p resolution. What has been enhanced, compared to TCL’s first-gen Nxtwear S glasses, is the refresh rate—up from 60 Hz to 120 Hz—and the brightness—up from 400 to 600 nits. The display is reasonably sharp, colorful, and smooth.
The enhanced refresh rate is most telling when playing games, and it really helps to keep the action smooth. Playing mobile games like Asphalt 9: Legends is a lot of fun with the TCL RayNeo Air 2, but 15 minutes of gameplay drained around 10 percent of my phone battery. If you are using these glasses on a trip, you will likely want a good portable charger with you.
Watching movies or TV shows works OK, but even with the enhanced brightness and shades, you need a plain, dark backdrop for the best results. I watched Watchmen on Netflix and had to crank the brightness up, even though I was inside on an overcast day. Dark scenes were hard to make out, and if you don’t have a plain backdrop, you’ll see your environment poking through.
While the center of the screen is completely fine, there is noticeable blurring around the edges. It feels a bit like sitting too close to a big-screen TV. When you are mirroring your connected device’s screen, it determines the aspect ratio. With the devices I tested, the content was often cut off at the edges or bottom of the screen.
You may want to use the TCL RayNeo Air 2 XR Glasses for work. Stuck in an airport or working somewhere temporary, I can imagine plugging them into my laptop to get more screen real estate and some privacy, but it’s not the most comfortable experience.
The crux of the issue is I would not want to wear these glasses for an extended period of time. Some games induce motion sickness for me, and it’s worse if your backdrop is moving. The disconnect between the onscreen action and the real world is jarring, and I strongly recommend trying before you buy. It’s not so bad if you can sit still with a plain backdrop, but it could be a problem if you want to wear the TCL RayNeo Air 2 XR Glasses in public places. You will also draw some puzzled looks, as the one-piece mirrored shade is far from subtle.
The stereo sound won’t bother folks around you unless they are sitting too close, because it is very quiet. Unfortunately, there’s quite a bit of distortion if you crank the volume up, and it creates vibrations along the stems. A decent pair of earbuds is always better, but headphones may be tricky to wear on top of these glasses.