The best AR and MR glasses of 2025: Expert tested

The best AR glasses are the Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses for their fantastic design, power audio system, and multimodal AI. It isn’t the only option to consider. If you’re thinking about getting something else, the table below compares the best devices according to price, weight, and connectivity options.

AR and MR glasses are great across multiple areas, but some are better than others in certain scenarios. Some excel in gaming, while others can help you learn about the world around you. For these reasons, you need to know what you’re looking for in a pair of either AR or MR glasses. You don’t want to buy a device that won’t meet your needs. Here’s how to figure out which model is the best for you:

Augmented and mixed reality can enhance your surroundings in different ways. AR tech helps people in their lives by acting as a personal assistant of sorts. They can provide insight into the topic as well as record videos from your unique perspective. MX devices do something similar although they can also immerse you into a private digital space. Whichever one you prefer, they share several factors that must be considered before purchase.

• Design: Design is arguably the most important factor when choosing one of these devices. It doesn’t matter how many neat features a pair has. If the AR glasses aren’t comfortable to wear, then it’s not worth purchasing. For this, we paid attention to lightweight models that fit comfortably. The RayNeo Air 2s is best in this category as it has a flexible design and excels in ergonomics.
• Use case: How you plan to use a pair of AR or MR glasses is important because it directly affects what you buy. Are they for entertainment or gaming? Then you’re best off with the MR glasses because, as we’ve established earlier, they deliver an immersive experience. Do you want something that assists you in your day-to-day life? Then, the Amazon Echo Frames are recommended as they offer quick access to Alexa and your smart home gadgets.
• Software compatibility: How well a pair of AR/MR glasses integrates into a tech ecosystem determines their usability and affects what apps they have access to. The RayNeo Air 2s is compatible with a wide range of devices, including, but not limited to, iPhones, gaming consoles, MacBooks, and iPads. Those Ray-Ban smart glasses do particularly well with Meta’s social media platforms. You can upload directly to them through the headset.
• Interactivity: AR and MR glasses interact with the world in different ways. The former operates by receiving voice or gesture commands. You directly inform Alexa or Meta’s assistant exactly what to do. Some take a different approach relying on external hardware. The XREAL Beam Pro looks like a smartphone, but it’s actually a media hub that connects to MR glasses and delivers a VR-like experience.

It can be hard to tell the difference between the two terms because they’re often used interchangeably but there are distinct differences between them. Smart glasses have simpler functionality. They aim to enhance the world by providing information that overlaps with the surrounding environment, such as giving details about a landmark. It’s like having a help screen with you at all times. AR tech actively changes the world by displaying overlays or giving access to an AI assistant.

The Meta Ray-Bans toe the line between smart glasses and AR glasses. On the surface, they appear to be nothing more than smart glasses with a few extra tricks. However, you realize they offer so much more. You can enjoy different media types, record videos, and translate other languages in real-time.

XR stands for Extended Reality, and it is also used interchangeably with mixed reality or augmented reality, which leads to a lot of confusion. 

XR is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of technologies like virtual reality, AR, and MR. It is a type of tech capable of overlaying information digitally over a real-world environment. The extent depends on the tech itself. VR, as you already know, completely engulfs you in a digital space. AR injects a few pieces of information into your view. MR sits in the middle, providing some overlays.

Yes, AR glasses are safe to use for the most part. No studies have shown that they cause permanent eye damage, blurred vision, or lowered depth perception. However, side effects do exist. According to a recent study by the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Hamburg, Germany, subjects reported experiencing headaches, aching eyes, and fatigue after wearing AR glasses.

This isn’t a problem exclusive to AR glasses. Symptoms like the ones just mentioned often happen to people who stare at monitors and screens for hours on end. Medical professionals have even dubbed it Computer Vision Syndrome. Eye strain can be easily fixed by taking frequent breaks and reducing brightness levels.

Here are a couple of other options that might appeal to you.