TCL is showcasing the latest iteration of its wearable display smart glasses at CES this year. Not to be confused with a VR or augmented reality headset, the new NxtWear Air are essentially a wearable display in the form of a pair of sunglasses. The updates appear to be a marked improvement over the previous generation NxtWear G – TCL has reduced the weight some folks weren’t too keen on and ditched the arguably ridiculous looking design for something far more street worthy. Head below for a closer look at the new wearable display glasses from TCL.
TCL’s new wearable display smart glasses
The previous-generation model featured a pair of 1080p micro OLEDs that essentially worked as a secondary personal wearable display for a connected smartphone or tablet. The new NxtWear Air are much of the same but in a 30% lighter frame (75 grams compared to the previous 130 grams) with a far more stylish design. There are magnetic plates that snap on to the front of the frame to offer a sort of Wayfarer-like look.
The 1080p micro OLED displays are designed to look and feel like a personal 140-inch monitor when wearing the glasses and have been improved from previous-generation iterations. Some folks claimed the picture could get a little bit washed out with the NxtWear G, but enhancements in color reproduction are seemingly addressing this issue in the latest model.
According to today’s press release, the new wearable display glasses connect to a DisplayPort-compatible smartphone, tablet, or laptop and provide spatial audio via speakers mounted in the arms — you can also connect wired or Bluetooth headphones.
NxtWear Air is set to launch in Q1 of 2022, but there are no details on pricing or availability yet. The first-generation models had a limited release in Australia and ran about $680 USD, so you can, at the very least, expect quite a hefty price tag.
Electronicsforward’ Take:
The new NxtWear Air wearable display glasses are set to be quite an improvement over the first generation. Some sources felt the initial take on the technology was some of the best yet, despite some glaring flaws and a particularly ugly aesthetic. While I’m not sure any one really needs these, they might come in handy on flights and the like (gaming, movies, private editing/work). At somewhere in the $600 and up price range, only a select few will get to find out. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what Apple has up its sleeve in this space moving forward, although it’s hard to imagine its option being all that affordable anyway.
Be sure to browse through the rest of our CES 2022 coverage right here.
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