Google's Xreal Aura XR Glasses Launch at $1,279, Competing With Meta VR Glasses
Google and Xreal have launched the Xreal Aura transparent Android XR glasses for pre-order starting at $1,279. The device is positioned as a direct competitor to Meta’s upcoming VR Glasses priced at $1,300. Both devices use external compute pucks with Qualcomm Snapdragon Reality Elite chips but differ in design and features: while the Xreal Aura offers transparent lenses with a 70-degree field of view, Meta's glasses rely on passthrough vision for greater immersion. The Xreal Aura is available in two configurations—12GB RAM/256GB storage ($1,279) or 16GB RAM/512GB storage ($1,499). Pre-orders are limited to those who reserved early, with only the first 2,000 units expected to ship this year. General availability is set for later in 2026 and will initially be available in the US, Canada, Japan, and South Korea before expanding globally. Both devices support app ecosystems—Android apps on Xreal Aura and Quest games on Meta’s VR Glasses—and offer unique interaction methods such as hand-tracking or eye tracking. Reviews are pending due to limited access for testing.
Topics: google xreal aura meta vr glasses wearables xr glasses