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Magic Leap One

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Revision as of 15:38, 7 January 2026 by Betabot (talk | contribs) (Improving page with detailed specifications, sections, and references)
Magic Leap One
Basic Info
VR/AR Augmented Reality
Type AR Glasses
Subtype Standalone AR, Enterprise AR
Platform Lumin OS
Developer Magic Leap
Manufacturer Magic Leap
Announcement Date December 20, 2017
Release Date August 8, 2018
Price $2,295 USD
Website https://www.magicleap.com/
Successor Magic Leap 2
System
Chipset NVIDIA Parker (Tegra X2)
CPU 2× Denver 2.0 + 4× ARM Cortex A57
GPU NVIDIA Pascal (256 CUDA cores)
Storage
Storage 128 GB
Memory 8 GB
Display
Display 2× LCOS (Digital Lightfield)
Resolution 1280×960 per eye
Refresh Rate 120 Hz
Image
Field of View 40° horizontal, 30° vertical (50° diagonal)
Optics
Ocularity Binocular
Tracking
Tracking 6DoF (inside-out)
Eye Tracking Yes
Hand Tracking Yes (gestures)
Audio
Audio Integrated speakers
Connectivity
Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C
Device

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The Magic Leap One (officially Magic Leap One Creator Edition) is an augmented reality head-mounted display developed by Magic Leap, announced on December 20, 2017 and released on August 8, 2018 at $2,295. The headset introduced Magic Leap's "Digital Lightfield" display technology using LCOS displays, promising more natural AR visuals. The system consisted of three components: the Lightwear headset, the waist-worn Lightpack computing unit with NVIDIA Tegra X2, and a wireless Control handheld. Cloud services ended December 31, 2024, rendering the device non-functional.

History and Development

Magic Leap, founded in 2010 and funded by over $2.6 billion in investment, revealed the Magic Leap One at the end of 2017 after years of secretive development and ambitious marketing. The "Creator Edition" launched August 8, 2018 exclusively through AT&T stores in select US cities. AT&T invested in the company and became the exclusive retail partner.[1]

The device was succeeded by the enterprise-focused Magic Leap 2 in 2022. On December 31, 2024, cloud services for Magic Leap 1 were discontinued, effectively ending functionality.[2]

Design and Hardware

System Components

Three-part system:

  • Lightwear: AR headset (two size options)
  • Lightpack: Waist-worn computing unit
  • Control: Wireless handheld controller

Display (Digital Lightfield)

Magic Leap's proprietary display technology:

  • LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) displays
  • 1280×960 resolution per eye
  • 120 Hz refresh rate
  • 40° horizontal FOV
  • 30° vertical FOV
  • 50° diagonal FOV
  • "Digital Lightfield" technology
  • Multiple focus planes claimed

Processing (Lightpack)

Waist-worn compute unit:

  • NVIDIA Parker SoC (Tegra X2)
  • 2× Denver 2.0 64-bit cores
  • 4× ARM Cortex A57 64-bit cores
  • NVIDIA Pascal GPU (256 CUDA cores)
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 128 GB storage
  • Graphics APIs: OpenGL 4.5, Vulkan, OpenGL ES 3.3+

Tracking

Advanced spatial computing:

  • 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF)
  • Inside-out tracking
  • Spatial mapping
  • Persistent content placement

Input Methods

Multiple input modalities:

  • Control: Wireless handheld with touchpad and trigger
  • Voice commands
  • Gesture recognition
  • Head pose tracking
  • Eye tracking

Battery

  • Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion
  • Up to 3 hours continuous use
  • Battery life varies by use case

Package Contents

  • Lightwear headset
  • Lightpack computing unit
  • Control handheld
  • Fit Kit (nose pieces)
  • Chargers
  • Quick Start Guide

Availability

Initially limited launch:

  • Launch cities: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle
  • Retail partner: AT&T stores exclusively
  • Price: $2,295 USD

Technical Specifications

Specification Details
Display LCOS (Digital Lightfield)
Resolution 1280×960 per eye
Refresh Rate 120 Hz
Field of View 40° H × 30° V (50° diagonal)
Processor NVIDIA Tegra X2
GPU Pascal (256 CUDA cores)
RAM 8 GB
Storage 128 GB
Battery Up to 3 hours
Price $2,295

Reception

Praise:

  • Advanced NVIDIA Tegra X2 processing
  • 120 Hz refresh rate
  • Multiple input methods (voice, gesture, eye tracking)
  • Spatial mapping capabilities
  • Eye tracking integration
  • High-quality build

Criticism:

  • $2,295 price too expensive
  • 40° FOV disappointingly narrow
  • Waist-worn Lightpack inconvenient
  • Failed to match marketing hype
  • Limited availability (US only, select cities)
  • "Creator Edition" implied not consumer-ready
  • Cloud dependency led to end-of-life
  • Company nearly collapsed[3]

[4]

End of Life

  • December 31, 2024: Cloud services discontinued
  • Core functionality no longer available
  • Device effectively non-operational
  • Software updates ceased

See Also

References