Magic Leap One
| Magic Leap One | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | AR Headset |
| Subtype | Consumer AR |
| Platform | Lumin OS |
| Developer | Magic Leap |
| Manufacturer | Magic Leap |
| Release Date | August 8, 2018 |
| Price | $2,295 USD |
| Website | https://www.magicleap.com/ |
| Successor | Magic Leap 2 |
| System | |
| Chipset | NVIDIA Parker SOC (2x Denver 2.0 + 4x ARM Cortex A57) + NVIDIA Pascal GPU (256 CUDA) |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 128 GB (95 GB available) |
| Display | |
| Display | Waveguide (6-layer, see-through) |
| Resolution | 1280x960 per eye |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 50° diagonal (40° H x 30° V) |
| Optics | |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF (inside-out) |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Onboard speakers, 3.5mm jack |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C |
| Device | |
| Weight | Distributed (Lightwear + Lightpack) |
The Magic Leap One (Creator Edition) is an augmented reality headset developed by Magic Leap, released on August 8, 2018 at $2,295. Featuring a distinctive steampunk-inspired Lightwear headset with 6-layer waveguide display technology, belt-mounted Lightpack computer with NVIDIA Parker processor and Pascal GPU, 6DoF Control controller, 1280x960 per eye resolution, 50° diagonal field of view, 120 Hz refresh rate, and 3 hours battery life. Targeting developers and creative professionals as the "Creator Edition."
History and Development
Magic Leap announced the Magic Leap One on December 20, 2017 after years of secretive development and massive funding rounds totaling billions of dollars. The Creator Edition launched August 8, 2018, primarily targeting developers and early adopters. Despite innovative technology, the limited FOV and high price constrained consumer appeal. Magic Leap pivoted to enterprise focus, leading to Magic Leap 2 in 2022.[1]
Design and Hardware
The Magic Leap One system consists of three components: Lightwear headset, Lightpack computer, and Control controller.
Lightwear (Headset)
Distinctive waveguide optics:
- 6-layer waveguide display
- 2 layers each for RGB
- 1280x960 per eye resolution
- 120 Hz refresh rate
- 50° diagonal FOV (40° H x 30° V)
- Binocular see-through
- Blocks ~85% ambient light
- Steampunk-inspired design
Lightpack (Computer)
Belt-mounted processing:
- NVIDIA Parker SOC
- 2x Denver 2.0 64-bit cores
- 4x ARM Cortex A57 cores
- NVIDIA Pascal GPU
- 256 CUDA cores
- 8 GB memory
- 128 GB storage (95 GB available)
- Puck-shaped design
- Belt/pocket clip
- Heat dissipation away from head
Control (Controller)
6DoF handheld input:
- 6DoF tracking
- Trackpad (8-bit resolution)
- Trigger button
- Bumper button
- Home button
- 7.5 hours battery life
Tracking
- 6DoF tracking
- Inside-out tracking
- Spatial awareness
- Surface detection
Audio
- Onboard speakers
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- Audio spatialization
- Voice input (speech-to-text)
- Real-world audio capture
Battery
- 3 hours continuous use
- Lightpack integrated
- Rechargeable
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
- Bluetooth 4.2
- USB-C
Package Contents
$2,295 package includes:
- Lightwear headset
- Lightpack computer
- Control controller
- Fit Kit (calibration)
- Chargers
- Quick Start Guide
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 1280x960 per eye (6-layer waveguide) |
| FOV | 50° diagonal |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz |
| CPU | NVIDIA Parker (6-core) |
| GPU | Pascal (256 CUDA) |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| Storage | 128 GB |
| Battery | 3 hours |
| Controller | 6DoF, 7.5 hr battery |
| Price | $2,295 |
Reception
Praise:
- Innovative waveguide technology
- 120Hz smooth refresh rate
- NVIDIA processing capable
- 6DoF tracking accurate
- Distributed weight design
- Spatial audio quality
- Developer-friendly platform
- Hand tracking potential
- Build quality premium
- Pioneering AR headset
Criticism:
- $2,295 high price
- 50° FOV narrow (disappointing)
- 1280x960 resolution limited
- 85% light blocking intrusive
- 3 hour battery short
- Heavy overall system
- Limited content ecosystem
- Tethered Lightpack inconvenient
- Did not match expectations
- Consumer appeal limited[2]