Nreal Light
| Nreal Light | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | AR Glasses |
| Subtype | Consumer AR |
| Platform | Nebula (Nreal/Xreal software) |
| Creator | Nreal (now Xreal) |
| Developer | Nreal |
| Manufacturer | Nreal |
| Announcement Date | January 2019 (CES) |
| Release Date | 2020 (Korea first), December 2021 (US) |
| Price | $599 (US retail) |
| Website | https://www.xreal.com/ (rebranded) |
| Versions | Nreal Light Developer Kit, Nreal Light Consumer Edition |
| Requires | Compatible smartphone with USB-C DP (or computing unit) |
| Predecessor | None |
| Successor | Xreal Air |
| System | |
| Operating System | Works with Android (Nebula app), Windows |
| Chipset | N/A (phone-powered) |
| CPU | N/A (phone-powered) |
| GPU | N/A (phone-powered) |
| Storage | |
| Storage | N/A |
| Memory | N/A |
| SD Card Slot | No |
| Display | |
| Display | Dual Sony micro-OLED |
| Subpixel Layout | RGB stripe |
| Peak Brightness | 1000 nits |
| Resolution | 1920 × 1080 per eye (1080p) |
| Pixel Density | ~40 PPD |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Persistence | Low persistence |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 52° diagonal |
| Horizontal FoV | ~50° |
| Vertical FoV | ~40° |
| Average Pixel Density | ~40 PPD |
| Peak Pixel Density | ~40 PPD |
| Foveated Rendering | No |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Birdbath waveguide |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | Fixed (~66mm) |
| Adjustable Diopter | No (prescription lens inserts available) |
| Passthrough | Native see-through (AR glasses) |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF inside-out (SLAM) |
| Tracking Frequency | N/A |
| Base Stations | None required |
| Eye Tracking | No |
| Face Tracking | No |
| Hand Tracking | No |
| Body Tracking | No |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes |
| Positional Tracking | Yes |
| Update Rate | 60Hz |
| Tracking Volume | Room-scale |
| Play Space | Mobile AR |
| Latency | <40ms |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Dual directional speakers |
| Microphone | Yes (dual) |
| 3.5mm Audio Jack | No |
| Camera | 1× RGB camera (right lens) |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode) |
| Ports | USB-C |
| Wired Video | Yes (USB-C DP) |
| Wireless Video | No |
| WiFi | No (in glasses) |
| Bluetooth | No (in glasses) |
| Power | Powered by host device |
| Battery Capacity | N/A |
| Battery Life | N/A (powered by source) |
| Charge Time | N/A |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | 146 × 175 × 44mm (in use) |
| Weight | 88g |
| Material | Plastic |
| Headstrap | None (glasses temples) |
| Haptics | No |
| Color | Black |
| Sensors | 2× tracking cameras, IMU, RGB camera |
| Input | Phone-based controls, 3DoF controller (optional) |
| Compliance | FCC, CE |
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The Nreal Light is a lightweight phone-powered augmented reality glasses device developed by Nreal (now rebranded as Xreal), unveiled at CES in January 2019 and released commercially in 2020 (Korea) and December 2021 (United States) at a price of approximately $599. The Nreal Light was among the first consumer-accessible AR glasses to offer 6 degrees of freedom (6DoF) spatial tracking in a sunglasses-like form factor weighing just 88 grams. Unlike display-only smart glasses, the Nreal Light featured dual 1080p Sony micro-OLED displays, SLAM-based spatial mapping through dual tracking cameras, and the ability to anchor virtual objects in physical space—capabilities previously found only in enterprise devices like Microsoft HoloLens. By tethering to a compatible smartphone via USB-C, the Light delivered mixed reality experiences at a fraction of the cost of standalone AR headsets.
History and Development
Nreal Founding
Company background:
- Founded 2017 in Beijing
- Chi Xu (former Magic Leap engineer) CEO
- Consumer AR focus
- Aggressive pricing strategy
CES 2019 Announcement
Industry debut:
- First public demonstration
- $499 target price announced
- Lightweight form factor shown
- Strong press reception
Developer Kit Phase
2019-2020:
- Developer kits shipped
- SDK development
- Partnership building
- Carrier relationships
Commercial Launch
Regional rollout:
- Korea (August 2020)
- Japan (December 2020)
- Germany, Spain (2021)
- United States (December 2021)
Rebranding to Xreal
2023 name change:
- Nreal → Xreal
- Global expansion focus
- Consumer market emphasis
- Continued development
Design Philosophy
Consumer-First
Mass market approach:
- Affordable price point
- Lightweight form factor
- Smartphone-powered
- Easy to use
True AR Capability
Beyond display glasses:
- 6DoF spatial tracking
- Object anchoring
- Environment understanding
- Mixed reality experiences
Sunglasses Form Factor
Wearable design:
- 88 grams
- Glasses appearance
- Extended wear comfort
- Portable
Display Technology
Sony Micro-OLED
Premium displays:
- Resolution: 1920 × 1080 per eye
- Type: Sony micro-OLED
- Brightness: 1000 nits
- Virtual Screen: ~201 inches at 6 meters
Visual Quality
Good imagery:
- Sharp 1080p per eye
- Vibrant OLED colors
- Deep blacks
- Wide color gamut
Field of View
52° diagonal:
- Wider than HoloLens 1
- Good for AR experiences
- Adequate canvas
- Reasonable for price
Brightness
High visibility:
- 1000 nits maximum
- Indoor and outdoor use
- Competitive brightness
- Clear in various lighting
Optical System
Birdbath Waveguide
Light guide technology:
- Reflective optics
- See-through capability
- Compact form factor
- Good image quality
See-Through
AR transparency:
- View real world
- Digital overlay
- Natural interaction
- Environmental awareness
6DoF Tracking
SLAM Technology
Spatial awareness:
- Simultaneous localization and mapping
- Environment understanding
- Real-time positioning
- Camera-based tracking
Dual Tracking Cameras
Stereo vision:
- Two tracking cameras
- Position calculation
- Movement tracking
- Spatial mapping
Tracking Features
Mixed reality capabilities:
- Plane detection
- Surface recognition
- Image tracking
- Object anchoring
Tracking Quality
Performance:
- Reliable room-scale
- Good positional accuracy
- Environment-dependent
- Competitive with enterprise
Phone Connectivity
USB-C DisplayPort
Connection method:
- USB-C with DP Alt Mode
- Single cable
- Powers glasses
- Video and data
Compatible Phones
Device requirements:
- USB-C DisplayPort support
- Android primarily
- Select flagship phones
- Computing unit alternative
Nebula App
Software platform:
- Android companion app
- AR experiences
- Display modes
- Settings control
Computing Unit
Alternative power:
- Optional computing unit
- PC connection
- Standalone mode
- Extended compatibility
Audio
Directional Speakers
Built-in audio:
- Dual speakers
- Private listening
- Decent quality
- Convenient
Dual Microphones
Voice capture:
- Communication capable
- Voice commands
- Video calls
- Recording
Camera
RGB Camera
World capture:
- Single camera (right lens)
- Photo capability
- AR content capture
- Video recording
Physical Design
Weight
Ultra-lightweight:
- 88 grams
- Comfortable extended wear
- Glasses-comparable
- Revolutionary for AR
Form Factor
Sunglasses style:
- Folds for storage
- Portable case included
- Wearable appearance
- Premium feel
Materials
Quality construction:
- Plastic frame
- Polycarbonate lenses
- Light shields included
- Durable design
Nose Pads
Fit options:
- Multiple sizes included
- Adjustable fit
- Comfort customization
Input Methods
Phone-Based Control
Primary input:
- Phone touchscreen
- Nebula app interface
- Gesture control
- Voice commands
Optional Controller
3DoF accessory:
- Pointer-style input
- Motion control
- Additional purchase
- Enhanced interaction
Gaze Control
Head-based input:
- Look to select
- Dwell to confirm
- Hands-free option
- Accessibility
Software Platform
Nebula
AR platform:
- Multiple virtual screens
- AR experiences
- App launcher
- Settings
MR Space
Mixed reality mode:
- Spatial AR
- Object placement
- Environment interaction
- 6DoF experiences
Air Casting
Display mode:
- Large virtual screen
- Video viewing
- Gaming display
- Productivity
Use Cases
Entertainment
Media viewing:
- Large virtual screen
- Video streaming
- Gaming display
- Personal cinema
Mixed Reality
AR experiences:
- Spatial apps
- Object placement
- Interactive content
- Demo applications
Productivity
Work applications:
- Multiple displays
- Video conferencing
- Document viewing
- Mobile office
Gaming
Play experiences:
- AR games
- Phone gaming display
- Immersive play
- Cloud gaming
Market Evolution
Pioneer Consumer AR
Category creation:
- First affordable 6DoF AR glasses
- Consumer market validation
- Price/feature balance
- Mass market potential
Transition to Xreal Air
Product evolution:
- Xreal Air successor (simplified)
- Display-focused direction
- Broader compatibility
- Mainstream positioning
Comparison with Competitors
| Feature | Nreal Light | Magic Leap 1 | HoloLens 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $599 | $2,295 | $3,000 |
| Weight | 88g | 316g + 415g | 579g |
| FOV | 52° | ~40° | ~30° |
| Resolution/eye | 1920×1080 | 1280×960 | 1268×720 |
| Tracking | 6DoF (SLAM) | 6DoF (SLAM) | 6DoF (SLAM) |
| Form Factor | Glasses | Goggles + pack | Headset |
| Standalone | No (phone) | Yes | Yes |
Legacy
Consumer AR Pioneer
Market impact:
- Proved consumer AR viable
- Price point breakthrough
- Form factor innovation
- 6DoF accessibility
Xreal Foundation
Company evolution:
- Technology base
- Market learning
- Brand development
- Product iteration
Technical Specifications Summary
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | Dual Sony micro-OLED, 1920 × 1080 per eye |
| FOV | 52° diagonal |
| Brightness | 1000 nits |
| Virtual Screen | ~201" at 6m |
| Tracking | 6DoF SLAM (dual cameras) |
| Connection | USB-C (DP Alt Mode) |
| Audio | Dual directional speakers |
| Camera | RGB camera |
| Weight | 88g |
| Price | $599 |