TCL NXTWEAR G

TCL NXTWEAR G
Basic Info
VR/AR	Augmented Reality
Type	Smart glasses
Subtype	Display Glasses
Creator	TCL
Developer	TCL
Manufacturer	TCL
Announcement Date	Teased at CES in January 2021; availability announced 24 June 2021
Release Date	July 2021 (Australia and South Korea)
Price	AU$899 (Australia, 2021); 599 euros (projected European price, June 2021)
Website	https://www.tcl.com/global/en/glasses/tcl-nxtwear-g
Requires	Host device with USB Type-C and DisplayPort Alternate Mode
Successor	TCL NXTWEAR AIR
Display
Display	Dual Sony FHD Micro-OLED panels
Resolution	Dual 1080p (one Full HD panel per eye)
Refresh Rate	60 Hz
Image
Field of View	47 degrees
Optics
Ocularity	Binocular
Audio
Audio	Dual stereo speakers in the temples
Connectivity
Connectivity	USB Type-C with DisplayPort
Ports	USB Type-C (attached cable)
Power	Powered by the host device over USB-C; no internal battery
Device
Dimensions	187.35 x 159.3 x 42.8 mm (unfolded); 181 x 53 x 46 mm (folded)
Weight	100 g (without cable); about 130 g (with cable)
Material	Soft-touch nylon and silica gel around a metallic frame
Color	Black
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, compass, P sensor
Input	Host device

The TCL NXTWEAR G is a pair of wearable display smart glasses made by TCL. It contains two Sony Full HD Micro-OLED panels, one for each eye, and TCL says the image is equivalent to a 140-inch screen seen from 4 meters away. The glasses have no battery or onboard processor. They connect by cable to a smartphone, tablet, two-in-one or laptop whose USB Type-C port supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode, and they show that device's video output.

TCL teased the glasses at CES in January 2021 and announced their availability at MWC in Barcelona on 24 June 2021. Sales began in South Korea and Australia in July 2021, where the Australian price was AU$899. The NXTWEAR G is a personal display rather than a full augmented reality platform: it mirrors or extends the connected device's screen, and it was TCL's first generation of wearable display glasses before the NXTWEAR AIR of 2022.

Reviewed 27 September 2026. TCL product, specification and MWC 2021 newsroom pages, the NXTWEAR AIR and NXTWEAR S announcements, Digital Trends news and review, Engadget launch and review, and Tech Guide review re-read for every spec, date, price, quote and compatibility result. About review dates.

History

Digital Trends reported that TCL had been talking about its wearable display technology for some time, that the publication had tried prototypes at trade shows, and that the concept was revealed at CES 2021 as Project Archer. TCL's own MWC announcement says the NXTWEAR G was "Teased at CES 2021 in January".

At MWC on 24 June 2021, TCL announced that the glasses would go on sale in Australia the following month, with other regions to follow. Aaron Zhang, CEO of TCL Communication, said the glasses "become an extension of your smart device and transport you to a private viewing party wherever you are." TCL presented the glasses alongside its Multi-Screen Collaboration software and the TCL 20 Pro 5G phone, which can hand content off to the glasses.

Digital Trends reported that the launch started in South Korea and Australia in July 2021, with Europe to follow and a North American release planned without a timeframe. In South Korea and Australia TCL made deals with partners to bundle the glasses with a video subscription service and, in some cases, a smartphone. TCL gave a projected price of around 599 euros for regions where the glasses would be sold on their own. In Australia the glasses sold for AU$899 through Harvey Norman, with a free six-month Optus Sport subscription included with each purchase. Engadget noted that AU$899 was "the better part of $700 in the US".

Successors

On 4 January 2022, at CES 2022, TCL announced the NXTWEAR AIR as its "second-generation wearable display glasses". TCL said it had "30% less weight and a more comfortable fit than previous generation glasses" and weighed 75 g with the standard lens. At IFA 2022 TCL announced the upgraded TCL NXTWEAR S, which it said would be available from the fourth quarter of 2022 in selected regions.

Design and hardware

Display

The glasses use dual 1080p Sony FHD Micro OLED panels with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 60 Hz refresh rate. TCL lists a 47 degree field of view and an angular resolution of 47 pixels per degree, and describes the viewing size as a 140-inch screen at 4 meters. The glasses can show 1080p in 2D and 1080p x2 in 3D, and TCL said at launch that they support "3D 4K content".

TCL describes the display as transparent, so the wearer can still see the real world around them. Because the glasses are worn slightly away from the face in an open-fit design, the wearer can look down below them at a keyboard or the connected phone. According to TCL, the display "follows your motions". Digital Trends reported that the glasses understand the position of the wearer's body, so the image stays in front of the eyes whether the wearer is standing, sitting or lying down. The specification sheet lists an accelerometer, gyro, compass and "P sensor".

Physical design

The glasses weigh 100 g without the cable and about 130 g with it. They measure 187.35 x 159.3 x 42.8 mm unfolded and 181 x 53 x 46 mm folded. TCL describes the design as foldable, frameless and skin-friendly, with a deep black exterior. According to the launch announcement, the reflective black exterior is set against soft-touch nylon and silica gel around a metallic frame.

Digital Trends described the glasses as shaped like bulky sunglasses with oversize arms. A rubber-coated cable about 1.2 meters long is attached to one arm, and a speaker vent on each arm sits near the ear.

Three nose pads are included. For wearers who need vision correction, a lens frame holds prescription lenses; Digital Trends reported that it attaches magnetically to the inside of the frame. The glasses have no diopter adjustment, so users with imperfect eyesight need these prescription lens inserts.

Audio

Stereo speakers are built into the temples. TCL's specification sheet lists a dual speaker. Digital Trends noted that listening through Bluetooth headphones connected to the host device gives more privacy than the built-in speakers, and its review found the speakers adequate for spoken word but lacking in bass.

Connectivity and power

The NXTWEAR G connects over USB Type-C with DisplayPort. It needs no app, no charging and no pairing: the wearer plugs it into a compatible device, which powers it. TCL said at launch that more than 100 smartphones, two-in-one devices and laptops from major manufacturers were compatible. Engadget listed Android phones and tablets from Samsung, Huawei and OnePlus, Windows and Chromebook laptops, MacBooks and the iPad Pro among the compatible devices. According to TCL, as reported by Digital Trends, a connected phone should on average have enough battery to play about five hours of video through the glasses.

Digital Trends noted that the glasses could not be connected to an iPhone, because they require a USB Type-C port. Results also varied between USB-C devices in Digital Trends' testing:

Host device	Result reported by Digital Trends
TCL 20 Pro 5G	Desktop-style menu or phone mirroring; the phone screen acts as a touchpad
Samsung Galaxy S21 series	Samsung DeX starts automatically with a desktop view; audio defaulted to the phone's speakers
OnePlus 9 Pro	Mirrors the phone screen; video appears smaller unless zoomed
Google Pixel 4a	Not recognized as a display
iPad Pro	Works; visible video area slightly smaller than with the TCL 20 Pro
Huawei MateBook X (Windows 10)	Mirrors the screen immediately; text and icons very small

Package contents

The box contains the glasses, a protective case, three nose pads, a lens frame for correction lenses and a cleaning cloth. TCL described the case as a capsule case that fits in a small backpack or large handbag.

Uses

TCL marketed the NXTWEAR G as "a portable cinema for movie lovers, an immersive world for gamers, or a private space at home, work, or on your commute". Digital Trends noted that users can watch video from a phone or make video calls from a computer, and that the glasses do not cover the whole face like a VR headset, so the device, desk or keyboard stays visible. With the TCL 20 Pro 5G, TCL positioned the glasses as part of its Multi-Screen Collaboration setup across phones, laptops and tablets.

Specifications

Specification	Details
Display type	Dual Sony FHD Micro OLED
Resolution	Dual 1080p (one panel per eye)
Aspect ratio	16:9
Pixel density	47 PPD
Refresh rate	60 Hz
Field of view	47 degrees
Virtual screen	140 inches at 4 meters
Display modes	1080p 2D, 1080p x2 3D
Audio	Dual speakers
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, compass, P sensor
Port and connectivity	USB Type-C with DisplayPort
Power	From host device; no internal battery
Weight	100 g without cable, about 130 g with cable
Dimensions	187.35 x 159.3 x 42.8 mm unfolded; 181 x 53 x 46 mm folded
Color	Black

Source: TCL specification page.

Reception

Reviewers praised the display but criticized the fit. In a July 2021 review for Engadget, Daniel Cooper wrote that "TCL deserves enormous credit for making what can only be described as the best wearable display ever made." He found the temple tips and nose pads uncomfortable, and reported eye strain and colors that looked washed out compared with the same footage on a phone and a MacBook Pro.

Andy Boxall's August 2021 review for Digital Trends praised the colorful, detailed OLED screens, the simple connection and the lack of a battery to recharge. He criticized the tight arms and rigid nose pads, the lack of focus adjustment, the small interface icons and a rounding of the viewing area that hid the corners of the screen. He also saw blur and some jerkiness in fast action scenes. He called it "very much a first-generation product" and recommended waiting for a later version.

Stephen Fenech of Tech Guide was more positive, writing that the glasses "offer an entirely new and easy way to enjoy your content anywhere on a grand scale and in complete handsfree comfort."

See also

• TCL
• TCL NXTWEAR S
• TCL NXTWEAR V
• TCL RayNeo X2
• Display Glasses
• AR Glasses
• Consumer AR
• Micro-OLED