At CES 2024, ASUS surprised people with the announcement of AirVision M1 glasses, which some saw as an alternative to Apple’s Vision Pro headset. But I discovered that ASUS’ glasses are more of a new alternative to portable monitors than something designed for spatial computing.
The big difference between the AirVision M1 glasses and something like the Vision Pro or even Xreal’s Air 2 Ultras is that it doesn’t really support anything in the way of interactive AR. Sure, the glasses can project your desktop or multiple windows into space, but it needs to be tethered to a nearby device and doesn’t recognize hand gestures or other virtual objects.
Instead, I found that its main purpose is to give you extra screen real estate, but without having to lug around large and bulky portable monitors. Featuring built-in microLED displays with Full HD resolution, AirVisions can display six or seven virtual windows or desktops. You can also choose between
several aspect ratios (16:9, 21:9, 32:9, and more), three degrees of freedom that the glasses allow you to pin those screens in virtual space or track your head as you move.
Instead, I found that its main purpose is to give you extra screen real estate, but without having to lug around large and bulky portable monitors. Featuring built-in microLED displays with Full HD resolution, AirVisions can display six or seven virtual windows or desktops. You can also choose between several aspect ratios (16:9, 21:9, 32:9 and more), around three degrees of freedom that the glasses let you pin those screens in virtual space or track your head as you move.
Instead, I found that its main purpose is to give you extra screen real estate, but without having to lug around large and bulky portable monitors. Featuring built-in microLED displays with Full HD resolution, AirVisions can display six or seven virtual windows or desktops. You can also choose between several aspect ratios (16:9, 21:9, 32:9 and more), around three degrees of freedom that the glasses let you pin those screens in virtual space or track your head as you move. Instead, I found that its main purpose is to give you extra screen real estate, but without having to lug around large and bulky portable monitors. Featuring built-in microLED displays with Full HD resolution, AirVisions can display six or seven virtual windows or desktops. You can also choose between several aspect ratios (16:9, 21:9, 32:9 and more), around three degrees of freedom that the glasses let you pin those screens in virtual space or track your head as you move.
During my first demo, I used the AirVision M1s while tethered to a laptop, which almost behaved like a little floating desktop, standing six feet in front of me. At first the virtual displays were a little blurry, but after a short adjustment period and some time dialing in the IPD (inter-pupil distance), I was surprised at how sharp everything looked. Compared to something like the Sightful Spacetop, billed as the world’s first AR laptop, not only did it have a larger vertical field of view (up to 57 degrees), but it also required no additional special hardware. glasses, essentially, put on and play. While I didn’t need them, it’s important to note that the glasses come with a pair of nose pads and a prescription insert for people with glasses to ensure you get a good fit.
Once installed, creating additional virtual workspaces was quite easy. All I had to do was open a little command menu, click the plus sign where I wanted the new window to appear, and that was it. You can also freely adjust the overall size of the virtual screen by zooming in or out. And one of the best things about the AirVisions is that the laptop’s touchpad wasn’t difficult to use or type on. As you can see through the virtual displays, I just looked down and directed my eyes to where I needed to be. If you’re distracted by something in the background, ASUS’ glasses also come with magnetic curtains that stick to the front and provide a clean black background.
However, my favorite use case was when I tried a different pair of AirVision connected to ROG Ally, where the glasses gave me a large virtual screen for gaming. In this way, it’s a lot like wearing a headset like Meta Quest 3, but for non-VR games. I’d like this to happen, especially on a plane where the floor is high for something like a portable monitor. However, I’m not sure I can handle the embarrassment of being a modern bottle hole, at least until devices like this become a bit more popular.
But perhaps the biggest difference between the AirVision M1s and the Apple Vision Pro is the price. While ASUS has yet to provide an official figure, a company spokesperson told me that ASUS is targeting $700, versus $3,000 for Apple’s headset. And when you compare that to the price of a portable monitor, which often runs between $250 and $400 and offers less screen real estate, suddenly that price doesn’t seem so ridiculous.
So if you’re looking for a travel monitor alternative, look out for ASUS’ AirVision M1 glasses when they launch in Q3 2024.
We’re reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas, January 6-12. Stay up to date with the latest news from the show here.
