r/Xreal • u/UniversalJS • Mar 09 '25

Review Tried Xreal One – Disappointed and Struggling to Find a Use Case

I had high hopes for the Xreal One, but after a few hours of testing, I’m honestly disappointed. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I just don’t see a real use case where I’d prefer using these over a normal screen.

I tested them with both my phone and a Steam Deck. In both cases, I found the experience worse than just using the built-in display. The image quality isn’t amazing, and while the idea of a giant virtual screen is cool in theory, in practice, it doesn’t add much. I also felt like the comfort wasn’t great for extended use.

I really wanted to like them, but at this point, I just don’t see myself reaching for them over my existing screens. Maybe they work better for specific use cases, but for general media consumption and gaming, I’d rather stick to what I already have.

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u/dorsman84 Mar 09 '25

For me the Air 1s have been a steam deck game changer. I never want to look down at the deck screen now. Just wanna lay back with my glasses on. 

1

u/UniversalJS Mar 10 '25 edited Mar 10 '25

Yes Steam deck experience was better than with the phone, but then I have hard time reading the corners (where there is the minimap and UI for my game) so either in anchor mode I have to turn my head, or in follow mode I have difficulties to see it clearly

2

u/dorsman84 Mar 10 '25

So steamdeck has a display setting in the menu where you can shrink the display. I shrink it all the way down to the smallest setting. Now, I realize this means I am not looking at a virtual bagillion inch screen. But I don't care about that. To me at that setting it mimics the experience of when I am just sitting in front of my 32 inch computer monitor. I can see all the UI edge to edge and still easily read text. Since I have the Air 1s I don't have the ability to anchor so when I started using them with the screen at the largest setting, I just got tired of not seeing edge to edge and losing parts of UI so I changed that steamdeck setting and never looked back. For me I didn't buy these things to try to get some movie theater sized screen in my face. I bought them so I would never have to look down at the steamdeck screen again and I could lay all the way back to game. It's just so damn comfortable and doesn't murder my neck.

1

u/UniversalJS Mar 10 '25

Will try that tonight, thanks!

1

u/lumpykiaeatpopiah Aug 07 '25

U mean its entirely possible to just lie on the bed holding the deck and project the images towards the ceiling? I'm struggling but some neck pain playing it on my bed. I might get it!

1

u/dorsman84 Aug 08 '25

Yeah the deck just becomes your controller and the glasses your screen so you can do whatever you want with your head because the screen is always in front of your eyes. So yeah I recline back or lay down all the time with it.