Ultimate XREAL Buying Guide

• OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) is a display technology where each pixel emits its own light and can turn completely off to produce true blacks, resulting in high contrast and vibrant colors without needing a backlight.
   

• Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between the width and height of a display or image, expressed as width:height (e.g., 16:9). It describes the shape of the screen, not its size.

  • Common Aspect Ratios & Differences:

    • 4:3 (Standard)

      • Almost square.

      • Used in older TVs and monitors.

      • More vertical space, but not ideal for widescreen content.

    • 16:9 (Widescreen)

      • The current industry standard (HD, Full HD, 4K).

      • Most TVs, laptops, monitors, and streaming platforms use this.

    • 16:10 (Taller Widescreen)

      • Similar to 16:9 but slightly taller.

      • Favored in productivity-focused laptops/monitors (like MacBooks, some Dell/Lenovo laptops).

      • Provides extra vertical space for documents, browsing, and coding.

    • 21:9 (Ultrawide)

      • Much wider than 16:9.

      • Common in ultrawide monitors and cinema screens.

      • Excellent for immersive gaming and watching movies.

    • 32:9 (Super Ultrawide)

      • Twice as wide as 16:9 (essentially two side-by-side).

      • Found in massive curved monitors.

      • Great for multitasking, racing sims, and flight sims.
         

• Refresh rate is the number of times per second a display updates its image, measured in Hertz (Hz). Higher refresh rates produce smoother motion and reduce motion blur, especially in fast-moving content like gaming or video playback.

  • Common refresh rates:

    • 60 Hz – Standard for most TVs, monitors, and smartphones.

    • 75 Hz – Slightly smoother than 60 Hz; common in mid-range monitors.

    • 90 Hz – Common in VR headsets and higher-end smartphones; noticeably smoother motion.

    • 120 Hz – Very smooth motion; found in high-end gaming monitors, smartphones, and AR/VR devices.

    • 144 Hz – Popular for gaming monitors; extremely fluid motion.

    • 240 Hz – Used in competitive gaming monitors; extremely responsive and smooth.
       

• Frames per second (FPS) is the number of individual images a display or device shows per second in a video, game, or animation. Higher FPS results in smoother motion and more fluid visuals, while lower FPS can make motion appear choppy or stuttered.

  • Common FPS values:

    • 24 FPS – Standard for movies and cinematic content.

    • 30 FPS – Typical for TV shows, casual video, and some games.

    • 60 FPS – Smooth gameplay and video playback; common for modern games and high-quality streaming.

    • 90+ FPS – VR and high-end gaming for ultra-smooth motion.

    • 120+ FPS – Competitive gaming and some AR/VR devices for very fluid visuals.

​​FPS and refresh rate work together: the display’s refresh rate sets the maximum FPS it can show.
 

• Latency is the delay between an input or action and the resulting response displayed on a device. In other words, it’s the time it takes for a system to react to what you do, measured in milliseconds (ms).

  • Low latency – Quick, responsive experience (ideal for gaming, AR/VR, or interactive apps).

  • High latency – Noticeable delay, causing lag or stuttering in visuals and interactions.

In AR/VR or display glasses, latency affects how smooth and real-time the experience feels.
 

• M2P (Motion-to-Photon) is the time delay between when a user moves their head (motion) and when the updated image (photon) is displayed on the screen. 
  Lower M2P latency means smoother, more responsive visuals, which is especially important in AR/VR to reduce motion sickness and improve immersion.

Fact: The XREAL One series has an impressively low motion-to-photon latency of just 3 ms, which is significantly faster than the Apple Vision Pro’s 12 ms, resulting in a more responsive and lag-free viewing experience.

 

• Dynamic Frame Interpolation is a video processing technique that generates and inserts intermediate frames between existing ones to increase the perceived frame rate, resulting in smoother motion and reduced motion blur.

Fact: The X1 chip by XREAL can insert extra frames in the XREAL One series, allowing content to play at up to 120 fps for ultra-smooth playback.
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• FOV (Field of View) is the extent of the observable world you can see at any given moment, measured in degrees.
  In display devices like VR/AR glasses, it describes how much of your surroundings the screen covers from your perspective—either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
  Higher FOV = Wider view, which can improve productivity but may reduce screen clarity.
  Click here to watch a video showing how XREAL calculates FOV.
   

• PPD (Pixels Per Degree) is a measure of visual sharpness that tells you how many pixels fit into each degree of your field of view. In other words, it combines display resolution with field of view to show how detailed the image will appear to your eyes.
  Higher PPD = Sharper and more detailed visuals.
   

• Birdbath optics is an optical design using a curved mirror and beam splitter to reflect the display into your eyes. This is the design currently used in XREAL glasses.

  • Benefits vs. waveguides:

    • Wider field of view

    • Brighter image with better contrast

    • More accurate colors

    • Generally more affordable to manufacture
      ​Trade-off: Bulkier and less transparent than waveguides.
      Click here to watch a comparison video of how birdbath and waveguide optics work.
       

• Augmented Reality (AR) is technology that overlays digital information—such as images, text, animations, or 3D objects—on top of your real-world view, in real time.
   

• Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term that covers all real-and-virtual combined environments created by computer technology, including:

  • Virtual Reality (VR) – fully immersive digital environments.

  • Augmented Reality (AR) – digital elements overlaid on the real world.

  • Mixed Reality (MR) – digital and real objects that interact in real time.
    Essentially, XR refers to any technology that blends physical and digital experiences.

 

• Mixed reality content refers to digital content that blends the real world with virtual elements in an interactive way. Unlike pure virtual reality (VR), which completely immerses you in a digital environment, or augmented reality (AR), which overlays graphics on the real world, mixed reality (MR) allows virtual objects to interact with your physical environment in real-time.

 

• ​0DoF (Zero Degrees of Freedom) refers to a display or tracking setup where there is no positional or rotational tracking — essentially, the display is fixed in place and does not respond to your head or body movements. It means no motion tracking, so the content stays static regardless of how you move.

 

• 3DoF (Three Degrees of Freedom) refers to motion tracking that detects rotational movement only—yaw (turning left/right), pitch (looking up/down), and roll (tilting your head side to side).
  In AR/VR, 3DoF is common for simpler headsets or glasses that only need to know where you’re looking, not where you’re moving.
   

• 6DoF (Six Degrees of Freedom) refers to motion tracking that detects both rotational and positional movement.
  In AR/VR, 6DoF allows for full movement in a 3D space, making experiences more immersive and interactive compared to 3DoF, which only tracks rotation.

 

• Spatial Modes are a set of viewing options that control how virtual screens behave in relation to your movement and surroundings, enabling comfortable and adaptable viewing in different environments.

  • Smooth Follow reduces unwanted image shifts caused by physical movement, making it ideal for in-vehicle use.

  • Body Anchor is 3DoF tracking that keeps the screen fixed in space relative to your body, moving only when you do. This is especially useful for productivity—for example, you can pin the virtual screen next to your physical monitor. When you look at your monitor, the virtual screen stays out of view, and when you look beside your monitor, the virtual screen appears exactly where you positioned it.

  • Spatial Anchoring lets you pin a virtual screen in place so it stays fixed in the environment—even if you leave the area, it reappears when you return. You can move closer to the screen to zoom in, step back to zoom out, and even move behind the screen to see the image flipped, offering a more immersive spatial experience.

  • Sideview shrinks and repositions the display to the side, avoiding visual interference while still letting you enjoy your content. Useful for when doing chores around the house, cooking, or any activity where you want to keep an eye on your screen without it being in the way.
     

• Drift (in AR/VR glasses) is the gradual misalignment or shifting of virtual objects from their intended position in the real world, usually caused by small cumulative errors in motion or positional tracking sensors. Good AR/VR systems minimize drift to keep virtual content stable and accurately anchored.
   

• 3D SBS (3D Side-By-Side) is a format for displaying stereoscopic 3D content where two images—one for the left eye and one for the right eye—are placed side by side on the screen.

  • Full 3D SBS is a stereoscopic 3D format where each eye receives a full-resolution image side-by-side. For example, on a 1920×1080 display, each eye gets the full 1920×1080 pixels, resulting in sharper and more immersive 3D visuals.

  • Half 3D SBS is a format where the left and right images are compressed horizontally to fit side-by-side within the same 1920×1080 frame, so each eye effectively gets a 960×1080 image. This saves bandwidth but reduces image quality compared to full 3D SBS.
    Click here to read a Reddit guide on how to watch 3D SBS content on the XREAL One series and XREAL Beam Pro.
    Note: If you have the XREAL Air series and XREAL Beam Pro, you can still follow that guide, but to enable full 3D SBS mode for the XREAL Air series, press and hold the brightness+ button for 2 seconds until you hear the first beep.

Recommended: If you own an XREAL Beam Pro or another Android device, I suggest downloading Kodi from the Google Play Store. Kodi supports watching 3D SBS content and offers extensive settings to properly display subtitles, navigation, player controls, and video in 3D.
Click here to read a guide on this website for setting up Kodi with XREAL and other Android devices.​​​
 

• IPD (Interpupillary Distance) is the distance between the centers of your pupils, measured in millimeters.
  In VR/AR or optical devices, IPD determines how the lenses are positioned so that each eye looks directly through the center of its lens, which improves image clarity, depth perception, and comfort.
  Note: You can use the GlassesOn | Pupils & Lenses app on Android or iOS/iPadOS to measure your IPD. However, it won’t be as accurate as a measurement done by a qualified optometrist or ophthalmologist.
   

• Pincushion effect is a type of optical distortion where straight lines appear to curve inward toward the center of the image, making the edges look slightly “pulled in” or pinched — similar to the shape of a pincushion.
  Click here to see a Reddit post showing and discussing the pincushion effect on the XREAL One Pro glasses.

 

• Electrochromic dimming is a technology that uses a special material that changes its light transmission when a small electric voltage is applied.
  In AR/VR or smart glasses, it allows the lenses to darken or lighten on demand, helping control brightness, reduce glare, or improve contrast—similar to sunglasses that can adjust instantly with the press of a button.
   

• Glasses temples are the arms or sidepieces of a pair of glasses that extend from the frame and rest over or behind your ears to hold the glasses securely in place.

 

• On-Screen Display (OSD) is a visual interface that appears on a screen to show settings, options, or information, allowing users to adjust features like brightness, volume, and other customization options directly on the display.

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• ​USB-C DP Alt Mode (DisplayPort Alternate Mode) is a feature that allows a USB-C port to transmit DisplayPort video and audio signals directly, enabling the device to connect to external monitors, TVs, or AR/VR glasses without needing a separate video output port.
  Note: If your Android device lacks USB-C DP Alt Mode, it likely won’t work with XREAL glasses. Not all USB-C Android devices support it—it’s usually found on higher-end models from major brands.

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• DRM (Digital Rights Management) is a technology used to protect digital content—such as movies, music, and software—from unauthorized copying, sharing, or usage.
  Click here to read a Reddit post with a guide on streaming DRM content on iPhones.
   

• Widevine Certification is Google’s DRM tech used by streaming services to protect video content. It has three levels:

  • L1: Highest security; all decryption happens in hardware (TEE). Supports HD, 4K, HDR playback.

  • L2: Partial hardware security; limits quality to around 720p.

  • L3: Software-only decryption; usually limited to SD (480p).
    Devices with Widevine L1 offer the best streaming quality and security.
    Note: If you have an Android device, you can download the DRM Info app from the Google Play Store to check if your device meets the necessary DRM requirements.