CNET | Thursday, October 8, 2026 
Google’s Next Android XR Device Is Arriving Ahead of Meta’s VR Glasses, at a Similar Price

The once familiar landscape of VR headsets is starting to melt. As smart glasses flood the zone, VR devices are changing form. And devices that are almost VR, too. Meta’s glasses-like headset, called Meta VR Glasses, is coming next year for $1,299, but the Xreal Aura, a pair of display glasses with a computer puck that also turns into an AR/VR device, is coming even sooner for $1,279. Xreal announced the Aura’s price on Wednesday, but not a release date. It should be coming in the next month or two, though, and I’ve had a chance to try it several times over the last year. It’s currently only available to preorder if you placed a $100 hold for the right to order one earlier this year, but more options to buy are coming in a few weeks, according to the company. – What Xreal Aura can do – I found the Xreal Aura to be one of the most fascinating devices I’ve tried in a while, because it bridges some of the gaps between glasses, AR and VR. The Aura is a more advanced pair of Xreal display glasses (which I’ve reviewed in various forms over the last few years) connected to a processing puck that runs Android XR, floating apps and experiences into the world with micro-OLED displays. The displays are effectively mirrored down from the top of the glasses and projected over transparent lenses that have layers of dimming. Google’s visually aware Gemini AI can run at the same time, recognizing apps that are open and things in the real world around you…Read more