# Microsoft HoloLens 2 vs Snap Spectacles Gen 5

Canonical comparison page: https://www.arcompare.com/compare/microsoft-hololens-2-vs-snap-spectacles-gen-5/
Specs updated: 2026-10-06 (the newer of the two products' update dates)
Source: AR Compare spec database (https://www.arcompare.com/data/). Unknown values are "—", never guessed.

**Bottom line: the Microsoft HoloLens 2 is the better buy for most people, unless you need the lighter fit.**

- Buy the Microsoft HoloLens 2 if you want the wider 52° field of view (vs 46°) and you need longer battery life (2.5 hours vs 0.75).
- Buy the Snap Spectacles Gen 5 if you want the lighter 226g fit (vs 566g) and you're an iPhone user.

## Specifications

| Spec | Microsoft HoloLens 2 | Snap Spectacles Gen 5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Contact manufacturer | — |
| Display type | See-through holographic waveguide lenses, 2k 3:2 light engines (laser-scanned MEMS) | Micro-LED waveguide |
| Resolution | 2048x1080 | — |
| Pixels per degree | 47 | 37 |
| Field of view (°) | 52 | 46 |
| Refresh rate (Hz) | 120 | — |
| Virtual screen size (in) | — | 100 |
| HDR support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Color support | Full color | Full color |
| Optics type | waveguide | waveguide |
| Dimming control | ✕ No | — |
| Transparency level | see-through AR overlay | see-through AR overlay |
| Prescription support | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Diopter range | Fits over eyeglasses | Optical inserts via Lensabl (NA) / Lensology (EU); total power +1.00 to -5.00 (SPH+CYL combined) |
| Weight (g) | 566 | 226 |
| Frame style | headband visor | wraparound |
| Color options | Black | Matte Black |
| Foldable | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Battery life (hours) | 2.5 | 0.75 |
| Charging method | USB-C | USB-C charging case |
| Charging time (min) | — | 1.5 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 5, WiFi 6, USB-C | Bluetooth 5.2, WiFi 6, USB-C |
| Tethered | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Compatible devices | Standalone, Windows | iOS, Android |
| Processing type | on-device | on-device |
| Operating system | Windows Holographic OS (Windows 10-based; final feature release 24H1, Nov 2024) | Snap OS |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 + 2nd-gen custom Holographic Processing Unit (HPU), 4GB LPDDR4x, 64GB UFS 2.1 (untethered) | Qualcomm Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 |
| Camera | 8MP (5×) | 12MP (2×) |
| Microphones | 5 | 4 |
| Speakers | directional · spatial audio | open-ear · spatial audio |
| Tracking | 6DoF, head, eye, hand, SLAM | 6DoF, hand, head |
| Gesture control | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Voice control | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| AI assistant | Cortana | — |

Product pages: https://www.arcompare.com/ar-glasses/microsoft-hololens-2/ · https://www.arcompare.com/ar-glasses/snap-spectacles-gen-5/
Machine records: https://www.arcompare.com/data/products/microsoft-hololens-2.json · https://www.arcompare.com/data/products/snap-spectacles-gen-5.json