Snap Spectacles Gen 5 vs XREAL Air 2 Ultra
Side-by-side comparison of specs, features, and pricing
Specs updated
Which should you buy?
Bottom line: the XREAL Air 2 Ultra is the better buy for most people, unless you need iPhone support.
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Buy the Snap Spectacles Gen 5 if…
- You're an iPhone user
Buy the XREAL Air 2 Ultra if…
- You want the wider 52° field of view (vs 46°)
- You want the lighter 80g fit (vs 226g)
- You want adjustable lens dimming
Verdict generated from the recorded spec differences shown in the table below — when a spec is missing for either product, it is left out rather than guessed.
See the full rankings
Specs Comparison
Specs last verified
| Specification |  Snap Spectacles Gen 5 |  XREAL Air 2 Ultra $699 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Price | — | $699 |
| Display | ||
| Display type | Micro-LED waveguide | Sony 0.55-inch Micro-OLED |
| Resolution | — | 1920x1080 |
| Pixels per degree | 37 | 42 |
| Field of view (°) | 46 | 52 |
| Refresh rate (Hz) | — | 120 |
| Brightness (nits) | — | 500 |
| Virtual screen size (in) | 100 | 385 |
| HDR support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Color support | Full color | Full color |
| Optics | ||
| Optics type | waveguide | birdbath |
| Dimming control | — | ✓ Yes |
| Transparency level | see-through AR overlay | 3-level electrochromic dimming |
| Prescription support | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Diopter range | Optical inserts via Lensabl (NA) / Lensology (EU); total power +1.00 to -5.00 (SPH+CYL combined) | Prescription lens inserts (dedicated frame, incompatible with Air/Air 2 inserts; discontinued — availability uncertain) |
| Physical | ||
| Weight (g) | 226 | 80 |
| Frame style | wraparound | wraparound |
| Color options | Matte Black | Dark Gray |
| Foldable | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Battery & power | ||
| Battery life (hours) | 0.75 | — |
| Charging method | USB-C charging case | — |
| Charging time (min) | 1.5 | — |
| Connectivity | ||
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.2, WiFi 6, USB-C | USB-C |
| Tethered | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
| Compatible devices | iOS, Android | Android, PC, Mac, XREAL Beam |
| Computing | ||
| Processing type | on-device | tethered |
| Operating system | Snap OS | NRSDK/XREAL SDK hosts: select Samsung Android phones, XREAL Beam Pro, Windows/Mac as display |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 | None on-device (compute on tethered host: Samsung Galaxy S23+, Beam Pro, PC) |
| Sensors & input | ||
| Camera | 12MP (2×) | ✓ Yes (2×) |
| Microphones | 4 | — |
| Speakers | open-ear · spatial audio | open-ear · spatial audio |
| Tracking | 6DoF, hand, head | 6DoF |
| Gesture control | ✓ Yes | — |
| Voice control | ✓ Yes | — |
Buy the Snap Spectacles Gen 5
Buy the XREAL Air 2 Ultra
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Jump straight to full specs and where to buy either model, or keep exploring related picks.
More ways to decide
Snap Spectacles Gen 5 vs XREAL Air 2 Ultra: FAQs
Which is newer: the Snap Spectacles Gen 5 or the XREAL Air 2 Ultra?
The Snap Spectacles Gen 5 is newer, released September 2024, versus March 2024 for the XREAL Air 2 Ultra.
Which has the larger field of view: the Snap Spectacles Gen 5 or the XREAL Air 2 Ultra?
The XREAL Air 2 Ultra has the larger field of view: Snap Spectacles Gen 5 measures 46 degrees vs 52 degrees for the XREAL Air 2 Ultra.
Which is lighter: the Snap Spectacles Gen 5 or the XREAL Air 2 Ultra?
The XREAL Air 2 Ultra is lighter at 80g. The Snap Spectacles Gen 5 weighs 226g and the XREAL Air 2 Ultra weighs 80g.
What is the main difference between the Snap Spectacles Gen 5 and the XREAL Air 2 Ultra?
Based on recorded specs, the Snap Spectacles Gen 5 leads on gesture control (Has gesture control) while the XREAL Air 2 Ultra leads on weight (146g lighter).