How we research and test AR glasses
Where our facts come from, how the compatibility checker decides what works, what we test ourselves and how we keep pages up to date.
AR glasses come with a lot of fine print. A USB-C port that charges but can't send video. A console that needs a dock. A feature that only works through an app. Our job is to sort out what's true for your exact device. Here's how we do it.
Every fact has a source
- Specs like field of view, refresh rate and weight come from the maker's own spec pages.
- Compatibility comes from the company that makes the glasses or the device, or from our own testing.
- Other people's testing gets credit. When we lean on a review from another site, we name it and link to it.
Our guides list their sources at the bottom, so you can check them yourself.
If a maker doesn't publish a number, we don't guess. Our spec tables say "Not listed" instead.
One more thing about brightness. Brands don't all measure it the same way, so treat nits as a rough guide, not a lab result.
How the checker decides
Our compatibility checker gives one of four answers:
- Works. The glasses plug straight into your device. The company that makes the glasses or the device confirms it, or we've tested it ourselves.
- Works with. It works, but you need an extra part, like a dock or an adapter. We name the part.
- Doesn't work. A short list of confirmed no's, like the iPhone Air. Its USB-C port can't send video. Every no comes with what to try instead.
- Not verified. The default. We haven't confirmed the pairing, so we won't guess.
Our bar for "confirmed" is strict. The maker has to name your device or its product line. A line like "works with USB-C devices that support DisplayPort" isn't enough. For iPhones, the maker has to name the generation, like iPhone 16 or iPhone 17.
You might also see a softer hint. If your device sends video over USB-C but nobody has confirmed the pairing, the checker says it should work. That's an educated guess, not a promise.
Every answer shows its source and the date we last checked it. Answers from our own testing are labeled "Tested by WornXR," so you can tell them apart from the maker's word.
What we test ourselves
Honesty first. Most of our pages today are built from maker specs, support guides and other people's testing, and we cite all of it. When we test something ourselves, the page says so and shows our own photos or measurements. We never say we tested something we didn't.
Some pages need hands-on time before they go up at all:
- Reviews need at least two weeks of real use.
- Setup guides need us to do the setup ourselves, with at least two of our own photos or a table of our measurements.
- Flagship comparisons, where both pairs cost $500 or more, need time with both pairs.
How we pick
On device guides, our picks come from the facts above. We look at whether the maker confirms your device, the screen's shape, head tracking, brightness, prescription options and price. Every pick says who should skip it, so you can tell if it's right for you.
We sort prices into three tiers:
| Tier | Price |
|---|---|
| Budget | Under $350 |
| Mid-range | $350 to $499 |
| Flagship | $500 and up |
Keeping pages fresh
AR glasses keep changing after you buy them. Firmware updates add features, and makers add new devices to their lists.
- Verified dates. Many guides show a "Verified" date near the top. That's the last day we checked the page against its sources.
- Six-month re-checks. Our tools flag any checker answer we haven't re-checked in six months.
- One-year limit. If an answer goes a year without a re-check, we verify it again or take it down.
No filler
Before a guide goes live, an automated check reads it. It catches pages that copy other pages or don't add anything new. Pages that fail get fixed or kept out of search.
Spot a mistake?
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