Lenovo clearly does not suppose so, and meaning a pair of augmented actuality glasses shall be launched alongside the Lenovo Legion Go laptop computer and the Lenovo Legion 9i gaming laptop computer. Lenovo Legion Glasses are there for all of the instances your typical display simply cannot reduce it.
The glasses look spectacular on paper, however how enjoyable is it to make use of them? I attempted the glasses myself at IFA 2023, and I can inform you proper now that I am very impressed with what they will do – particularly in comparison with earlier Lenovo AR headsets.
What are Lenovo Legion glasses?
Because the identify suggests, the Lenovo Legion Glasses are a pair of glasses that act as an exterior show for display pass-through-enabled units for augmented actuality glasses. The primary focus is the Lenovo Legion Go and Legion 9i, however you aren’t essentially restricted to utilizing these two units.
Plug it in and also you get the equal of a 27-inch monitor, able to displaying content material at 60Hz and 1080p per eye. The display additionally makes use of a microLED panel, which suggests the standard may be very excessive, even when it is not fairly nearly as good because the screens on each new Legion units.
It is far more handy than carrying round a large display. The glasses plug right into a USB-C port, and have built-in audio system, quantity and brightness controls, in addition to a button to “unpin” the digital show out of your direct line of sight.
The Legion Glasses will go on sale in October, across the similar time because the Legion Go, and can price you $329.
Legion glasses provide augmented actuality glasses that I already get pleasure from
In my lifetime utilizing the Legion Glasses, I have been ready to make use of them with Lenovo’s newest gaming {hardware} to various levels of effectiveness. The Legion Go was in a position to acknowledge the headset as quickly because it was plugged in, immediately mirroring the display in entrance of my eyes.
It is slightly odd that at house I haven’t got the power to scrub my automobile, however when the prospect of cleansing a digital truck grew to become obtainable, I used to be very happy to take part.
The Legion 9i wasn’t fairly able to play ball. However since Home windows 11 acknowledges glasses as a separate display, it did not take lengthy to determine that the laptop computer was extending its display as an alternative of mirroring it.
The primary factor to notice concerning the Legion Glasses is that they’re mainly an enormous pair of glasses. This isn’t a headset, similar to the cumbersome Lenovo Mirage AR headset from a number of years in the past. That is one thing extra elegant and presumably extra helpful.
However these are usually not the legendary augmented actuality glasses that huge tech firms are chasing after. They’re bulkier than any customary pair of specs, and so they block your direct line of sight, leaving solely your environment open to the surface world. You may’t get round these locations very simply, and it in all probability is not definitely worth the effort.
Nonetheless, they’re surprisingly snug. Regardless of the USB-C cable’s 4-foot measurement, it is simple to get misplaced in your sport, which was Energy Washing Simulator on this case.
It is slightly odd that at house I haven’t got the power to scrub my automobile, however when the prospect of cleansing a digital truck grew to become obtainable, I used to be very happy to take part.
And the picture high quality was surprisingly good, too. There aren’t any seen pixels, because of the tiny LEDs within the display, and there does not appear to be any noticeable latency. Not that Energy Washing Simulator is a few sort of fast-paced sport that depends on tremendous quick response instances.
Legion glasses aren’t all excellent
The one actual grievance I’ve is that the Legion Glasses have one main flaw that I commonly encounter with VR headsets. It is arduous to explain, however I feel the easiest way is to ‘tingle’ across the prime of your sinuses. My greatest interpretation is that it is a mixture of the burden and the texture of sitting so near the TV display.
It isn’t uncomfortable in any approach, only a bizarre feeling that may take you out of the expertise in the event you’re not very cautious. Once more, that is one thing that’s not prone to go away anytime quickly, and I am going to should get used to it.
Thankfully, different VR dangers have been fully absent. This consists of movement illness, which is because of the truth that the display is totally nonetheless, and the complications {that a} group of individuals sometimes expertise when utilizing a closed digital actuality machine.
Additionally bear in mind that the picture high quality on the glasses is not fairly nearly as good as that on the Legion Go or Legion 9i – regardless of the phantasm of a bigger display measurement. Its decision is proscribed to 1080p per eye, and the refresh charge is as much as 60Hz.
The Legion Go gives QHD+ decision at 144Hz, whereas the Legion 9i gives 3.2K decision at as much as 165Hz. That is a fairly large distinction, and it is perhaps a deal breaker for some hardcore video fans.
The glasses haven’t got their very own energy provide both, and draw their energy from no matter machine is linked to them. In line with Lenovo, it solely makes use of 2 watts of energy, however over lengthy intervals of time that can have an effect on battery life.
The Legion Glasses’ future might transcend gaming
The Legion Glasses are a far cry from Lenovo’s first foray into the augmented actuality market, however that is in all probability the one that can actually work. Why? As a result of compatibility this time on the a part of Lenovo.
Simply consider the Mirage AR headset, which was first launched in 2017. Functionally, the headset was fairly good. Vulnerable to fog in my earlier poorly heated residence, however it’s enjoyable to play and functionally an incredible piece. It by no means garnered a lot consideration past the preliminary hype and light into obscurity in a short time.
The issue with the Mirage was that it relied on customized software program, which needed to be designed for its headsets and controllers. And aside from the 2 examples that I can keep in mind, that are Star Wars and Marvel, this program by no means got here. What’s the usage of a headset with two video games? It is positively not price paying $250 for.
The Legion Glasses point out that Lenovo has discovered from these errors. This is not a $329 product that solely works with one or two issues; It is a product that works with Home windows and each sport or program you may run in your machine. Even higher, Lenovo says the glasses will work with any AR-enabled machine, together with Android and iOS.
So, whereas the Legion Go and Legion 9i would be the launch pad for the Legion Glasses, they will not be important to its success.
Whether or not or not the glasses will work is one other matter solely. $329 is some huge cash, particularly for one thing as area of interest as augmented actuality, however a minimum of this time there are many causes to choose up a pair of video games.
