Friday, 10 November, 2023 UTC
Summary
The Lenovo Legion Glasses are life-savers. As we speak, I'm recovering from a surgical procedure that requires me to lie down. If it weren't for the Legion Glasses, gaming would be a struggle.
With these spectacles, I can rest on my bed and game to my heart's desire while looking up at an 86-inch virtual display that appears to be hovering under my ceiling.
Lenovo Legion Glasses
Credit: Lenovo
On the other hand, the Legion Glasses face some stiff competition. I just reviewed the Viture XR Glasses — another pair of gaming spectacles vying to snatch the crown as the number one personal-display wearable. Plus, the XREAL Air AR is another formidable opponent (though Mashable's RJ Andersen would disagree).
Lenovo dropped some bangin' gaming devices this year, from the Lenovo Legion 9i gaming laptop to Steam Deck rival Lenovo Legion Go.
The Lenovo Legion Go is another great gaming device.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Are the Legion Glasses another winner under Lenovo's belt? Read on to find out.
Lenovo Legion Glasses priceThe Lenovo Legion Glasses have an MSRP of $329.99, which is on the cheaper side when you look at the competitors. For example, the Viture XR Glasses will set you back $439 on Amazon, while the XREAL Air AR Glasses have a price tag of $379.99
The Legion Glasses ship with the following:
- A cleaning cloth
- Three nose pads
- Anti-slip adapters
- A case
- Prescription lens template
This is what comes with the Lenovo Legion Glasses.
Credit: Lenovo
You may be wondering, "What are anti-slip adapters, and what's a prescription lens template?" The anti-slip adapters help keep your glasses in place. You can add them to the ends of the temples. Personally, I didn't need to use them.
I didn't need the anti-slip adapters, but if you do, they're included.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
The prescription lens template benefits users with glasses.
The prescription lens template for Lenovo Legion Glasses lets your optometrist create custom lenses for you.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
You can take the template to your optometrist, allowing them to create custom prescription lenses. Once your optometrist makes 'em, they can be fastened to the Lenovo Legion Glasses.
What I love about the Lenovo Legion GlassesThere's plenty to adore about Lenovo Legion Glasses. In my opinion, they look better than the Viture XR and XREAL Air AR Glasses. They're not the most lightweight nor the sleekest, but they have a familiar sunglasses design that won't throw people off if you wear them in public.
Attractive designNo, the Lenovo Legion Glasses weren't comfortable right off the bat.
They look a lot like traditional shades you'd wear to the beach.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
The default nose pad was a little too small for me, but fortunately, there are additional nose pads in the box. I opted for the largest one, and after I installed it, the spectacles sat comfortably on my face and nose. The Legion Glasses are pretty thick from the rims to the temples, but it helps that they look like traditional shades you'd wear to the beach, particularly if you're looking at 'em from afar.
Cable doesn't detachThe Viture XR Glasses has a detachable cable that lets you connect to devices via USB-C — and I didn't realize this bothered me until I tested the Lenovo Legion Glasses.
Another view of the Lenovo Legion Glasses
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
With the Viture XR, I feared that I might accidentally disconnect the cable. However, with the Lenovo Legion Glasses, the cable is built-in and non-detachable, which means I don't have to worry about unintentionally yanking it off.
I can lie on my back while gamingSpeaking of the cable, one of the best aspects of the Lenovo Legion Glasses is that its cable is long — it has a length of about 49 inches.
One of the best features is the 49-inch cable.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Compare this to the cable for the Viture XR Glasses, which is about 42 inches long. Why does a long cable matter? The extra length gives you more flexibility. For example, I'm able to place my Legion 9i on a table next to me while I lie back on a sofa and play games. I can't do the same with the Viture XR; the cable it ships with is too short (it's worth noting, however, that Viture sells a longer cable for $9).
Having the opportunity to lie down and game is one of the best use cases for personal-display spectacles, so a long cable is a must.
Perfect for privacy-minded usersI know I can't be the only one who's self-conscious about busybodies looking at my screen while I'm gaming on the go. For example, if I decide to take my Legion Go (Lenovo's new handheld gaming PC) with me during a commute, I don't want my neighbors peering at my screen while a graphic cutscene is playing.
It's none of their business.
Lenovo Legion Glasses connected to the Steam Deck
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Fortunately, when I plug the Lenovo Legion Glasses to my Steam Deck or Legion Go, the screen turns black. But I can still see my game in all of its glory on a virtual 86-inch display. This is ideal for anyone who wants to guard their gaming experience from nosy neighbors.
Vivid displayThe Lenovo Legion Glasses are packed with micro-OLED displays with 1920 x 1080 resolution per eye. I tested the Lenovo Legion Glasses on the Legion 9i, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. I fired up Cyberpunk 2077 on the Legion Glasses, and it masterfully reproduced stunning colors on the virtual monitor. No, it's not as gorgeous as the QHD+ display on the Legion 9i. But from the glistening puddles to the striking lime green shirt on an NPC, I was still impressed.
Lenovo Legion Glasses feature micro-OLED displays with 1920 x 1080 resolution per eye.
Credit: Lenovo
While watching one of my favorite films on Netflix, The Wolf of Wall Street, the virtual monitor was clear enough to allow me to see Leonardo DiCaprio's stubble on his upper lip. Hell, I could even see the subtle pock marks on Jon Bernthal's face while he yelled at the waitress. However, as you'll find out in the subsequent sections, there's room for improvement.
What's 'eh' about the Lenovo Legion GlassesI tested the Legion Glasses on several devices, and while the worked on many, there are some that it doesn't support. This isn't a big deal to me, though, because it is compatible with all of my daily drivers.
Double-check the Legion Glasses' compatibility with your device
Of course, the Legion Glasses are compatible with the Lenovo Legion Go and Steam Deck. They also worked like a charm with the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (though you need to turn off Samsung DeX mode for proper screen-mirroring). And they work with my Lenovo Legion 9i. However, the Legion Glasses did not work with my Google Pixel 8 Pro, nor Xiaomi 13T Pro.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max works like a charm with Lenovo Legion Glasses.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
According to Lenovo, other devices the Legion Glasses support include the following:
- Motorola Moto X30
- Motorola X30 Pro
- Motorola Moto S30 Pro
- Moto Razor
- Lenovo Legion 2 Pro
- Lenovo Legion Y90
- Samsung Galaxy S21
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
- Oppo Find X5 Pro
- Vivo X80 Pro
- Honor Magic 4
- Huawei Mate 40
- OnePlus 10 Pro 5G
- Lenovo Yoga 14s (2021)
- Lenovo Yoga 14c (2021)
- Lenovo Slim 7 Pro
- Lenovo Yoga Pro 14s
- Lenovo Yoga 9
- Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro
- Lenovo ThinkPad T14
- Lenovo ThinkPad T480
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga
- Lenovo ThinkBook 16p Gen 3
- Lenovo ThinkBook 16p Gen 2
- Lenovo ThinkBook 13x
- Lenovo Legio Y900K
- Lenovo P12 Pro
- Lenovo P11 5G
- Lenovo P11 Pro
- Lenovo IdeaPad Plus
Sound is just OK
Lenovo claims that the built-in speakers have "high fidelity," but I wouldn't go that far. They're good, but not great. This is expected since there's only so much tech you can pack into a tiny pair of spectacles. The audio is nothing the write home about. As much as I brushed off the Viture XR's so-so audio quality, it's actually slightly better than Lenovo's spectacles.
60Hz refresh rate
Similar to the Viture XR Glasses, the Legion Glasses have a 60Hz refresh rate. No, it doesn't feel the zippiest, but I had no issues playing action-filled titles such as Horizon Zero Dawn and Rise of the Tomb Raider on the Steam Deck and Legion Go.
What I dislike about the Lenovo Legion GlassesLike I said at the outset, the Lenovo Legion Glasses are an impressive pair of spectacles. They're just up against some stiff competitors on the market. As such, compared to rivals, there are some shortcomings.
No adjustment dials for increasing clarity
The Legion Glasses are sufficiently clear for streaming, but for gaming, they could be better. For example, I noticed that the left lens is slightly blurry (though not by much), and the right lens is perfectly sharp. I wish I could adjust the clarity of the left lens to match the right one. (This is something you can do on the Viture XR Glasses.)
I wish I could adjust the clarity of the left lens to match the right one.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Consequently, I didn't find the Legion Glasses ideal for games like Cyberpunk 2077 that require you to sharply target your enemies and shoot 'em down. I felt myself squinting to high hell to hunt down antagonists and eliminate 'em.
There are rival glasses with larger virtual displays
The Lenovo Legion Glasses project an 86-inch monitor before your eyes. For the average joe, this is totally fine. But again, I've had experience with the Viture XR Glasses, which can deliver a 120-inch virtual display. In other words, you won't feel anything is lacking if you haven't tested other glasses. However, I personally couldn't help but feel a little wistful over the Viture XR's larger display.
There are lighter glasses on the market
The Legion Glasses, compared to the Viture XR (2.7 ounces) Glasses and the XREAL Air AR Glasses (2.5 ounces), are the heaviest at 3.3 ounces.
Lenovo Legion Glasses are the heaviest among the competitors.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
However, this doesn't bug me much, because I still found 'em to be comfortable and relatively lightweight.
Final thoughtsI'd argue that Lenovo priced the Legion Glasses perfectly at only $329.99. This may seem expensive at first, but when you consider that pricier competitors climb closer to the $400 range (the Viture XR Glasses are $439), the price tag is tolerable.
No, they may not have adjustment dials for clarity or a 120-inch display like the Viture XR, but they have an attractive design, a vivid screen, and a long, durable, built-in cable for more flexibility while gaming.
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Credit: Amazon
Viture XR Glasses
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