Meta recently put the smartglasses industry on notice with its new Ray-Ban Displays, but after testing the Rokid Glasses, it is clear there is still plenty of room for competition. These glasses offer a surprisingly capable alternative that crypto and tech enthusiasts should watch. The Rokid Glasses are currently more affordable at $549 compared to Meta’s $800 price tag. However, this price advantage is temporary. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, Rokid’s retail price is set to rise to around $740. Rokid is not a new player, with a history of device development dating back to before 2018. A key design difference is the display. Instead of a single full-color display for one eye like the Meta glasses, Rokid uses dual microLED waveguides for a true binocular view, which can help reduce eyestrain. The trade-off is that the display is monochrome, showing a sharp green interface that evokes a classic hacker aesthetic. With up to 1,500 nits of brightness, the display remains easily visible even in bright outdoor light. For future competitiveness, a shift to full-color will be necessary. Where Rokid truly excels is in style and wearability. They look more like classic Wayfarers than Meta’s bulkier frames. Weighing just 49 grams, Rokid claims they are the lightest full-function AI and AR glasses available. Touch panels are discreetly built into each arm, and they feature comfortable nose pads. The only visual clues that these are smartglasses are a small camera near the left temple and a faint outline on the lenses from the display projection. The built-in speakers are adequate for music and AI responses, though bass and volume are limited by the small form factor. Charging is handled by a magnetic pin connector on the right arm that works with an included USB-C adapter. A separate charging case costs an extra $100. Battery life is solid, offering up to six hours of music playback, though using AI features will drain the battery faster. Functionally, Rokid takes a more standalone approach compared to Meta’s deep integration with platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This is both a strength and a weakness. You cannot livestream directly from the glasses. Instead, you use the 12MP camera and five microphones to capture photos and videos, then manually transfer them to your phone for sharing. This adds steps but offers platform freedom. Image quality is acceptable for capturing your surroundings, though low-light performance is a challenge. Capturing content is simple via a physical button or voice commands. Beyond media capture, the glasses can show phone notifications, record voice memos, and offer a teleprompter mode. The biggest draw is the AI integration, powered by a Qualcomm AR1 chip and an onboard ChatGPT model. It provides real-time translation and audio transcriptions. Like all current AI, it is not perfect and can sometimes stumble with fluency or accuracy. An object recognition feature can describe what the camera sees, but it can also be hit-or-miss, sometimes misinterpreting elements in the background. Despite the occasional AI hiccup, the Rokid Glasses are an impressive entry in the smartglasses arena. They are exceptionally light and sleek while covering essential functions like music, notifications, and first-person video capture. Features like live translation offer a compelling glimpse into the future of wearable computing. It is too early to declare a winner, but for those interested in the intersection of AI and wearable technology, Rokid has created a compelling alternative to big-tech offerings. The Rokid Glasses are available for pre-order now via Kickstarter, with deliveries expected in November.
