Having the hardware required to run a game is half the equation. The other half is having a display that lets all of that graphical prowess shine. Laptop owners have a leg up in this sense, as the best gaming laptops come readily equipped with some pretty impressive displays.
The downside? You're typically limited to a much smaller screen. Even the largest of gaming laptops, like 2017's ludicrous Acer Predator 21 X (I mean, seriously. Look at this monstrosity), with its 21-inch curved screen, pales in comparison to a decently-sized standalone gaming monitor.
It's at this stage I could easily steer you towards checking out some of the best gaming monitors to augment your gaming setup — and by all means, if you're looking for a great display to amplify your game time, go for it. However, to borrow a phrase from Star Wars' wise old sundowning swamp gremlin, "There is another."
Let's do away with the long-winded wind-up: I'm talking about AR glasses. Specifically, the XREAL Air 2 AR glasses — face-worn displays that make you look as cool as The Fonz while offering sharp, vibrant, full-HD, micro-OLED per eye pictures with up to a 120Hz refresh rate on virtual displays of up to 330 inches (cutting through the marketing talk, this is seen as about a 27-inch to 32-inch display in front of you), featuring impressive open-ear stereo audio and capable of connecting to any DisplayPort over USB-C compatible device, including smartphones, laptops, handheld gaming consoles, and tablets.
"All of that in a pair of glasses weighing only 75 grams?" I hear you dubiously question. "What is this? Some sort of pitch for me to invest in the research and development of a product that surely only my children's children will enjoy?" I hear you skeptically suggest.
No. These Happy Days are yours and mine, and if you act now, you can save $60 off of the typical $359 asking price of a pair of XREAL Air 2 AR glasses, securing your very own frames of tomorrow, today, for the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses rivaling-price of just $299 at Amazon.
Subtle references to 50-year-old American sitcoms aside, it's worth pointing out that this isn't some blind recommendation on my behalf. I wear smart glasses all of the time and I've previously given up monitors entirely to work and play on a setup powered by these very XREAL Air 2 glasses.
While my initial experience was positive, things have only gotten better with time following XREAL's proprietary Nebula software arriving to Windows (albeit in beta at the moment) alongside several third-party options that enable better 3DoF (three degrees of freedom, essentially the ability to "pin" a window in a particular place for you to turn to and away from at will), and multi-display support.
Not to mention the release of the XREAL Beam Pro, a smartphone-sized spatial computer that allows you to do away with your laptop entirely and work or play at a truly impressive spatial setup. If you'd prefer to go all out on the AR computing experience, then you can also save $60 on XREAL's Air 2 and Beam Pro bundle, now only $548 at Amazon.
Still, as a standalone pair of AR glasses attached to your usual array of devices, the XREAL Air 2 makes for an especially impressive viewing experience thanks to the increased immersion of the focus-stealing displays and open-ear audio.
Do you have a Steam Deck or similar handheld gaming console? AR glasses like XREAL's can greatly improve the viewing experience while allowing you to recline comfortably, soaking up all of the action on a larger display without having to hunch over a smaller screen with the posture of a gargoyle.
Do you have limited space in your home office? Ditch the flatscreen. A pair of XREAL Air 2 AR glasses means you can make the most of even the most cramped conditions while foregoing none of the benefits an external monitor would previously offer you. Sorry, webcam, you're going to need to find a new place to perch.
Do you need a portable setup that matches your "cofficer" lifestyle? Not only do AR glasses offer improved privacy from prying eyes, but you can run your entire setup using XREAL's Beam Pro as your computer and a lightweight portable keyboard to get just about everything you need to be done anywhere at any time.
XREAL's Air 2s offer impressive versatility, and with several deals knocking down the price on these fantastic frames, I'd be remiss not to make the suggestion: it might just be time to say farewell to the flatscreen.
More from Laptop Mag
- XREAL Air 2 AR glasses review — An augmented reality check
- Smart glasses make me look like the Unabomber, but that's a you problem in 2025
- Meta is hell-bent on making 2025 the year of smart glasses — and I've never been more ready
- I gave up my laptop for this XREAL spatial computer and smart glasses combo, I felt like I was living in the future
