I tested the RayNeo GT as a replacement to every screen I own — it's a mixed bag

Before we dig in, this review is of the RayNeo GT glasses, not the RayNeo GT Max, beefier high-end AR glasses meant to take on Xreal’s One Pro.

The GT glasses are more in the budget range costing $299 with a smaller 46-degree field of view, though it features the same 3DoF AR chip and quad speaker setup as the Max. The GT Max might make our list of the best smart glasses, but the GT is unlikely to kick the Viture Pro 2 out of its current slot.

I’ve spent much of my time with the GTs — comparing them to the barely a year older RayNeo Air Pro 4 AR glasses since they land in a similar price bracket and feature set. It’s a surprising mixed bag of comparable specs, different highlight features, and some missing ones.

The RayNeo Air Pro 4 is recommendable for its HDR features, and while GT does feature Dolby Vision with the additional Pocket TV Pro, but it might not be enough to replace your other AR glasses.

RayNeo GT: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? The RayNeo GT is a pair of AR glasses. They are part of the new GT series, acting as a budget option compared to the GT Max.
• Who is it for? RayNeo pitches the GT for AR gaming and media. With the RayNeo Pocket TV you can enjoy Dolby Vision supported shows. Great for travelers but also on your couch.
• What does it cost? The glasses cost $299, but to take advantage of the Dolby Vision features you’ll need the RayNeo Pocket TV Pro, an extra $199. You can bundle them for $498.
• What do we like? The comfortable build, sharp picture quality and pinned display modes make the GT a fine pair of display glasses. A large 231-inch cinema display is one of the largest in the budget category.
• What don’t we like? The need to use a separate device to unlock certain features and a missing lens cover make for a hard pill to swallow when you’re trying to save some money.

RayNeo GT: Specs

RayNeo GT: The ups

RayNeo glasses have a look, and honestly, I thought I’d been sent the Air Pro 4s when I opened the box. There are some differences: a copper-colored button, more defined temples where the arms connect to the lenses, and no iconography on the outer lens.

Hidden under those slight differences is a better display and a new chip.

Lighter, thinner design

The GT glasses are lighter by 10 grams compared to the Max, and even a few grams less than the Air Pro 4s. You can feel the lightness, which is nice and comfortable for a long session.

They also feel a bit more premium than the Pro 4s, though I’m not sure the materials are any different. It’s largely thanks to the metallic touches at the hinges and action button, alongside the less bulky peacock prism lenses.

Obviously, these won’t sneak by you like the X by Xreal a01+, which do look like normal sunglasses, but they are less bulky.

I found that the GTs sit closer to my eyes, with the ability to just push the nose pads out a little to fit my face. RayNeo only offers two nose pads, and the GT doesn’t have the adjustable temples like the Air 4 Pros. Still, I did find them comfortable to wear.

My cry into the void, begging for connections on both arms of glasses, continues here with the GTs, which feature a right-arm USB-C port. My preference is to place my devices on my left, which makes right-side connections annoying. As far as I can tell, RayNeo does not sell extension cords.

Crisp display

I have several complaints about the display, but we’ll get to that in a moment.

That's because at a base level, the display is crisp and adjustable up to three sizes, with the biggest virtual display being 231 inches. The 46-degree field of view is typical for budget AR glasses, and doesn’t bother me, though it is less than in similar options like the Viture Pro 2. The prism lenses can reach 1,200 nits of brightness, which can be adjusted up to six levels.

Nicely, the GT doesn’t have any edge blurring that I noticed, and it was great not only for gaming and watching movies, but also for work. I had to zoom in on Chrome while working in Google Docs, but that’s just my own eyes. The clarity of text is strong, and I could easily read without straining.

If you just wanted to upgrade your display for work as well as play, the vanilla GT is excellent.

Tracking chip

The GT and GT Max both feature a new native 3DoF spatial tracking chip

The best part of the GT display compared to the Air 4 Pros is the ability to pin the display. There are three options: 'steady,' 'pinned' and 'follow.' 'Steady' is meant for when you’re traveling so that the display stays smooth through bumps or turbulence.

'Pinned' anchors the display relatively centered in front of you, and you can turn your head with the display not moving. 'Followed' means that when you turn your head, the display will go with you.

As far as I can tell, this is the only pair of glasses for this price with a specific 3DoF chip. It’s something you typically only see in the higher-end models like the Xreal 1S or Viture Beast.

RayNeo GT: The downs

The major flaws for the RayNeo GT all come down to the things it lacks. Which is why if you already have a pair of Air 4 Pros, you don't need to get this update. Even if the 3DoF chip makes the display more versatile.

No HDR-free

The RayNeo Air 4 Pros feature HDR and SDR-to-HDR upscaling, making HDR content — like shows and movies from Apple TV — much better and easier to watch. No other budget glasses have this feature.

I think the GTs have a better display at the base level (alongside adjustable picture sice), but that missing taste of HDR is a step back, especially since the replacement Dolby Vision is locked down.

Pocket-sized paywall

The RayNeo GT has support for 12-bit Dolby Vision, but the only way to access it is to pair the glasses with the RayNeo Pocket TV device ($199).

The Pocket TV is a little remote that basically turns your glasses into a Google TV for your pocket. It’s a cool streaming device, but it has limitations on offline downloads. It’s also one more device to lug around when your phone, tablet, laptop, or even PS5 are right there.

In practice, this means that to use all of the features of the GT glasses, you’re not paying $299; the true cost is close to $500. That’s not budget anymore and if you’re paying that much, you might as well get a better pair of AR glasses.

Bright lights

The other lacking feature is twofold. First, the RayNeo GT has no tinting beyond what you can obviously see and no electrochromic dimming. It wouldn’t be a problem if the glasses came with a lens cover to block light, but they don’t.

I tried the Batman cover that comes with the special edition of the RayNeo Air Pro 4, but the glasses are just different enough that it doesn’t fit.

In a dim room or airplane, it’s not really a problem, but ambient light can drown out the micro-OLEDs. RayNeo does sell a lens shade for the GT that costs $19.

Again, it’s a pricing issue. Before we’ve even left the store, you’re already out nearly $520 on what should be an excellent pair of wallet-friendly AR glasses.

RayNeo GT: Verdict

I started writing this review thinking I would be nicer to the RayNeo GT, but the more I thought about the Pocket TV, lens cover, and missing software, the more upset I got.

If you were to just buy the RayNeo GT on its own, you would get a pair of AR glasses on par with, and in many cases better than, the RayNeo Air Pro 4, especially when it comes to the improved display and 3DoF chip. They’re also lighter and a bit more comfortable

However, needing to purchase an expensive remote and a lens cover just to get the most out of the device means that $299 is not the real price, and that’s a deal breaker for me.

If you’re just looking for a better display, I think the GT might have the best one among the $ 299-range display glasses. But for a little more bang for your buck, I’d push you to the Viture Pro 2.