Smart glasses have been around for more than a decade, but I am glad that they're slowly breaking out of their "niche category" shell to land in the hands of more consumers in 2023. We're still a ways away from realizing the dream of true spatial computing with smart glasses, but I have to admit that viewing a bright and colorful virtual screen right in front of your eyes is quite impressive, to say the least. Having a portable, private screen for yourself is excellent for things like watching movies and TV shows, reading a book, or even gaming. In fact, having spent the last few weeks with two of the best smart glasses out there in 2023, I am convinced that they are the best accessory you can pair with your handheld gaming consoles.

1 A beautiful, private virtual screen for gaming

A great alternative to the small built-in displays on handheld consoles

The Steam Deck, as you probably already know, doesn't have the best display. The panel on the 64GB base model, in particular, doesn't even have an anti-glare coating on it, resulting in poor visuals. So the fact that I can ditch that mediocre 7-inch for a massive 130-inch FHD virtual screen that sits right in front of my eyes is simply great. Having a dedicated screen like that truly improves the overall gaming experience, and it makes a world of a difference.

Steam Deck alternatives like the ROG Ally and the relatively new Legion Go handhelds have much better screens with support for high-resolution and refresh rates than the one you get on Valve's console, but they're still no match for the bright and beautiful cinema-viewing experience you get by using a pair of smart glasses. The 120-inch, 60Hz screen you get with the Viture One is perfectly fine for the type of games I usually play on the Steam Deck, but you might be more inclined to pick up the XREAL Air 2 that supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate with a direct connection for the "Air Casting" mode. Either way, there's no need to carry a portable display everywhere for gaming when you have one of these glasses, making it that much easier to game on the go.

Smart glasses have become a part of my main portable gaming setup now, which includes either a Viture One or XREAL Air 2, a Steam Deck with a dock attached to it, and a couple of cables that are super easy to carry around:

2 Simple plug-and-play experience

No additional docks or accessories required

The best thing about using a pair of smart glasses like the XREAL Air 2 or the Viture One is that they offer a simple plug-and-play experience with most devices that support USB-C Alt mode, including handheld gaming consoles like the Steam Deck. This means all you really need to ditch the built-in small display for a massive virtual screen is just a USB-C cable. The XREAL Air 2, I'd say, is slightly better in this regard as it uses a simple USB-C cable as opposed to one with a proprietary magnetic connector on the Viture One glasses. It's not necessarily a deal-breaker, though, as you can tuck the required cables within the carrying case.

I recommend picking up a docking station for your Steam Deck if you want to charge it while gaming for hours at a stretch, but it's really not a necessity for casual gamers. I recently traveled with just the Viture One and the Steam Deck as my primary gaming device, and I was able to comfortably play for the entire duration of a three-hour flight without any issues. These glasses themselves have no batteries either, so that's one fewer thing to charge while gaming.

3 Immersive audio for gaming

No need for an additional audio accessory

You can use a pair of earbuds or even gaming headsets with your handheld consoles for a more immersive experience, but I've been very satisfied with the audio coming out of the Viture One's speakers for gaming. Even the XREAL Air 2 has built-in speakers that beam audio right into your ears for an immersive experience, and they've both been good enough for me to ditch the dedicated pair of IEMs that I usually use for gaming on the Steam Deck. I still carry them with me for when I am gaming in a relatively noisy place like an airplane, but I've stopped using them while casually gaming at home. There's plenty of room for improvement in the audio department for smart glasses, but it's much better than blasting the built-in speakers on the Steam Deck when you don't want to carry a pair of headsets for gaming.

4 Helps you relax your posture

No need to hold the device upright in front of your face

Most handheld gaming consoles on the market weigh almost 1.5 pounds. That may not sound like much, but it can cause some serious wrist pain when you hold the consoles for a few hours at a stretch for gaming. You can try different postures to reduce the strain on your wrist, but let me tell you that nothing is as relaxing as letting your hands — and the Steam Deck — rest on your lap while you game on a virtual screen that tracks and moves with your head movements.

With smart glasses, the screen is always in front of your eyes, meaning you can even get comfortable on a bed and play games without having to hold the console upright to be in front of your face at all times. I honestly find myself gaming on my Steam Deck for longer duration now, as it's more comfortable and relaxing.

Closing thoughts

The best smart glasses for gaming like the ones I've highlighted in this post can also be used with other devices like the PlayStation 5, Xbox, PC, and Mac. In fact, I've been using the Viture One as my primary display while gaming on the PlayStation 5 and Windows PC, and it's been a great experience so far. Connecting to other platforms, however, isn't as seamless as plugging a USB-C cable, though. You may even need to buy some additional accessories like the XREAL Beam or the Viture Neckband, but it's possible to have a more immersive gaming experience with smart glasses. The fact that you don't have to carry a portable display everywhere for gaming is a great start, and I can't wait to see how these smart glasses evolve over the years to improve the experience further.