I Tried Snap Specs: Really Big, but Also Like Nothing Else Out There

In a courtyard at Snap’s Santa Monica headquarters, the author tried Snap Specs, a pair of large augmented reality glasses. Despite initial mockery, the author found them intriguing and thought-provoking, especially for use in museums, theme parks, or theater experiences. The glasses are more of a portable mixed reality device than a typical smart glasses, with see-through lenses and a very pared-down AR headset design.

While the glasses are still heavy and not ideal for all-day wear, they offer a better fit than most smart glasses, with thick arms resting against the temples and a slight pressure that isn't bothersome. The lenses are rainbowed due to a waveguide layer that displays 3D projections in AR, which gives them a distinct sheen. The glasses also have snap-in lenses that can be adjusted for nearsightedness, making them more customizable.

The field of view is limited, but it's better than Snap’s previous Spectacles and closer to Magic Leap 2. The glasses offer a portrait-style vertical viewing area, which is wide enough for watching YouTube videos. The display is bright indoors but can become semi-transparent and washed out in bright light. The specs also come with transition lenses that turn into sunglasses outdoors.