Xreal's Android XR-powered Aura smart glasses just launched for $1,099 thanks to a limited time offer

After debuting at Made by Google earlier this year, Xreal's wired XR smart glasses are finally launching today, October. 28. The glasses are a partnership between Google, Qualcomm and Xreal powered by Google's Android XR platform and Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chipset.The new glasses are only launching in the United States, Canada, Japan and South Korea. Xreal says that the Aura glasses are expected to ship in mid-November.Nicely, for a limited time, you can order the new glasses for $1,099, for the 256GB version with 12GB of RAM. That's $200 less than the announced normal price of $1,299. The 16GB/512GB configuration is on sale for $1,299.“This is a defining moment for XR. We built AURA for people who want the power of spatial computing without being removed from the world around them," Xreal co-founder and CEO Chi Xu said in a press release.Xreal Aura features (Image credit: Future)Compared to other display glasses like the Xreal One Pro Plus, the Aura is built for spatial computing, similar to the recently announced Meta VR Glasses. And with the launch sale, they're cheaper than Meta glasses, which aren't launching until spring 2027.Xreal's glasses weigh under 95 grams, largely because the chips and battery are in a separate compute puck. The puck enables gesture controls but can also be used as a trackpad for navigation.The lenses feature Sony micro-OLED prisms capable of a 70-degree field of view and 1200p resolution at 120Hz.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.We've gone hands-on with the Xreal Aura a couple of times and found them pretty impressive. A personal favorite is the Aura's ability to connect directly to the Nintendo Switch over USB-C, something no other smart glasses can do without separate accessories or docks.Accessories (Image credit: Xreal)As part of the launch announcement, Xreal revealed two new accessories we haven't seen before.The ecosystem includes an Xreal game controller designed in collaboration with GameSir. The controller has a dedicated Gemini key so you can quickly access AI assistance if you want.There's also a wireless portable keyboard for those who want to use the Aura for work and multi-window productivity setups.Xreal did not announce prices or release dates for the accessories. We asked for more information here and will update if the company responds.Price and availability (Image credit: Xreal)Both versions of the Xreal Aura are available for pre-order now with a ship date of mid-November. Xreal is offering them for $200 off their normal price through December 2026.The 12GB/256GB version is $1,099. The 16GB/512GB is on sale for $1,299.You can order it via the Xreal.com/aura store or at BestBuy.com. Expanded retail store availability will come to select Google Store locations in the US and Japan next year.Tom's Guide will have a full review of the Xreal Aura when it launches in October, so keep us in your tabs to find out how it feels to use the Aura glasses. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. More from Tom's GuideI tried Ray-Ban Meta's camera-free AI glasses — 5 unexpected uses that surprised meXreal One Pro Plus vs. Viture Beast Round 2: Can a refresh even the stakes?I tested the RayNeo GT as a replacement to every screen I own — it's a mixed bag