Rokid Max 2 AR Glasses Review: Hardware Shine, Software Needs Polish

Rokid Max 2 Augmented Reality Glasses Review

0 Facebook x.com Reddit

Rokid Max 2 Augmented Reality Glasses

2.5/5 Buy on Kickstarter

Upcoming Augmented Reality Glasses Rokid has an innovative controller that works well, but doesn’t integrate well with the Apple ecosystem workflow.

With the infamous price of Apple’s Vision Pro and the growing AR/VR market, many companies are entering the market to try their hand at “spatial computing.” Rokid is launching “Lite” and “Max” versions of its glasses on a new Kickstarter.

Rokid was founded in 2014, starting with voice interaction products and moving into AR/VR in 2018.

Rokid Max 2 AR Glasses – Design

Out of the box, the Rokid Max 2 AR Glasses come with a case, cloth, USB-C cable, the glasses themselves, and the Station 2 remote control, which is a small computer with Rokid's YodaOS that runs the software using a capacitive touchpad for control.

The glasses are designed to look discreet, but anyone looking at you directly will know you're wearing AR glasses. The plastic construction makes them feel lightweight on your face, and the matte black finish is stylish.

Rokid Max 2 AR Glasses Review: Holding It In My Hand

The glasses have built-in speakers and a microphone, as well as volume and brightness controls. The Station 2 remote has a home button, settings, volume, power, and two USB-C ports for connectivity and charging.

Rokid Max 2 AR Glasses – Specifications

Product Details (Glasses)	Specifications
Myopia Correction	0.00 D to -6.00 D
Brightness	600 nits
Refresh	90Hz
Weight	75g
Resolution	1200P per eye
Field of view	50 degrees

Product details (Station 2)	Specification
RAM	8GB
ROM	128 GB
Bluetooth	5.2
Battery	5000 mAh

Rokid Max 2 Augmented Reality Glasses – Use

My first use of the Rokid glasses was with the Station 2 remote control. It has its own app store, albeit limited, and the OS runs smoothly and easily using the remote.

You can open up to three menus or individual monitor tabs, making multitasking easy. Using your neck and controller to navigate the screen also adds a nice physical component.

You can also connect Bluetooth devices like a mouse and keyboard to the Station 2.

Chrome comes on the device, but doesn’t appear to be supported. I used the default search engine and loaded a few apps like Pinterest, Amazon Prime Video, and ChatGPT.

Rokid Max 2 AR glasses review: Station 2 in hand.

Loading apps and using three menus at once caused the Station 2 remote control to rev up its fans significantly, convincing me that this is more of a media device than a productivity device.

I was able to expand the screen in Theater mode to 300 inches when watching videos, and use Reading Mode to make text on websites easier to read. I also found that AR naturally enhanced apps like YouTube and Pinterest, making the visuals more immersive.

As for integrating AR experiences with the devices I already own, you can plug the glasses’ USB-C cable into your iPad, iPhone, or MacBook to either mirror or create a new screen to use.

This made gaming on my iPhone 16 more immersive, and gave my iPad and MacBook a slight performance boost. However, the glasses don't necessarily improve the experience, so you have to rely on Station 2.

Rokid Max 2 AR glasses review: The focus adjustment wheels are shown on the top of the glasses.

Rokid Max 2 AR Glasses – Solid Hardware, Software in Development

After much use, my main takeaway from these AR glasses is that the hardware is solid for both the glasses and the remote control. However, I find the software and lack of integration with known ecosystems to be a downside when considering these as everyday wear.

As a current Kickstarter backer, the final product and software will be polished and subject to change, but the hardware foundation will remain solid. From what I’ve seen, there are two popular ways to tackle spatial computing: integrating the experience with devices consumers already own, or creating an all-in-one package.

These glasses try to do a little of both with the Station 2 remote control, but with half the effect. Still, I’m excited to see what comes next as AR/VR evolves.

Rokid Max 2 AR Glasses Review: Glasses and Cables in a Case.