Brilliant Labs has been one of the most intriguing names in wearable AR since the Monocle and Frame experiments. With the Halo, the company aims to deliver something genuinely different: open-source AR glasses that prioritize developer flexibility and practical utility over flashy consumer marketing. After spending time with a pre-production unit, our first look reveals a device with real promise — and some real rough edges.
The Open-Source Difference
What immediately sets the Halo apart from competitors is its philosophy. Brilliant Labs is building an open platform. The glasses run on a version of Android AOSP customized for wearables, and the company publishes SDKs and APIs publicly. Developers can build custom apps, create new gesture controls, and modify how the display renders information. It’s the polar opposite of Apple’s approach, and for the AR developer community, that’s incredibly appealing.
The hardware itself is ambitious. The Halo uses a full-color MicroLED display with an optical waveguide that projects a 28-degree field of view into both eyes. Yes, full-color binocular AR in a frame that weighs 85 grams. The resolution is 640×400 per eye, which creates reasonably sharp floating screens and 3D objects. A Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 chip handles processing, with a 1200mAh battery split across both temples for balance.
Wearing the Future
85 grams is heavier than standard glasses but lighter than any full AR headset. You notice the weight after about 30 minutes of continuous wear. The frame is adjustable but feels plasticky in places where you’d expect metal at this price point. That said, the magnetic lens attachment system is clever — you can snap in prescription lenses without visiting an optician.
The display quality is the highlight. Colors are vibrant, text is crisp, and the brightness adjusts automatically to ambient light. Outdoors, the display remains usable but not as punchy as indoors. The binocular field of view is wide enough to overlay contextual information naturally — think floating YouTube windows, live translation subtitles, and spatial navigation arrows that actually align with the real world.
Where It Works
The Halo excels at specific tasks. Media consumption on a floating virtual screen is surprisingly pleasant — watching a 720p video feels like having a personal monitor that follows your gaze. The AI assistant, based on a custom multimodal model, can identify objects, translate text in real time, and answer contextual questions. Point at a menu in a foreign language, and the Halo overlays the translation. It’s the kind of AR that feels genuinely useful.
Where It Falls Short
Battery life is the biggest issue. Brightness-dependent, you get 2-3 hours before needing a charge. The included charging brick is functional but adds bulk to your carry. The camera is a single 8MP fixed-focus sensor that works for QR codes and document scanning but produces mediocre photos. Gesture control via the temple touchpad is hit-or-miss — it works smoothly 70% of the time but occasionally misreads taps as swipes.
- Full-color binocular AR in a sub-100g frame is a technical achievement.
- Open platform invites developer innovation that walled gardens can’t match.
- Battery life and build quality need a second-generation polish before this is ready for mainstream adoption.
The Bottom Line
The Brilliant Labs Halo is not a consumer product for everyone. It’s a developer-first AR device that happens to be usable as daily smart glasses. If you’re building for the AR future, this is one of the most exciting platforms available. If you just want notifications and hands-free calls, simpler (and lighter) options exist.
The Halo is the first AR glasses that feel like they could grow into something bigger — if the battery and build quality catch up to the vision.
At $699, it’s priced for enthusiasts and developers. The potential is undeniable. The execution needs refinement. For now, Brilliant Labs has built the most interesting AR glasses that most people shouldn’t buy quite yet. The next iteration could change that entirely.
