Engadget
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Engadget Review
Avegant Glyph review: A wearable cinema for serious movie fans
Summary
The Avegant Glyph is trying something different, but treading new ground also means making a few missteps. The core movie-viewing experience is enjoyable, but some of the more immersive features such as head tracking are yet to be full exploited. If you're an early adopter, this device will thrill you. Otherwise, more casual users are better off waiting for a more refined version later on.
Pros
- Crisp image quality
- Excellent sound
- Immersive viewing experience
Cons
- Headphone mode is a little uncomfortable in prolonged use
- Battery life could be better
- Some features not fully exploited
The idea behind the Avegant Glyph is pretty simple. It's a $699 portable, wearable movie theater. And if you're thinking it looks more like a pair of Beats than a cinema screen, there's good reason: It moonlights as a pair of regular headphones, of course, though video viewing is why you'd want to buy one. Inside the headband are two eye holes, behind which is some clever micromirror projection technology that beams 720p video directly into your eyes. Wear the Glyph like a VR headset, and plug in an HDMI source and you're good to go. If all this sounds familiar, it's because the Glyph has been in development for a few years now. This right here, however, is the version that's about to ship. I've spent some time with my head in one, and it's pretty neat. And, yes, a little weird.
