If I want to game on a flight, I typically have two options. Either I hold a device, like my phone, Switch, or Steam Deck, in my hands and crane my neck to watch it, or prop it on the tray table, hoping the seat in front won’t abruptly recline (which it usually does). Neither is comfortable for long. On the last trip, however, I had a third: a wearable display, called the RayNeo Air 4 Pro, and it may have finally made gaming fun on the go.

The TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro may look like a pair of smart glasses, and though they are often labelled interchangeably as AR or XR ones, they are kind of neither. Yes, they project digital content in your field of view, but no cartoons or app icons will be superimposed in your room. A more apt description for them would be a head-mounted TV, or as some put it, “headphones for your eyes.” You put them on, and suddenly it’s as if you have been teleported to an empty movie hall, staring alone at a large, cinema-grade screen, unbeknownst to the people around you.

The latest generation of TCL’s glasses doesn’t offer a significant upgrade over its predecessor, but it does add a handful of meaningful changes that can elevate the viewing experience. Most notably, there’s now support for an industry-first HDR10 and improved Bang & Olufsen speakers, all while being half the price of its competitors at $299. And after streaming countless movies and games on them, it could be the new wearable display to beat.

TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro – Design and Build

At the outset, the RayNeo Air 4 Pro’s all-black look and compact, Wayfarer-esque form factor help it pass as any regular pair of sunglasses. Part of the reason is the glossy, reflective cover plate on the front, which prevents outside light from entering your vision. It’s only when you unfold it that you notice the tech it hides.

The temples, for starters, house the speaker grilles, controls for the display and volume, and the USB-C port, and are far thicker than your standard shades. They can be adjusted to one of three vertical angles to align the screen with your eyes, but I and the few people who put them on were fine with the out-of-the-box settings.

The core circuitry of glasses lies inside the thick bar touching your forehead. Under that, you’ll find angled prisms that are designed to reflect displays embedded in the frame’s top. There’s even a nose pad, and another in the box should the default size not fit you. If you opt for a prescription, this is also where those lens inserts will slot in.

Wearing the RayNeo Air 4 Pro can feel awkward at first, particularly due to the bulky top, which can also get a tad warm after an hour or so of use. But thanks to its lightweight, plastic design (2.6 ounces), that feeling doesn’t linger for long, and I got used to its various oddities. What bothered me at times, however, was the USB-C cable connected to the end of the right temple, which threw the balance off a little.

TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro – Display

The RayNeo Air 4 Pro comes equipped with a pair of 0.6-inch microLED displays that can project a virtual 120Hz screen of up to 135 inches at a 6-meter depth. In the 2D mode, its resolution maxes out at 1080p, while switching to 3D bumps that up to 4K.

Like any monitor, connecting the Air 4 Pro to a device is as simple as plugging it in, given that it supports DisplayPort video over USB-C. This means it works with nearly all modern computers and phones with USB-C ports, like the iPhone 17 and the Google Pixel 10 Pro. Pairing it with a gaming console, like a Nintendo Switch or a PlayStation 5, though, is a little more complex. You will need an HDMI-to-USB-C converter, and that can be hard to find, since USB-C-to-HDMI adapters are way more commonly available. TCL also sells its own for $59, as well as a JoyDock travel accessory for the Switch, which eliminates the need to carry Nintendo’s bulky dock.

Once you have the RayNeo Air 4 Pro up and running, it offers a sharp and bright image that goes toe-to-toe with more premium options. Its 1200-nit brightness was especially useful in daytime, when some light can leak into your vision and hamper your experience. This also helps with ignoring the reflections of yourself that can come up from the prisms in well-lit rooms.

The attached cover plate is see-through, so that you are never completely detached from your surroundings. But if you want to further cut down external light, you can snap on the bundled blackout shield, available in solid black and special Batman and Joker themes.

Because the Air 4 Pro’s screens have 3840Hz PWM dimming, flickers weren’t an issue, either, and combined with the built-in Eye Comfort mode, which reduces blue light, I was able to play games for more than an hour without feeling any eye strain. As you would when you come out of a movie hall, I did always need a few seconds when I took them off to adjust to real-world lighting.

Gaming and consuming other content on the RayNeo Air 4 Pro has been a joy. It’s the most immersive viewing experience I’ve experienced, especially while playing scenic games, such as Ghost of Yotei. The addition of HDR10 complements that even more, bringing the best out of scenes to create a lifelike picture. In fact, I was able to type this story in the RayNeo Air 4 Pro while resting on my bed’s headboard and using the laptop’s keyboard.

The one downside to the RayNeo Air 4 Pro is that it doesn’t offer as much control over the projection as some competitors. You can’t, for example, adjust its size or how far it is from your vision. Since its field of view is narrower than others, I often faced blurred corners and had to move my head to read text on the edges. The Air 4 Pro can also artificially upgrade content to HDR10, but that can be a hit or a miss and doesn’t do more than just boost the brightness.

TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro – Speakers

The RayNeo Air 4 Pro’s quad integrated speakers do well indoors, producing ample loudness and clarity. Their open-ear design also means the people around you will be barely able to hear them, particularly in the Whisper Mode. Outside, though, such as on flights, they can be inadequate, and I usually end up switching to my earbuds. Attaching the silicone sound tubes, too, doesn’t much help the cause. The Surround Sound, similarly, felt gimmicky and couldn’t create an immersive environment.

TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro – Software

On the glasses itself, you can adjust a few settings with the dedicated menu button, like the refresh rate, HDR, and picture modes. In addition, you can download the companion apps to enter the 3D mode.

On the desktop client, for example, you can pin individual windows in a 3D space, and work on them simultaneously. It was helpful at times and made me feel like I’m Tom Cruise in Minority Report, but transitioning between each window wasn’t as smooth as I’d like it to be. You have to wait a few seconds before the cursor switches focus and when you are in the middle of work, those can add up.

The mobile app, similarly, allows you to turn your 2D content, such as photos and videos, into 3D, while converting your phone into a remote you can point and click with. It’s a neat party trick and does well to add depth to foreground subjects, but it loses its appeal quickly and can be glitchy, at times. You can also experience spatial videos shot on an iPhone Pro in this mode.

The RayNeo Air 4 is, however, compatible with Android 16’s new desktop mode, and gives you an option to choose between that and traditional screen mirroring. I tried working on it at a cafe, while my phone was connected to a keyboard, and it was surprisingly productive, except for the questionable looks I got from other customers.