Meta’s Holy Grail AR Sensible Glasses Have One Large Puck-Formed Drawback

Meta’s “Phoenix” XR smart glasses won’t be out but, but when there’s one factor we already know, it’s that when they’re, they’ll want a bit help on the computing facet. That assistance will likely come from a puck that you just’ll have to hold round with you—a puck that we might have simply gotten our first glimpse of.

A brand new mockup render shared on X by Noridoesvr, who claims to have seen prototypes of Meta’s {hardware}—a rumored pair of light-weight XR glasses in a goggle-like kind issue—provides extra perception into what Mission Phoenix’s puck will entail.

First have a look at the compute unit for Meta’s 2027 Mission Phoenix VR glasses!

I modeled this based mostly on bodily prototypes I’ve seen. Word the waistband clip and the cooling exhaust on prime. The design will probably change, however this represents some variants at the moment being examined. https://t.co/M0KgoTPlEU pic.twitter.com/IJPszfLfJg

— Nori 🦈 (@noridoesvr) February 6, 2026

At first look, the compute puck appears to be like fairly manageable. It’s not outsized, it appears to be like comparatively innocuous, and it even has a waistband clip so you’ll be able to cart it round with out pockets. It feels like no huge deal, nevertheless it may additionally be the one factor that turns individuals off from Meta’s AR glasses.

As promising as the way forward for AR glasses instantly is, cramming a complete laptop right into a pair of frames that relaxation comfortably in your face isn’t any simple job. Miniaturization is tough, and at a sure level, possibly even inconceivable. Shrinking down a pc to suit in your face butts in opposition to Moore’s Legislation fairly straight—you want the facility to do all kinds of stuff in a kind issue that’s gentle and ergonomic, however you must do all of that with out burning a glasses-sized gap via somebody’s head (thermals are not any joke).

As a workaround to all of these points, Meta appears concerned about offloading the compute to a puck, which is an answer that Google and Xreal are additionally concerned about pursuing with Project Aura. Google and Xreal’s partnership was lately showcased in December and depends on a wired puck to allow a computer-like expertise the place individuals can use Android apps on an enormous digital display. Assume Vision Pro, however in a a lot, a lot, smaller kind issue.

Framed that method, the worth proposition for tethered good glasses is smart. The Imaginative and prescient Professional is perhaps a formidable technical feat, however sporting one for lengthy durations of time sucks due to the burden and the ensuing not-so-great battery. Tethered good glasses take all the burden and put it… not in your face, which is objectively a win to your nostril and brow.

In different methods, although, each of those kind elements share the identical downside. The Imaginative and prescient Professional, like Meta’s Phoenix good glasses and Mission Aura, additionally wants its personal type of puck—a battery pack. To shed weight, the Imaginative and prescient Professional connects to a battery that it’s a must to carry together with you, together with a wire. It’s not very best, however that’s the tradeoff for a face-worn laptop that does greater than mirror your linked system’s display.

It turns into even much less very best when you think about the puck is in your physique. As you’ll have observed, there seems to be an exhaust fan on the compute puck, which might presumably serve to direct warmth away out of your physique. It’s arduous to inform, however based mostly on the renderings, it is perhaps pointing up? That may be an odd selection, and there’s an opportunity that what I’m seeing as the proper orientation is definitely the other. Right here’s to hoping this factor doesn’t blast sizzling air at your torso.

Regardless of which method you spin it, there are many downsides to utilizing a puck for computing, and people downsides is perhaps a bit an excessive amount of for some. The worst half is, for those who’re ready round for Google, or Meta, or ultimately Apple to shrink the shape issue down and match it into glasses sans puck, you is perhaps ready perpetually. There’s no assure that the puck is an issue that may be solved, and Meta’s upcoming Phoenix good glasses is perhaps additional proof.

For now, we are able to a minimum of benefit from the head-to-head between Meta and Google after they’re ultimately launched, which might be sometime in 2027 and late 2026, respectively. Could the perfect XR video glasses with a transportable laptop puck win, I suppose?