Late last year, Lenovo revealed its Glasses T1 wearable display. These fancy OLED smart glasses, which can stand in for a computer monitor or TV, originally launched in China. A North American release was slated for early 2023, but it never occurred. Now, at the IFA Berlin conference, Lenovo is showing off its Legion Glasses—a rebranded version of Glasses T1 that’s plainly targeted toward gamers. Lenovo says that the Legion Glasses will arrive stateside this October, and interestingly, they only cost $329.
The Legion Glasses appear to be identical to Glasses T1. All of the specs remain unchanged, from the 1080p 60Hz micro-OLED lenses, to the adjustable nosepiece, to the prescription lens mounting frame. Presumably, Lenovo changed the name of its smart glasses to narrow the demographic a bit. Gamers will recognize the “Legion” branding, and because they recognize the brand, they will know that Legion Glasses are very different from products like the Facebook Ray-Bans. Of course, Lenovo may have also realized that its ThinkReality A3 glasses already fill the enterprise niche, and that a second pair of productivity-focused glasses wouldn’t make much sense.
Lenovo Legion Glasses are not a standalone product and must connect to a video source over USB-C DP Alt Mode. Most new computers and phones support this kind of connectivity, and it’s utilized by several portable game consoles, including the Valve Steam Deck, the ASUS ROG Ally, and Lenovo’s new Legion Go. Connectivity for iPhones and iPads is made possible with an adapter. Of course, Lenovo is aiming Lenovo Legion Glasses at the gaming crowd, but you can use this product to watch movies or simulate a computer monitor.
The rise of handheld x86 game consoles may have encouraged Lenovo to rebrand its smart glasses for gaming. That said, the idea of using these glasses with a portable console is kind of odd. Portable consoles already have a screen, and the Legion Go’s screen is quite large at 8.8 inches. Not to mention, the Legion Go has detachable controllers (like the Nintendo Switch), so you can connect it to a TV without setting up a third-party gamepad or any other annoying accessories.
Again, Lenovo hopes to begin selling the Legion Glasses for $329 this October. The product itself is quite interesting, especially if you want to enjoy a “big screen” experience while traveling (or even just sitting on the toilet). But it’s a niche and new idea, and it seems that Lenovo is still looking for the perfect way to market its smart glasses.
Source: Lenovo at IFA Berlin 2023
