XREAL AURA, the first glasses to run Android XR, went on sale on October 28, 2026 in the United States, Canada and South Korea, with Japan following on November 2. Launch pricing runs through the end of 2026: $1,099 for the 12GB model and $1,299 for the 16GB model, down from $1,279 and $1,499. Shipments begin in mid-November.
In short:
- Orders are open, not reservations. Google's launch post says orders "open today in the U.S., Canada, and Korea, and on November 2 in Japan", for buyers 18 and over.
- Two prices on one page. XREAL's AURA page lists each configuration at its launch price beside its original price, and says the offer runs "Through the end of the year".
- Early buyers get the difference back. The same page promises a refund of $180 on the 12GB model and $200 on the 16GB model to anyone who already bought at the original price.
- The hardware is unchanged. The 70 degree optical see-through display, the compute puck and the Snapdragon Reality Elite chip are the ones XREAL published on October 7.
What changed on October 28
AURA moved from a reservation product to one anyone in three countries can order. On October 7, XREAL's product page gated purchase to people holding a Launch Credit, Priority Deposit or Founder Priority Pass, and stated a Fall 2026 launch with no day. That stage is recorded in our earlier AURA pricing report. Three things are now published that were not then: an order date, a shipping window and a launch discount.
XREAL and Google, whose Android XR platform it runs, announced the launch together. Google's post, by Shahram Izadi, VP and GM of XR, calls AURA "the first wired XR glasses powered by Android XR" and says the Snapdragon Reality Elite platform "debuts on AURA". Orders go through XREAL's own store or, in the United States, Best Buy, with "shipments beginning in mid-November".
What XREAL AURA costs at launch
The launch price is $180 to $200 below the price XREAL published on October 7. These are the figures on XREAL's AURA page, read on October 29, 2026. The global page at xreal.com/aura and the United States page carry the same numbers.
| Configuration | Launch price | Original price | Refund to earlier buyers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12GB memory, 256GB storage | $1,099 | $1,279 | $180 |
| 16GB memory, 512GB storage | $1,299 | $1,499 | $200 |
Google's post words the offer as "launch pricing starting at USD 1,099 through the end of the year". Both documents publish these figures in US dollars, so the table covers the US dollar price. After December 31, 2026 the original prices are the ones to budget from, unless XREAL extends the offer.
Where AURA sits against Meta VR Glasses
At $1,099, AURA's entry model is $200 below Meta VR Glasses, which Meta prices at $1,299.99 for Spring 2027. The two use the same Reality Elite chip in a pocket puck and differ in how the wearer sees the room: AURA is optical see-through, so the room stays visible through the lens, while Meta's device rebuilds it on a screen from cameras. AURA ships this year and Meta's device ships next spring, so a buyer comparing them today is comparing an order date against an announcement.
Google's launch post states the glasses are "under 95 grams", and its enterprise announcement says "less than 95g". XREAL's own specification table lists 95 g. The full table, with the 3 ms motion-to-photon claim and the display figures, is in our AURA price and specifications report.
What business buyers get
AURA is managed through Android Enterprise, the same framework Google uses for Android phones. The enterprise post lists managed Google Play, zero-touch enrollment, fully managed device mode and Google Play Protect, and describes a DisplayPort input that brings a laptop screen into the glasses as a window. Google's consumer post calls the same feature Wired Mirroring and says it needs a USB-C cable that supports video output, with no software to install.
Related reading. Our comparison of AI glasses and smart glasses prices the glasses AURA competes with, and our smart glasses guide explains where tethered display glasses fit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. When is XREAL AURA available?
Orders opened on October 28, 2026 in the United States, Canada and South Korea, and open on November 2 in Japan, according to Google's launch post. Shipments begin in mid-November.
2. How much does XREAL AURA cost?
XREAL's AURA page lists $1,099 for 12GB with 256GB of storage and $1,299 for 16GB with 512GB, as launch prices running through the end of 2026. The original prices are $1,279 and $1,499.
3. I already bought AURA at $1,279. Do I get money back?
Yes. XREAL's page says buyers who already purchased "will receive a refund for the hardware price difference based on the original prices": $180 on the 12GB model and $200 on the 16GB model.
4. Where can I buy XREAL AURA?
Google names xreal.com/aura and, in the United States, Best Buy. Buyers must be 18 or over and need a compatible Google account.
5. Is XREAL AURA the first Android XR glasses?
Google calls AURA "the first wired XR glasses powered by Android XR". Samsung's Galaxy XR runs Android XR too, but it is a headset, and Google's post describes AURA as the platform's first glasses.
