Amidst the chaos of CES 2025, I came across a product that made me feel like I needed it. It was a small booth in the smart wearable area. It was the Even Realities G1 glasses. These were the first smart glasses I actually wanted to wear purely based on looks. When I finally got them, they pretty much lived up to my internal hype. These G1 glasses are surprisingly well made, have some great features that I use frequently, such as the teleprompter feature, and seemed to be heading in the direction I think most smart glasses should go. However, since it was still a first-generation product, some defects needed to be fixed. Fast forward to today, and Even Realities has announced their new G2 glasses and R1 Breit Ring. Now it feels like a completely different beast. Here’s what you need to know:
New design and battery life
My biggest concern about the new version was that the design of the G1 was my favorite part, so it would be a major design change. I was happy to see that while keeping most of the design the same, the weight has been reduced at just 36 grams. For comparison, the Meta Ray-Ban is about 50 grams. I flattened the top of the lens frame slightly, but it didn’t bother me. The most important change is the input method on the glasses themselves. At each temple tip, we replace the current unsatisfactory touch nub with a more sophisticated but easy-to-use touch pad control system. This is very reminiscent of the camera control buttons on recent iPhones. You can interact with the UI and features in a variety of ways using swipes, slides, scrolls, taps, double taps, and long presses. It also hides behind the ear so most people can’t see it.
As for other input methods, like the G1 glasses, there’s no camera, speaker, or flashing lights. It’s well-made, high-end eyewear that happens to be smart. This decision makes them socially acceptable. Battery life is also best in class for smart glasses, giving you two days of use on a single charge, and an additional 6-7 charges with the case. So technically you can go a full two weeks without turning it on.
display technology
So what makes these smart if they don’t have cameras, speakers, or light indicators? It’s the display. Each lens is equipped with a display that provides everything from quick notifications to teleprompters, live translations to stock quotes. This green matrix style font is displayed system-wide. Therefore, there are no colors other than green.
In G2, we have improved this optical engine and introduced HAO 2.0 (Holistic Adaptive Optics). This basically makes your visuals look sharper, brighter, and more natural even when you’re moving. Take advantage of a new 3D spatial display that divides information into layers. Quick AI prompts and messages appear in the foreground, while items like notes and navigation are placed in the background. It’s an intuitive feeling, like you’re not staring at another screen, but instead have a small layer of practical context floating in your field of vision. The new UI also makes it look more natural when using the new input system with the timple tips (located on each side).
smart features
At the most basic level, I’m basically telling people this is an Apple Watch for your eyes. You’ll receive subtle notifications that cross your line of sight. But I love it because it’s concise and doesn’t distract from what you’re doing at that moment. I actually prefer notifications to my wrist. Because when your wrist buzzes, you can’t look down at it and concentrate on what you’re doing. At the same time, even reality ensures that you never lose focus on the task at hand.
There are also plenty of smart tools. What I used the most was the teleprompt feature, which allows you to import scripts and get points, and read them from the lens’s display. Another feature is maps. Glasses allow you to navigate without looking at your phone. Other tools included are:
- Conversate is our newest feature, a real-time AI assistant that subtly supports you during conversations.
- Translation supports 29 languages for instant two-way communication.
- Quicklists and dashboards keep to-dos and calendar items visible.
- And the new Even AI engine runs 3x faster, making everything feel instant.
The important thing to note here is that all the processing happens in the app and on your smartphone. No action is actually taking place on the glasses. This allows the glasses to remain smooth, light and thin.
R1 smart ring
One of my biggest complaints about the G1 glasses was that there was no clear way to interact with the information displayed. You can even talk to the AI, but that’s it. There was also a touch nub at the end of the timple, but again, I didn’t like it at all. That’s where this new R1 ring comes in. The new touch panel on the G2 glasses is highly responsive, but requires you to physically touch the glasses. The R1 ring is like a mouse for glasses. Made of zirconia ceramic and stainless steel, it has a premium look and connects directly to your G2. When you place it on your index finger, it has this touch-sensitive panel that allows you to perform all the same operations as the touch panel on the G2 glasses. So swipes, taps, and long presses all help you navigate the new G2 HAO 2 interface. I thought this was a genius idea. Double-tap to show the display, put it to sleep, or scroll through information. It just makes the experience more enjoyable.
It also uses biometric sensors to track your health and introduces a feature called Productivity Score. This provides small adjustments throughout the day to help you stay balanced. Health metrics seem like a simple add-on. There’s nothing detailed about health data, but I think it would be useful to have. You can view the data even with glasses.
I would like to clarify that you do not need an R1 ring to use G2 glasses.
final thoughts
As a second generation product, I think Even Realities did a good job. They took feedback from their original customers and implemented it without sacrificing what was already great. It has become even smarter while maintaining a lightweight and durable structure. We also appreciate this approach to smart glasses over other competitors. This takes the Apple Watch approach. Passive wearable. You do not need to actively use this device to enjoy its benefits.
One thing I would have liked to have added is a small speaker on one side, but it was purely for talking to the Even AI assistant. You don’t need it to answer calls or play music. Personally, I just like interacting with AI with voice feedback. Currently, you can talk to it, but you’ll receive responses via text on the lens, presumably in the G3 version.
Price and availability
Even G2 smart glasses and Even R1 smart ring currently available at Also on Realities sites. For a limited time, buyers can get 50% off the R1 and other accessories with the purchase of the G2. G2 is available in three colors: grey, brown, and green. G2 starts at $599 and R1 starts at $249.
What do you think about these? What do you think about the current state of wearables? Have you tried smart glasses? Let’s discuss below.
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