HomeWinBuzzer NewsMagic Leap One Launches as More Affordable HoloLens Competitor

Magic Leap One Launches as More Affordable HoloLens Competitor

The Magic Leap One Creator Edition is also sleeker than HoloLens and comes with interesting pre-installed apps. However, the battery life is an issue.

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While the augmented reality market has been dominated by Microsoft's HoloLens, we have been expecting some competition. Announced last year, the Magic Leap One is a HoloLens competitor that has today been launched.

The Magic Leap One Creator Edition is a mixed reality headset that costs $2,295. That is significantly cheaper than the $3,000 Microsoft asks for the HoloLens Development Edition.

Similar to HoloLens, Magic Leap One is a spatial computing system. It's is like an oversized goggle set that pairs with a puck-sized external computer called a Lightpack. Like HoloLens, the device uses augmented reality. This means virtual objects are layered into a real-world environment. Users can interact with virtual objects within the real world.

Magic Leap says the One Creator Edition is landing with some applications already installed. For example, the Helio web browser is integrated and provides 3D websites. Screens is a video player that sound exciting, allowing users to place multiple displays in the real world and resize them.

The company has also pre-installed avatars and its own Social app. The latter provides spatial connectivity with contacts. LuminOS is the operating system underpinning the experience. Magic Leap says its platform is optimized for the best visual experience.

As we reported when the device was announced, the Magic Leap One Creator Edition is a bundle. Included in the package is the Lightwear headset, Control handheld input unit, the Lightpack computing pack, chargers, and a Fit Kit to ensure the device is properly calibrated.

Specifications

Lightpack:

  • CPU: ® Parker SOC; 2 Denver 2.0 64-bit cores + 4 ARM Cortex A57 64-bit cores (2 A57's and 1 Denver accessible to applications)
  • GPU: NVIDIA Pascal™, 256 CUDA cores; Graphic APIs: OpenGL 4.5, Vulkan, OpenGL ES 3.3+
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage Capacity: 128 GB (actual available storage capacity 95GB)
  • Power: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Up to 3 hours continuous use. Battery life can vary based on use cases. Power level will be sustained when connected to an AC outlet. 45-watt USB-C Power Delivery (PD) charger
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi 802.11ac/b/g/n, USB-C
  • OS: LuminOS

Lightwear:

  • Audio Input: Voice (speech to text) + real world audio (ambient)
  • Audio Output:Onboard speakers and 3.5mm jack with audio spatialization processing

Control:

  • Haptics: LRA Haptic Device
  • Tracking: 6DoF (position and orientation)
  • Trackpad: Touch sensitive
  • LEDs: 12-LED (RGB) ring with diffuser
  • Power: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Up to 7.5 hours continuous use. 15-watt USB-C charger
  • Other inputs: 8-bit resolution Trigger Button; Digital Bumper Button; Digital Home Button

Availability

It certainly is an interesting package, and one we guess will entice users over HoloLens. There is one caveat, the battery life is poor with a maximum of 3 hours. If you push the device, we suspect that number will fall quickly. In comparison, HoloLens is good for around 5 hours, or 2.5 hours when being taxed heavily.

Magic Leap One is not coming to retail stores and is only available in the United States. Customers have to order directly from the company. While that may seem inconvenient, Magic Leap will offer a complimentary delivery with a free fit and set-up service.

Luke Jones
Luke Jones
Luke has been writing about Microsoft and the wider tech industry for over 10 years. With a degree in creative and professional writing, Luke looks for the interesting spin when covering AI, Windows, Xbox, and more.

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