The world of wearables has taken a subtle leap forward with the arrival of Rokid devices, which attempt to blend fashion with cutting-edge technology. We're not talking about a simple gadget, but a serious attempt to replace interactions that until now we only did with our mobile phones, putting artificial intelligence directly into our line of sight and hearing.
Although the promise is ambitious, the actual experience fluctuates between awe and technical frustration. These glasses aim to be the The ideal partner for entrepreneurs and content creators who don't want to take their eyes off the road while receiving real-time data, although there are still some rough edges that the brand needs to smooth out to make the product perfect.
Models and variants: With or without a screen?
Rokid has decided to attack the market from two different fronts. On the one hand, we have the Rokid Glasses with screenThese are a true feat of engineering. They feature a dual Micro LED panel that reaches 1500 nits, allowing the text to be readable even in bright sunlight. They weigh around 49 grams, which is quite decent for the hardware inside.
On the other hand, the version has been born AI Glasses StyleThese glasses completely forgo a screen to focus on extreme lightness. Weighing just 38,5 grams, they are virtually imperceptible and prioritize voice interaction and image capture, making them a much more affordable option for those who don't need to see data floating in front of their eyes.
As for internal hardware, both share the same brain Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 They feature 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. A notable detail is the dual-chip architecture in the Style model, where an NXP RT600 handles low-power tasks to prevent the battery from draining quickly.
Artificial Intelligence and live translation
What really sells these glasses is their open ecosystem. Unlike other competitors, Rokid allows you to play with several AI engines such as GPT, Gemini, Qwen, and DeepSeek. This means that the user is not tied to a single company, but can take advantage of the power of different models depending on their needs.
The translation function is arguably the star of the show. It's capable of handling 89 languages online and about 6 in offline mode. However, this is where users have noticed some nuances. While Microsoft AI is incredibly fast and translates almost instantly, other options like Rokid Local can lag behind, creating a delay that slightly disrupts the flow of the conversation.
A critical point is that, although we talk about offline translation, much of the processing It still depends on the smartphone and the Hi Rokid app. It's not that the glasses process everything internally, but rather that the phone does the heavy lifting and the glasses act as the output interface, which means you absolutely must be connected to your phone.
Camera, content, and AR navigation
For those who are passionate about content creation, the glasses integrate a 12MP Sony sensor. The interesting thing is that they allow recording in three different formats (3:4, 4:3, and 9:16), facilitating direct uploads to TikTok or Instagram without having to edit the framing. Furthermore, they allow clips of up to 10 minutes, overcoming the limitation of other models on the market that cut off recording much sooner.
If we're talking about the visual experience on the model with a screen, pedestrian navigation is a gem. Integrated with Google Maps, the device projects Visual indicators on the glassThis allows you to walk through an unfamiliar city without having to check your phone screen every ten steps. However, the interface is a bit clunky, and the text has a slight discoloration at the edges that can be distracting at first.
They also include curious features such as invisible teleprompter, which moves automatically according to the rhythm at which you read aloud, a brilliant tool for those who record videos and want to sound natural without memorizing kilometer-long scripts.
Autonomy, ergonomics and the challenge of graduation
It's not all sunshine and roses. The Achilles' heel is undoubtedly the battery. When you activate intensive translation, the power drops drastically, and you could barely get any charge left. two hours of actual useMany users end up resorting to an external battery to avoid running out of power halfway through a trip, as the internal 210 mAh is insufficient for the power consumption of the screen and AI.
In terms of comfort, Rokid has done its homework. They're lightweight and the material is solid. But the real success lies in the prescription compatibilityWhether through a magnetic frame or the manufacture of custom lenses (from +15 to -15 diopters), they have ensured that people with myopia or astigmatism are not left out of the technological party.
Regarding the controls, the "Hi Rokid" command is the standard, although sometimes it needs to be repeated several times if there is a lot of background noise. In fact, many people prefer disable voice activation and simply use the physical button on the temple, which turns out to be much more reliable and faster in everyday use.
Wearing such advanced equipment on your face comes at a cost. While the Style version is very affordable, the full model costs around $699. For some, this is a fair price for the innovation, but for others, the perceived value is lower because the AI in Spanish still sounds a bit artificial, with an accent that mixes Italian and British features that can get tiring.
In short, we are looking at a device that points the way to the future of personal computing, balancing the ability to capture the world in 4K with the immediate assistance of multimodal AI and hands-free navigation, although it still requires software updates and a more powerful battery to stop being an early adopter gadget and become an essential tool for everyone.