Looking for a pair of smart glasses custom-made for enterprise users? The Vuzix M400 Xtreme glasses could have everything you need. Built to deliver the “world’s most powerful” head-worn computer systems to teams in numerous industries, these glasses are already making waves.
Vuzix even shared a version of these specs with a team of Japanese EMTs in 2022, who used them to access hands-free information about patients, enable immersive collaboration, and enhance productivity in high-stress situations.
Now, these glasses are even more impressive, with two variations to choose from – one designed for enhanced durability, and the other for extended wear, these glasses promise to transform the future of work. We tested a pair of these phenomenal specs ourselves, to find out whether they really have the potential to transform the future of enterprise XR.
Quick Verdict: Pros and Cons
The Vuzix M400 glasses are specifically designed for the enterprise landscape. For manufacturing companies and engineers, they offer access to a convenient heads-up display and real-time collaboration with back-office team members. For field workers, these glasses enable on-the-job training, task-based guidance and more.
In the medical landscape, practitioners use the Vuzix M400 glasses to connect with global experts, enhance patient care, and save lives in emergencies. Notably, though, these glasses do have some downsides. They’re prohibitively expensive (the kits cost around $1,799.99 each – a lot more than you’d pay for something like the RayNeo x2 AR glasses).
Additionally, some features, like the voice control capabilities, don’t always work consistently in noisy environments.
Pros:
- Two kit options focusing on comfort or durability.
- Excellent OLED display with 24-bit color
- Drop safe to 2 meters, and IP67-rated
- Integrated 8-Core Qualcomm processor
- Voice and touch controls
- Integrated speaker and triple noise-cancelling microphones
- Fantastic 13-megapixel camera
- Integrated head-tracking capabilities
Cons:
- Slightly bulky, unattractive design
- Functionality can vary depending on your environment
- Expensive pricing
Vuzix M400 Review: Overview and Tech Specs
Where other extended reality vendors have focused on making their wearables more appealing to the consumer market, Vuzix has gone all-in on targeting the enterprise space. The company’s portfolio features a range of glasses designed for field workers, industrial teams, emergency responders, and more. The M400 glasses are just one of the options available to business users.
There are two “kit” options to choose from with these glasses. The first is the M400 Xtreme Kit, designed for extreme weather conditions. This kit gives you a set of durable, lightweight glasses, with an all-day comfort headband, and long-lasting Xtreme weather battery.
The second option is the M400 Extended Wear kit, intended for indoor use. This kit comes with the same comfortable headband, a set of safety frames, and an ultra-lightweight design. No matter which option you choose, you’ll get similar technical specifications overall, such as:
- NHD OLED color monocular display
- IP67-rated frames (drop tested for up to 2 meters)
- An Integrated 8 Core 2.52Ghz Qualcomm XR1 processor
- 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal memory
- Android 11 or 13 operating system
- Four control buttons and multi-language voice control
- An integrated speaker with up to 97db output
- Triple noise-cancelling microphones
- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB connectivity
- 13-megapixel camera with 1080p streaming at 60FPs
- Barcode scanning and LED flash capabilities
- Integrated 3-degrees of freedom head tracking
Vuzix M400 Review: Design and Comfort
The Vuzix M400 isn’t really a pair of traditional “smart glasses”. It’s more of a head-mounted computer system, with a single display you can position over one eye (right or left), and a frame featuring a processing chip, speaker, integrated camera, and microphones.
The design is a little unusual – it feels more like a sci-fi accessory than anything else. The good news is that Vuzix has gone above and beyond to ensure this “system” is comfortable to wear. The overall product is lightweight and flexible, with a comfortable headband that stops the device from shifting around when you’re moving.
Additionally, although there’s a lot of built-in technology here, like the battery, camera, and processing chip, the headset still feels lightweight. It only weighs around 182 grams. That might sound like a lot, but it’s worth remembering that the RealWear Navigator 500 (which offers similar features) weighs around 272 grams in comparison.
Despite being a little chunky, the device is great for all-day wear and very user-friendly. Plus, it’s worth noting that the lack of any actual “lenses” in the frame means you can easily wear your own glasses with this headset. Thanks to a range of flexible mounting options, you can even combine the Vuzix M400 with safety helmets.
You can just connect the Vuzix M400 “exoskeleton” to whatever you’re already wearing. Notably though, while the main viewer and external battery system feels very robust, the actual frame which all the components are mounted to does feel a little fragile.
The Visuals and Audio Experience
Many other Vuzix smart wearables have offered a relatively basic visual experience. For instance, options like the consumer-grade Vuzix Z100 specs only feature a monochrome green display. The Vuzix M400 headset, on the other hand, has an OLED display, offering great clarity, contrast, brightness, and 24-bit color.
While the display is impressive compared to some of Vuzix’s other glasses, it’s not perfect. You have a resolution of around 640 x 360 pixels – far from 4K quality. Plus, it’s worth noting that the “viewer” does take up a decent portion of your vision. You don’t really get the full “augmented reality” experience of seeing content overlaid on top of the world around you.
The Vuzix M400 gives you more of an adjustable “heads-up display” screen, which takes up a portion of your vision (on one eye), while leaving your other eye free to see what’s going on in the real world.
Additionally, while the display does offer excellent brightness and contrast levels, it only gives you a 16.8-degree field of view. That’s a lot less than you’d get from something like the Navigator 500 (20 degrees), or even the Vuzix M4000 (28 degrees).
On the plus side, the audio quality is decent. The speaker system gives you up to 98db of volume, and the integrated triple noise-cancelling microphones are great for collaboration. You can easily use this headset to call colleagues or connect with team members through conferencing platforms like Microsoft Teams or Zoom. There is a bit of a “sound leakage” issue though, so if you’re having private conversations, you might want to consider using headphones.
The Camera and Streaming Capabilities
One of the best things about the Vuzix M400 headset is its integrated 13-megapixel camera. This camera can record 4K quality videos at 30 FPS or 1080p video at 60 FPS. It’s fantastic for taking photos and sharing them with team members or streaming content.
While there are solutions with better cameras out there (like the RealWear Navigator 500 with its 48-megapixel camera), the Vuzix M400 camera is extremely reliable. It even comes with additional built-in features to help you capture and share higher-quality content.
For instance, you get a built-in autofocus option and optical image stabilization software. You can also leverage LED flash for illumination, and there’s software included for scanning barcodes too.
If you’re looking for a pair of smart glasses that make it easy to share videos and images of what you’re looking at (like machinery in the industrial space or a patient in the healthcare industry), the Vuzix M400 is an excellent choice. The only real downside is that taking full advantage of the streaming capabilities does mean you need a high-quality, stable internet connection.
Vuzix M400 Review: Ease of Use
Smart glasses, or wearable computers like the Vuzix M400 should always be easy to use – particularly if you’re going to be relying on them for day-to-day work. Fortunately, everything about the Vuzix M400 is incredibly user-friendly. Assembling your headset and connecting it to a safety helmet or a pair of standard spectacles is very straightforward.
Once you’ve set everything up, you’ll be able to use the Vuzix mobile app to configure your settings, manage notifications, and remotely control apps. There’s also a handy touchpad, and a set of buttons on the “viewer” system that you can use to navigate through menus and record footage.
If you’re looking for a more “hands-free” experience, the Vuzix M400 supports voice control and is powered by artificial intelligence. You can use your voice to navigate through menus, make calls or load and use various applications. Just keep in mind that the voice control features might not work perfectly in noisy environments.
On the plus side, the Vuzix M400 system is compatible with all kinds of software, like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and remote assistance apps. You can even download apps straight from the Vuzix mobile app. Plus, companies can connect the M400 smart glasses to ERP systems, and device management platforms. This means business leaders can track devices wherever they are, and remotely apply software and firmware updates to headsets through the cloud.
Vuzix M400 Power and Performance
Unlike some smart glasses, which rely on a constant wired connection to a smartphone or external device for power, the M400 comes with both an internal battery and an external battery. The internal battery gives you an average runtime of about 2 hours. The external battery extends the life of your device to around 12 hours on average, or 16 hours, depending on how you’re using the system.
The extra-long lifespan of this headset makes it ideal for all-day use. Additionally, it’s worth noting that the external battery is hot-swappable, so you can easily switch to another, spare battery if you start running out of power, and don’t have time to charge your headset.
Regarding performance power, Vuzix’s M400 glasses come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 processor, complemented by 6GB of internal RAM. This system can easily handle various demanding applications without lag or latency issues. The Android operating system is also excellent, giving users a streamlined, reliable experience regardless of which apps they might be using.
Vuzix M400 Review: The Verdict
The Vuzix M400 is an interesting product. It’s not exactly a traditional pair of “augmented reality smart glasses”, similar to something like the XReal Air 2 specs.
However, it is a powerful head-mounted wearable, with augmented reality capabilities, a powerful internal processor, and a fantastic battery life. If you’re looking for a head-worn computer that can help you access information on the move, share content with colleagues, and accomplish more in your day-to-day workflow, the Vuzix M400 could be a great option.
Whether you choose the Xtreme Kit, or the option designed for extended wear, you can rest assured you’ll get a comfortable, capable system, perfect for the enterprise landscape.
