Updated: 2026
Mixed reality glasses for the metaverse
The metaverse is a digital universe consisting of many individual worlds. As a user, you can immerse yourself in the digital worlds via the web browser, an app or mixed reality glasses, depending on the world. Learn what mixed reality glasses are and which metaverse world you can enter with mixed reality glasses.
What are mixed reality glasses?
Put on virtual reality glasses and enter an artificial or digital world. The glasses reflect what the metaverse world dictates. Now there are also metaverse worlds that allow a connection of the real world and the virtual world.
An example of this would be if you are sitting in a real meeting room and digitally the avatar of a work colleague is displayed to you. VR glasses are not enough for such applications.
With mixed-reality glasses, integrated cameras capture the real world and display digital content. In this way, the digital and real worlds merge even more and interesting areas of application are possible.
Mixed-Reality Headset
A mixed-reality headset contains two lenses or “screens” for the eyes. In addition, integrated cameras capture the real environment.
The glasses are both VR-capable and AR-capable. You can therefore use them either as a VR headset or as an AR headset. In most cases, both technologies can also be combined to connect the digital world and the real world.
What can the combination of VR and AR look like? Example: You are working from home, designing a new product together with a colleague. Thanks to mixed-reality glasses, your colleague and the product are digitally displayed to you and you interactively create the product together.
VR goggles
A VR headset is built like a mixed-reality headset with one exception – it has no cameras and therefore does not process the real environment.
For this reason, VR headsets are only suitable for metaverse worlds without an Augmented Reality component.
AR glasses
With AR glasses, information is overlaid onto the real world through the lens. AR glasses are normally not used for the metaverse.
What mixed reality glasses are there?
Please also check for yourself whether the glasses displayed are compatible with the metaverse world of your choice.
Meta Quest 3
The most popular mixed reality headset to get started. Its colour cameras blend digital content into your real room.
Meta Quest 3 data
- Standalone, no PC needed
- 2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye
- Colour passthrough for mixed reality
- Cheaper option: Meta Quest 3S
Apple Vision Pro
Premium mixed reality from Apple with the sharpest image right now and very realistic passthrough.
Apple Vision Pro data
- Micro-OLED, 3,660 x 3,200 pixels per eye
- Control by eyes, hands and voice
- visionOS apps and web worlds
- High-end price range
Samsung Galaxy XR
The first mixed reality headset with Android XR and Google’s Gemini AI, available since October 2025.
Samsung Galaxy XR data
- Android XR with Gemini voice AI
- High-resolution micro-OLED displays
- Colour passthrough for mixed reality
- Access to XR apps and web worlds
HTC Vive Focus Vision
Standalone mixed reality headset and successor to the Vive Pro line, also usable as PC-VR.
HTC Vive Focus Vision data
- Standalone or PC-VR via DisplayPort
- Eye tracking and colour passthrough
- Hot-swappable battery
- Access to Viverse and SteamVR
Pico 4 Ultra
Current standalone headset with colour passthrough and strong value for money.
Pico 4 Ultra data
- Standalone, Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2
- Colour passthrough for mixed reality
- Interpupillary distance and headband adjustable
- Access to VRChat and web worlds
Mixed Reality Headsets: Key Facts 2026
| Horizon Worlds | Active; Meta pivot towards mobile-first; VR status in motion in 2026 |
| Roblox | Very active; mandatory age verification (Facial Age Estimation) for chat/full features from 2026; new account types Roblox Kids (5-8) and Roblox Select (9-15) |
| Somnium Space | Active; 18+ since 2025; strong VR focus; requires crypto/wallet |
| Spatial | Platform pivot 2026: Consumer/Creator platform (Free/Pro) shuts down on 27.07.2026; focus now on Enterprise and own game studio |
| Voxels | Active; formerly Cryptovoxels; runs in browser; Ethereum/Polygon |
| Microsoft Mesh | Standalone app discontinued since 01.12.2025; only available as “Immersive events in Teams” |
