The next big thing in consumer technology could be right on your nose. Some of the biggest tech names, from Apple and Google to Samsung to Huawei, are investing in smart glasses. It's just a matter of time before the product category launches.
Huawei and Gentle Monster's second generation glasses are just a glimpse of what's possible, but these fashion-related smart glasses come at a staggering price point.
Should you pull out your credit card? Find out in our Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2 review.
About this review: I spent several weeks with a manufacturer-supplied Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2 test device. The software version 1.0.0.122 was executed on the glasses.
What are the Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2?
The Huawei Gentle Monster Eyewear 2 are essentially chic glasses with bluetooth and built-in speakers. We'll call them "Smart Glasses," though that's a non-profit description given the limited functionality.
It's not that Huawei couldn't have put more high-tech into this product. The low-key approach to the design is evident and the message is clear: this isn't another Google Glass. You don't have to worry about tricky technical or privacy issues. There are no cameras, no cellular connections, no AR gimmicks. Just put on your sunglasses and enjoy your music without looking like a complete idiot.
How are you
Gentle Monster is a Korean luxury eyewear brand known for their oversized, flamboyant designs that are loved by K-pop stars and divas of all kinds. With prices above $ 200, these aren't the kind of glasses you would casually toss in your glove box after a day at the beach.
The collaboration with Huawei is available in four versions - two optical glasses (Smart Havana and Smart Kubo) and two sunglasses (Smart Myma and Smart Lang). As the name suggests, these are "intelligent" versions of the regular Gentle Monster models with the same name.
For this review of Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2, I looked at the Smart Myma (£ 310 in the UK, € 345 in Europe) with its oversized and slightly elongated lenses. Although all models are supposed to be unisex, I found the Myma a little too feminine for my taste.
The Eyewear 2 looks like normal glasses. The only sign that they contain any technology is the arms, which are a little thicker than usual. The batteries, speakers, and other circuitry are all hidden inside. Most people couldn't tell at a glance that these were anything but fancy sunglasses.
The Myma model weighs 48.1 grams. I found it to be a bit heavier than regular sunglasses, but it never felt too heavy or tiring to wear. For comparison, a pair of Ray-Ban Original Wayfarers weighs 45 g.
How does the Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2 work?
The Eyewear 2 smart glasses play music through the speakers in your arms. Once paired via Bluetooth, they'll recognize when you put them on and be ready to play in seconds. Conversely, if you remove it, playback will stop. They have no internal storage - like headphones, they only play music from a connected device.
The listening experience is similar to that of headphones in that you get stereo sound that feels like "in your head". However, you shouldn't expect headphone quality. Of course, you also don't get noise isolation. The experience is more like listening to your phone's speaker near your ear and playing at a low volume.
The speakers are conventional - they don't use bone conduction, which vibrates your facial bones to transmit sound to your ears.
You control the Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2 by tapping the two arms and swiping them down. You can play / pause, skip tracks, adjust the volume and even activate the voice assistant. I found the controls intuitive and easy to use.
The Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2 comes in a beautiful leather case that doubles as a charger. You just put the glasses in and connect the case with a USB-C cable. Unfortunately, the case doesn't contain a battery like earphones, so you can't use it for quick charging while on the go.
The battery life should be good for five hours of music playback or 3.5 hours if you only use it to answer voice calls.
How do they sound?
You shouldn't buy the Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2 if you want high quality sound. Because of the physics, tiny open speakers can't sound as good as in-ear buds or over-the-ear headphones. The bass levels are low and this can make the sound a little quieter, while the entire spectrum is lacking in clarity.
Sound is passable if all you want is some background music while laying in the sun by the pool. However, if audio quality is your thing, headphones like Huawei's own FreeBuds Pro earbuds or the over-the-ear FreeBuds Studio will serve you better.
What about privacy? Can other people hear your calls or music? In my tests it wasn't a problem if I kept the volume low enough. To get an idea of the volume, the speakers sound like the earpiece of a smartphone. About 20% of the time, my wife could hear my phone conversation very quietly while sitting in a quiet room about two meters away. But when you turn up the tune, people around you will Hear it.
Continue reading: The best wireless noise-canceling earbuds
Since there's nothing to keep out noise, using the Eyewear 2 in noisy environments is a bit of a hassle. You have to turn up the volume to hear something, but that makes private listening impossible.
What I like about the Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2
- Practically for people who don't want to carry around both glasses / sunglasses and a pair of earphones.
- Easy, no problem Functionality.
- Stylish (if you like it).
- Discrete technology - People around you cannot tell that you are wearing smart glasses.
What I don't like about the Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2
- Mediocre sound quality - They just won't cut it for someone who cares what their music sounds like.
- Operating temperature limited to 0ÖC-35ÖC (32ÖF-95ÖF) - Sunglasses should be worn in the heat of summer or on bright winter days. The 0ÖC to 35ÖThe C-interval can be somewhat limiting in this regard, depending on where you live. At least they have an IP54 rating, which means they can withstand rain and splashing water.
- Expensive - As they say, if you have to ask, you probably can't afford them.
Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2 Review: Should You Buy Them?
With a price of 345 euros, the Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2 could be a nice gift for someone who values style and fashion, but cares less about technology and sound quality. You can buy them as an alternative to earbuds, especially if you can get the optical versions that you can wear all day. They can also act as a discreet earpiece for answering calls in case you can't stand the look of bluetooth headsets.
If you are looking for great sound quality, don't buy them. Instead, try a pair of good real wireless earbuds. Also, give them a pass if you're looking for more advanced features. These smart glasses naturally take precedence over beauty and the brain.
This concludes our Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear 2 review. Are you interested in this product?
