When comparing Iristick Z1 vs CastAR, the Slant community recommends CastAR for most people. In the question“What are the best smart glasses?” CastAR is ranked 7th while Iristick Z1 is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose CastAR is:
In addition to augmented reality (overlaying digital elements over the real world) and virtual reality (fully digital experience), CastAR is introducing projection reality in a new way. Projection reality projects light onto reflective surfaces and back to a sensor. The projection actually appears to be in the real-world as that is where the light is coming from. It appears like a hologram, except its only visible to you.
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Pros
Pro Voice commands, touch pad and split screen
Handling the Iristick Z.1. is a real pleasure. You can select options via voice commands (even in very noisy environments), swipe through lists via the touchpad or take out the phone if you run an app that is only on smartphone available.
Pro very comfortable to wear
The fit like a glove, well actually like glasses should fit. They look like glasses, they feel like glasses. (and what is nice, they are intrinsically certified as safety glasses. Very lightweight.
Pro Very long battery and no heating
The use of an external smartphone is clever design. It avoids heating and radiation near the temple, a real problem with other smartglasses. The pocketunit contains an additional battery and gives you more than 6 hrs streaming potential.
Pro Works with both iOS and Android
Most smartglasses only work for Android or have their own Android environment built-in. The Iristick works with both iOS and Android phones by simply connecting an iPhone or Android device to it.
Pro Superb Zoom lens
This is the only smartglasses on the market that has a 5 times optical zoom. Really unique and allows you to zoom in on details that matter.
Pro Central camera = natural viewpoint
Most smartglasses have the camera on the side. Iristick Z.1. has a camera in between the eyes and this corresponds to the natural viewpoint of the wearer. The image you get from this camera corresponds to what the wearer is seeing.
Pro Projection reality
In addition to augmented reality (overlaying digital elements over the real world) and virtual reality (fully digital experience), CastAR is introducing projection reality in a new way. Projection reality projects light onto reflective surfaces and back to a sensor. The projection actually appears to be in the real-world as that is where the light is coming from. It appears like a hologram, except its only visible to you.
Pro Reduced nausea in VR mode
The quick response time (8.3ms) and 120Hz refresh rate combined with accurate tracking (to 0.07mm) make for a much less nauseating experience than some other VR solutions. Nausea is at least in part caused by a delay between physical movement and interpreted movement (your body has calibrated itself to a very specific delay from when you move your head to when your view is different. VR has some delay, which extends this delay and confuses the brain).
Cons
Con Cable connection
The clever design of the glasses and pocket unit do require a cable connection between them. It takes some getting used to in the beginning, but after a few minutes you forget about it.
Con 2 hr charging time
You can use the Iristick Z1 for more than 6 hrs, but then it takes about 2 hrs to recharge the pocket unit. Iristick Z1 has the largest autonomy on the market and that makes the 2 hr charging time acceptable.
Con Not available yet
This is currently expected to launch sometime in 2017.