Halliday’s Gen 2 glasses trade gimmicks for utility

The Gen 2 iteration marks a significant departure from the company’s original design, which relied on a single, difficult-to-align display. By integrating waveguides for both eyes, Halliday has created a larger, more natural viewing area. These monochrome green displays boast a resolution of 600 by 300 pixels per eye and reach a peak brightness of 1,600 nits, ensuring visibility remains high even in dim environments like a crowded bar.

Beyond the visual improvements, the hardware feels remarkably lightweight, shedding the bulk associated with many competing display-first headsets. During testing, the device’s four-microphone array reliably captured voice commands despite ambient noise, and the internal battery is rated for 12 hours of typical use. While the aesthetic remains generic and waveguide reflections are still visible at certain angles, the Gen 2 represents a functional leap forward that addresses the primary ergonomic failures of its predecessor.