Magic Leap is a well-known technology company that specializes in augmented reality (AR) headsets. While the company has generated a lot of excitement and interest among consumers and tech enthusiasts, there are also some cons associated with their products. One of the major cons of Magic Leap is the high cost of their AR headsets. Magic Leap One, their flagship product, is priced at $2,295, making it out of reach for many consumers. This high price point can be a barrier for widespread adoption and limits the potential user base. Another drawback of Magic Leap is the limited availability of content.

I finally tried Magic Leap, and I have mixed feelings

Ghostly visions, portals to other worlds -- Magic Leap is promising a wild dive into an augmented reality future. But there's still a long way to go.

I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.

• Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps

A doorway opens in the wall. Beyond it, there's a gleaming city. A robot flies through, blasting missiles at me. My hand holds a controller, but I see it as a laser blaster. I squeeze the trigger on my controller, sending energy beams at the robot. It collapses against the ottoman. A missile streams by, gleaming and a bit ghostly, and I turn to watch it fly to the opposite wall, where the CNET camera crew, a host of Magic Leap employees, and CEO Rony Abovitz watch me duck and move. The missile passes over them, unnoticed, because only I see it through the Magic Leap One headset I'm wearing.

I'm not used to being watched this much when I try new things, but maybe that's the future. In the kind of augmented reality created by headsets like the one I'm testing, we're all performers in a split experience -- one part real world, one part illusion.

I'm trying the Magic Leap One for the first time, putting the headset through its paces at the company's Plantation, Florida headquarters just a few weeks before its public debut. For years, the startup has been shrouded: It's received $2.3 billion in funding from the likes of Google and Alibaba, but the company has released only a small handful of experiential videos to the public, raising questions about the company's veracity. But now, the hardware has a price and a release date -- the $2,295 headset is available now -- and Magic Leap is ready to show its creation to at least a few outsiders.

I can tell you this: the Magic Leap One isn't vaporware. It's real, and it works. Whether it's more than a developer prototype, and whether it amazes you, is another story. My initial experience didn't blow me away, despite Magic Leap's promises. And yet, I came away thinking it's the best AR headset experience I've had to date -- including my Microsoft HoloLens escapades . Even though it's not all that fundamentally different from the HoloLens, which has been available for developers to purchase for $3,000 since 2016, the Magic Leap One feels better in terms of display, controls, graphics and immersiveness. And by immersiveness, I mean the things I see and interact with feel more real in front of me. Still, though, there are significant drawbacks to Magic Leap's AR hardware, mostly in terms of its limited field of view.

This AR system is a step forward, but not a game changer. Not yet, at least. It all depends on what comes next.

I'm a tough audience. I've tried all of Magic Leap's AR competitors over the last few years, including the HoloLens , the Meta 2 and prototypes such as Avegant's mixed reality headwear . I've tested all of its VR cousins, too. VR puts you right into another world and blocks out reality, but AR juggles a far more challenging task of trying to place virtual things into the world around you. But it's AR that many tech giants, from Apple to Facebook, are banking on as the next revolution in technology, so Magic Leap faces high expectations.

I was floored by my first experiences with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive . And, ultimately, that's probably why Magic Leap feels, to me, like a familiar stepping-stone more than a revolution. It's also a headset that seems much more targeted at developers exploring the ever-evolving future of augmented reality than it is anyone else.

And there's one other thing that became extremely clear to me: This isn't made for everyday customers yet. But, here I am, wearing it.

Another drawback of Magic Leap is the limited availability of content. While the technology behind their AR headsets is impressive, the amount of content available for users is still relatively limited. The lack of a robust app ecosystem and content library can limit the overall user experience and make the headset less appealing to potential buyers.

Magic Leap One first impressions: High-res ghostly images, with a limited field of view

Let's start with a frustrating caveat: We had no way of capturing point-of-view footage as we saw it through the Magic Leap One headset. Magic Leap shared some footage for our videos, which don't look as good as what the headset's display feels like in person. According to Magic Leap, the One uses a proprietary light field technology created through small lens chips in the goggles to project images. These chip displays are manufactured downstairs in the Magic Leap's Florida headquarters, which is a former Motorola factory. I got a chance to tour the entire place. Sealed-off bays, dust-free suits, assembly lines with robotic arms, all sit just yards away from the creative team's open office, full of comic books and board games.

Wearing the headset feels not unlike what Microsoft's HoloLens accomplishes, but brighter, crisper and with better graphics. The Magic Leap One visual experience reminds me of Avegant's retinal projection headgear that I wore years ago in its surprisingly bright, vibrant imagery. (Avegant has its own prototype light-field AR headset I tried last year , too, and it feels similar in spirit to Magic Leap's displays.)

Ghostly is a term that echoes in my mind. Images floated and displayed coherently, creating an impressive sense of depth, but the images seem more like a video game than real. Particles, smoke and other semitransparent effects look the best. The room in which I tested the Magic Leap One had slightly soft living room light, high ceilings, furniture, tables and wall art. I used Abovitz's better lit office, too, but didn't get to walk around anywhere else with the headset.

In those environments, objects like a floating, swimming sea turtle, hanging in the air, look charmingly convincing. Small objects fared the best. Bigger things revealed the Magic Leap One's biggest flaw: The display's small field of view doesn't cover everything you see in the room.

Magic Leap's visualization of its viewing area limitations.

VR headsets don't have fantastic field of view either: they're like Scuba masks. But the fact that I can't see anything beyond that mask works in VR's favor to help complete the illusion.

AR headsets have a different challenge because your viewing window isn't as large as the rest of reality. Microsoft's HoloLens feels like seeing ghosts through a small window in front of your eyes. Magic Leap's One suffers a similar fate. Get close to a virtual car, and the edges start to disappear once they hit the limits of your field of view. Magic Leap's field of view is a bit better than the HoloLens, and Abovitz is quick to explain the field of view more as a "cone" of vision: put a virtual thing 50 feet away, and it can look like it's large and filling a hallway. But not being able to see a fuller view of the room's virtual objects is a serious drawback. Sometimes I lose track of things I can't see, and require sound to help me track where the augmented things are hiding, and where to turn.

Additionally, Magic Leap's AR headsets have been criticized for their field of view (FOV). Some users have reported that the FOV on the Magic Leap One is relatively small, which means that the augmented reality content can appear confined and restricted. This limitation can hinder the immersion and overall AR experience for users. Battery life is another concern with Magic Leap's AR headsets. Many users have noted that the battery life on the Magic Leap One is relatively short, requiring frequent charging or limited use. This can be inconvenient for users who want to use the headset for extended periods of time without interruptions. Lastly, Magic Leap's AR headsets are currently only compatible with certain devices, limiting the accessibility and versatility of the product. Currently, the Magic Leap One only works with a select number of smartphones, which can restrict the potential user base and limit the overall adoption of the technology. In conclusion, while Magic Leap offers innovative and impressive AR technology, there are several cons associated with their products. These include the high cost, limited content availability, restricted field of view, short battery life, and lack of device compatibility. Despite these drawbacks, Magic Leap continues to push the boundaries of AR technology and may address some of these cons in future iterations of their products..

Reviews for "Exploring the Downsides: Magic Leap's Limitations and Drawbacks"

1. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I was really excited to try out the Magic Leap, but I was extremely disappointed with my experience. The device was uncomfortable to wear, and the picture quality was far from impressive. The virtual elements didn't blend seamlessly with the real world, making it difficult to immerse myself in the augmented reality. On top of that, the battery life was abysmal, leaving me constantly searching for a power outlet to recharge. Overall, I would not recommend the Magic Leap to anyone looking for a quality augmented reality experience.

2. John - 2/5 stars - The Magic Leap fell short of my expectations. The field of view was incredibly limited, making it feel like I was looking through a small window into the virtual world. This significantly hindered the overall immersion and made the experience feel more like a gimmick rather than a breakthrough technology. Additionally, the device was bulky and heavy, causing discomfort during prolonged use. While the concept of augmented reality is promising, the Magic Leap's execution leaves much to be desired.

3. Emily - 2.5/5 stars - The Magic Leap had its impressive moments, but overall, it felt lacking. The tracking accuracy was subpar, often leading to misaligned virtual objects and a frustrating user experience. The device also struggled with tracking objects in low light conditions, making it unreliable in certain environments. The controls were not intuitive, requiring a steep learning curve for basic interactions. While the device showed potential, it still has a long way to go before it can deliver a truly seamless augmented reality experience.

4. Alex - 3/5 stars - The Magic Leap was a mixed bag for me. On one hand, the graphics were impressive, and the virtual objects were rendered with great detail. However, I found the device to be quite cumbersome, and the setup process was tedious and time-consuming. The overall experience felt like I was constantly on the edge of a technical glitch, with occasional frame drops and lag. While the Magic Leap has its moments of brilliance, it falls short in terms of usability and practicality.

Magic Leap 101: A Deep Dive into the Cons of the Technology