AR VR · head to head
Medium by Adobe vs Xreal Air
The short version
- They diverge on capability: Medium by Adobe covers VR sculpting, Xreal Air covers Micro-OLED displays.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Medium by Adobe and Xreal Air actually diverge.
| Attribute | Medium by Adobe | Xreal Air |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $9.99/month | $199/one-time |
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Platforms | Vr, Quest | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS |
| Founded | 1982 | 2017 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (AR VR).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Medium by Adobe
- VR sculpting
- Layer system
- Stamps
- Move tool
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Substance
- FBX export
- Vr support
Only in Xreal Air
- Micro-OLED displays
- Spatial display
- Lightweight design
- 6DoF tracking
- Nebula app
- Gaming consoles
- Smartphones
- Ar support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Medium by Adobe
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Xreal Air
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Both are used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization, immersive experiences, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Medium by Adobe
Nothing recorded yet. See the Medium by Adobe review.
Xreal Air
- No integrated battery; requires tethered connection to external device for operation
- Narrow 46-degree field of view on existing Air models limits immersive experience compared to Vision Pro's wider viewing area
- Not a standalone device; cannot run applications independently without source device
- Limited hand tracking capabilities compared to Apple Vision Pro which has integrated eye and hand tracking
Pricing, plan by plan
Medium by Adobe
$9.99/month- Medium$9.99/month
- Full sculpting tools
- Export
- Adobe integration
Xreal Air
$199/one-timeNo published plan breakdown. See the Xreal Air review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Medium by Adobe if
- You need vr sculpting.
- You work on Vr, Quest.
- You also want layer system.
Choose Xreal Air if
- You need micro-oled displays.
- You work on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
- You also want spatial display.
Questions people ask
- Is Medium by Adobe or Xreal Air better?
- Neither clearly leads. Medium by Adobe starts at $9.99/month and Xreal Air at $199/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Medium by Adobe or Xreal Air?
- Medium by Adobe starts at $9.99/month and Xreal Air at $199/one-time.
- Does Medium by Adobe or Xreal Air run on more platforms?
- Medium by Adobe runs on Vr, Quest. Xreal Air runs on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
- What is Medium by Adobe best used for?
- Medium by Adobe is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization.
- What can Medium by Adobe do that Xreal Air cannot?
- Medium by Adobe covers VR sculpting, Layer system, Stamps, Move tool. Xreal Air covers Micro-OLED displays, Spatial display, Lightweight design, 6DoF tracking.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Xreal Air: Does Xreal Air require a power source or battery?
No. Xreal Air glasses do not have their own battery and require a tethered connection to a source device like a smartphone, laptop, or gaming console to function, making them dependent on the host device's power.
SourceXreal Air: What devices can Xreal Air connect to?
Xreal Air glasses connect to smartphones, tablets, PCs, and gaming devices that support video output or wireless casting. On Mac systems, Nebula integrates as a display extension enabling multi-screen workflows.
SourceXreal Air: What is the field of view on Xreal Air?
The Xreal Air 2 Pro has a 46-degree field of view at 1920x1080 per-eye resolution, while the newer Xreal Aura offers a 70-degree diagonal field of view with 1,920 x 1,200 resolution per eye at up to 120Hz.
SourceXreal Air: What is the starting price for Xreal AR glasses?
Xreal AR glasses start at $199 USD for entry-level models, with the Xreal Aura flagship device launching in fall 2026 at a maximum retail price of $1,500 before taxes.
SourceRelated pages
More on Medium by Adobe
Other head to heads
- Medium by Adobe vs Tilt Brush
- Medium by Adobe vs ARKit
- Medium by Adobe vs Meta Quest
- Medium by Adobe vs Masterpiece VR
- Medium by Adobe vs Quill
- Medium by Adobe vs Lens Studio
- Medium by Adobe vs A-Frame
- Medium by Adobe vs Microsoft HoloLens 2
- Medium by Adobe vs Gravity Sketch
- Medium by Adobe vs Mozilla Hubs
- Medium by Adobe vs Rec Room
- Medium by Adobe vs ShapesXR
- Medium by Adobe vs Spatial
- Medium by Adobe vs SteamVR
- Medium by Adobe vs ARCore
- Medium by Adobe vs Apple Vision Pro
- Medium by Adobe vs Horizon Worlds
- Medium by Adobe vs Snapchat AR
- Medium by Adobe vs HTC Vive
- Medium by Adobe vs Wikitude
- Medium by Adobe vs Bigscreen
- Medium by Adobe vs Unity AR Foundation
- Medium by Adobe vs 8th Wall
- Medium by Adobe vs Vuforia
- Medium by Adobe vs TikTok Effect House
- Medium by Adobe vs Virbela
- Medium by Adobe vs Magic Leap 2
- Medium by Adobe vs Spark AR Studio
- Medium by Adobe vs Instagram AR Effects
- Xreal Air vs Tilt Brush
- Xreal Air vs ARKit
- Xreal Air vs Meta Quest
- Xreal Air vs Masterpiece VR
- Xreal Air vs Quill
- Xreal Air vs Lens Studio
- Xreal Air vs A-Frame
- Xreal Air vs Microsoft HoloLens 2
- Xreal Air vs Gravity Sketch
- Xreal Air vs Mozilla Hubs
- Xreal Air vs Rec Room
- Xreal Air vs ShapesXR
- Xreal Air vs Spatial
- Xreal Air vs SteamVR
- Xreal Air vs ARCore
- Xreal Air vs Apple Vision Pro
- Xreal Air vs Horizon Worlds
- Xreal Air vs Snapchat AR
- Xreal Air vs HTC Vive
- Xreal Air vs Wikitude
- Xreal Air vs Bigscreen
- Xreal Air vs Unity AR Foundation
- Xreal Air vs 8th Wall
- Xreal Air vs Vuforia
- Xreal Air vs TikTok Effect House
- Xreal Air vs Virbela
- Xreal Air vs Magic Leap 2
- Xreal Air vs Spark AR Studio
- Xreal Air vs Instagram AR Effects


