This Augmented Reality Laptop Can Beam a 100-Inch Screen to Your Eyes

Laptop screens are usually constrained to 13 to 17 inches. But a new startup from ex-Magic Leap employees created a notebook that offers a 100-inch display beamed directly into your eyes.

Meet Sightful's Spacetop, which swaps a physical laptop screen for a pair of augmented reality glasses you wear to see the laptop’s expansive virtual screen. 

“Everyone wants larger screens,” said Sightful CEO Tamir Berliner. “There’s no one who says, ‘Oh I’m buying a 14-inch laptop because I like 14-inch.’ They like the…small form factor, not the screen.”

Spacetop laptop
(Credit: Michael Kan)

Berliner’s startup has spent the past three years developing the Spacetop, which fuses AR tech with a PC. As you can see, it looks radical. By ditching the display, the laptop is essentially missing its top half, leaving only the keyboard, the CPU hardware, and a webcam near where the screen hinge would normally sit. To see the laptop’s display, you’ll have to don a pair of lightweight glasses built by AR developer NReal(Opens in a new window), which are connected to the PC by a cable.

The product may seem like a gimmick. But what sets the Spacetop apart from other AR or VR headsets is that it's easy to use. You don’t have to worry about learning new virtual reality controls. Once I put the glasses on, I immediately knew what to do, and used the Spacetop like I would any other laptop. For example, Google Chrome, Google Docs, and Gmail windows popped up on the eyewear, and I accessed them by moving the laptop’s trackpad and typing on the keyboard. 

“We have not told you anything about how to use the product,” Berliner said. “So you are using an AR product, but it was intuitive.”

Expect to attract stares if you use the Spacetop in public.
(Credit: Michael Kan/Sightful)

In fact, I conducted part of my interview with the Sightful team while wearing the glasses and using the laptop. During the talk, I took notes in a Google Doc while accessing the various apps —and I didn’t need to ask for help at all. “That’s the power of designing a laptop, rather than designing an AR or VR solution,” Berliner added. 

The image quality was also better than I expected. The windows on the screen looked a little cloudy here and there, but overall, they were focused and the text was readable.

The glasses can project a 1080p resolution in each eye, although Berliner said a human brain can fill in gaps in the pixels, making the image quality even better. Pixel density can also be improved through a zoom-in function. By placing three fingers on the trackpad, you can pull the screen closer to your glasses, increasing pixel resolution and making images and text clearer.  

There are pros and cons to the whole approach. The biggest benefit is the huge screen space; I could see six browser windows at once across a 100-inch view. But you need need to wear the glasses at all times, which could be an instant turn-off for some users. 

On the flip side, wearing the glasses means no one can peek at what’s on your laptop screen. The product is also particularly handy if you’re sitting on a plane. Even though the seat in front of you may be only inches away from your face, the glasses can still project a 100-inch screen, creating the illusion you're in a roomy space.  

How the Spacetop could be used in a cafe.
(Credit: Sightful)

In addition, the glasses offer a transparent view, meaning you can still see your environment and other people while you wear them. If you want to power down the virtual screen, just double-tap a button, and it’ll shut down. 

Of course, if you use the product out in public, you’re bound to attract stares from onlookers and possible embarrassment. But Sightful said feedback from early test users shows observers are quick to understand the cutting-edge nature of Spacetop once they see it in action. 

“As soon as [early test users] take the glasses off, someone runs to them and says ‘What is this cool device? Is this an infinity display laptop or are your working in the future?’” Berliner said. “People automatically recognize that what you’re using is a laptop. They [see] it has no screen, you are wearing glasses, so they can make the leap of what it is.”

CEO Tamir Berliner holds up a Spacetop when it's in its case.
(Credit: Michael Kan)

In terms of specs, the Spacetop runs a customized version of AOSP, the open-source Android OS. But for now, it's designed to only run web-based apps. “If you want Windows, we do see Windows as an app,” Berliner said, referring to the cloud-based Windows 365 service.

Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip, along with a 5G modem for connectivity when Wi-Fi isn’t available. As for the battery life, owners can expect five hours of “full productivity,” which could include running apps for video calling, gaming, or streaming.  

Sightful plans to price the Spacetop at $2,000, but don't expect to pick one up at Best Buy or on Amazon. “At launch, Spacetop will be available in a limited run of 1,000 devices, offered through an invite-only Early Access program(Opens in a new window),” Sightful said.

Interested consumers will need to fill out a form about how they intend to use the laptop. If Sightful thinks the customer is a good match, they’ll be offered access to buy the product, which will be shipped starting in early July. The ensuing feedback from the early access program will then be crucial to helping Sightful determine its product roadmap.

In the meantime, Berliner views the Spacetop as a product with a practical use for augmented reality, which has been struggling to find mainstream adoption. I only had about 30 minutes to try it out, but I’m intrigued and curious to see how the Spacetop develops.