One of my prominent tech obsessions is smart glasses. Subtle yet functional wearable tech is always at the forefront of my mind, regardless of its capabilities or feature set. This ultimately led me to want to take a close look at Xiaomi’s newly-revealed Mijia Smart Audio Glasses.
Announced alongside the latest REDMI Note 15 Series, the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses are a new entry within the Chinese brand’s ecosystem. While mixed reality glasses are becoming more and more popular, Xiaomi ignores the inclusion of any AR/VR capabilities, AI software tools and instead prioritizes the use of impressive audio. As indicated by the name, these glasses are designed for audio only. With four baked-in speakers and a couple of responsive touch controls, the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses have become a standout device early on in the year.
Out of the box
Xiaomi’s Mijia Smart Audio Glasses are probably as subtle a pair of smart glasses as you can ask for. When looking at other smart glasses on the market, whether it’s the Ray-Ban Metas, Bose Frames or X Real glasses, each looks stylish but doesn’t hide the fact that they are smart glasses. Mijia Smart Audio Glasses are minimal by design. The glasses are available in three distinct frames: Titanium, Pilot-Style and Browline. I’ve been testing the Titanium frames for two weeks at this point, integrating the glasses into my workday.
Out of the three frames, Titanium is the lightest pair available, weighing only 34.4g. While wearing them, you can barely feel them on your face. Now, admittedly, the frame style wouldn’t be my first option as the more narrow lenses are exactly complementary to my face structure. However, aside from that, they sit very comfortably on my face and nose. What’s truly a marvel is how slim the arms are, despite so much built in.
Xiaomi has built in a speaker system comprised of four microphones. Two are built in on each arm. There are also touch-based panels built into the temples of the glasses. Although Xiaomi supports the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses app on iOS and Android, many of the inputs required can be controlled on the device itself. This includes playback controls for music, functions when answering a call, and the ability to record audio during a meeting. Gestures include tapping the touch pad on the temples to pause or play music. You can also swipe left or right to adjust audio levels. They’re quite intuitive and don’t need precise inputs to
When it comes to battery, the glasses have a pair of 114mAh non-coaxial steel-cased batteries built into the ends of each arm. The Mijia Smart Audio Glasses come with a USB-C charging dongle that magnetically attaches to the ends of the frame, charging the batteries simultaneously. In my experience, the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses offer around 12 to 13 hours of use before needing to charge. A quick 15-minute charge gives around four hours of playback, with one hour needed for a full 100%.
Masterful surround sound
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been testing the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses in various environments as well as using the full array of functions. Both the Titanium and Browline models feature 25% blue light protection lenses, which is great when sitting at my desk for upwards of 10 hours some days. Unfortunately, my pair didn’t come with my prescription, so lengthy use of the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses was out of the question.
That being said, the star of the show is undeniably the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses’ audio quality. Once set up using the app on my iPhone, the glasses then relay all audio playback through the built-in speaker array. It doesn’t matter if it’s a simple podcast, an audiobook, or I’m listening to my playlist on Spotify; the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses handled audio quite remarkably. With softer sounds, the glasses really excel in leveraging the speakers. Even in most cases, the bass in heavier tracks stood up quite nicely. Where the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses begin to falter is if the volume is cranked up too loud. The sound begins to peak a little too much in many cases, with vocals becoming distorted slightly.
In my experience with smart glasses, music playback is best for indoor settings. Even on the best days, my Ray-Ban Metas can’t compete with the construction, traffic, and noise pollution in Toronto. Mijia Smart Audio Glasses surprised me by its audio quality when walking around and running errands. Volume control is something to keep in mind as it’s a double-edged sword in many cases. For instance, while it can handle louder volumes, in its default mode, other people around you can certainly hear what you’re listening to.
Mijia Smart Audio Glasses also include a privacy mode. Here, the Xiaomi device muffles the audio from the glasses, in an attempt to provide a bit more privacy if you’re taking a phone call. Unfortunately, in my testing, a lot of audio leaks out when using this mode. In a quiet room, this mode won’t do a whole lot. Using it also comes at the sacrifice of audio quality.
Smart uses of smart functions
As mentioned, audio is the bread and butter of the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses. Xiaomi really does lean into the fact that the glasses are meant to be an audio companion in and out of your home. While there aren’t mixed reality capabilities or video recording functions like other smart glasses, there are still other features that make these a standout.
For instance, Xiaomi does leverage a voice assistant. This very responsive feature can assist in hands-free controls, like picking up an incoming call. So in times when I was folding laundry or doing the dishes, I was able to continue with my tasks without having to pick up my phone or even interact with the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses. During calls, the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses handles audio nicely. The built-in microphones are strong enough to pick up my voice without having to emphasize how loud I’m speaking. The device also includes noise reduction with 4.5m/s for noise, which is great when walking outdoors.
One of the very novel features of the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses is the ability to record audio. As someone who frequently records audio for interviews, I never really considered how useful a feature like this could be. For privacy’s sake, the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses use a small LED light as an indicator when the glasses are recording audio. It’s bright enough to take notice of. That being said, the LED is on the arm of the frames, so it could be obscured by hair in some instances.
Final thoughts
Xiaomi’s Mijia Smart Audio Glasses are a remarkable device that elevates wireless audio capabilities within a frame. The device offers a thoughtful design with style without undercutting any features. The company leverages audio above all else, supporting crystal clear audio for music, podcasts and phone calls when around the home or even outdoors in many cases. Although it doesn’t lean too heavily into smart functions offered by competitors, audio recording and hands-free voice assistance add value and perks to an already standout pair of smart glasses.
