It's time for another of our XR device "deep dives"! This time, we look at the Magic Leap 1 hardware – a very capable piece of augmented reality (AR) technology. So make a coffee, get comfortable, and prepare to experience a whole new world…

Have you landed here because you want your own AR headset? Good news: you can buy the Magic Leap 1 here.

What is the Magic Leap 1?

The Magic Leap 1 is a head-mounted, wearable computer that lets you view and interact with virtual elements in the real world.

Like a game? Not quite. While Magic Leap smart glasses deliver gaming-quality graphics, they're designed – from the ground up – for enterprise use.

The Magic Leap makes realistic 3D models appear as if they're right there in the room. This means you can explain complicated concepts, collaborate on product development, and much more besides.

Is the Magic Leap VR or AR?

The Magic Leap headset is an augmented reality (AR) device. It blends real and virtual experiences into a cohesive whole.

This is distinct from virtual reality (VR). Rather than augment reality with virtual elements, VR devices aim to replace the real world with a complete, immersive simulation.

VR is an exciting technology that has several compelling business applications. However, because it shoots for total immersion, it's most suited to delivering realistic gaming experiences.

AR devices like the Magic Leap occupy a "sweet spot" between lived reality and virtual reality. Therefore, they're ideal for applications where you need to maintain some situational awareness, like the workplace.

How the Magic Leap works

Well, this could get complicated. So let's focus on the basics.

At its heart are a dual-core NVIDIA CPU and a powerful graphics processor. These deliver the realistic 3D graphics the device is famous for.

These graphics are overlaid on two high-resolution transparent screens, creating the illusion that virtual objects exist among your real-world surroundings.

Then, using hardware sensors and some clever software techniques, the Magic Leap tracks the position of these virtual objects. So, as you change position or tilt your head, the objects "follow your eyes" and move around realistically.

Magic Leap 1 use cases

Now we've seen what's under the bonnet, let's get to the really exciting stuff: how Magic Leap glasses can help your business save money and do more.

Consider site planning, for a start. Imagine being able to view a lifelike 3D model of your planned building, right there in the middle of your meeting room. With multiple Magic Leap headsets or other supported devices, you can discuss the particulars of your build while rotating and examining the 3D model for reference.

It's a similar story with product development. With Magic Leap, you can turn CAD objects into virtual, interactive items in real-world spaces. This means you can look at the constituent parts of a product in detail, without the cash and resource expenses that come with tooling or 3D printing.

So far, so useful. Now want to hear how the Magic Leap can help save lives?

It's true. Equipped with Magic Leap AR glasses, surgeons can view faithful 3D renders of a patient's real-life organ. This helps them perform vital pre-operative analyses, working out the best way to approach surgery before they've even picked up their tools.

The most obvious benefit: operations are more likely to be successful first time, which leads to better patient outcomes all around. For the healthcare provider, this means improved efficiency and reduced costs, because they won't have to perform follow-up surgery to address complications.

Devices like the Magic Leap are helping train the next generation of healthcare experts, too. Before AR hardware came along, medical students had to make do with unrealistic dummies and other single-purpose training tools. There's only so far these can go in recreating real-life medical emergencies.

Now, medical tutors can conjure up lifelike training scenarios that cover any possible eventuality. And – crucially – they feel real, thanks to AR's unique ability to blend the real and the virtual.

This is only the start, though. Using Magic Leap's uniquely immersive technology, you can pretty much create anything you want – from training sims for oil rigs to virtual product demos in car showrooms.

Discover more uses cases for Magic Leap and other extended reality devices here.

Magic Leap 1 specs

Here's the section for the proud hardware geeks. There's lots of cool stuff inside the device, though, so we can't cover it all here. For more juicy details, visit the Magic Leap listing in our store.

CPU: NVIDIA Parker SOC CPU, two cores.

GPU: NVIDIA Pascal, 256 CUDA cores.

RAM: eight gigabytes.

Storage capacity: 128 gigabytes.

Camera: two-megapixel colour sensor, displays video up to 1080p at 30 frames per second.

Connectivity: WiFi and Bluetooth.

Battery: built-in Li-ion battery, offers up to three hours of continuous use.

Input: speech-to-text audio input and touch-sensitive pad.

Audio output: built-in stereo speakers.

Weight: 316 grams.

[Editor's note: 316 grams is really light! It's about the same as a pair of over-ear headphones. We don't know quite how they managed to pack all that stuff into such a lightweight pair of smart goggles, but they did. No neck strain here.]

Interested in the Magic Leap 1?

We hope you enjoyed our in-depth analysis of the Magic Leap 1. Stay tuned for more XR deep dives in future – because we love nothing more than getting to the "nuts and bolts" of our devices!

Interested in purchasing Magic Leap headsets for your business? Great! Just visit the Magic Leap product page – or view our full range of devices if you'd like to explore more transformative tech.