Experimenting with Meta's Orion AR glasses prototype and the potential future of computing technology.

• Julia Boorstin, CNBC's senior media and tech correspondent, tried on Meta's Orion AR glasses prototype and was amazed by their lightweight design.
• On Wednesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the Orion glasses and characterized them as "a sneak peek into a future that I believe will be quite thrilling."
• The glasses can superimpose digital graphics onto the real world, but Orion cannot create fully immersive virtual environments for users.

The most impressive aspect of 's Orion augmented reality glasses is their size and comfort, rather than flashy computer graphics.

Julia Boorstin, a senior media and tech correspondent at CNBC, was able to use Orion at Meta's annual Connect conference and was impressed by its compact size compared to other virtual reality headsets such as Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro.

Boorstin found these to be incredibly lightweight, he said.

On Wednesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the Orion glasses and described them as "a sneak peek into a future that I believe will be quite thrilling." The glasses feature black, thick frames and include a wireless "puck" that enables the device to run apps such as a holographic game of digital chess or pingpong that are overlaid as digital graphics onto the real world.

Zuckerberg's multibillion-dollar plans for the next generation of personal computing involve experimental glasses that are part of the metaverse, a term used by Meta to describe online interactions in virtual 3D spaces.

The Orion glasses can overlay digital graphics onto the real world, but they are not capable of putting users in fully virtual worlds. Unlike VR headsets, which can be uncomfortable to wear for long periods, Boorstin found the Orion glasses to be a comfortable fit.

She stated that the form factor didn't significantly differ from wearing regular, heavy glasses, and they were comfortable to wear.

Boorstin predicts that the future version of the Orion AR glasses will become even smaller as technology advances.

Boorstin predicted that in four years, the first generation will be significantly smaller.

Boorstin was able to see digital holograms of app icons and extras while wearing AR glasses in a small office at Meta's headquarters.

Boorstin viewed the digital icons superimposed on her real-world surroundings through her own eyes, which is a significant improvement over the "passthrough" techniques used by current VR devices. These techniques involve cameras on the outside of headsets that display a digital representation of the real world blended with computer graphics on the device screens.

The Orion glasses use a refractive material called silicon-carbide for its lenses, which allows it to overlay digital imagery on the real world. The miniaturized projectors built into the arms of the glasses beam light into the silicon-carbide lenses, creating a holographic experience that feels natural and normal to the user.

Boorstin stated that when the holograms were turned off, it felt like wearing glasses or sunglasses, and it was not distracting or nauseating.

With the help of a wristband, Boorstin was able to effortlessly open, close, and scroll through the apps, which she described as feeling similar to an old, lightweight Fitbit.

"Boorstin explained that the wristband could detect finger and hand movements, allowing her to control digital icons with her hand. She was astonished by the accuracy of the device and how easily she could manipulate the icons with her hand gestures."

In one demonstration, the Orion glasses recognized various food ingredients, such as chia seeds, spread out on a table and displayed a suitable recipe that appeared digital above the real-world seeds. In another demonstration, Boorstin played a game of pong, but the video game graphics were projected onto a real-world desk in front of her.

Boorstin was impressed by a demo that showed her producer's digital face appear in front of her during a 3D video call. The experience felt clear to her, and she noticed that the graphics' resolution changed depending on where she placed them in her field of vision. This made her question whether the producer could actually see her in real life, even though he was not physically present.

"Boorstin stated that he could see the person clearly, but the person couldn't see him. However, he could hear the person, and it felt like they were video chatting, but Boorstin was wearing glasses."

Boorstin stated that through her experience with Orion, she gained a deeper understanding of how Meta's research and development positively impacts the company's other products, such as its Quest headsets and Ray-Ban smart glasses.

She stated, "They've been exerting themselves greatly to create these minute, lightweight, efficient components."

Watch: Meta unveils Orion AR glasses