Thunderbird X3 Pro AR Glasses: A Deep Dive
The Thunderbird X3 Pro is a significant leap forward in the AR glasses market. While the earlier Thunderbird X2 utilized advanced binocular full-color MicroLED + optical waveguide technology, its bulkier design limited its appeal primarily to enthusiasts. Thunderbird aimed for broader adoption, but technological constraints hampered the X2's form factor. The X3 Pro represents a substantial improvement, achieving significant slimming while enhancing the user experience.
Significant Weight Reduction and Improved Design
The Thunderbird X3 Pro weighs a mere 76 grams, making it one of the lightest mass-produced AR solutions available. This weight reduction brings the wearing experience closer to that of regular glasses. Furthermore, the X3 Pro boasts a more conventional glasses design, making it less conspicuous to onlookers. The slimmer profile and updated aesthetics contribute to a more user-friendly and appealing device.
Enhanced Display and Thermal Performance
Despite its reduced size, the X3 Pro doesn't compromise on performance. In fact, it offers notable improvements:
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Increased Clarity: The display offers enhanced clarity, making it suitable for media consumption beyond basic viewing.
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Brighter Display: The brightness has been significantly boosted from 1000+ nits to over 3000 nits, with peak brightness reaching 6000 nits. This improved brightness ensures clear visibility even in bright outdoor environments.
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Reduced Rainbow Effect: The rainbow effect, a common issue with optical waveguide solutions, has been significantly reduced in the primary field of view. While not entirely eliminated, it's minimized to the point of being non-intrusive during normal use.
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Improved Thermal Management: The X3 Pro demonstrates improved thermal performance, with better heat insulation on the side closest to the face. This design minimizes the perception of a strong heat source.
The X3 Pro achieves enhanced display performance and thermal management within a smaller form factor, raising the question of how Thunderbird accomplished this feat.
Teardown and Internal Components
This teardown provides a detailed look at the internal structure and components of the Thunderbird X3 Pro.
Disassembly Process
The teardown began by carefully removing the front frame using alcohol to loosen the adhesive. The front frame is constructed from lightweight nylon material, with internal ribbing for added structural support. Protective covers for the optical engine and temples were also removed, revealing a white foam layer to insulate the main board heat from the skin. The temples were then detached by removing screws and disconnecting the internal cables.
Internal Layout
The internal layout of the X3 Pro is carefully designed to optimize space and minimize heat concentration.
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Left Temple: Houses the mainboard, left speaker, and audio PA board.
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Right Temple: Contains the charging board, battery, right speaker, and Type-C interface.
Positioning heat-generating components like the mainboard and charging circuitry away from the skin helps reduce perceived heat.
Mainboard Analysis
The mainboard features a single-layer design with a thickness of 0.8mm. A removable shield covers the SoC and Wi-Fi/BT module, with thermal pads providing heat dissipation. The X3 Pro uses Kingston's ePOP solution (LPDDR4X + eMMC5.1) for compact size and low power consumption, ideally suited for wearable devices. The Wi-Fi/BT module is a WCN7851, supporting Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 (despite the module's capabilities for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4).
SoC and Power Management
The SoC is a Qualcomm AR1, manufactured using a 4nm process. While a two-year-old chip, the X3 Pro is the first to utilize its AR1 display characteristics. The choice of AR1 over the more powerful AR2 is likely due to the AR2's additional coprocessor, which would increase size and power consumption, negatively impacting the device's form factor and battery life. The mainboard also includes a Qualcomm power management IC (PMAR2130).
Peripherals and Connectivity
The Type-C interface supports USB 2.0 and 5W wired charging. The speakers are custom-designed by Thunderbird, measuring 1018 (3.2mm thick). While the distance from the ears impacts bass response, the sound purity is noteworthy, even at high volume. An indicator light and power button are integrated into the speaker cable. The battery, a 245mAh unit from Zhuhai Jardar Energy using ATL cells, achieves an energy density of approximately 413Wh/L.
Cameras and Sensors
The X3 Pro includes a color Sony IMX681 camera and a monochrome spatial camera (OmniVision OG0EV1B). The camera quality is excellent for shooting glasses, offering sharp images and clear videos. The device displays a preview while shooting for better composition.
Optical Engine and Waveguide
The optical engine sits in the inner corner of the frame, with space to allow alignment. The size is 0.36cc. The internal structure includes a bracket, lens, X Cube prism, and three MicroLED screens. This prism is essential for high-quality output. MicroLED screens from JBD are the light source. The devices are adjustable, with three angles of rotation and three directional shifts.
The frame contains an aluminum-magnesium alloy. The lenses are optical waveguides created by a process called SRG (subwavelength surface relief grating). These lenses have a thin profile (1.5mm), achieved with a single-layer design.
Heat Dissipation
The design incorporates a graphene heat dissipation film, copper foil, and thermally conductive silicone pads. The inner side has foam to help keep the wearer's face cool.
Key Design and Engineering Accomplishments
The X3 Pro achieves its slim design through advancements in two main areas:
- Optical Engine Miniaturization: A smaller optical engine enables a slimmer temple design.
- SRG Etched Lenses: The SRG etching process allows for thinner lenses, contributing to overall weight reduction.
These advancements are driven by both supplier technologies and Thunderbird's in-house innovations in optical design, assembly, and thermal management.
The Future of AR Glasses
The Thunderbird X3 Pro represents a significant step towards practical and user-friendly AR glasses. While hardware advancements are crucial, ecosystem development and compelling use cases are essential for widespread adoption. Killer applications, possibly driven by AI, could transform AR glasses into indispensable tools for daily life and work. With increased adoption, further improvements in battery life, display quality, and performance can be expected. The X3 Pro demonstrates significant progress, pushing the industry toward a future where AR glasses are a common part of everyday life.