Even Realities G2 review: Promising smart glasses hampered by frustrating ring controls

The primary advantage of smart glasses over smartphones or smartwatches is their ability to keep you anchored in the physical world while freeing your hands. However, as features multiply, the complexity of the control system increases. In theory, a companion ring is an elegant solution, offering an efficient and unobtrusive way to scroll and navigate menus, all while maintaining full hand freedom.

Unfortunately, in practice, the ring control scheme falls short. The narrow touchpad surface is limited to recognizing just four distinct inputs: swipe up, swipe down, tap, and long press. This is only marginally more advanced than standard wireless earbuds, yet it is expected to manage every function of the glasses. The execution of these gestures proves to be a far more difficult and frustrating process than anticipated.

Attempting to open the main menu requires a tap combined with a long press, an action that is frequently misinterpreted as a swipe due to the sensitive surface. The frequent misidentification of taps as swipes, and vice versa, quickly diminishes the user’s enthusiasm. It is incredibly discouraging to constantly open unintended applications while trying to scroll, breaking the seamless flow of interaction. The root cause appears to be that the ring’s surface is simply too small and delicate to reliably distinguish between the subtle variations of different gestures.

While it is possible that this is a personal usability issue, feedback from Even Realities’ representatives acknowledges the challenge. The lack of widespread similar complaints online suggests that the learning curve or the physical design may not suit everyone, but it remains a significant hurdle for this reviewer.

The frustrating aspect is that when the system does function correctly, it delivers a genuinely futuristic experience. This feeling is largely driven by the significantly improved display refresh rate, which now supports smooth, natural scrolling. In a single generation, the device has evolved from displaying static frames to functioning like a mini-computer, allowing users to fluidly read and dismiss notifications while out with friends without needing to retrieve their phone.

The heads-up display for notifications remains a valuable feature, allowing for quick triage without breaking focus on the surrounding environment. (Annoyingly, these notifications cannot yet be customized onto the main dashboard screen). The built-in applications are generally well-executed; the translation tool is highly effective, and the navigation system is useful, though it is restricted to the company’s proprietary maps rather than Google’s. The AI integration is fast and responsive, and while the “Conversate” app for meeting transcription works adequately, it struggles with synthesizing final conclusions.

Additionally, the glasses feature an app store with various free, homebrew applications. While these are still in early stages of development and often cater to a more technical audience, they indicate a growing ecosystem. For example, one app allows users to control smartphone audio playback and view album art directly from the ring or glasses, but it requires accessing developer APIs on Spotify to set up. While this demonstrates potential, the technical barriers may discourage less tech-savvy potential owners.

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