Rokid Station and Max review: an ambitious duo - PingWest

Rokid Station and Max review: an ambitious duo

Rokid Station and Max review: an ambitious duo

Ward Zhou

posted on August 2, 2023 7:24 amEditor : Boyuan Wang

As the AR glasses market evolves, major vendors have seemingly converged on a non-standalone design, and companion devices have become essential.

As the AR glasses market evolves, major vendors have seemingly converged on a non-standalone design, and companion devices have become essential.

It represents a compromise to not have a battery for AR headsets, prompting vendors to develop smaller, more compact devices to power the glasses with the critical function of sending video signals.

The ambitious vision of creating smart devices with integrated apps has emerged, as exemplified by the Rokid Station: a portable TV box specially designed for its AR glasses.

Boasting a premium design and extended battery life, the Rokid Station runs on the Android TV OS. However, there are still notable drawbacks. I have personally spent quite some time with the Rokid Station and the Rokid Max glasses, striving to overcome these issues and assessing the potential for improvement through the installation of third-party apps.

Here are my major takes on Rokid’s offering – Rokid Station and Rokid Max.

TL; DR

• An open system with dozens of apps available
• Long battery life
• Lightweight design
• Ability to reverse charge portable devices
• Solid image quality

Againsts

• Limited functions for users without advanced technical knowledge or skills
• The forehead part may feel hot during use
• Lack of three degrees of freedom (3 DoF)

A rounded and low-key look

The Rokid Station feels like a smooth, dark cobblestone as it rests in your hand, showcasing a petite body with a rounded ergonomic design. Sporting a metallic-blue coat in sync with its companion headset, the Rokid Max, the device’s design is notably conservative. The rear case, adorned in black, proudly displays a centered logo with a mirror reflection effect. Despite the subdued design, the carefully chosen color palette imparts a distinct sense of premium quality.

The Rokid Station serves a dual purpose, doubling as a remote control with its main navigation buttons conveniently placed on the front panel. This layout includes four primary navigation keys neatly arranged alongside five directional and selection keys. Additionally, power status indicators are found below these keys.

Sporting a design reminiscent of a smartphone, the device has three buttons on each side of the frame – a convenient power/lock button and practical volume controls.

While its resemblance to a smartphone is unmistakable, the Rokid Station is lighter and significantly more comfortable to grip.

Meanwhile, the Rokid Max glasses adopt similar design cues, featuring a rounded shape swathed in blue and black color patterns.

Bearing a striking resemblance to a stylish pair of sunglasses, albeit smaller and slightly thicker, the Rokid Max glasses manage to fit in with the competition. A clever design choice lies in the darker top portion of the glasses, effectively concealing the optical module that resides behind it.

Potable Android TV experience

The Rokid Station is built with Android TV, a variation of Android specifically tailored for entertainment on large displays, and it performs exceptionally well even on virtual displays.

Its user interface is thoughtfully designed for easy navigation, incorporating user accessibility features such as large text, proper spacing, and well-organized tabs and cards. However, the remote falls short when it comes to typing lengthy login information due to the absence of a built-in microphone, which would enable voice typing or a keyboard.

But fear not; there’s a simple solution to this. By pairing the device with a Bluetooth-enabled Xbox controller, keyboard, or earphones with an incorporated microphone, users can effortlessly enhance the device’s capabilities and achieve seamless user-to-device compatibility.

Taking full advantage of the Play Store, Rokid Station provides access to an array of streaming platforms, including Disney Plus, Amazon, and YouTube. Users can also enjoy light gaming with casual game titles available for download, like Crossy Road.

The system’s home screen exhibits practicality by highlighting new content directly from the apps, perfect for those off days spent marathoning your favorite shows. However, developers seemingly did not anticipate the use of a headset, resulting in some usability challenges. For instance, certain apps necessitate QR code scanning for login, though manual login input can serve as a viable workaround. While some exceptions, like Spotify, allow login via Chromecast, there are still occasional hiccups.

As an alternative, you can remove the glasses and scan QR codes using a phone, which has proven effective in certain instances.

Regarding connectivity, Rokid Station offers support for Chromecast functionality, compatible with apps or devices such as YouTube and Spotify. This feature proves especially advantageous while traveling, as it enables the station to connect to a hotspot, providing internet access and wireless casting capabilities.

While it may seem unconventional for Rokid to have opted for a micro HDMI port to output video signals to the Rokid Max instead of using natively supported DP, it is not a significant concern. However, it’s worth noting that connecting to other DP devices may necessitate an additional USB-C to USB-C cable.

Among its features, the device deserves commendation for its impressive five-hour battery life. Additionally, it serves as a versatile portable power bank capable of charging phones and tablets, contributing to its overall appeal. Conveniently, battery life indicators are positioned on the side, providing efficient visibility of the power status.

HD image with compromises

The glasses themselves boast impressive image quality, featuring a high 120 Hz refresh rate and a substantial 215-inch virtual display. The visual experience remains consistently crisp from the center to the corners, providing an enjoyable and immersive viewing experience. Throughout my usage, I hardly noticed any lag or frame drops while using the two.

The Rokid Max can adjust to accommodate users with myopia within a configurable range of 0 - 600 degrees. The option to order additional lenses exists for an enhanced experience, but the built-in feature provides sufficient clarity and enhances immersion by blurring the surrounding environment.

Regrettably, when paired with the Rokid Station, the AR glasses lack 3 DoF, meaning that the display does not anchor to your physical space but instead moves with your head movements. This initially caused some dizziness for me. Avoiding excessive head movement helped, although remaining still for an extended period poses challenges.

In terms of comfort, Rokid glasses measure up respectably. The nose pad is soft and adjustable, although the temples are fixed. The cable junction and the end of the temple don’t align perfectly — although this does not impact functionality, there is room for improvement in this aspect.

After prolonged use, it’s noticeable that the forehead section of the glasses tends to heat up, which may necessitate position adjustment or creating more space for comfort.

Open system enables more possibilities

The built-in Play Store content on the Rokid Station is somewhat limited, with notable omissions like Netflix, and it does not support casting from your phone, specifically for Apple users, as Rokid only supports Chromecast.

Nonetheless, the open nature of the Android system provides avenues to bypass these limitations. By enabling developer mode, users can install third-party apps from sources like AppPure or AppMirror on a different device. The process of installing such apps is straightforward, and numerous guidelines are readily available on Google.

For wireless casting, there are various methods to enhance the device’s capabilities. I have found a feature that enables AirPlay support, allowing me to mirror my Apple devices to the Rokid Station at a specific streaming bitrate.

Some apps even offer powerful additional features, such as remote file sharing.

However, it’s important to acknowledge that not all apps will function flawlessly. Based on my experience, there’s approximately a fifty-fifty chance of an app working properly. For instance, while the phone version of Netflix worked well, it required the use of a mouse to click on buttons due to the lack of remote optimization. On the other hand, the TV version encountered issues. Yet, with some persistence, apps can be made to work using external input methods through workarounds.

Another option is to install Chrome on the device, which allows you to watch videos directly from web pages.

Nevertheless, it’s essential to keep in mind that despite these workarounds, the hardware limitations of the device may restrict the full capabilities of Android. For instance, the absence of USB OTG support means that external storage and wired accessories are not viable options.

Wrapping Up

Rokid has succeeded in creating a robust AR combo with its latest Rokid Station, providing users with an immersive, standalone-like experience.

The standout feature undoubtedly lies in the impressive image quality, accompanied by substantial battery life. While some functionality limitations exist, some of these gaps can be circumvented with savvy tech tricks such as installing third-party apps.

For most users, Rokid’s offerings present a compelling option, particularly for those passionate about TV series and streaming services and seeking both mobility and portability.

For tech-savvy users, Rokid offers a platform for ambitious customization, allowing them to create a personalized experience packed with powerful features.

The Rokid Station is now available for preorders at $129, with a retail price of $139 after launch.

Act swiftly to take advantage of the Rokid Max AR glasses, currently offered for $439. Additionally, for a limited time, customers can enjoy a $20 discount when purchasing the Rokid Station and Rokid Max bundles.