The Spacetop AR Laptop’s Pivot: From Gimmick to Pricey Windows App

The Spacetop AR laptop has transitioned from a screenless novelty to an expensive Windows application, raising questions about its value and practicality.

Ah, the Spacetop AR laptop. Remember when it was supposed to change the game by ditching screens for AR glasses? Yeah, about that… The reality didn’t quite match the hype. With a price tag that made your wallet weep ($1,900, anyone?), the hardware was more ‘meh’ than ‘marvel,’ pushing its creators to pivot faster than a startup at a tech conference. Now, Sightful’s rolling out Spacetop as a Windows app. But let’s talk turkey—what’s it really going to cost you?

For $899, you’re getting XREAL’s Air Ultra 2 glasses and a year of Spacetop’s software. After that, it’s $200 a year to keep the AR dream from turning into a pumpkin. The software promises a 100-inch AR workspace (because who doesn’t want to feel like Tony Stark?), minus the original’s clunky hardware. But here’s the kicker: you’ll need an Intel-powered Windows AI PC to run it. And if you’re part of the glasses-wearing crowd? Fork over another $50 to $150 for prescription lenses. Ouch.

Spacetop’s playing favorites with Intel chips equipped with NPUs, giving AMD and Qualcomm’s AI CPUs the cold shoulder. Sightful’s CEO, Tamir Berliner, tossed out a maybe-someday for other platforms, but right now, it’s Intel or bust. Mac users, meanwhile, are left twiddling their thumbs, wondering when their invite to the AR productivity bash will arrive.

Is there a bright side? For those with deep pockets, Spacetop offers a sprawling, private AR workspace and a stripped-down Windows 11 interface. But let’s be real—wearing Xreal’s chunky Air 2 Ultra glasses and coughing up a yearly subscription fee might make you think twice. Spacetop’s shift from hardware to software is a move in the right direction, sure. But is it the future of work, or just another shiny toy for tech enthusiasts with money to burn? Only time will tell.