NoScope vs. Gunnar Optiks: Fierce Competition in the Gaming Glasses Market

“Gaming glasses” have been in the industry for a number of years now. Anyone who's been to a convention or tournament has likely seen the yellow-tinted lenses in the wild, generally sourced from Gunnar Optiks, one of the only makers of gaming glasses in the market. The glasses are meant to reduce eye strain during extended computer use by acting as a simple filter – as a yellow lens would do, “gaming” or not – and reduce some of the more intense blue light. For users who do experience eye fatigue or strain, renowned (former) Penny Arcade journalist Ben Kuchera included, “gaming glasses” have reportedly worked in calming the eyes enough for longer use.

The problem is that Gunnar Optiks wants to make about $100 off of you.

For yellow lenses.

Granted, you generally need a sturdy frame, glare reduction, and some additional features, but that “about $100” can be put toward an SSD (the 128GB MX100 is less than $100) or GPU.

Hardware upstart NoScope Glasses has just announced its “Hydra” series of eyewear, a high-end, gaming-targeted unit that aims to enter the market at around $30. The company told us via further correspondence that its glasses feature a high-endurance aluminum frame that uses spring hinges to snap into place (glasses wearers will be familiar with this); NoScope further emphasized that its yellow lens glasses reduce eyestrain like the best of them and is priced at under a third the cost of its closest competitor. Here's the list of features on the company's product page:

• Sporty, durable, and lightweight.
• High-end metal alloy frame.
• Spring hinges that allow for the arms to snap into place with a satisfying "click" when opened or closed.
• Included (free) accessories: White leather carrying pouch and microfiber cleaning cloth.
• Eye strain reduction during multi-hour gaming sessions.
• Aggressive and sleek design.

The target market seems to strike me as gamers who frequent tournament settings, LAN environments, or legitimately play enough to experience some level of eye strain. We haven't yet tried the lenses in extended testing, but we'll let you know if they work.

Either way, it's good to see some old-fashioned competition in a market that's been stale for years, and at $30, it's pretty serious competition to premiere maker Gunnar Optiks.

Learn more here: https://www.noscopeglasses.com/gaming-glasses/product/34-hydra-gaming-glasses.

- Stewart "stewpot" Brooks.