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In this article, we will compare and highlight the biggest differences between the Vuzix Blade 2 vs the Vuzix Blade Upgraded. So we can help you decide if upgrading to the latest version is worth it.
The Blade 2 now features improved and added connectivity to enable remote collaboration and assistance that Vuzix is known for. Namely, for both WiFi and Bluetooth, Blade 2 offers 2.4GHz and 5GHz bandwidths for uninterrupted connectivity, better equipped for the 21st century.
In comparison, Blade Upgraded could only deal with 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi networks and came equipped with Bluetooth 4.1 LE. While the Blade comes with 5th generation Bluetooth. In practical terms, Blade 2’s Bluetooth can keep a stable connection for up to 243 meters, or 800 feet, whereas the Blade Upgraded can do it for 10 meters, or 33 feet.
The Vuzix Blade 2 has seen a major upgrade in its operating system. The Blade 2 runs on Android 11 compared to the Android 5 found on the previous Blade Upgraded. The Android 11 update allows the Blade 2 to support a huge variety of enterprise focused applications. It also allow for integration with MDM’s which increases the security and manageability of the devices.
One of the biggest detractors of the Vuzix Blade Upgraded was its limited internal storage with the device coming with only 8GB. This meant an SD card was always required, which would need to be formatted and ofcourse made working between applications and files sometimes slow because of the limit of your SD card.
This issue has been to a large part solved, with the Blade 2 coming standard with 40GB of internal storage. This is enough for many applications and even substantial media storage. A further benefit of this is that an SD card is not per se needed anymore which is one less security issue to worry about when factory resetting the device.
The Blade 2 will be priced at €1280,- excl. VAT. In comparison, the Blade Upgraded costs €849,- excl. VAT, making it a fair bit more expensive but it compensates by the extra functionalities and faster processing.
Jakob Pii is Writer at VR Expert and currently lives in the UK. He started his career in VR gaming in 2015 and has stayed in XR since, from exposure therapy in VR to 360-degree video documentaries. He is fascinated by how emerging technologies change how we live, play and work.
