Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation) vs HoloLens 2

What actually differs

Computed from the two records, most decisive first.

• Launch price

  Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation)

  $3000

  HoloLens 2

  $3500

• Resolution per eye

  Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation)

  1268x720

  HoloLens 2

  —

• Field of view

  Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation)

  30° horizontal

  HoloLens 2

  —

• Refresh rate

  Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation)

  60 Hz

  HoloLens 2

  —

• Weight

  Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation)

  579 g

  HoloLens 2

  566 g

• Controller tracking

  Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation)

  3DoF

  HoloLens 2

  —

• Kiosk mode / MDM

  Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation)

  No

  HoloLens 2

  Yes

• Availability

  Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation)

  Discontinued

  HoloLens 2

  Discontinued in 2024

• Announced

  Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation)

  2015-01-21

  HoloLens 2

  2019-05-02

• Released

  Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation)

  2016

  HoloLens 2

  2019

• Support ends

  Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation)

  2024-12-10

  HoloLens 2

  2027-12-31

• Suitable for training

  Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation)

  No

  HoloLens 2

  —

They match on 21 further specifications.

Full specification, row by row

38 of 78 rows differ.

Show differences only

Specifications of the selected headsets, one column per model

Specification	Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation) Microsoft	HoloLens 2 Microsoft
Overview7 rows
ManufacturerWho makes it — and who you buy support from.	Microsoft	Microsoft
CategoryWhich kind of product this is. It decides which rows below make sense at all.	AR — spatial	AR — spatial
Device typeWhere the computing happens, and therefore what you need to run it.	Standalone AR	Standalone AR
AnnouncedThe day it was shown, which is not the day it shipped.	2015-01-21	2019-05-02
ReleasedYear the model went on sale. Older is not automatically worse in this category.	2016	2019
AvailabilityWhether you can still order it new today.	Discontinued	Discontinued in 2024
Support endsThe date the manufacturer stops supporting it. Decisive for a fleet you are about to buy.	2024-12-10	2027-12-31
Display and optics8 rows
DisplayHow the image is produced. "No display" is a real answer in this category, not a gap.	Waveguide	Waveguide
Eyes coveredOne eye or both. Over a full shift this is a real difference in fatigue.	Both eyes	Both eyes
Resolution per eyePixels delivered to each eye. Higher means small text and labels stay readable.	1268x720	Resolution per eye: not published by the manufacturer
Refresh rateImages per second. Higher feels smoother and helps people prone to motion discomfort.	60 Hz	Refresh rate: not published by the manufacturer
Field of viewHow much of your view the image covers. Bigger is more immersive, not automatically better for work.	≈30° horizontal*UploadVR, HoloLens 2 field of view	Field of view: not published by the manufacturer
Pixel densityPixels per degree of view — the honest way to compare sharpness between a headset and a pair of glasses. Higher is sharper. Only shown where somebody published it; we never compute it ourselves.	Pixel density: not published by the manufacturer	Pixel density: not published by the manufacturer
BrightnessIn a plant or outdoors, brightness decides legibility more than resolution does.	Brightness: not published by the manufacturer	Brightness: not published by the manufacturer
WeightThe device alone. Anything above roughly 150 g is felt within an hour.	579 g30 g830 g	566 g30 g830 g
Image in detail7 rows
Visible field of viewWhat the eye actually sees through the optics, by axis.	30° horizontal · 17.5° vertical	43° horizontal · 29° vertical
Rendered field of viewWhat the device draws. Never smaller than what you see.	Rendered field of view: not published by the manufacturer	Rendered field of view: not published by the manufacturer
Binocular overlapWhere both eyes see the same thing — this is where depth happens.	Binocular overlap: not published by the manufacturer	Binocular overlap: not published by the manufacturer
Average pixel densityPixels per degree across the image. More is sharper.	Average pixel density: not published by the manufacturer	Average pixel density: not published by the manufacturer
Peak pixel densityThe sharpest point, usually the centre of the lens.	Peak pixel density: not published by the manufacturer	Peak pixel density: not published by the manufacturer
Subpixel layoutHow the coloured dots sit in a pixel. A stripe looks cleaner on text than PenTile.	Subpixel layout: not published by the manufacturer	Subpixel layout: not published by the manufacturer
Foveated renderingWhether detail is dropped outside where you look, to save performance.	None	Foveated rendering: not published by the manufacturer
Fit and comfort1 row
Vision correctionHow somebody who wears glasses uses it, and in what dioptre range.	Fits over glasses	Vision correction: not published by the manufacturer
Size and build6 rows
DimensionsWidth, height and depth of the device itself.	Dimensions: not published by the manufacturer	Dimensions: not published by the manufacturer
Weight with strapWith the strap it ships with — the weight you actually wear.	Weight with strap: not published by the manufacturer	Weight with strap: not published by the manufacturer
Head strapSoft band or a rigid one. Decides how the weight sits over an hour.	Rigid halo strap	Rigid strap with a dial
MaterialsShell and facial interface, in the vendor’s words.	plastic · foam	Plastic · foam
ColoursColours the manufacturer sells it in.	Grey	Grey
Haptics in the headsetVibration in the headset itself, not in the controllers.	No	No
Tracking and input16 rows
TrackingWhether content stays put in the room (6DoF), follows head rotation (3DoF) or is simply fixed.	6DoF (position in space)	6DoF (position in space)
Tracking camerasHow many cameras it uses to know where it is.	4	4
Tracking rateHow often position is recalculated. Higher is steadier.	Tracking rate: not published by the manufacturer	Tracking rate: not published by the manufacturer
Depth sensorA dedicated sensor for distance, on top of the cameras.	Yes	Depth sensor: not published by the manufacturer
Hand trackingWhether bare hands can operate the interface, without a controller or the phone.	Yes	Yes
Face trackingTracks facial expression — for avatars, not for training scenarios.	No	No
Body trackingHow much of the body the device knows about. Estimated legs are not tracked legs.	None	None
Controllers includedWhether motion controllers come in the box, or are bought separately — or the device is hands-only.	Yes	Controllers included: not published by the manufacturer
Controller modelThe manufacturer's own name for the controller.	HoloLens Clicker	Controller model: not published by the manufacturer
Controller tracking6DoF controllers track position and rotation, so a hand reaches in space; 3DoF only point. “None” means hands only.	3DoF	Controller tracking: not published by the manufacturer
Finger tracking on the controllerWhether the controller senses individual fingers, and how.	Finger tracking on the controller: not published by the manufacturer	Finger tracking on the controller: not published by the manufacturer
Controller inputsButtons, sticks and triggers the controller offers.	single button · wrist rotation	Controller inputs: not published by the manufacturer
Controller hapticsVibration feedback in the hand.	Controller haptics: not published by the manufacturer	Controller haptics: not published by the manufacturer
Controller powerDisposable cells or a built-in rechargeable — a fleet question.	Built-in rechargeable	Controller power: not published by the manufacturer
Controller weightOne controller, as the vendor weighs it.	Controller weight: not published by the manufacturer	Controller weight: not published by the manufacturer
Other input methodsWays in beyond controllers and bare hands.	Voice · Look and pinch	Other input methods: not published by the manufacturer
Platform and performance7 rows
Where it computesWhether the device computes on its own or depends on a phone, PC or belt-worn puck.	Standalone (own computer)	Standalone (own computer)
ProcessorThe processor and memory inside. This is what the performance grade above is derived from.	Intel Atom x5-Z8100 with Microsoft HPU 1.0	Processor: not published by the manufacturer
CPUCores and clocks, where the manufacturer publishes them.	Intel Atom x5-Z8100, 1.04 GHz	Octa-core Kryo 385 (4x 2.96 GHz, 4 x 1.8 GHz)
GPUThe graphics part of the chip.	Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail)	Adreno 630
MemoryRAM on the device. Together with the chipset it sets how complex a scene can be.	2 GB	Memory: not published by the manufacturer
PlatformThe platform an application is built against — and what an MDM has to speak.	Windows 10 Holographic 1809	Windows Holographic
SD card slotWhether storage can be added with a card.	No	No
Power and charging8 rows
BatteryRuntime as the manufacturer states it. A hot-swappable pack matters more than the figure.	180 min45 min2880 min	180 min45 min2880 min
Battery capacity (Wh)Energy in the cell. Bigger is longer, given the same power draw.	Battery capacity (Wh): not published by the manufacturer	Battery capacity (Wh): not published by the manufacturer
Battery capacity (mAh)The same fact in the other unit vendors use. We never convert between the two.	Battery capacity (mAh): not published by the manufacturer	Battery capacity (mAh): not published by the manufacturer
Charge timeFrom empty to full. Rarely stated by the manufacturer, so it usually comes from whoever timed it.	Charge time: not published by the manufacturer	Charge time: not published by the manufacturer
ChargerPower of the supplied charger — it decides the charge time above.	18 W	Charger: not published by the manufacturer
External batteryBattery on a cable or a puck instead of on the head.	No	External battery: not published by the manufacturer
Charging caseExtra runtime carried in the case the glasses ship with.	Charging case: not published by the manufacturer	Charging case: not published by the manufacturer
Hot-swap batteryWhether a charged battery can replace the empty one without ending the session. This is what decides if a headset can hold an all-day training station.	No	Hot-swap battery: not published by the manufacturer
Company rollout6 rows
Third-party appsHow a third party's application reaches the device: an ordinary Android package, a vendor-only SDK, or not at all.	Vendor SDK only	Vendor SDK only
Runs Skillsive appsOur own statement about whether Skillsive training applications run on it today.	No	No
Suitable for trainingOur judgement on whether it survives real deployment: comfort, hygiene, fleet management.	No	Suitable for training: not published by the manufacturer
Kiosk mode / MDMVendor tooling to enrol devices, push an app and lock the headset to it. Practically required above ten devices.	No	Yes
Business tierAn official business tier, so devices belong to the company rather than to employees’ personal accounts.	No	Business tier: not published by the manufacturer
CertificationsIndustrial certifications stated on the manufacturer's own page. Empty means unconfirmed, never "probably fine".	ANSI Z87.1 · CSA Z94.3 · EN 166	ANSI Z87.1 · CSA Z94.3 · EN 166
Connectivity and audio8 rows
PortsPhysical sockets and charging contacts.	Micro USB 2.0 · 3.5 mm headphone jack	USB Type-C
Wi-FiThe Wi-Fi generation — it decides how well wireless streaming holds up.	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)	WiFi 5 (802.11ac 2x2)
BluetoothFor controllers, headphones and accessories.	4.1 LE	Bluetooth 5.0
Video from a computerWhether a computer can drive it, over a cable or wirelessly.	Video from a computer: not published by the manufacturer	Video from a computer: not published by the manufacturer
AudioBuilt-in sound. Matters most where somebody has to hear a remote expert while working.	Built-in speakers · Headphone jack	Built-in speakers
MicrophoneBuilt-in microphone — the other half of talking to a remote expert.	Yes	Yes
MicrophonesHow many. An array picks a voice out of a noisy hall; one does not.	4	Microphones: not published by the manufacturer
CameraA camera is what makes a remote expert call and photo documentation possible.	Yes	Yes
Price4 rows
Price bandThe band it sits in, rather than a price that goes stale.	Enterprise	Enterprise
Launch priceThe manufacturer's launch price. Fixed history, so it never goes stale.	$3000$199$38500	$3500$199$38500
Price by configurationWhat each configuration cost at launch.	Development Edition $3000 · Commercial Suite $5000	Price by configuration: not published by the manufacturer
Price todayApproximate current net price in USD — a general figure, since these barely differ between regions once tax is stripped out. A snapshot from the date shown, not an offer.	Price today: not published by the manufacturer	Price today: not published by the manufacturer

“—” means the manufacturer does not publish that figure. “≈” with an asterisk means it was measured by somebody else — follow the asterisk for who. Prices are an indicative net figure in USD, a snapshot from the date on each model page, not an offer.