Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Probably not entirely. The technology behind the prediction is already on sale: extended-reality (XR) headsets and display glasses that put a large private screen in front of the wearer. They can be more flexible than a television for travel, gaming and solo viewing, but today they are not an easy or economical replacement for a shared living-room TV. The likelier outcome by 2036 is coexistence, with XR taking some personal-screen use while televisions remain useful for households and groups.
What is supposed to replace the television?
There is no single device that has already made TVs obsolete. The proposed replacement is a family of wearable displays: some act like a monitor floating in front of the wearer, while more capable headsets build a tracked, interactive digital environment around them.
- Virtual reality (VR) largely immerses the user in a computer-generated environment.
- Augmented reality (AR) overlays digital content on a view of the physical world.
- Mixed reality (MR) lets digital objects appear situated in, and interact with, the surrounding space.
- Spatial computing is a broader way of using tracked digital windows and objects through cameras, sensors, and input such as eye or hand tracking.
- Display glasses show a virtual screen but may offer limited room tracking and usually need a phone, computer, console, or other source device.
- Smart glasses may have cameras, microphones, speakers, or AI features without having a screen at all. They are not automatically TV alternatives.
The distinction matters. A pair of display glasses can be a portable personal monitor without being a standalone computer or a room-aware AR system. A spatial headset can do much more, but it costs more and is bulkier. Neither makes its screen visible to everyone else in the room by default.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →What you can buy now
Two products illustrate the range, rather than a settled replacement category.
#1 Best Overall
- All-In-One VR Solution: The VIVE Focus series offers standalone and PC VR experiences. Harness the power of virtual reality with high-resolution displays, versatile tracking features, and immersive applications. Base station-free.
- PC VR Gaming Headset: Immerse yourself in low-latency VIVEPORT andSteamVR gameplay. DisplayPort mode delivers lossless, high-fidelity visuals straight from your PC.(1) Connect your PC directly to your Wi-Fi router using an Ethernet cable for PC VR streaming.
- Make Interactions Real: Connect in VRChat like never before. With built-in eye and low-light, hand tracking plus face and body tracker support, movement in VR is intuitive and lifelike.(2)(3)
- Immersive 5k Headset Display: The immersive display puts you right at the heart of the action with a 5K resolution of 2448 x 2448 pixels per eye, up to 120° field of view, and 90 Hz refresh rate.
- Personalize Your Fit: Auto-IPD adjustment aligns the XR headset's lenses with the centers of your pupils, giving your eyes the clearest, most comfortable viewing experience.(4)
Apple Vision Pro M5: a spatial computer with a private cinema mode
Apple’s M5 Vision Pro is a high-end spatial-computing headset, not simply a television with straps. Apple lists a micro-OLED display system with 23 million pixels, refresh rates of 90Hz, 96Hz, 100Hz or 120Hz, eye and hand input, spatial audio, and an M5 processor. Its specifications include a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine and 16GB of unified memory. Those capabilities support spatial windows, 3D and spatial content, and immersive viewing. They do not mean it is universally better for watching TV.
Apple’s U.S. starting price is $3,499, before any applicable extras. The headset cannot be worn over ordinary glasses; people who need vision correction may need ZEISS Optical Inserts, listed by Apple at $99 for readers or $149 for prescription inserts in its M5 announcement. Check current availability and checkout pricing for your market. See Apple’s M5 Vision Pro announcement, technical specifications and U.S. buying page.
XREAL One Pro: closer to a wearable monitor
XREAL’s One Pro is a lighter, more focused version of the idea: a display in glasses form for personal viewing, computer work or compatible gaming setups. Its U.S. product page lists a $599 price, 1,920-by-1,080 resolution, 57-degree field of view and refresh rates up to 120Hz. It also lists an ultrawide 3,840-by-1,080 mode when connected to a computer. That ultrawide mode is not the same thing as a 4K television panel. The glasses weigh 87 grams, according to XREAL.
Rank #2
- Unmatched Visual Acuity with 50 PPD: Aspherical lenses deliver 50 Pixels Per Degree, eliminating the screen-door effect for true edge-to-edge sharpness.
- QLED & Mini-LED Display: 3840x3840 per eye with Local Dimming. Combines OLED-level blacks with QLED brightness via Mini-LED technology.
- Expansive 140° Wide Field of View: Break free from tunnel vision,Ultra-wide 140° field of view expands peripheral vision, maximizing situational awareness in simulators.
- Precision Inside-Out Tracking: Flexible tracking,ensures low-latency, responsive motion capture, allowing you to jump into the action instantly.
- High Refresh Rate: Supports up to 90Hz (and beyond), ensuring buttery-smooth gameplay for fast-paced action and racing,for professionals and sim racers demanding absolute precision and immersion.
Unlike Vision Pro, One Pro is primarily a wearable display, not a full standalone spatial computer. XREAL describes it as 3DoF; 6DoF support requires additional equipment or setup. Check the exact product configuration and your source device before buying. A USB-C port with DisplayPort video output, a suitable adapter, or other compatible hardware may be required. The complete setup can cost more than the glasses alone. See the One Pro product page and XREAL’s U.S. product listings, where prices can change.
Where XR can beat a TV
For one person, a wearable display can solve problems a fixed screen cannot:
- It travels. A private screen can go to a hotel, plane, dorm room or small apartment, subject to the device’s power and connection needs.
- It can feel large without taking up a wall. The displayed screen can appear much bigger than the glasses or headset. Its perceived size and clarity depend on the optics, fit, resolution and field of view; it should not be treated as identical to a physical TV of a specified size.
- It is private. One person can watch a film, play a game or use a screen without taking over the household TV.
- It can be immersive or personalizable. A headset can offer a virtual cinema, 3D content, adjustable windows and personal audio. Spatial-computing systems can place multiple windows around a user.
- It can save space. For an individual who mainly wants a personal display, glasses may reduce the need for a dedicated monitor or bedroom TV.
These are substantial advantages for travel, solo entertainment and some work or gaming setups. They are reasons to add a wearable display—not proof that every household will stop buying televisions.
Rank #3
- Includes Deluxe Pack VR Accessories: VIVE Face Gasket 2.0, VIVE Deluxe Strap, VIVE Temple Clips, and VIVE MR Gasket.
- PC Gaming Headset: Bring captivating PC VR games to your all‑in‑one VR headset. Connect to your VR-ready PC and enjoy low-latency, high-fidelity, PC-VR gaming.¹
- Base Station-Free: No base stations needed with this standalone VR headset. Get next-level freedom with the HTC Vive XR Elite Virtual Reality headset with 4 wide field-of-view tracking cameras.
- Personalize Your Fit: Fine-tune your viewing experience with stepless IPD and diopter adjustments for the most natural and clearest VR experience.
- Immersive High-Resolution Graphics: The XR Elite boasts 3840 x 1920 combined resolution and 19 pixels per degree. Up to 110° field of view and 90Hz refresh rate in a remarkably compact form factor.
Why TVs are likely to stick around
A TV is a shared object. Several people can see it at once, and guests do not need their own device. Replacing a family television with headsets could mean buying multiple units, managing separate batteries and accounts, and making a group activity solitary. A virtual screen visible to its wearer is not automatically a communal screen.
Televisions are also low-friction: turn one on, pick up a remote and watch. There is no headset fit, face pressure, prescription insert, charging routine, or need to confirm a video connection. Headset comfort varies with balance, fit, heat, lens clarity and session length. Some users may experience fatigue or discomfort; the available coverage does not establish a quantified medical risk, so broad claims about harm are unwarranted.
And a shared screen still has jobs beyond focused movie watching: sports during a gathering, news in the background, karaoke, console games watched by spectators, family photos, visible captions, or content for children and guests. People who cannot tolerate or easily operate a headset may also find a TV more accessible. XR can expand accessibility for some users, but it is not automatically better for everyone.
Rank #4
- NO WIRES, MORE FUN — Break free from cords. Game, play, exercise and explore immersive worlds — untethered and without limits.
- 2X GRAPHICAL PROCESSING POWER — Enjoy lightning-fast load times and next-gen graphics for smooth gaming powered by the SnapdragonTM XR2 Gen 2 processor.
- EXPERIENCE VIRTUAL REALITY — Take gaming to a new level and blend virtual objects with your physical space to experience two worlds at once.
- 2+ HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Charge less, play longer and stay in the action with an improved battery that keeps up.
- 33% MORE MEMORY — Elevate your play with 8GB of RAM. Upgraded memory delivers a next-level experience fueled by sharper graphics and more responsive performance.
Cost reinforces the divide. A $3,499 Vision Pro is a premium personal computer, not a budget alternative to a television. Glasses such as the One Pro cost less, but generally rely on a compatible device to supply video and may require adapters or accessories. Before buying, count the full chain: display, source device, connection hardware, prescription correction if needed, and any battery or streaming equipment.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is the replacement really “more powerful”?
That depends on what “powerful” means. Vision Pro is more capable than a conventional television as a computer and spatial interface: it can run apps, track input, place multiple windows, and present spatial content. A display-glasses product can give a user a portable virtual monitor. Those are different capabilities from a television’s job of showing a bright, uncomplicated picture to a roomful of people.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →A TV may be the more useful display for long sessions, group viewing, spectators, simple device connections and content that should remain visible in a shared space. “More powerful” is therefore a category comparison, not a universal performance ranking. Apple describes Vision Pro as spatial computing, not as a forecast or product that will replace televisions.
Best Value
- Lightweight XR. A sleek headset that goes where you go.
- Finely tuned viewing. Adjustable IPD and diopter dials for the most natural and clearest visual experience.
- Fun and imagination amplified. Crisscrossing realities with vibrant, high-resolution XR passthrough.
- Beyond standalone VR. Connect to your VR-ready PC and enjoy low-latency, high-fidelity PC-VR gaming.
- Balanced and clear. Powerful speakers deliver crisp, immersive audio.
What would have to change by 2036?
Lightweight display glasses could displace more personal TVs if they become affordable, comfortable for several hours, simple to connect, and capable of a wide, clear image with reliable prescription support. Better battery life, broader fields of view, easy access to streaming, privacy controls and dependable spatial anchoring would help. For household replacement, makers would also need a compelling way to make viewing genuinely shared—or consumers would need to accept separate personal screens instead.
Those are requirements for a plausible scenario, not evidence that the problems have already been solved. The headline prediction does not come with adoption data, a sales forecast or a model showing that TV purchases will reach zero. “No one will buy TVs” could mean fewer new sets, fewer TVs per home, or total disappearance; those are very different claims. Current products support the first possibility more readily than the last.
Which screen makes sense for you?
| Your situation | More sensible direction now |
|---|---|
| Family movies, sports or parties | Keep or buy a TV; it is naturally shared. |
| Private viewing on a plane or while travelling | Consider display glasses, after checking connections and fit. |
| Apple user seeking spatial apps, 3D content and immersive viewing | Vision Pro may suit you if its price, fit and personal-use format make sense. |
| Laptop work in a small space | Compare display glasses with a spatial headset; check whether the virtual display stays where you want it and whether your computer is compatible. |
| Console gaming with friends watching | A TV or monitor remains the easier shared screen. |
| Budget-conscious household replacing a TV | A TV is usually the more direct purchase; XR is more likely an additional personal screen. |
| You wear prescription glasses or are sensitive to face-mounted devices | Verify inserts, fit and return terms before committing; ordinary glasses cannot be worn inside Vision Pro. |
Before ordering display glasses, confirm the whole signal path: whether your phone, laptop or console outputs video over the required port; which adapter is needed; whether the apps you use work in that setup; and whether the image remains stable in the mode you want. A floating display, room-anchored windows and full room tracking are not interchangeable features. Streaming behavior can also vary by service, device and software. If you plan to watch for the length of a film, assess comfort for that duration rather than assuming a short demonstration predicts a long session.
Recommended Free Tools
The likely future: fewer TVs in some places, not none
XR is well positioned to reduce demand for personal TVs in bedrooms, dorms, offices and small homes, and to offer private screens for travel, gaming and work. A future shift from one screen per room toward more screens per person is conceivable. But shared rooms, gatherings, simple background viewing and long, low-effort sessions still favor a physical television. As of 2026, XR is a credible alternative for particular uses—not a demonstrated replacement for TVs across households by 2036.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
