Oakley Helux Gaming Glasses - It Was All Yellow
Anybody that’s pulled an all-nighter staring at a screen knows the perils of eye-strain; whether it’s a looming work deadline or a new release game keeping us up well past acceptable hours, it’s something that’s hard to avoid entirely.
Oakley’s new range of gaming focused glasses seek to remedy some of these issues with a combination of comfort and tech, starting with the Helux gaming glasses. Available in four frame colours, the Helux boast Oakley’s ‘Prizm Gaming 2.0’ lenses, an ‘Unobtainium’ nosepad and a lightweight ‘O Matter’ body. Despite the bevvy of proper nouns which reek of marketing spin, my time with a pair of Helux has tempered any cynicism I had at the outset as they’ve proven to be effective at reducing eyestrain when working late nights on my computer or gaming once children are asleep, are lightweight to the point of near imperception and are perhaps the first pair of glasses I can recall that haven’t installed a giant welt on the bridge of my nose when worn for any length of time.
The tinted lenses of the Helux shift everything in sight to a much warmer colour, as the Prizm lenses are designed to cut glare from screens as well as blue light, something that can take a bit of getting used to at first as everything is bathed in a warm yellow glow. The shift is akin to switching your TV to the ‘Warm’ colour temp setting, something I’d recommend everyone try as an aside if, like myself, you tend to game a lot at night in a darkened room. The general idea is that blue light emitted by screens and devices supresses melatonin production which impacts our ability to fall asleep, alongside a whole host of other potential health problems, which is where the Helux step in. One of the biggest issues I often face when working late into the night is an inability to fall asleep afterwards, feeling too wired and needing some time to wind back down. It is obviously anecdotal and no match for proper scientific study, but wearing the Helux during this review period has made me feel more productive later into the evening and more beneficially, I can get to sleep far more easily once I’m ready to close the laptop. I don’t want to oversell it, and it may vary from person to person, but going forward I’ll be reaching for the pair of Helux whenever the sun has set and I still have work or gaming to be done. The Helux are also noted to reduce glare, something that may not be noticeable at first but can contribute to strain and fatigue which winds down your performance and productivity the longer you’re pushing it past sunset. Much like the blue light reduction, I don’t have anything apart from the anecdotal evidence that I found myself tiring less easily when using the Helux and was subsequently more engaged in games and work.
I have a few minor quibbles with the Helux however, starting with the aesthetics. There’s no way around the bright yellow lenses which won’t be to everyone’s tastes but are sort of important for the primary purpose of the product. The wide look is similarly ill-suited to all face types, but Oakley run the risk of dampening the efficacy of the product if they put fashion over function. The range of colours is slim but there should be something to suit most looks, although the blue and white frames may be less versatile with outfits compared to the smoke and black options. The build quality feels solid; as always lightweight material can impart a sense of ‘flimsiness’, although the body of the Helux feels sturdy enough as is and the arms pliable enough to cater to a variety of head shapes and sizes. The ‘O Matter’ material combined with a matte finish do make the bridge section of the glasses and nearby corners of the lenses oil magnets and users might find themselves regularly cleaning this section. The Prizm 2.0 lenses so far have held up to cleaning and transport without any marks or scratches and the use-case scenarios for the Helux make me believe there isn’t a huge risk for damage unless someone were to attempt to make them their ‘daily driver’ – something made difficult by the fact they aren’t included in Oakley’s prescription lens program.
At a reasonable price of just over $200AU, I’d recommend anybody who spends a not insignificant portion of their evenings staring at screens to check them out and see whether they find benefits similar to myself. Much like stand-up desks, ergonomic chairs, wireless controllers and other quality-of-life upgrades, the Helux gaming glasses are a product that would ideally become a standard piece of equipment when gaming or working alike given the improvements in experience I’ve felt using them.
Oakley Helux Gaming Glasses are available to purchase now from Oakley directly alongside other retailers. A pair of Helux Gaming Glasses were kindly provided by PR to Player2 for review purposes
