Abstract - Despite recent advancements in augmented reality (AR) displays, conventional AR head-mounted displays (HMD) lack comfort due to heat and size, which hinders daily use. To address these issues, we propose an approach for AR-HMD optics that uses a multicore fiber (MCF) to transfer virtual content from a light engine in the user’s pocket to an eyepiece. This allows the HMD to avoid heat generation and maintain a compact form factor. In this work, we design and demonstrate MCF-relayed AR optics in two conventional types of AR-HMDs: birdbath and exit-pupil expansion (EPE) type AR-HMDs. This results in light engine-free AR displays within the HMDs. Furthermore, we compare birdbath and EPE displays in terms of field of view (FOV), modulation transfer function (MTF), and optical efficiency (OE). The results show that our proposed AR optics is applicable to both AR-HMDs. This early stage work suggests the feasibility of unobtrusive and comfortable eyewear for AR display.