I Biked With The Meta Oakley Vanguard, And They're Easily The Best Smart Glasses For Athletes

2 months ago

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

The Meta Oakley Vanguards commencement astatine $499 and travel successful 4 shades.
They're based connected nan classical Sphaera design.
The glasses brace pinch Garmin for real-time workout info.

I'm not a master snowboarder, nor will I ever motorcycle down a upland for illustration I person 9 lives, but putting connected nan caller Meta Oakley Vanugard glasses this week judge gave maine mendacious hope.

The Vanguards were introduced astatine Meta Connect this week alongside 2 different pairs of Ray-Ban-branded glasses. And while I expected these to liking maine nan slightest -- because nan grade of my workouts is chasing nan subway to nan agency -- I near my hands-on convention pinch curiosity and exhilaration.

Also: Meta Connect 2025 unrecorded updates: Ray-Ban Display, Oakley Vanguard glasses, more

These are only nan second brace of smart glasses designed nether nan Oakley brand, but nan polish and finesse are evident, from nan improved speakers embedded wrong nan bladed yet durable framework to nan IP67 standing to nan wellness and fittingness ecosystem successful which Meta has surrounded nan Vanguard with.

Here's what's caller pinch nan wearable, and why they whitethorn beryllium an moreover bigger deed than expected.

For starters, nan Vanguards are very overmuch inspired by nan classical Oakley Sphaera visors, pinch a creation that snowboarders, runners, bikers, and much tin vouch for. Besides nan camera and various components connected nan frames, these could walk arsenic conscionable different brace of sportswear.

But nan exertion is impressive. Meta has carried complete nan champion features of nan Oakley HSTN model to nan Vanguard, including nan 12MP camera sensor that tin seizure astatine 3K solution (capped astatine 30fps) and a six-hour-plus artillery life.

Also: I tried smart glasses pinch a built-in display, and they hit my Meta Ray-Bans successful cardinal ways

Only this time, nan camera is positioned successful nan mediate of nan frame, conscionable supra nan chemoreceptor pads, for a much optimal signaling experience. Meta says nan camera positioning, on pinch nan various buttons on nan frames, is purposely placed connected nan bottommost broadside of nan glasses truthful that athletes tin deterioration helmets and different headwear much comfortably.

Speaking of which, nan Vanguards travel pinch a caller action fastener that users tin programme to punctual a circumstantial Meta AI query aliases moreover commencement a circumstantial video-recording mode, for illustration slow-motion seizure (which is capped astatine 720p aliases 1080p). I'm each for remappable buttons, and nan tactility of this 1 makes consciousness since nan target customer is ever connected nan go.

Meta is peculiarly proud of nan audio strategy connected these smart glasses, arsenic they're not only louder than what's connected nan Ray-Bans and HSTN but should beryllium audible moreover erstwhile nan personification is moving astatine 30 mph. I'll person to trial that retired myself, truthful agelong arsenic my woman is consenting to show maine erstwhile I'm moving astatine 30 mph truthful I tin beryllium a point, but it's a bold declare nonetheless.

The Vanguard has 1 large advantage complete competing smart glasses, including Meta's existing lineup: health-tracking integrations. Meta is chiefly moving pinch Garmin connected this for now, but you tin fundamentally inquire Meta AI for your fittingness statistic successful existent time, truthful agelong arsenic you're wearing a Garmin smartwatch.

Also: Meta Ray-Bans vs. Oakley: I tested some smart glasses, there's a clear winner

I demoed nan integration by hopping connected a stationary bike. As I pedaled, I asked Meta AI questions for illustration "How accelerated americium I cycling?" and "How acold person I biked?" The responses were amazingly accelerated and astatine a measurement that felt clear capable to process moreover arsenic I struggled to spell up a virtual hill.

This was demonstrated successful a controlled environment; you whitethorn not person arsenic speedy a consequence erstwhile you're pedalling done a wood aliases upland range. Meta says users tin brace nan glasses to platforms for illustration Apple Health and Google Fit, too, but those will only supply fittingness accusation aft exercises and not during. Hopefully, that will alteration successful nan adjacent future.

The Meta Oakley Vanguard smart glasses are disposable for preorder now and officially spell connected waste connected October 29 astatine a starting value of $499, $100 much than nan HSTN models and $150 much than nan caller second-generation Ray-Bans. But for superior athletes and folks who conscionable want to look cool, these consciousness for illustration a worthwhile finance that whitethorn only get amended pinch time.