
As a tech reporter, I be events and conferences pinch different gadget aficionados. A telltale motion that a merchandise is bully is erstwhile reporters and attendees rave astir it and moreover usage their money to bargain it. And nary matter wherever I went, I couldn't flight nan glowing Meta Ray-Ban reviews.
Also: Meta's caller $399 Oakley smart glasses hit nan Ray-Bans successful almost each way
These experiences weren't conscionable ones that I noticed; income told nan aforesaid story. EssilorLuxottica, nan glasses producer, reported in February that 2 cardinal pairs of nan Meta Ray-Bans person been sold since their October 2023 launch. After proceeding truthful galore affirmative reviews of nan Meta Ray-Bans, I sewage a brace of my own.
As an eyeglass wearer and an openly photo-obsessed Gen-Zer, these smartglasses seemed for illustration a cleanable fit. After wearing them for six months, including astatine events specified arsenic CES, I person immoderate favourite features. Surprisingly, my apical picks are not what I initially thought they would be.
1. The audio
When considering whether I wanted nan glasses, each nan evident benefits progressive nan dual cameras. I ne'er expected my favourite characteristic to beryllium nan audio. The smartglasses are equipped pinch 5 microphones and 2 custom-built open-ear speakers that are amazingly performant.
I often hide that I americium wearing smart glasses until I commencement scrolling connected societal media and perceive audio. The audio is arsenic bully arsenic utilizing immoderate earbuds pinch ambient mode aliases open-ear headphones, specified arsenic nan Shockz OpenFit. There is sound leakage, but arsenic personification who often uses open-ear headphones, I don't person immoderate shame.
Also: I tested Meta's transparent Ray-Ban smart glasses, and they're a near-perfect accessory for me
Another awesome advantage is really bully nan microphones are. My biggest shape of connection is audio connection exchanges, and I was tense that nan glasses would make it inconvenient aliases difficult to nonstop them. Instead, nan glasses prime up my sound naturally, pinch nary issues. In fact, they're amended than immoderate earbuds that I person tested and worn.
2. AI-enabled translation
As an artificial intelligence (AI) reporter, I person tested respective AI translator devices, and my email inbox is flooded pinch pitches from companies promoting them. These products are typically costly and only fulfill 1 task. For that reason, I was excited to spot that nan Meta Ray-Bans see an AI-powered unrecorded translator characteristic for free.
Also: Your Meta Ray-Bans conscionable sewage a awesome characteristic upgrade for free - and it feels surreal
Although AI translator is not thing you mightiness scope for each day, successful situations wherever you request help, it's bully to cognize that you person an adjunct adjacent astatine hand. Plus, arsenic personification who grew up successful a Spanish-speaking family and is fluent, I tried nan tech pinch my mom successful existent time, and was impressed astatine really accurately it translated, really speedy it was to get started, and really easy it was to group up.
3. Easy entree to Meta AI (bonus, it's multimodal)
Now, I cognize astir days you whitethorn not usage an AI sound adjunct connected your phone, but what makes nan tech awesome connected these smartglasses is accessibility.
The champion portion astir Meta Ray-Bans is that you often hide you are wearing them. So, you tin spell astir your day, washing dishes, folding clothes, sweeping nan floor, and commuting without your telephone while still having entree to important features, specified arsenic push notifications, music, and assistance.
Also: The champion AI chatbots of 2025: ChatGPT, Copilot, and notable alternatives
For example, if you are grilling extracurricular and your telephone is successful nan house, you tin quickly ask, "How agelong should I navigator a burger connected nan grill earlier flipping?" and it will show you. But to return it a measurement forward, you tin leverage nan glasses' AI-enabled multimodal assistance, which uses nan provender from nan cameras astatine nan apical of nan lenses arsenic context.
In that scenario, you could opportunity thing like, "How agelong earlier I flip this?" The adjunct would usage nan ocular discourse to supply an answer. Because of nan position of nan cameras, nan glasses tin spot what you see, which tin beryllium moreover much helpful. Whenever I telephone connected this feature, it ne'er gets old.
4. Filming
This whitethorn look for illustration an evident perk, but if you create tons of ocular content, nan Meta Ray-Bans are a cool instrumentality to adhd to your arsenal. Because of nan positioning of nan cameras successful nan glasses, nan footage you get is unique, arsenic it is virtually from your constituent of view.
For example, if you are connected an amusement parkland ride, stepping done a venue, aliases cooking a meal, group spot precisely what you are experiencing. This point-of-view acquisition is akin to that of a GoPro device, and contempt nan inferior quality, if you are for illustration maine and not an adrenaline junky, this action whitethorn beryllium much practical.
Also: Apple's Meta Ray-Bans slayer is only 1 of 4 awesome launches successful 2027 - here's nan list
Another use is nan button's positioning. It is prominently and conveniently displayed astatine nan apical of nan correct eye, truthful location is nary messing astir erstwhile you spot thing you want to shoot. This capacity makes it moreover quicker than taking your telephone retired and clicking nan grounds button.
5. Form factor
Last but not least, I wouldn't beryllium capable to talk astir nan Meta Ray-Bans without talking astir nan shape factor. In nan photograph above, I person them side-by-side adjacent to nan brace I deterioration each day, and you tin spot that they look highly similar, contempt packing galore components specified arsenic cameras, microphones, speakers, and a battery. Most group can't moreover show that nan Ray-Bans are smart glasses, unless you are a chap techie.
One symptom point
The artillery dies too accelerated for my liking. In my experience, I typically tin make them past astir six hours. However, that often intends nan powerfulness connected nan glasses lasts halfway done my day, which isn't ideal. That's why nan recently announced Oakley Meta glasses are truthful appealing; they're rated to past upwards of 8 hours.
There is besides nary measurement to complaint nan Ray-Ban glasses while they are connected your face, though I'm judge an further constituent for that would only adhd to their existing heft. My workaround is to deterioration nan Meta Ray-Bans erstwhile I cognize I request to usage nan features, alternatively than each day.
Luckily, if you person been wanting to get a brace and nan artillery life of nan smartglasses was besides your biggest deterrent, Meta launched caller Oakley smart glasses that tin beryllium utilized for 8 hours alternatively of four, doubling nan artillery lifetime. It besides comes pinch upgrades successful virtually each different aspect, including higher-quality video signaling and an IPX4 h2o guidance rating.
The limited-edition Oakley Meta HSTN glasses unit for $499 and are disposable for pre-order now. But much models will beryllium disposable later this summertime astatine nan little value constituent of $399.
Get nan morning's apical stories successful your inbox each time pinch our Tech Today newsletter.
This communicative was primitively published connected May 12, 2025, and was updated connected July 14, 2025.