It’s been six months since I picked up a pair of Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses, and I’ll admit—I was skeptical at first. Like many people, I had questions: What’s the point if I’m not constantly posting to Instagram? Will I actually use them enough to justify the cost? After half a year of use, I finally have my answers.
The Design: Style Meets Tech
Let’s start with the design. Meta and Ray-Ban nailed it. These glasses don’t scream “wearable tech.” In fact, I’ve walked by and talked to tons of people while wearing them, and maybe one person realized what they were. The only real giveaways? A tiny camera and slightly thicker sides.
You’ve got style options like the Headliner and Wayfarer (I went with Wayfarer), and you can even get prescription or transition lenses—though expect to pay an extra $50 to $80 for those.
How Do They Work?
So what makes these glasses smart? A few things:
- A built-in 12MP camera
- Open-ear speakers on each side
- Meta AI integration
- Controls for music, calls, and the assistant via a touchpad
There’s also a capture button for snapping photos or recording video, and a touchpad on the right arm for volume control and playback. You can connect with Spotify, Apple Music (iPhone only), or Amazon Music with a tap.Bonus: they’re IPX4 water-resistant. I’ve even taken them kayaking—just don’t dunk them for hours.
Speaker and Mic Quality
This was a pleasant surprise. The speakers are solid—not audiophile-level, but great for background music. I’ve reached for my earbuds way less. One of my favorite features? Seamlessly transitioning music from my car to the glasses.
They also have a five-mic system that makes phone calls super clear. People rarely realize I’m not on a regular phone or headset.
Meta AI: Useful, but Hit-or-Miss
Meta’s AI assistant has two main roles?
- Task-oriented stuff: Make hands-free calls, take photos, send texts, play music, and post directly to Instagram Stories or message apps.
- General Q&A: You can ask it questions like, “What USDA zone does Raleigh fall under for pawpaw trees?” and it’ll give you a pretty accurate answer.
It also helps with things like media quality—telling you if someone’s face is obscured or if your lens is dirty.
That said, the assistant still struggles. Asking it to identify plants often results in obvious answers like “That’s a tree with green leaves.” And since it’s based on a language model, it sometimes gives incorrect answers with way too much confidence.
The Camera: Surprisingly Solid
The 12MP camera delivers surprisingly good quality. Colors are accurate, and HDR doesn’t feel over-processed. What really sets it apart, though, is the point of view. You get hands-free shots that you’d miss while fumbling for your phone—like a kayaking trip where I caught moments that would’ve otherwise passed me by.
Are they replacing your phone’s camera? Not a chance. But for spontaneous or active moments, they shine.
Limitations:
- Videos cap out at 3 minutes (I keep mine at 60 seconds to save battery).
- Everything is shot in a fixed portrait orientation—not ideal for every scenario.
- There’s a slight 1-2 second delay when taking photos, which can throw people off.
Battery Life & Charging
The included leather charging case is nice, with a USB-C port and magnetic connectors. Meta claims 4 hours on a charge, and about 36 hours total with the case. That held true for me—I got 4–5 hours during a photo-heavy day trip.
A 15-minute charge gets you back up to ~30-40%. Not bad, but I’d love to see closer to 8 hours of life in the next version.
What I Don’t Use (Much)
- Deep AI conversations or object identification—it’s just not there yet.
- Direct sharing to Instagram or messaging apps—nice to have, but not essential for me.
- The assistant’s more advanced features—cool in theory, but hit-or-miss in practice.
Downsides
- Battery life: Four hours is okay, but not great.
- AI limitations: Can’t ID songs from your iPhone, and the OS integration feels half-baked.
- Photo lag: The delay after pressing the button is annoying.
- Comfort: After a few hours, the glasses start to feel heavy on the ears.
- No tracking: Lose them and you’re out of luck—no “Find My” feature here.
Should You Buy Them?
I was on the fence at first, but the Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses won me over. They’re fun, practical, and surprisingly useful for day-to-day life, especially if you’re traveling or doing anything active outdoors.
That said, they’re not for everyone:
- If you’re always losing your sunglasses—skip these.
- If you’re in it for deep AI interaction—wait for a future version.
- But if you’re already eyeing $200 designer sunglasses? For $100 more, you get smart features, a camera, and surprisingly good audio. That’s an easy upsell in my book.
Final Thoughts
I’d love to see better OS integration and longer battery life, but even as they are now, these glasses feel like a glimpse into the future of wearables. And no, they don’t have embedded displays (yet), but listening to music, snapping a photo, or answering a call through your glasses? That’s still pretty awesome.
Want more future-facing tech reviews? Check out my thoughts on the Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest 3—and if you liked this, you’ll probably enjoy my takes on wearables like the Apple Watch or Pixel Watch.
For 6 Months Later, I’m Josh Teder—thanks for reading!
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