Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: A Stylish Concept With Some Major Flaws

The release of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses this September promised to blend style and technology into a single sleek package. These prescription-friendly sunglasses caught my attention as an intriguing wearable, offering features like music playback, hands-free calls, and photo capture, all without needing to reach for your phone. For a tech editor who loves testing new gadgets, these seemed like a fun accessory worth trying out, especially at a price point of $300.

After using them for a month in New York City—during commutes, park strolls, and running errands—I found some aspects impressive, particularly the clarity of text messages and the audio quality. However, one glaring flaw left me hesitant to recommend them wholeheartedly.

The design of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses is undeniably sleek, with a minimalist camera placed subtly on the upper-right frame. A glowing ring around the lens lets you know when you're capturing photos or videos. The glasses’ charging case has a stylish faux-leather finish but is bulky, making it difficult to fit into smaller bags. The magnetic mount for the sunglasses, though useful, can be a bit tricky to handle at first. And while the case has a helpful LED light to show when the battery is low, the overall bulk is hard to ignore. Additionally, the thicker frame arms became uncomfortable after wearing them for extended periods, though they never slipped from my face.

The biggest disappointment, however, was the battery life. The Ray-Ban Meta glasses last only four hours on a single charge, which is a major letdown, especially if you're hoping to wear them for extended periods, like at festivals or during long outdoor outings. For comparison, the Amazon Echo Frames (Gen 3) offer a battery life of six to eight hours, though they lack a camera. The charging case extends the Ray-Bans' battery life up to 32 hours, but the initial four-hour limit can be quite limiting for some use cases.

In terms of performance, the glasses impressed me with their audio quality. The sound was clear and significantly better than other smart glasses I’ve tested. The open-ear design ensures situational awareness, and the touch controls along with the Meta AI voice assistant were responsive and convenient. While the 12MP camera is decent for casual use, it does come with some limitations, including a noticeable fishbowl effect.

But the biggest flaw that became apparent was the lack of location tracking. If you misplace these glasses, there’s no way to track them, which feels like a huge oversight for a $300 pair of smart sunglasses. In contrast, Amazon’s Echo Frames offer a "find my device" feature, which is incredibly useful when you lose your glasses. I learned this the hard way when I misplaced mine, and it highlighted just how important this feature is.

In conclusion, the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses offer an appealing combination of stylish design and some fun tech features, especially with their excellent audio and decent camera. However, the lack of location tracking and underwhelming battery life are significant drawbacks. If you're willing to overlook these issues for the sake of owning a stylish tech gadget, they might still be worth considering. Otherwise, a traditional pair of sunglasses and a set of wireless earbuds may offer a more practical and reliable solution.

How I Tested the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses

Throughout my testing, I wore the Ray-Ban Meta glasses daily, including in parks and on busy city streets. I assessed their audio performance with a variety of music genres, comparing them to the Amazon Echo Frames (3rd Gen). I also tested their battery life and unfortunately experienced the consequences of their lack of location tracking firsthand.

My Expertise

As an experienced consumer tech editor at Forbes Vetted, I've covered a wide range of technology products, from wearables to smart home gadgets. My reviews are based on hands-on experience, allowing me to provide informed recommendations for consumers looking to navigate the tech landscape.