I wore the Oakley Meta Vanguard on a 5-mile walk - here's who should (and who shouldn't) buy them

Oakley Meta Vanguard Smart Glasses ZDNET's key takeaways The Oakley Meta Vanguards are the latest fitness-centric smart glasses that start at $499. They support cross-platform fitness tracking and slow-motion video recording. Don't buy these if you were hoping for prescription support. View now at Meta View now at Best Buy more buying choices Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Most athletic activities can benefit from hands-free assistance -- which makes athletes among the biggest beneficiaries from smart glasses. Catering to this crowd, at Meta Connect last month, the company released the latest addition to its sporty AI smart glasses lineup:the Oakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses. The biggest difference between the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses and its relative, the Oakley Meta HSTN released back in June, lies in its aesthetic. With this pair, the company leans into the signature Oakley Sphaera look, combining the advanced specs of the HSTNs with the familair visor design. Also: I tested Meta Ray-Ban Display alternatives, and these are better in several ways for less money The new form factor also gave way for the inclusion of a new action button, a more centered camera for POV shots, and integrations with Garmin devices and Strava. However, it does come at a steeper price of $499. Is it worth the splurge? Here are my thoughts after a week of testing. How do they perform? Before we get into some of the entertaining upgrades, such as the distinct look and fun third-party integrations, we have to discuss the core of the smart glasses: performance. For the most part, the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses hold the same specs of the Oakley Meta HSTNs, including an IP67 rating (making them sweat, dust, and water resistant),12MP ultra-wide camera, 3K video recording, two open-ear speakers, and a five-mic array. However, subtle differences elevate the user experience on the Vanguard. Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET For one, the camera is positioned at the center instead of the corner of the lenses, which makes POV shots appear less angled or too high. In the videos I recorded, I found it much easier to get the positioning correct, as it was recording from the bridge of my nose (which is in the center of my view), as opposed ot the edges of the glasses. In addition to the standard video capturing mode, you can also record in slow-motion and hyperlapse. Also: CES: The 8 most advanced smart glasses we tried - and were impressed by On the audio front, the two open ear speakers provide audio that's as good as any of the smart glasses in Meta's lineup. I listened to music and audio messages during the entirety of my two-hour walk, and was satisfied with the quality and sound levels. I especially enjoyed being able leaving my headphones at home, packing lighter for my walk. Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET I also tested the audio by sending an audio message and hopping on a phone call. Each time, the audio sounded clear despite being exposed to elements such as wind and chattering animals. Although the Vanguard glasses have a 5-mic array like the HSTNs do, the positioning is slightly different with two mics in the frame and three near the nose region. Presumably, having more mics near your mouth should help your audio sound better, though I had no complaints with audio recording with either pair of smart glasses. Also: Which Meta Ray-Bans model should you buy? I tested both pairs, and here's how to decide Meta claims that these smart glasses can support up to nine hours with single charge, and up to 36 hours with fully charged case. I left for my walk, as registered by my Garmin Forerunner 970, at 2:11 p.m. when the battery was at 99%. Exactly one hour later, the battery was at 71%. During that period of time I was listening to music, taking intermittent videos and photos, and talking to Meta AI, so I was putting it to peak use. However, this performance reflects a 28% drain in an hour, compared to the around 10% that Meta is claiming. This isn't too surprising, as we've found previous Meta models also underperforming in battery life. You're definitely getting more than the Ray-Bans with these, but don't expect anything dramatically better. Putting the 'smart' in smart glasses Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET Capitalizing on the appeal to athletes, Meta integrated its Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses with Garmin devices and Strava. You'll need to link your Garmin and Strava accounts via the Meta AI app, download the Garmin Connect IQ app to track fitness metrics. For Strava, the integration allows users to add a helpful overlay to the footage captured on their Meta Vanguard AI glasses that showcases their performance metrics, including distance, average pace, elevation and more. (Note that the overlay doesn't actually appear through the glasses as you're running.) Also: Oura Ring's new 'Cumulative Stress' feature can alert you to burnout now - here's how Using this integration is simple; once the activity is completed, all you have to do is select media taken and overlay the stats. I am attaching one from my walk below, though I pulled from my Garmin stats. Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET The Garmin integration is a bit more in-depth. When working, it should allow users to get real-time stats of their workout simply by asking Meta AI questions about their work out. This is a helpful feature as it allows athletes to stay in the zone of their workout without having to glance down at their watch or phone to check for updates. There is also an autocapture feature that automatically captures content based on designated performance metrics. For example, you can set it to capture the moment you hit 10 miles on your run and it can automatically take that for you. Also: Snap's latest Specs AI updates prove that it's taking smart glasses seriously (but in a different way) Lastly, users can enable the visual status LED on paired glasses as a notification when different targets are met. However, despite linking my Garmin watch to the glasses, which enabled the overlay integration seen above, I was not able to get Meta AI to tell me about my workouts. I'll update this review when that's fixed. How do they look? Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET There is one big caveat to the Oakley Meta Vanguard, and that's prescription support. As lovely as they look to me, they're not compatible with prescriptions, so you have to commit to wearing contacts with it, or just not be able to see properly. For that reason, I recommend the Oakley Meta HTSNs to those who want similar recording features, plus support for varying vision. Although I say this everytime I write a smart glasses review, having a wearable on your face is deeply personal, and therefore, needs to look and feel good for the purchase to be worth it. As a result, these smart glasses may not be for everyone, but I love them. The iridescent sheen on the smart glasses, paired with the vibrant color options, make for a stylish fit. The lens color also filters light beautifully, reducing strain even in the brighter outdoors. Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET While the visor may seem like too much for many, in athletic circles, it's common practice to wear similar form factors. When I walked through Prospect Park in Brooklyn, not only did I see lots of athletes wearing very similar shades, but I even got stopped by a fellow runner. Also: I wore the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic for a week, and it shattered the myth of ugly fitness tech In my experience, the bigger form factor also makes for more comfortable weight distribution. With the Vanguards, I felt less pressure on the bridge of my nose, despite the glasses weighing 13 grams heavier than the HSTNs. The larger headband area also makes button placement more intuitive, with the addition of a new customizable button that I've programmed to trigger Hyperlapse video recording. ZDNET's buying advice If you are someone who would wear or is interested in wearing smart glasses with the style of the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses, the purchase is worth the money, as traditional Oakleys can run you upwards of $300. Also: Is Meta secretly scanning your phone's camera roll? Check this setting to find out ASAP However, if you are not someone whose style aligns with the visors, perhaps the more toned down Oakley Meta HTSNs would be a better match, as they pass for more common everyday sunglasses. Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.