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The Meta Ray-Bans are arguably the most successful AI hardware product in the past three years, with enough momentum to encourage Mark Zuckerberg to spend 80% of this week's Meta Connect keynote discussing the past, present, and future of smart glasses.
Also: I used the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, and they offer 2 breakthroughs to take us beyond smartphones
While much of the fanfare was reserved for the new Ray-Ban Display glasses, which feature a waveguide system that projects visual cues, navigation pathways, a camera viewfinder, and more, the second generation of the original Meta Ray-Bans also launched. In many ways, they succeed their predecessor with meaningful upgrades. But you'll want to note the drawbacks too.
I've tested both the first and second generation of Ray-Ban smart glasses, and here are the key reasons for and against buying the latest model.
Specifications
Meta Ray-Ban (1st Gen) Meta Ray-Ban (2nd Gen) Price $299 $379 Frame styles Wayfarer, Headliner, Skyler Wayfarer, Headliner, Skyler Lenses Tinted, Transitions, Clear Tinted, Transitions, Clear Camera 12MP, up to 1080p+ resolution 12MP, up to 3K resolution Battery Up to 4 hours per charge, 32 hours with case Up to 8 hours per charge, 48 hours with case Microphones 5-mic acoustic array 5-mic acoustic array
You should buy the Meta Ray-Ban (2nd Gen) if...
Jason Hiner/ZDNET
1. You want the best-looking video from your eyewear
Arguably, the biggest improvement with the newest Ray-Ban smart glasses is the ability to record in 3K video resolution. That's on par with the more expensive Meta Oakley HSTN model, and footage is noticeably sharper and more vivid when compared to the older Ray-Bans' 1080p recordings.
Also: I biked with the Meta Oakley Vanguard, and they're easily the best smart glasses for athletes
The footage is still limited to a 4:3 aspect ratio, making it optimal for social media sharing, TikToks, and other mobile-centric platforms, but less so for long-form content. However, the bump in resolution should at least make cropping and cutting more forgiving with the second-gen Meta Ray-Bans.
2. Battery anxiety is a big no-no for you
While I wouldn't say that the original Ray-Ban smart glasses were significantly underwhelming in endurance, content creators and power users were able to run through the battery within two to three hours. Like the Oakley HSTN, the new Ray-Ban model has twice the battery life rating as its predecessor, with Meta suggesting up to eight hours of audio streaming compared to four hours.
You should buy the Meta Ray-Ban (1st Gen) if...
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
1. The new software features interest you
Meta announced a swath of new AI features alongside the Ray-Ban (2nd Gen), most of which will trickle down to the 1st-gen model within the coming months. Tools like Conversation Focus, which amplify the speaker in front of you, and Live AI, a multimodal feature that can keep track and interact with items, tasks, and other environmental objects, are on the future update list.
Also: I tried smart glasses with a built-in display, and they beat my Meta Ray-Bans in key ways
So, if the new software features intrigue you more than the hardware itself, it may make more sense for you to either keep your existing smart glasses or, if you're not an owner, buy the older model instead.
2. You'd like to save $80 (and possibly more)
The new Meta Ray-Ban glasses come with an $80 upcharge, raising the starting price from $299 to $379. It's still a reasonable price, considering the quality-of-life changes that come with it, but if you're shopping on a budget, it may make more financial sense for you to invest in the older model, which Meta still sells on its website.
And that's comparing the retail prices. Over the past several months, I've seen the first-generation Meta Ray-Bans list for as low as $240, and I'm expecting more of that going into the holiday season. It's also worth checking out Meta's refurbished but discounted storefront.