Tech News
← Back to articles

How the Oakley Meta smart glasses beat my Ray-Bans on a 5-mile test walk

read original related products more articles

Oakley Meta Vanguard Smart Glasses ZDNET's key takeaways The Oakley Meta Vanguards are the brand's latest fitness-centric smart glasses starting 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 Amazon

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

Most sports can benefit from hands-free assistance -- which makes athletes among the biggest beneficiaries from smart glasses. Catering to this crowd, at Meta Connect in September, the company released the latest addition to its sporty AI smart glasses lineup: the Oakley Meta Vanguard.

The biggest difference between the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses and their sibling, 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 familiar 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 delve into the distinctive look and fun third-party integrations, we must discuss the core of the smart glasses: performance.

... continue reading