00:04Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, made in collaboration with Essilor Luxottica, the parent company of
00:09Ray-Ban and Oakley, set the current standard for the many lesser-known brands competing for space
00:14in the burgeoning smart glasses market. But the competition may well catch up before too long.
00:19That in mind, while the changes between the first and second generation Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses
00:24have been iterative, the focus for Meta is more than likely on the new Meta Ray-Ban displays
00:29than on these comparatively dumb smart glasses. What better way to find out just how good of an
00:34upgrade these are than to test them on the road? I took my pair of second generation Ray-Ban Meta
00:38on
00:38vacation to Rome, Italy and used them as my main camera and tour guide to find out just how useful
00:43they are in a real-life situation. The second generation Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses start at
00:52$379 or pounds in all of its different styles. That's $80 or pounds higher than the first generation
00:57glasses. That's a relatively small price increase, especially given certain market conditions,
01:02for a decent upgrade to battery life and camera specs. That being said, you can also easily swap
01:07out your existing lenses from a first generation pair into a new pair if you really want those
01:11benefits but already have them at home. You'll also pay $30 or pounds or $80 or pounds for polarized
01:17or transition lenses respectively. I went for standard shaded lenses and I really wished for transition
01:23lenses countless times during my testing. It's a must-have if you plan to use these indoors at any
01:28given point without looking like you're sporting a hangover. All frame designs are priced the same
01:33and you can choose from six color options across the Wayfarer and Headliner frames or seven in the Skylar.
01:39Two new designs have also recently been released for prescription wearers. Those are called the Blazer
01:44and Scriber frames. Little has changed that the eye can see between the first and second generation
01:52Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in terms of design. The case is the same, they're available in the same
01:56styles barring those prescription-only styles I mentioned before and with the same lenses. In fact,
02:02all that's noticeably changed here is the weight, which goes up by 2.8 grams from 49.2 grams in
02:07the
02:08first generation model to 52 grams in the latter. That's likely on account of the larger battery and
02:13improved camera hardware. On the one hand, the sameness can be a little bit disappointing. For example,
02:17these still only have an IPX4 rating, but broadly it's a case of if it ain't broke with this newer
02:23version. Now, I'll say it before you do, I don't like how the Wayfarers look on me, which did kind
02:28of ruin my holiday shots. That boxy shape and the thick frames make me look a little bit like
02:33Carl Fredrickson from Up. Broadly speaking, I think at least one of the three styles will suit most people.
02:38I'm more of a Skylar girl myself. But even Meta can't ever really escape the fact that these glasses
02:43need to be decently boxy to squeeze in all of that tech. The fit is still super comfortable though,
02:49and that 2.8 gram weight increase hasn't made the glasses unwearable. On the upper left corner,
02:53you'll still find the 12 megapixel camera lens, and on the upper right is the indicator that lets
02:58passers-by know you're filming or taking a photo. The placement here bothers me. Most smart glasses
03:03clearly weren't made with people with longer hair in mind, because if you have bangs like I do,
03:07you'll find a great many shots look a little like this. The shutter button is also still on the top
03:12right arm, as well as the invisible touchpad on the outer side of the arm, which helps you control
03:16things like music and Meta AI. On the left arm, you'll find the power switch. From afar, these frames
03:21are discreet enough to almost be imperceivable, and that continues right the way through to the mics
03:26and speakers. In fact, the only way you can tell these are smart glasses at all is from the lens
03:30and
03:31the light. I'll let you decide whether that's a good thing or a menace to society.
03:37I took the Ray-Ban Meta second generation smart glasses on vacation with me to Rome, Italy.
03:42Hoping the beautiful and historic city would offer lots of opportunities for that neat little 12
03:46megapixel camera to capture some great first-person perspectives, as I explored the landmarks.
03:51The quality of photos and videos captured by these glasses will naturally pale in comparison
03:56to the main camera on any flagship smartphone from the last few years. It's only a 12 megapixel camera
04:02after all. Still, I think there's something quite charming about the photos and videos taken
04:06by the Ray-Ban Meta, especially if you work around some of its limitations. You're of course
04:11limited to vertical shots, and framing your shot is quite tough given there's no display or preview.
04:16Shooting at night will garner middling results and colors can often be quite diluted,
04:20but broadly speaking the results are great for just capturing the moment in short. Most of all,
04:25I loved the convenience of capturing my surroundings without fumbling in my bag for my phone or camera,
04:30especially if you just want a little snippet of what you're seeing. Similarly, you'll need to put some
04:34thoughts into what video settings suit the action to. 1080p at 30fps footage is a little better
04:40stabilized, but naturally it's less detailed and well balanced when compared to 3K HDR videos.
04:45Inside the glasses' arms are two open-air speakers, through which you can hear Meta AI's responses and
04:51music. These are louder, bassier, and have less sound leakage compared to the first model, at least
04:56according to Meta. I say that does track, the quality here is pretty great, though there's still a good amount
05:02of
05:03leakage that I noticed while I was wearing these out in public. I wouldn't personally wear them sat
05:07next to a stranger and listening to tunes fall blast myself, but if you're lying on a beach or
05:12on a walk, they'll work a treat. For me, the most noteworthy upgrade is definitely to the battery.
05:17Now, with twice as long on-device battery and a solid 16-hour boost to the case, these can last
05:23a
05:23whole weekend away comfortably, or get by with a few quick charges if you're traveling for a little
05:28longer. That's a huge win, while only adding a few grams to the overall weight.
05:35Speaking of Meta AI, the Assistant is pretty handy to have around, and has seen some improvements
05:40since we reviewed the original specs back in 2024. Broadly, the AI suite works as expected,
05:46including some of those newer features. I tried using live translation to quickly unpack what someone
05:50was saying, and while it's not super accurate or snappy, it gets you by when abroad. While visiting the
05:55Colosseum, Meta served as my in-house tour guide, telling me about the different landmarks I was
06:01seeing and chatting up a storm about ancient Rome. However, I did experience some mild hallucination.
06:07I asked if the massive structure had ever been used for anything beyond entertainment,
06:11and Meta AI told me all about its past as a housing complex. I pressed for some more information,
06:16including when this happened, and all of a sudden it said that had never been the case. It was infrequent,
06:21but it does show why you should take AI-generated information with more than a pinch of salt.
06:25The worst part of its AI suite is, unfortunately, the app you have to use to pair your Ray-Ban
06:31Meta.
06:31The Meta AI app brims with AI slop, and I hate that there's no one-touch button to get you
06:36straight
06:37to your media if you're a Ray-Ban user. Every time I accidentally open the Vibes feed, I shudder.
06:44If you've never owned a pair of smart glasses, these are the industry standard. While imperfect,
06:49they offer a really well-balanced range of features, great design, and reliable software.
06:54That's far from the case with some smart glasses we test. Being linked to Meta's suite of social
06:58platforms also has its benefits, with some great content creation tools on offer here. Plus,
07:03with Ray-Ban's design know-how, these are by far and away some of the best looking and ergonomic
07:09smart glasses available today. However, unless you're really desperate for some more battery life,
07:14there's not enough change between the first and second generation glasses to justify the expense
07:19if you're looking to upgrade. Unless, of course, you've got money to burn. I'd rather just wait
07:23for a more distinctive upgrade, or hold out for the Meta Ray-Ban display glasses instead.
07:28So, what do you think of the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses? Let us know in the comments
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