Hot or Not? Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses on Review

The Fusion of Two Worlds: Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook, and Ray-Ban, the legendary eyewear brand, have brought the iconic Wayfarer into the smart era. With built-in cameras and speakers, it promises to blend timeless style with cutting-edge technology. But is this the future of smart glasses – or just an expensive toy with limited practical use?

Meta’s smart sunglasses aim to avoid the bulky sci-fi gadget look, relying instead on a classic Ray-Ban frame similar to the Wayfarer, Headliner, and Skyler models. These glasses promise elegance and understated style – true to the heritage of the American eyewear brand, now part of the Italian EssilorLuxottica group. And yet, beneath the sleek exterior lies an impressive array of technology.

With an integrated camera and speakers discreetly tucked away inside the arms, wearing these glasses feels a bit like stepping into 007’s world – as if Q himself had collaborated closely with Silicon Valley’s finest. Capturing photos, recording videos, or even live-streaming directly to Instagram or Facebook? This gadget has you covered. Ray-Ban offer lenses in various colours, with photochromic Transitions lenses available for an additional € 100. It all sounds like a must-have for influencers, livestreamers – or investigative journalists on undercover missions. But just how smart are the smart glasses? Does it remain a stylish gadget while setting a new technical benchmark? Is it a case of form following function, or does it risk veering into clunky tech-eyewear territory?

On Review: What are the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses capable of?

At first glance, the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are primarily one thing: a classic pair of sunglasses with the iconic Wayfarer design. Only upon closer inspection do the tech features become apparent – a camera discreetly built into the left arm, speakers, a touchpad integrated into the arms, and microphones seamlessly embedded into the frame. Essential components like the charger contacts are subtly placed in the nose bridge, allowing you to charge inside the case.

The battery level can be checked via a button on the case, which lights up when opened. Despite these tech upgrades, the glasses are relatively lightweight: at 49 grams, they’re comfortable to wear for smart glasses, even if the slightly wider arms hint at the technology within. The upswept arm tips add a subtle “cat-eye” look, successfully blending style and function.

The camera can be controlled via a button on the right arm, and delivers solid results with its 12 MP sensor – at least in good lighting conditions. The image quality is comparable to that of older smartphones, which makes it suitable for spontaneous snapshots and POV videos, with image stabilisation performing admirably. However, low-light performance reveals its limitations: the small sensor captures minimal detail, resulting in noticeably soft images.

A handy LED on the right arm indicates when a photo or video is being recorded and even detects if it has been covered. Conveniently, an internal lock button ensures the glasses won’t be accidentally activated. Photos and videos are stored on the 32 GB internal memory and can be synchronised with a smartphone via the Meta View app – though this process can be quite slow. The app also allows adjustments to audio and camera settings, offering greater control over the smart glasses’ functionality.

A standout feature during the review was the quality of the speakers and microphones. The glasses are excellent for phone calls: you can conveniently answer calls via the touchpad, while the built-in speakers reproduce the caller’s voice with clarity. The microphones are equally impressive, delivering performance comparable to good Bluetooth earbuds – but with the added benefit of leaving your ears free, creating a spatial sound effect as if the person were right beside you. Listening to music is possible too, though the sound is more focused on speech clarity than bass-heavy audio.

However, the Wayfarer still isn’t a home-run in every respect. Voice control via the built-in assistant feels underwhelming, more akin to Apple’s Siri than a state-of-the-art voice assistant. Significant updates, which are already available in Canada and the USA, are needed to unlock its full potential. These updates promise features like real-time analysis of everyday scenarios, enabling instant translations or even suggesting the perfect outfit for your next international mission while peering into your wardrobe.

One major concern remains privacy. While the LED light signals when a recording is in progress, this can be easily bypassed – for example, by covering the LED with tape during a recording. Even though the microphones can be deactivated, the glasses still carry the potential for misuse, such as unwanted recordings or livestreams. This leaves a bitter aftertaste and raises the need for a broader discussion about the responsible use of smart glasses.

The battery life of 3-4 hours is sufficient for short outings but quickly runs out during longer adventures. On the plus side, the included charging case can recharge the glasses in around two hours, providing up to 36 hours of total runtime in theory. Practical? Yes. Revolutionary? Not quite.

It’s important to note: at its core, the Wayfarer is a “smart pair of glasses with a camera and speakers.” No AR overlays, no sci-fi features – which makes it less of a futuristic smart glasses device and more of a stylish gadget hybrid. Compared to VR headsets like Meta’s own Quest or Apple’s Vision Pro, the Wayfarer offers significantly less technology but shines with a completely different approach: discreet, lightweight, and practical for everyday use.

The concept of a head-up display, like the one of the 2013 Google Glass, hasn’t been adopted here – a decision that enhances its elegance as an accessory but also limits its functionality.

Do You Really Need the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses?

The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are a gadget for tech enthusiasts and Ray-Ban fans who want to combine style with smart features in a single product. They’re particularly interesting for influencers, streamers, and content creators who are looking to share authentic, everyday moments with their followers. The camera provides a genuine POV perspective, though the image quality is closer to that of an older smartphone than cutting-edge technology.

The assistant, activated with “Hey Meta,” remains fairly basic in Germany, more reminiscent of Siri’s functionality than advanced AI. So far, it can only control music playback, read messages, or report the weather and is currently only available in English.

In everyday use, the Wayfarer shines particularly during phone calls: voices come through clearly, and the speakers deliver a natural, spatial sound thanks to the glasses’ design. The microphones also do an excellent job of filtering out background noise, making hands-free calls both practical and stylish.

However, video calls are notably absent – a missed opportunity to leverage the built-in cameras. As a tech accessory, the Wayfarer is undeniably sleek, with its features discreetly integrated into the design.

Would we buy the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses?

Ray-Ban successfully blend the iconic Wayfarer design with modern technology, but the features remain limited for now. While the camera quality, audio, and controls deliver decent performance, they don’t make the glasses an essential companion. The basic smart features currently make them feel more like a prototype than fully realised sci-fi tech. If Meta follow through on their promise to improve AI assistance also in Germany, the James Bond vibes could transform into a true licence to thrill, making the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses stand out far beyond the influencer crowd.

For more information, visit ray-ban.com.

Words: Jan Fock Photos: Julian Schwede