The new Meta Ray-Bans glasses have been released and they are some of the best sunglasses I have ever owned. Meta(Facebook) and Ray-Ban have partnered again to release another version of glasses and they are amazing.
Hardware
The Meta Ray-Bans come in clear glass, transitions, and regular sunglasses. While all three have the same functionality for the most part there are several different colors and designs to fit many different fashion styles.
To start with, the Meta Ray-Bans just feel premium when you put them on and they should be at a pretty steep price point of $299 to $380 depending on the size and type you pick. The glasses frames themselves come in medium and large sizes. The Meta Ray-Bans charge via the nose piece in the case and the case charges via USB-C cable which is not provided and should be at the price point.
To use the glasses you must download the Meta View app on your iOS or Android device. Then pair the device via Bluetooth. Since the glasses are Bluetooth enabled you can answer calls on them and get alert messages about notifications on your phone.
Smart Features
The glasses themselves are very functional allowing you to listen to music through the frames by the ears and by using the tap gestures you can adjust the volume, and skip and repeat tracks. The glasses come with Meta AI that lets you say “Hey Meta” and ask a question or give it commands. I found weather information and other navigation handy.
On the right side of the glasses, you will have a button that allows you to click once for a photo and a long hold to start and stop video recording. You can open Instagram on your phone and do an Instagram Live right through the glasses which is the newest feature added to this new version of Meta Ray-Bans.
The one feature that I like is when you are taking a picture, recording, or live streaming there is a white indicator light that comes on so the people around you can see and know they are active.
Battery
The battery on the Meta Ray-Bans is very good. Fully charged glasses last up to 4 hours for moderate usage. It’s less if you are live streaming to Instagram. A fully charged case provides up to 32 hours of charging for your glasses. You cannot charge the glasses without the case.
If you like the Meta Ray-Bans you can get prescription lenses put in at the Ray-Ban site or places like Lensecrafts. This will not be cheap as I have seen the price jump to $500 – 800 dollars which is steep for a pair of glasses.
Final
I think the Meta Ray-Bans are a very cool pair of sunglasses at a fair price for a premium brand. The glasses will serve the content creator market and the Instagram Live feature has been a real selling point for many creators. The glasses work well to capture great pictures without having to pull out your phone to catch a memory with a great camera at your fingertips. In many situations, the camera on the glasses may be better than the camera on your phone. If you are looking for premium sunglasses at a mid-price point these are great choice.