Meta’s new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses review

The hottest new tech product is finally coming to Australia. I gave it a run for its money in the toughest of environments.

I’ve managed to get my hands on the hottest new tech product in Australia.

Here’s my thoughts on the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.

What’s new

Readers may remember Meta’s first attempt at smart glasses: Ray-Ban Stories.

As I wrote in 2021, the stylish sunnies are equipped with a fairly good camera and audio system and are good value for money.

The new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are the next generation.

You can still take photos, videos, make phone calls and listen to music on the glasses. They’re just a lot better in almost every way.

The new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses come with a better camera and much better audio system. Picture: Supplied

Firstly they’re lighter, which is a big deal. The designers had to pack a fair bit of equipment in the glasses, including the camera and audio system. The new design is noticeably lighter which makes them a whole lot more comfortable as they rest on your nose.

Another big improvement is the audio upgrades.

The camera is also better. There’s now an ultra-wide 12MP camera and five-mic system.

You can use voice commands to take photos and videos, and also go live on Facebook and Instagram.

The battery life is improved, with a full charge lasting up to 36 hours. Charging takes place inside a stylish case.

Meta has released a bunch of different colours and designs including the Wayfarer, Skyler and Headliner.

The Wayfarer sunnies. Picture: Supplied

The Skyler design. Picture: Supplied

The Headliner. Picture: Supplied

The new style “Skyler” frames were announced by Meta in April 2024 and are available in Australia now.

The best thing about the glasses is the ability to use Meta AI and query what you are looking at. For example you could look at landmark and say, “hey Meta, what am I seeing?” and it will provide an answer. The uses are almost limitless and includes translating foreign signs and assistance for writing photo captions.

This tech is being rolled out in the US and Canada — and is not available in Australia... yet.

When it comes, that will be awesome and especially helpful for people with vision impairments.

My experience

I recently holidayed in the Davao region of the Philippines and used my glasses to document some of my experiences.

It was hot, dusty and sweaty — every day the mercury spiked past 40C — but the glasses survived.

As I toured around the incredible lush mountains and stunning white beaches, eating delicious Philippine delicacies, the glasses came with me.

I found it was a great way to show my friends and family a perspective of the Philippines — almost exactly the same way I saw it.

Also, having the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses meant I was able to wrangle my children and take snaps at the same time.

Durian and mangosteen sweets for sale at Apo ni Lola Durian Delicacies.

I stumbled across Coles products for sale in a supermarket in the Philippines.

A street kitchen selling sabaw. Picture: Supplied

The new camera on the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses meant the majority of the photos and video was in focus — although I made sure to stay still while taking the snaps.

Although I found the pictures did not turn out well in very low light as there is not flash.

I even took the glasses with me for a swim while visiting the Island Garden City of Samal and the water resistant glasses came out intact.

As an aside, just like the old design, there is a capture LED light which notifies other people that you’re using the camera, which is designed to prevent people from using the camera surreptitiously.

What they’re good for

For people who need spectacles with corrective lenses, the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are a great way to add more tech to your life.

You can easily sit on the train and have a conversation with someone, with a microphone picking up your voice and the speaker directing the noise to your ears in a way that people can’t overhear you.

You can also connect to Messenger, WhatsApp and your phone, and send and receive messages using the voice control, with the messages read out loud.

I also use the glasses to listen to music.

For everyone else, they’re best used as sunnies — again with all the perks of smart glasses.

Pricing starts from $449, which is cheaper than most phones. The glasses are available from meta.com and ray-ban.com.

I think the glasses are a big win for consumers. I was impressed how Meta was able to make some big improvements while keeping the stylish look and the price low.

Originally published as Meta’s new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses review