Smart glasses have always felt like a futuristic idea, but Meta’s new Ray-Ban Display Smart Glasses are one of the first products that make the concept feel truly convincing. Priced at $799, they combine style with utility, giving us a glimpse of how wearables might eventually replace some of our smartphone habits. While still not a must-buy for everyone, they’re a meaningful leap forward.
Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Hardware & Design
The glasses themselves are an upgraded take on the earlier Ray-Ban Metas, keeping the classic Ray-Ban look but packing in far more advanced tech.
- Optics & Audio: They ship with transition lenses that darken in sunlight and return to clear indoors. Built into the frame are dual speakers and an impressive five-microphone array for crisp audio capture.
- Camera: The new camera records at 2.5x the resolution of the last generation, delivering 12MP photos and 3K video, plus a 720p slow-motion mode. Still, the quality feels closer to an older smartphone, and the slight shutter delay can result in blurry shots if you move too quickly.
- Battery & Build: A custom battery runs through the arms, powering the display without making the glasses bulky. At 69 grams, they’re only slightly heavier than a standard Ray-Ban pair (45 grams). The flexible overextension hinges add comfort, and after wearing them for over an hour, they’re easy to forget.
- Case: The carrying case feels premium, with a clever design that folds flat for pocket-friendly storage.
Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Display: A Private Digital Window
The built-in display is the star of the show. Positioned just to the side of your right eye, it functions more like a tiny personal screen rather than true AR.
It’s extremely bright, brighter than any phone screen, and importantly, completely private. Thanks to indirect projection, nobody else can see what’s on your display—even at maximum brightness. For first-generation smart glasses, that’s a huge win.
Neural Band Gestures: Future of Control
Instead of relying on clunky gestures in front of your face, Meta introduces the neural wristband. It detects tiny electrical signals from your muscles, allowing natural hand movements to control the interface.
The learning curve is surprisingly short. After an hour, it felt almost second nature, correctly registering my actions about 97% of the time. Common gestures include:
- Double-tap to activate the screen.
- Pinch to select.
- Slide your finger across your fist like a joystick to navigate.
- Rotate your fist to adjust volume.
Because it doesn’t depend on cameras, you can perform these gestures anywhere—even with your hands out of sight.
Software & Features of Meta’s Smart Glasses
The glasses still rely on your phone for about half their features, and while the interface is usable, it lacks the smoothness and speed of modern smartphones.
The biggest drawback? No app store. For now, you’re limited to Meta’s ecosystem—MetaMaps instead of Google Maps, Meta AI instead of ChatGPT, and a handful of custom-built apps.
That said, what’s available is genuinely useful:
- Messaging (WhatsApp): Messages appear clearly on the display, and you can watch videos without touching your phone. Replies are the standout feature—dictation is near flawless, or you can send a quick voice note. A beta feature even lets you “write” letters on your leg to compose a message silently.
- Live Captions & Translation: Using its microphone array, the glasses can isolate the voice of the person in front of you and display real-time subtitles. This also powers live translation, which works well, though with a slight delay.
- Maps & Music: Navigation arrows rotate as your head turns—simple but effective. Music playback is surprisingly good for open speakers, though anything above 40% volume leaks sound.
- Meta AI: The biggest perk isn’t intelligence but convenience. Whether you’re cooking or multitasking, having quick answers and instructions in your peripheral vision feels futuristic.
Verdict: Should You Buy Ray-Ban Smart Glasses?
At $799, these glasses won’t make sense for most people just yet. They’re less about mainstream adoption and more about positioning Meta as the brand people associate with smart eyewear before Apple and others enter the space.
Still, the Ray-Ban Display Smart Glasses prove that the technology works—and works well. The hardware is stylish and comfortable, the neural band feels like the future of control, and the private, ultra-bright display solves one of the biggest challenges of wearable tech.
They may not replace your phone today, but they point toward a future where they just might.
Final Takeaway: If you’re an early adopter or a tech enthusiast, these glasses are an exciting preview of what’s coming. For everyone else, the next generation might finally be the one worth buying.
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