Ray-Ban Meta 2 Glasses

Price and Availability

The Ray-Ban Meta 2 smart glasses are now available globally and have an RRP of £379/$379/€419, making them more expensive than their predecessor. However, much like the last generation, the Ray-Ban Meta 2 glasses come with a choice of lenses, although unlike the Oakley Meta Vanguard Sport Glasses, these lenses aren’t changeable. 

Design

• Same Ray-Ban frame options as predecessor
• New lens options to personalise the glasses
• Touch control on legs can take some getting used to

If you want a pair of smart glasses that combine an iconic design with AI prowess, then you’d be hard-pressed to find a better pair than the Ray-Ban Meta 2.

Available in either the classic Wayfarer, Skyler or Headliner shapes, the Ray-Ban Meta 2 can be customised with lens types, correcting prescriptions and more, according to your needs and personal preferences.

As a glasses wearer, I can confirm that wearing the Ray-Ban Meta 2 glasses feels natural as they sit comfortably without constantly needing to push them up my nose.

However, one slight issue I encountered was with the touch controls on the arms, as I kept finding myself accidentally resuming music playback without intending to. I’m sure this is something I’ll get used to eventually, but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless.

Features

• Meta AI includes a range of new features, such as Live Translation
• Promise of up to eight hours of battery life, double that of its predecessor
• Capture video in up to 3K

Naturally, one of the main reasons to invest in the Ray-Ban Meta 2 glasses is the inclusion of Meta AI, which is baked right into the specs. The Ray-Ban Meta 2 glasses build upon the already robust set of AI tools found in the original pair, while offering a few key new features.

What I found especially impressive was the inclusion of Live Translation. While the original pair enabled you to translate text, the new Ray-Ban Meta 2 glasses allow for a more natural conversation with someone speaking a different language. I tested this with a French speaker, and was impressed with the ability to hear the translation via the Ray-Ban Meta 2’s open-ear speaker system. 

When I then replied in English, the speaker could read what I had said via the Meta AI app in French, so they didn’t even need to don the glasses. I really think this is a useful tool that will come in handy when abroad. 

Alongside Live Translation, Meta AI also enables you to search for and learn more about landmarks, paintings and more. For example, I was able to look at famous prints and say, “Hey, Meta, who painted this original piece?” and receive the answer. I could then follow up with another question, without needing to keep repeating “hey Meta” – though this is very much also a feature of the first-gen specs.

Meta AI also enables you to control the smart glasses without needing to reach for your phone, by asking “Hey Meta, record a video in slow motion” or “Hey Meta, take a photo” for example.

Otherwise, the Ray-Ban Meta 2 glasses are promised to offer eight hours of battery life with mixed use, which is double the battery life of the original pair. I wasn’t able to verify these claims as I only spent a limited time with the glasses, but that should offer a full day’s use before needing to recharge.  

Finally, privacy remains a slight concern of mine, as it’s so easy for Ray-Ban Meta wearers to be filming their surroundings unbeknownst to passersby. Meta has attempted to counter this with the inclusion of an LED light, which illuminates when the camera is in use. I can confirm that the light is noticeable, but I think it’s still too easy to miss entirely. 

Camera

• Video capture in up to 3K is now possible
• New recording modes, including slow mo and hyperlapse

Alongside its Meta AI toolkit, the built-in camera is undoubtedly the other key reason to opt for the Ray-Ban Meta 2 glasses. While the last model captured videos in up to 1080p resolution, the Meta 2s now boast up to 3K recordings. Unfortunately, during my limited time with the glasses, I wasn’t able to film much, although I did capture a few images and found them to be crisp and fairly detailed. 

It’s worth remembering that all pictures I took were captured in a bright and illuminated event space, so I can’t really comment on how well the photography would translate in real-world use just yet.