Meta launched a range of cheaper smart glasses featuring the same technology as Ray-Ban Meta but without the branding, and with a compact folding case.
That's not to say that Meta is making these glasses without EssilorLuxottica, the eyewear giant that owns the Ray-Ban brand and that Meta owns a 3% stake of. These new Meta Glasses are still made in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, the two companies confirmed.
Adventurer (left) and Fury (right)
Two styles of the cheaper "Meta Glasses", as they're branded, are available: Adventurer and Fury.
Both feature the same chipset, camera, speakers, battery, storage, and connectivity as the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 glasses, but are sold starting at $300, an $80 discount compared to the Ray-Bans, owing to their lack of the premium branding.
They also have the more comfortable overextension hinges from the recent Ray-Ban Meta Optics Styles glasses.
Adventurer is a classic rectangular style, offered in 8 colors:
- Classic Black frame with Clear lenses ($300)
- Classic Tortoise frame with Clear lenses ($300)
- Classic Black frame with Brown lenses ($300)
- Classic Tortoise frame with Brown lenses ($300)
- Classic Black frame with Grey Polarized lenses ($330)
- Classic Black frame with Clear to Grey Transitions lenses ($380)
- Merlot frame with Clear to Ruby Transitions lenses ($380)
- Linen frame with Clear to Sapphire Transitions lenses ($380)
Meta Glasses - Adventurer style
Fury is taller and thus more square, offered in 7 colors:
- Classic Black frame with Brown Gradient lenses ($300)
- Mahogany frame with Green lenses ($300)
- Racing Green frame with Light Blue Atlantic lenses ($300)
- Classic Black frame with Grey Polarized lenses ($330)
- Sandstone frame with Dark Amber lenses ($300)
- Classic Black frame with Clear to Grey Transitions lenses ($380)
- Mahogany frame with Clear to Grey Transitions lenses ($380)
Meta Glasses - Fury style
We should also point out that the new Meta Glasses are not the cheapest smart glasses the company sells. The Gen 1 Ray-Ban Meta glasses from 2023 are still sold starting at $300 normally, and are currently on sale starting at $224. But the new Meta Glasses have the improvements of the Gen 2: the doubled battery life and 3K video recording.
David Heaney
Flat-Folding Charging Case
The new Meta Glasses range also has a unique advantage over the displayless Ray-Ban and Oakley branded smart glasses. They feature a folding charging case that seems to be very similar to the case of Meta Ray-Ban Display.
UploadVR-captured video showing the folding case for Meta Ray-Ban Display. The Meta Glasses case seems to be similar.
As we noted in our Meta Ray-Ban Display review, the advantage of a folding case is that, while you're wearing the glasses, the case can fit into a jacket pocket, or even a particularly deep trouser pocket.
Kylie Jenner Glasses & Charging Stand
The cheaper glasses are not Meta's only new smart product launch this week.
The company also worked with Kylie Jenner on a completely new smart glasses style called Starfire, which has a notable resemblance to the upcoming Gentle Monster smart glasses powered by Google.
David Heaney
Further, for people who want to keep their smart glasses available by their bedside, Meta launched a $60 Charging Stand, made of stainless steel, with a USB-C port. It supports the company's displayless Ray-Ban and Oakley HSTN smart glasses, charging them to 50% in 20 minutes and fully within an hour. Meta Ray-Ban Display and Oakley Meta Vanguard are not supported.
David Heaney
