Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 review: You don’t need a display

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When I reviewed the original Ray-Ban Meta glasses, I explained how much I liked them, but that others might skip them because of the Meta connection and privacy concerns. Instead, they became the world’s best-selling smart glasses. Ray-Ban/Oakley maker EssilorLuxottica is thriving thanks to AI glasses sales, on target to make 10 million units next year to meet demand.

My Gen 2 review will focus on two types of people: the millions of Gen 1 buyers wondering whether these new glasses are enough to justify an upgrade, and smart glasses skeptics wondering whether to hop on the Ray-Ban train.

For the first group, the Gen 2-to-Gen 1 gap is subtle, with some problems addressed and others unresolved. But just as Meta transformed the Gen 1s with Meta AI and Live AI months after launch, the best is yet to come for the Gen 2s — if you’re patient.

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) styles, specs, and price

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(Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)

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Style	Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer (Gen 2)	Ray-Ban Meta Skyler (Gen 2)	Ray-Ban Meta Headliner (Gen 2)
Frame colors	Shiny Cosmic Blue, Matte Black, Shiny Black	Shiny Mystic Violet, Shiny Chalky Gray, Shiny Black	Shiny Asteroid Grey, Matte Black, Shiny Black
Lens colors	Clear, Gradient Graphite, Green, Polarized (Green G-15, Dark Brown, Grey); Transitions (Amber, Amethyst, Brown, Emerald, Green G-15, Grey, Ruby, Sapphire)	Clear, Gradient Graphite, Green, Polarized (Green G-15, Dark Brown, Grey); Transitions (Amber, Amethyst, Brown, Emerald, Green G-15, Grey, Ruby, Sapphire)	Clear, Gradient Graphite, Green, Polarized (Green G-15, Dark Brown, Grey); Transitions (Amber, Amethyst, Brown, Emerald, Green G-15, Grey, Ruby*, Sapphire)

The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) glasses ship in three styles, each with multiple colors and lens options. Wayfarers have Standard or Large frame sizes to accommodate larger heads; Headliners have High and Low bridges. Skyler frames are one-size-fits-all.

All styles and lens types let you add a prescription, though only through Meta or Ray-Ban directly.

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) Wayfarer, Headliner, and Skyler all start at $379 — $80 higher than the Gen 1 glasses. You’ll pay $30 or $80 for Polarized or Transitions lenses, respectively.

from Ray-Ban directly unlocks unique Transitions lens colors like Amethyst, Ruby, or Sapphire, Polarized colors like Dark Brown, extra-thin lenses for stronger prescriptions, and an “optimized” anti-reflective layer to combat smudges and oils.

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Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) specs
Category	Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2
Lenses	Clear, Blue Light Ease, Sun, Polarized, Transitions; all available with prescription (Single Vision or Progressive; Slim, Thin, or Extra Thin)
Display	N/A
Camera	12MP Ultra-Wide
Photo resolution	3024 X 4032 pixels (Portrait only)
Video resolution	1080p at 30FPS 1200p at 60FPS* 3K at 30FPS
Speakers	2X open-ear speakers
Microphones	Custom 5-mic Array
Storage	32GB; about 500 photos, 100 30-second videos
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6; Bluetooth 5.3
Compatibility	iOS; Android
Weight	52g
Durability	IPX4
Battery	Up to 8 hours per charge 5 hours continuous audio playback or voice calling
Charging (glasses) case	48 hours worth of charge
Charging speed	50% in 20 minutes

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2): Everything you’ll love

Close-up photo of the Shiny Cosmic Blue Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) Wayfarer glasses sitting folded up on an armrest with the official brown Ray-Ban charging case behind it. — (Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)

Most of the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) perks will be old news to Gen 1 owners, but are still worth explaining to new buyers.

When I go out for a solo walk, run, hike, or round of golf, I think about wearing my Ray-Bans. They give me rich speakers for music or audiobooks to keep me motivated as I work out. I can snap first-person-perspective photos with a quick tap of the right temple button, and the five-mic array helps my voice come through crystal clear during phone calls.

At any time, I can say, “Hey Meta,” and have the AI explain what plant species I’m looking at, set a reminder for where I parked, check my next appointment in Google Calendar, start playing a specific song or playlist, or message a family member.

None of this is all that different from what you can do with a smartphone and earbuds, and they won’t function without a phone. But it’s a convenient combo package.

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Selfie of the author wearing Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) Wayfarer glasses, sitting indoors on a couch. — (Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)

The design isn’t perfect, but the EssilorLuxottica partnership couldn’t have worked out any better for Meta. The Ray-Ban manufacturer tapped its design expertise to make these glasses look normal (if thick) with dozens of variations; other tech brands can’t offer this variety or leverage in-person glasses stores for fittings.

The Wayfarers are the default look, boxy and a bit generic to “blend in” the most, while the rounded-edge Headliners and Skylers soften the thick-framed look somewhat.

Whichever style you choose, I recommend splurging on the Transitions lenses. I don’t use them indoors that often, but if I’m out for a long activity, they give me good eye protection to start and then switch to clear once the sun goes down.

Photo of the Shiny Cosmic Blue Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) Wayfarer glasses sitting on concrete in the foreground, with the black Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1) Wayfarer sunglasses to their right and the official Ray-Ban charging case behind both sets of glasses. — (Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)

Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 first impressions, longer battery life is their most important upgrade. The old version had a 4-hour max but rarely lasted that long, and doubling the max capacity without the glasses getting noticeably heavier is worth praising.

I’ve never hit Meta’s eight-hour estimate, but only because I tend to use the Gen 2s heavily: nonstop music streaming, plenty of 3K videos, and Meta AI commands. Meta’s five-hour estimate with music aligns with my experience, about 20% per hour while using all the main features.

Whenever I’ve gone out and only taken photos or asked Meta a few questions, it’s much closer to the 12.5%/hour that Meta promises, with little battery use while idling. But with frequent videos or livestreaming, you’ll burn through battery quickly.

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2): Camera and video tests

A photo of the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) smart glasses sitting on a rock, close up of the front lenses and camera cutouts. — (Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)

Camera quality from the 12MP ultrawide sensor hasn’t changed since the Gen 1 glasses, and my thoughts from 2023 apply to the Gen 2s.

Meta’s camera is excellent at catching moving targets or adjusting to your movement; I’ve taken great shots while running. It captures a ton of detail, but no wayfinder means you’ll have trouble knowing what you’re actually photographing or how close to stand. Your height will also affect things; as a tall guy, I need to squat for the best close-up angle.

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A photo taken by the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) smart glasses showing me petting my cat, Blue, as he sits daintily. — (Image credit: Michael Hicks)

Magic Eraser removes the unnecessary details.

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A photo taken with the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) smart glasses showing an intersection with moving cars on a cloudy evening. — (Image credit: Michael Hicks)

Be prepared to accept some trade-offs. Night photography is blurry, even with artificial light sources, and you won’t find any alternative “modes” like portrait that blur things behind your subject.

For natural, on-the-go, quick-snap photography, they’re excellent; I can capture things I’d usually miss if I had to pull out my phone first.

I just hope that by the Gen 3 release in a few years, we’ll get landscape photography, a shortcut button to zoom in for faraway subjects, and other improvements.

Oakley Meta HSTN vs Ray-Ban Meta camera quality comparison – YouTube

Watch On

The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) and Oakley Meta HSTN glasses have the same video settings: 1080p or 3K at 30 FPS. Meta also says it’ll eventually support 1200p at 60 FPS, but that setting still hasn’t arrived as of late October.

You can see the Oakley video test above from Android Central’s Nick Sutrich showing how the new 3K video setting compares to 1080p on the Gen 1s. My findings are similar to his: 3K HDR videos give you more detail, better contrast, and less compression than the 1080p setting, especially in well-lit areas; in dimly lit rooms or at night, Ray-Ban videos are blurry and dull on either setting.

For mobile videos — like recording while running a half-marathon — the 1080p setting is better, while 3K is distractingly shaky. Meta gave its sporty Vanguard glasses a smoother 60 FPS mode and customizable stabilization tools, so I’m assuming the Ray-Bans will get those soon.