I tried Meta’s new Ray-Ban Gen 3 — cooler, leaner, smarter but privacy questions may linger
Even as public opinion turns against camera-equipped smart glasses, Meta is pushing forward with its generally well-received and quite popular Ray-Ban Meta line.
Alongside the much-anticipated Meta Ray-Ban Audio glasses, which skip cameras entirely and come in two styles, Clubmaster and Burbank, there's also the next generation of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses.
Like the previous generation, the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) still features onboard cameras with the all-important glowing LED ring that alerts you when a photo is being taken or a video is being recorded.
It's an important safeguard, and Meta has added more protections against folks who try to disable or conceal it, but concerns remain.
Meta's pushing forward with the Gen 3, even if the audio-only models prove more popular.
They're launching today in three styles: Ray-Ban Meta Aviator, Ray-Ban Meta Zena, and a new version of the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer.
Pricing starts at $449 in the United States; we're working to confirm UK and Australia pricing. (Image credit: Meta) The story across the board is better hardware, all tucked into smart glasses that more closely resemble real glasses, with lighter and thinner builds where possible.
The Aviators are particularly exciting to see adopted for the AI and smart era.
The frames are thicker than the classic wire ones, but they still frame the face well.
Zena is decidedly modern and sleek as a cat's eye, while Wayfarer is still the iconic, cool frame that Ray-Ban introduced years ago.
I'm testing the Ray-Ban Meta Aviator in a brown shade, and you can see my unboxing video embedded below.
I like this color, especially compared with my speckled brown Gen 1 Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarers.
There are 27 total combinations when you account for colors and lens types, and if you're willing to pay for it, you can fit these with transition lenses and even prescription lenses.
Regardless of frame style or lens type, you benefit from improved tech onboard.
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