Smart glasses For years, comfort has been promised, but few have found it practical enough for everyday wear. Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses (Gen 1) Approach things knowingly. They look like classic wafers, not a tech experiment, which just lowers the barrier. Right now, they’re also easy to justify on price. The matte black version with polarized lenses is 25% off at $246.75, down from $329, the lowest price ever. Price tracking. a Glossy black version with clear lenses If you don’t need sun protection, it costs less at $224.25.

The real test is whether they fit into your routine without getting in the way. At 49 grams, they’re a bit heavier than standard Ray-Bans, and if you use prescription lenses, you’ll feel the extra weight after a while. In short bursts, though, they are Easy to live with. When your phone is in your pocket or bag, tapping the frame to snap a photo or record 1080p video feels natural. The 12MP ultra-wide camera captures a lot of what’s in front of you and handles movement well enough for walks or events. That said, everything is recorded vertically, which should work fine for social media but limits what you can do with the footage later.

Meta AI is where these glasses either win you over or leave you cold. You can ask simple questions, send texts, manage music, or use live language translation that keeps up with real conversation (which is really helpful when traveling, as our senior staff writer explains in Review), but will not book tours or handle complex requests. Plus, its open-ear speakers let you listen to music or take calls while being aware of traffic and people around you. This trade-off favors awareness of audio quality, which makes sense for everyday use. The potential downside is its battery life, which lasts around four hours, adding up to eight more charges in this case, so you’ll need to think about charging if you plan to wear them all day.