Oakley’s New Meta AI-Powered Smart Glasses Are Stylish
Today, Meta announced a partnership with Oakley to release a limited edition pair of Oakley HSTN smart glasses, as well as AI integration into other Oakley models. The special edition Oakley HSTN (pronounced “HOO-stan”) glasses feature gold accents and gold-tinted Oakley PRIZM lenses and will retail for $499. They will be available for pre-order on July 11. Other Oakley models with Meta’s AI technology will also be available this summer, starting at $399.
Like the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses , originally released in 2023, the Oakley glasses will feature a front-facing camera, exposed speakers, a microphone, and a built-in Meta AI feature that allows for visual descriptions, common sense questions, and real-time translation when paired with a smartphone. But the battery on the Oakley Meta glasses will last twice as long as the Ray-Bans, with eight hours of use and 19 hours of standby time. The charging case will provide an additional 48 hours of charge, compared to the Ray-Bans’ 32 hours. Another improvement: the built-in camera will shoot 3K video, compared to 1080p on the second-generation Meta Ray-Bans.
I’ve been wearing Ray-Ban Meta sunglasses regularly for over six months now, and from a technical standpoint, the Oakleys are definitely an improvement, but an incremental one rather than a game-changer. Longer battery life is always welcome, as is a camera with three times the resolution, but it’s not enough for me to feel like I need to upgrade. However, if you’re in the market for a new pair, the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarers are currently on sale for $379, compared to $399 for the non-Special Edition Oakleys. Bottom line: From a purely tech standpoint, the Oakleys are better smartglasses at a comparable price, but whether that’s enough of a difference to warrant upgrading is more of a personal choice.
Given the Oakley brand’s connection to sports, it’s a little surprising that the Oakley Metas are as water-resistant as the Ray-Ban Metas. Both pairs are IPX4 rated, meaning your glasses won’t be damaged if you get caught in a light rain. It would be nice to have fully waterproof, IPX7, smart pool diving glasses, but I guess we’ll have to wait.
As for the look, I like the classic Wayfarer style of my Ray-Bans, but the Oakleys are definitely a bit slippery . I mean, gold-toned frames? Come on . Speaking of design, here are five limited-edition HSTN frame styles that will be available in July:
-
Oakley Meta HSTN Desert with PRIZM Ruby lenses
-
Oakley Meta HSTN Black with PRIZM Polar Black Lenses
-
Oakley Meta HSTN Shiny Brown with PRIZM Polar Deep-Water Lenses
-
Oakley Meta HSTN Black with Transitions Amethyst Lenses
-
Oakley Meta HSTN Clear with Transitions Grey Lenses