Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 and Meta Audio: the new AI Glasses arrive

With the new Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 and Ray-Ban Meta Audio, Ray-Ban is expanding its AI Glasses range with an approach that increasingly puts the eyewear itself first.

The new collections introduce different shapes, a slimmer construction and two ways of approaching smart eyewear: Meta Gen 3 continues to integrate a camera, audio and Meta AI, while Meta Audio does away with the camera and focuses on listening, calls and AI assistance.

An important distinction, especially for anyone considering their first pair of AI Glasses.

Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3: Aviator and Zena arrive

The first new feature of Gen 3 concerns the frames. Wayfarer remains in the collection, but is joined by Aviator, one of Ray-Ban’s most recognizable shapes, and the new Zena, with a softer, more feminine silhouette.

The choice therefore expands from an aesthetic point of view as well. Anyone approaching Ray-Ban Meta no longer necessarily has to start with Wayfarer, but can choose a shape closer to their own style and to the way they are used to wearing glasses.

The construction has also been revised. The temples are slimmer, while the camera and LED take up less space on the front. The features that define Ray-Ban Meta remain: hands-free photos and videos, music, calls and interaction with Meta AI, with a six-microphone system designed to make voice interactions clearer even on the move.

Battery life reaches up to 9 hours, and the new Action Button provides quicker access to the features used most often.

Wayfarer, Aviator or Zena?

Wayfarer remains the model most immediately associated with Ray-Ban Meta and retains its unmistakable shape. Aviator brings AI features to another brand icon, while Zena adds a more feminine and contemporary option to the collection.

All three can be chosen with different lens types, including prescription, sun and Transitions® lenses.

Transitions® lenses are particularly interesting on eyewear designed to be worn throughout the day: they darken outdoors with exposure to UV rays and become clear again indoors. A practical solution for anyone who wants to use Ray-Ban Meta as their main pair of glasses without constantly switching between optical and sunglasses.

The charging case is also designed for everyday use: it provides up to 48 hours of additional charge and can restore around 50% of the battery in 20 minutes. It is also compatible with previous generations of Ray-Ban Meta, but not with the new Meta Audio.

Ray-Ban Meta Audio: AI Glasses without a camera

With Ray-Ban Meta Audio AI Glasses, the approach changes. There is no camera and the experience focuses on open-ear audio and Meta AI.

They are designed especially for people who already wear glasses for many hours a day and regularly use headphones or earbuds to listen to music and podcasts, answer calls or interact with a voice assistant.

Open-ear audio lets you listen to your content while remaining aware of what is happening around you. Music, calls and Meta AI can therefore be managed directly through the glasses, without also needing to wear earbuds.

Battery life reaches up to 12 hours of mixed use, and here too there is a six-microphone system dedicated to calls and voice interactions.

Meta Audio is not simply Ray-Ban Meta with the camera removed. The idea is different: to offer eyewear that can be worn normally throughout the day, adding audio and AI features without significantly changing your habits.

Burbank and Clubmaster: the first Ray-Ban Meta Audio

For Meta Audio, Ray-Ban has chosen two very different frames: Burbank and Clubmaster.

Burbank has a clean, versatile shape with a unisex design and is available in two sizes. Clubmaster, meanwhile, brings the technology to one of the brand’s most recognizable silhouettes and is the first Ray-Ban AI Glasses model to introduce metal elements.

Both can be configured with different lens options, including prescription, sun and Transitions® lenses, so they can become a true everyday pair of glasses.

Meta Audio has a dedicated charging case that provides up to 48 hours of additional charge and can restore around 50% of the battery in about twenty minutes. The case is not interchangeable with the one used for Ray-Ban Meta models with a camera.

Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 or Meta Audio: which should you choose?

The main difference is quite simple: how important is the camera for the way you want to use your glasses?

Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 is better suited to those who also want to take hands-free photos and videos, in addition to using music, calls and Meta AI. The arrival of Aviator and Zena also broadens the choice compared with previous generations and makes it easier to find a frame that suits your style.

Ray-Ban Meta Audio, on the other hand, is aimed at those who are not interested in taking photos or recording videos with their glasses and are mainly looking for an alternative to earbuds, with music, calls and Meta AI always available. It also offers longer battery life, up to 12 hours, and the absence of a camera may make it more suitable for those approaching this type of product for the first time.

They are therefore two different propositions, designed for different needs. In both cases, however, Ray-Ban’s direction is clear: make the technology increasingly discreet and let the eyewear come first.

With Wayfarer, Aviator, Zena, Burbank and Clubmaster, the choice is no longer only about which features you want, but also which Ray-Ban you want to wear.

Discover the new Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 and Ray-Ban Meta Audio AI Glasses on Vistaexpert.