Testing the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 glasses for the previous week, after two years of sporting the authentic Ray-Ban Metas on and off, has made it instantly clear that Meta considerably improved these glasses in key methods — however left the core expertise (and a few of my outdated complaints) unchanged.
Meta handed out the Gen 2s like sweet at Join 2025, making me the sudden proprietor of the Shiny Cosmic Blue Wayfarer Gen 2 frames with Transitions lenses.
Switching from my outdated Matte Black Gen 1 sun shades permits me to make use of them round the home or for night runs, which I really like.
However these additional periods, enhanced by higher battery life, additionally give me extra alternatives to note these good glasses‘ ache factors.
My full evaluation will are available in a number of weeks after extra testing. However for anybody deciding now whether or not to improve or maintain utilizing their present pair, my early impressions will help you determine.
Battery life is the Gen 2 star
After I first began utilizing my 2023 Ray-Bans, they usually lasted about three hours with music streaming, frequent pictures, and the occasional cellphone name or command. By early 2025, after I ran a half-marathon sporting them, they barely lasted two hours. Having a robust Gen 2 baseline might be essential to new consumers, who know the capability will fade with time.
Up to now, the Gen 2s expend about 20% capability per hour, together with one 3K video, frequent Meta AI instructions, and high-volume music streaming to fight out of doors atmosphere. A two-hour run left me at 60% capability, whereas a one-hour run the subsequent day left me at 79%.
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Utilizing them indoors at a decrease quantity, with Meta AI instructions turned off to preserve energy, the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2s had been at 69% after two hours — very environment friendly! Then, a two-minute cellphone name and filming my cat in 3K for one more minute reduce one other 8% energy, so take that under consideration.
I do not imagine you would persistently use these for all-day audio streaming, except you are prepared to take them off a couple of times for a fast top-off within the charging case. Nevertheless it’s a lot higher than earlier than, and the 50% recharge in 20 minutes helps.
Total, the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 battery enhance makes me more likely to put on them for an outing or work occasion, figuring out they will not turn into a pointless face-weight after a few hours.
These glasses do not feel THAT totally different, however they’re going to maintain altering
Across the Oakley Meta Vanguard launch in late October, Meta will push a number of new updates to the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2s: gradual movement and hyperlapse movies, Garmin/ Strava integration for real-time exercise stats, “dialog focus” mode to boost the voice of whomever you are talking with, and new voice command shortcuts like “Picture” with out the Meta AI wake phrase.
Meta has additionally promised that the Ray-Ban Gen 2s will be capable of shoot in 1200p decision at 60 FPS, however the choice is not accessible but. Meta has even opened up its “Wearable System Entry Toolkit” in order that devs can combine Meta AI glasses instantly with their third-party apps — however we in all probability will not see the outcomes till 2026 or later.
Apart from battery life, the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2s do not feel that totally different at the moment. However all the above options make me optimistic that they will really feel extra “next-gen” quickly.
On that observe, regardless that the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 glasses supply “over 2x extra pixels” than the final era for video recording, the distinction would not really feel that stark. You’ll be able to discover extra particulars and fewer compression in side-by-side movies when you look intently, at the very least..
However Nick, who examined the similar cameras on the Oakley Meta HSTNs, agrees with me that the picture stabilization is incredible at 1080p, making a super-smooth, gliding video whereas operating quick that just about recreates the impact of a dolly shot in films. So I discover myself preferring that mode; possibly the 1200p 60FPS mode will really feel like a pleasant, smoother compromise between the 2, as soon as that arrives.
Actually, I simply want we might seen a photograph high quality enhance, as properly. The unchanged 3024 X 4032 decision continues to be nice in ideally suited situations, however I might nonetheless wish to see higher low-light high quality, shade balancing that is not fairly so oversaturated, or a panorama mode when the Gen 3s arrive in a few years.
The cons and nitpicks that you will have to stay with
With my final Ray-Bans, I wore a “Massive” pair that put much less stress on my face however wasn’t well-fitted, so it slid down my face whereas strolling (or operating, particularly). With this pair, I received the Commonplace measurement, and now they keep firmly in place for a ten-mile run, irrespective of how sweaty I get.
That is nice, however now that I am sporting them on consecutive days as a substitute of sporadic weekends, the higher match additionally places extra stress on my nostril bridge and ears. Though the Gen 2s solely weigh about 2g extra — a good trade-off for the battery enhance — not everybody will take pleasure in that additional weight for long-term put on.
The design blends in a lot higher than the Meta Ray-Ban Show glasses, and I like their type greater than the Oakley HSTNs, however not everybody will agree with me. For instance, my fiancée is not a fan, whether or not on her face or mine.
Meta AI will be undeniably useful for on-the-go questions, stay translations, or Dwell AI. Nevertheless it’s restricted for issues like what video decision is energetic, what the touchpad shortcuts are, which apps are linked, or to “take a 15-second video.” It will both let you know the place to look in your cellphone or reply, “I am unable to assist with that, however I am studying extra every single day!”
The integrations with present music and messaging apps are fairly good, if a bit gradual to work; I may name sure contacts or pull up a selected music playlist or music if I remembered the identify. However Meta is working at a drawback in comparison with future Samsung or Apple glasses that’ll have nearer system integration along with your cellphone.
The Gen 2s ship wealthy audio, however not noticeably improved from final era, and also you usually want to show it as much as increased volumes. The actual challenge, although, is the audio bleed: My fiancée confirmed she will be able to hear a music’s melody at about 50% quantity and might clearly make out the lyrics at increased volumes. These glasses aren’t greatest suited to open-space workplaces.
I have been spoiled by my open-ear Shokz OpenFit 2 earbuds, which look a lot dorkier however have extra focused sound that goes instantly into your ears for much less bleed, together with a number of modes like bass enhance, voice, or Dolby Audio to customise the sound to your tastes. I might love for Meta to supply one thing related.
In the end, the tens of millions of individuals who purchased the primary Ray-Ban Meta will just like the Gen 2s simply as a lot, whereas anybody turned off by the noticeably thick frames and apparent digital camera cutouts will not discover something that totally different to tempt them.
I gravitate towards the sporty Vanguard design with its IP67 water resistance and nostril pads, however my Transitions Ray-Bans are higher suited to any atmosphere or time of day, they usually’re extra reasonably priced, too. The Gen 2s are the place most good glasses newbies or vets ought to begin.
Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2)
The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) glasses are available in Wayfarer, Headliner, or Skyler kinds beginning at $379, with an $30 surcharge for polarized lenses, $80 for Transitions, and an extra value for prescription inserts. You get stronger battery life and higher-res movies than the first-gen fashions.
