Forget the Oakley Meta Vanguard these lesser-known smart specs for runners incorporate a real heads-up display

Date:
Fri, 27 Mar 2026 17:30:17 +0000

Description:
Meet the engo3 smart glasses, with an AR heads-up display compatible with Apple and Garmin watches.

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Engo has revealed the engo3 smart glasses, with an AR heads-up display Designed to display vital stats in your lens as if they were floating 3m in front, the smart glasses don't capture content or play music The glasses are compatible with Apple and Garmin watches, among others Engo has revealed the engo3 smart glasses, a device designed to show you an augmented-reality view of your vital stats during a run.

Using Engo's 'light AR technology', the engo3 specs use a custom interface to take data from smartphones and wearables which exact models, we're not sure, but we know the list includes Apple and the best Garmin watches and show the data as if it were hovering around 3 meters in front of you. The info displayed includes 'heart rate, pace, cadence and more' as well as cues for customisable structured workouts such as interval training. While they do share a similar outward design to Meta's Oakley Meta Vanguard specs, their functionalities are very, very different. The Vanguard glasses can takes information from Garmin watches, but will either read it out to you via the in-built speakers or overlay it on top of footage taken by the onboard
camera. You never see it as a heads-up display. Article continues below You may like Even Realities' new display smart glasses take a minimalist approach that rivals could learn from The 5 best smart glasses from CES 2026,
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On the other hand, the engo3 glasses don't have an onboard AI assistant and can't play music, serve you notifications or capture content like the Vanguards do. They're purely about workout guidance.

The engo3 press release addressed this as a deliberate choice, stating: 'ENGO's approach focuses on the following: to optimize weight, the user experience, and battery life. This means no camera, no sound, and no superfluous features that could add weight or distract the user.

'This choice goes against the grain of many smart glasses that offer a multitude of additional options, often a source of distraction.'

The engo3 offers up to 20 hours of battery life. Available now, they cost
$399 USD / 299 (around AU$575). Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Analysis: What I wanted out of the Oakley Meta Vanguards
When I first unboxed the Oakley Meta Vanguards, I was telling another runner friend about the Garmin integration. Initially excited at the prospect of seeing her stats in the glasses, I had to let her down and tell her it's only overlaid on the footage the Vanguards take.

The engo3 specs, which eschew the other smart glasses frippery in favor of
the Iron Man-style heads-up display, is much more like what people have in mind when they think of futuristic smart glasses. I'm excited to try them.

We reviewed the Engo 2 smart glasses back in 2023 and found them clever, but underbaked here's hoping now, in the age of smart glasses, tech has evolved and the sequel has succeeded where its predecessor couldn't. The best Garmin watches for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best Garmin watches 1. Best overall: Garmin Venu
4 2. Best premium: Garmin Fenix 8 3. Best budget: Garmin Vivoactive 6 Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/forget-the-oakley-meta-vanguard-these -lesser-known-smart-specs-for-runners-incorporate-a-real-heads-up-display


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