I ditched my iPhone and used the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta (2nd gen) by using it as my travel guide in Rome, Italy but I absolutely got the wrong pair

Date:
Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:01:19 +0000

Description:
The second-generation Meta Ray-Bans are an evolution, not a revolution. Is that enough to keep the top spot in an increasingly competitive market?

FULL STORY ======================================================================Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2): two-minute review Between the boom in generative AI technology and the ability of manufacturers to produce smaller-than-ever hardware components, accessories as light as glasses frames can house impressive computing power these days, and leading that particular charge has been Meta, with its stylish and capable Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, made in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica (the parent company of Ray-Ban and Oakley), set the current standard for the many lesser-known
brands competing for space in the burgeoning market. That being said, the competition may well catch up before long the changes between the first- and second-gen glasses are only iterative, and Metas focus is more than likely on the Meta Ray-Ban Displays rather than on these comparatively dumb smart glasses.

So, what better way to test them than by taking them on the road? I took my pair of second-gen Ray-Ban Metas on vacation to Rome, Italy and used them as both my main camera and my tour guide to find out how useful they are in real-life environments. Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer (Gen 2) (Black) at Amazon for 359.99 Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) review: still the smart glasses to beat, but there's room to grow - YouTube Watch On Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) review: price
and availability Starts at $379 / 379 / AU$689 The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) start at $379 / 379 / AU$599 in all their various styles thats $80 / 80 / AU$150 more than the first-generation glasses. Thats a relatively small price increase (especially given current market conditions) for a decent upgrade to battery life and camera specs and you can easily swap out your existing lenses into the Gen 2 if you already own the first generation and really want those benefits.

You'll also pay $30 / 30 / AU$40 or $80 / 80 / AU$90 extra for Polarized or Transitions lenses, respectively. I went for standard shaded lenses, and I wished for transitions countless times during my testing; theyre a must-have if you plan to use these indoors at any point without looking like youre nursing a hangover. Swipe to scroll horizontally Ray-Ban Meta 1st gen vs. 2nd gen specs

Specs

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1)

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2)

Camera

12MP ultra-wide

12MP ultra-wide

Photo Resolution

3024 x 4032 pixels

3024 x 4032 pixels

Video Resolution

1080p at 30fps

1200p at 60fps



1440p at 30fps



3K at 30fps

Microphones

5-microphone array

5-microphone array

Storage

32GB

32GB

Audio

Two open-ear speakers

Two open-ear speakers

Weight

49.2g

52g

Processor



Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1

Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1

Compatibility

iOS; Android

iOS; Android

Battery (Glasses)

Up to 4 hours of moderate use

Up to 8 hours of moderate use

Battery (Charging case)



Up to 32 additional hours of charge

Up to 48 additional hours of charge

Water Resistance

IPX4 (splash resistant)

IPX4 (splash resistant)

Designs

Wayfarer, Skyler and Headliner

Wayfarer, Skyler and Headliner

Lenses

Prescription (-6.0 to +4.0), Transition and Polarized

Prescription (-6.0 to +4.0), Transition and Polarized While these are still surprisingly affordable, the price is beginning to creep up towards wait, do
I really need these? territory; in a world where we can now purchase a $599 / 599 / AU$899 MacBook Neo, the cool factor can only go so far to inspire new customers to invest in an otherwise niche category. 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.

All frame designs are priced the same, and you can choose from six color options across the Wayfarer and Headliner frames, or seven in Skyler. Plus, two new designs have also recently been released for prescription wearers: Blayzer and Scriber. There are two model sizes too, although exclusively for the Wayfarer style; one for larger and one for smaller heads. Certain frames also offer the option of a low nose-bridge model. Value: 4/5 (Image credit: Future) Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) review: design Broadly the same as first-gen glasses Slightly heavier Still IPX4 splash-resistant Little has changed outwardlythat the eye can see between the first and second-generation Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. The case is the same, theyre available in the same styles with the same lenses (Prescription (-6.0 to +4.0), Transition and Polarized) in fact, all thats noticeably changed here is the weight, which goes up 2.8g, from the 49.2g of the first-generation to 52g, likely on account of the
larger battery and improved camera hardware.

Theres some disappointment in this sameness. For example, these still only have an IPX4 rating, so theyre splash-resistant but not splash-proof and something thats worn on your head, which is the first place to get wet in a sudden downpour, should have the best possible protection here.

I dont love how the Wayfarers look on me, which did kind of ruin my holiday shots. I went for the Wayfarers as theyre a more unisex design, and I could share them around with my colleagues, but the boxy shape and thick frames
make me look like Carl Fredricksen from Up . Broadly speaking, I think at least one of the three styles will suit most people (Im more of a Skylar
girl, myself), but even Meta cant entirely escape the fact that these glasses need to be decently boxy in order to squeeze in all that tech. (Image credit: Future) The fit is still super-comfortable, though, and that 2.8g weight increase hasnt made the glasses unwearable though first-timers may find them a little heavy on the nose bridge. On the upper-left corner when youre
wearing the glasses / looking at the glasses from the front, as on the first-gen, is the 12MP camera lens, and on the upper-right is the indicator light that lets passers-by know youre filming or taking a photo. The
placement here bothers me most smart glasses clearly werent made with women in mind, because if you have bangs as I do, youll find a great many shots get interrupted by your hair.

Also as on the first-gen specs, the shutter button is on the top of the right arm , and the invisible touchpad is on the outer side of the arm, which lets you control things like music and Meta AI. On the left arm is the power switch.

From afar, these features are discreet enough to be almost invisible, and
that continues right the way through to the embedded mics and speakers. In fact, the only way you can tell these are smart glasses at all is from the camera lens and the light Ill let you decide whether thats a good thing, or
a menace to society. Design: 5/5 Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) review: Performance AI is broadly reliable 12MP camera is still limiting, but decent Battery boost
is much appreciated I took the Ray-Ban Meta (2nd generation) smart glasses on vacation with me to Rome, Italy, hoping the beautiful and historic city would offer lots of opportunities for that neat little 12MP camera to capture some great first-person perspectives as I explored the landmarks.

I didnt necessarily want to like the process Im deeply concerned by the privacy implications of guerrilla video and photo capture but I cant think
of a better way to really capture a moment than to record pretty much the exact perspective you had when you experienced it. Plus, with news in late 2025 about new targeted ads using Meta AI conversations and alarming reports about footage captured on the glasses, including intimate moments , being viewed by contractors, the privacy-conscious may well want to keep all Meta products at arms length.

That aside, the quality of photos and videos captured by the Ray-Ban Meta
(2nd generation) will naturally pale in comparison to the main camera on any flagship smartphone from the past few years. Its only a 12MP camera, after all. Still, I think theres something quite rustic and charming about the photos and videos taken by the Ray-Ban Meta, especially if you work around
its limitations. Image 1 of 2 As you can see, framing a shot was harder than anticipated (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) Youre limited to vertical shots, and framing your shots is tough, given theres no display or preview. Shooting at night will garner middling results, and colors can also often be a little diluted, but broadly speaking the results are great for capturing the moment.

Youll need to put some thought into what video settings suit the action, too: 1080p at 30fps is a little better stabilized, but naturally less detailed and well-balanced, than 3K HDR videos. You can see examples of this in our
Ray-Ban Meta (gen 2) video review .

The most noteworthy upgrade for me is to the battery. With double the on-device battery and a solid 16-hour boost to the case charge compared to
the first-gen, these can comfortably last you through a whole weekend away,
or you could get by with a few quick charges if youre travelling for a week
or two. Thats a huge win while only adding a few grams to the weight.

Inside the glasses arms are two open-ear speakers, through which you can hear Meta AIs responses and music; these are louder, bassier, and have less sound leakage compared to the first model, according to Meta. Id say that all
tracks the quality here is pretty great, though theres still a good amount
of leakage. I still wouldnt personally wear these while sitting next to a stranger and listening to tunes full blast, but if youre lying on a beach or on a walk, theyll work a treat. Image 1 of 2 Shot taken on the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 (Image credit: Future) Same shot on iPhone 15 Pro (Image credit:
Future) Speaking of Meta AI, the assistant is pretty handy to have around,
and has seen some improvements since we reviewed those original specs back in 2024. Broadly, the AI suite works as expected, including newer features; I tried using Live Translation to quickly unpack what someone was saying, and while its not super-accurate or snappy, it gets you by when youre abroad and youve been neglecting your Duolingo sessions.

When I visited the Colosseum, Meta AI served as my stand-in tour guide, telling me about the different landmarks I was looking at, and chatting up a storm about Ancient Rome. However, I did experience some hallucination; I asked if the massive structure had ever been used for anything beyond entertainment, and Meta AI told me all about its past as a housing complex.

I pressed for more information including when this happened, and all of a sudden it said that had never been the case. Such issues were infrequent, but it does show why you should generally take AI-generated information with a pinch of salt.

The worst part of the AI suite is, unfortunately, the app you have to use to pair your Ray-Ban Meta. The Meta AI app is brimming with AI slop, and I hate that theres no one-touch button to get straight to your media if youre a Ray-Ban user. Every time I accidentally open the Vibes feed, I shudder. Performance: 4/5 Should I buy the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2)? Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attribute

Comment

Score

Design

Comfortable and stylish thanks to Ray-Ban's ocular know-how, though camera placement can still be bothersome.

5/5

Performance

A boost to audio and battery makes for a well-rounded set of smart specs, though there's still room for improvement.

4/5

Value

Still sit comfortably within the value range for smart glasses at this calibre, but a $/80 price increase might spell trouble for future lenses.

4/5 Buy them if Youve never owned a pair of smart glasses

These are the industry-standard smart glasses; while imperfect, they offer a really well-balanced range of features, great design and reliable software. Thats far from the case with most smart glasses weve tested. Youve got ambitions in content creation

Being linked to Metas suite of social platforms has its benefits, with some great content-creation tools on offer here. You want a good-looking pair of smart specs

Benefitting from Ray-Bans design know-how, these are far and away some of the best-looking and ergonomic glasses available today. Dont buy them if Youve
got a pair of first-gen Ray-Ban Meta glasses

Unless youre really desperate for more battery life, theres not enough innovation between the first- and second-gen glasses to justify the expense. Unless youve got money to burn, Id wait for a more distinctive upgrade, or hold out for the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses instead. Youre
privacy-conscious

Meta isn't exactly known as a paragon of privacy, and smart glasses are a bit of a minefield in that department. Youre wearing a camera on your face everywhere you go, after all. (Image credit: Future) How I tested the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) review I used the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) for a month, including during a trip to Rome, Italy, wearing them on any day where it was bright enough to use sunglasses. I filmed and shot photos indoors and outdoors, day and night to see how well the 12MP camera could capture the action.

I made sure to try all of their AI features, testing their battery and performance over longer periods to assess comfort, usability and battery
life.

I ran the Meta AI app from my iPhone 15 Pro . First reviewed: April 2026 Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer (Gen 2): Price Comparison 80 View 379 359.99 View 379 View deal 379 View 379 View Show more We check over 250 million products
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/virtual-reality-augmented-reality/i-ditche d-my-iphone-and-used-the-second-generation-ray-ban-meta-2nd-gen-by-using-it-as -my-travel-guide-in-rome-italy-but-i-absolutely-got-the-wrong-pair


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