I tested Meta's limited edition Ray-Ban smart glasses, and they're a near-perfect wearable for me

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

At Meta Connect in September, one of the newest products that caught my eye was a limited-edition pair of Ray-Ban glasses -- with a transparent frame, sapphire transition lenses, and a fairly accessible $429 price tag. Since I've already had great experiences with the Meta Quest 3 and Viture Pro XR glasses, I decided it was time to try the highly praised smart glasses by Meta. Fortunately, I was able to buy a pair right as stock ran out.

Only 7,500 units were made available worldwide, and mine is number 4,255, marked on the inside of the right frame and on the charging case. ZDNET's Kerry Wan reviewed the standard Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses last year, and after months of use, he still enjoys their functionality. As announced at Meta Connect, existing Meta glasses will also receive software updates, including natural language processing, the ability to remember and recall key information, live translations, and more.

Also: I've tested a lot of tech in the past 6 months - the Meta Ray-Bans were the biggest surprise

While deciding whether to make the purchase, I intended to use the glasses to capture video that's difficult to record accurately with a camera or smartphone. This includes testing watches, fitness gear, and e-bikes, as well as creating vertical short-form videos for YouTube and Instagram, with both hands free to interact with devices. I've used action cameras for some of this content before, but I wanted to see if a first-person perspective would result in better footage. 

I also spend time fly fishing, where both hands are occupied, and I want to capture video and still images of these experiences to share with family and friends who don't want to wade through cold rivers and catch small trout. My large, energetic cat demands daily playtime with wand toys, and now I can easily record his incredible acrobatics and funny antics on the go.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

It's been over two weeks since my Meta Ray-Ban Wayfarer Limited Edition glasses arrived, and they've exceeded my expectations. In addition to capturing great video while running with new watches, testing e-bikes, fishing, and playing with my cat, I've recorded a few fights on the ice at a local minor league hockey game, playful snow leopard kittens at the zoo, and my daily commute as the fall leaves turn under a glowing sunset. You can now capture up to three minutes of video by setting that as the default length, and the audio quality during recording has been much better than I expected.

Also: New Meta Ray-Ban AI features roll out, making the smart glasses even more tempting

Beyond video and still capture, I now prefer using the glasses for calls and podcasts over my AirPods Pro while walking around downtown Seattle. Like the bone conduction headphones I use for running, the Ray-Ban glasses leave my ears open for better awareness of my surroundings, and the sound quality is good for podcasts and music. However, in heavy traffic, the sound can be too quiet, so a future version with bone conduction technology would be ideal.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

I also appreciate the various messaging options, especially being able to have messages read aloud and easily reply to friends and family. Keeping my phone in my pocket while commuting and wearing the Meta glasses feels like an optimal way to get around. I'm enjoying spending less time looking at screens and more time engaging with the world around me.

The transition lenses are a game changer as well. They allow me to wear the glasses both indoors, where I listen to music, make hands-free inquiries with Meta AI, and handle calls and messaging, and outdoors, where I would normally switch to sunglasses. However, I wish the lenses would get a bit darker in full sunlight.

Also: In a surprise twist, Meta is suddenly crushing Apple in the innovation battle - Prism

The Engo 2 Photochromic glasses have improved my running performance by displaying key health stats, and it would be fantastic to see similar functionality in a future version of the Meta glasses. Even being able to ask Meta for running stats would help me keep my eyes on the road and stay focused on my goals.  

Overall, I'm very pleased with my purchase of this Limited Edition model of the Meta Ray-Bans, which is designed to give me a glimpse into the underlying technology. And I'm even more excited about the added utility that future updates will bring.