How the Oakley Meta smart glasses beat my Ray-Bans on a 5-mile test walk

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Most sports can benefit from hands-free assistance — which makes athletes among the biggest beneficiaries from smart glasses. Catering to this crowd, at Meta Connect in September, the company released the latest addition to its sporty AI smart glasses lineup: the Oakley Meta Vanguard.

The biggest difference between the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses and their sibling, the Oakley Meta HSTN released back in June, lies in its aesthetic. With this pair, the company leans into the signature Oakley Sphaera look, combining the advanced specs of the HSTNs with the familiar visor design. 

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The new form factor also gave way for the inclusion of a new action button, a more centered camera for POV shots, and integrations with Garmin devices and Strava. However, it does come at a steeper price of $499. Is it worth the splurge? Here are my thoughts after a week of testing.

How do they perform?

Before we delve into the distinctive look and fun third-party integrations, we must discuss the core of the smart glasses: performance. 

For the most part, the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses hold the same specs of the Oakley Meta HSTNs, including an IP67 rating (making them sweat, dust, and water resistant),12MP ultra-wide camera, 3K video recording, two open-ear speakers, and a five-mic array. However, subtle differences elevate the user experience on the Vanguard.

For one, the camera is positioned at the center instead of the corner of the lenses, which makes POV shots appear less angled or too high. In the videos I recorded, I found it much easier to get the positioning correct, as it was recording from the bridge of my nose (which is in the center of my view), as opposed to the edges of the glasses. In addition to the standard video capturing mode, you can also record in slow-motion and hyperlapse. 

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On the audio front, the two open ear speakers provide audio that’s as good as any of the smart glasses in Meta’s lineup. I listened to music and audio messages throughout my two-hour walk and was satisfied with the quality and sound levels. I especially enjoyed being able to leave my headphones at home, making my walk a bit lighter. 

I also tested the audio by sending an audio message and hopping on a phone call. Each time, the audio sounded clear, despite being exposed to elements such as wind and the chattering of animals. Although the Vanguard glasses have a 5-mic array, like the HSTNs, the positioning is slightly different, with two mics in the frame and three near the nose region.

Presumably, having more microphones near your mouth should help your audio sound better; however, I had no complaints with the audio recording using either pair of smart glasses.

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Meta claims that these smart glasses can support up to nine hours with a single charge, and up to 36 hours with a fully charged case. 

I left for my walk, as registered by my Garmin Forerunner 970, at 2:11 p.m. when the battery was at 99%. Exactly one hour later, the battery was at 71%. During that period, I was listening to music, taking intermittent videos and photos, and conversing with Meta AI, so I was putting it to its peak use. 

However, this performance reflects a 28% drain in an hour, compared to the approximately 10% that Meta claims. This isn’t too surprising, as we’ve found previous Meta models also underperform in battery life. You’re definitely getting more than the Ray-Bans with these, but don’t expect anything dramatically better.

Putting the ‘smart’ in smart glasses

Capitalizing on the appeal to athletes, Meta integrated its Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses with Garmin devices and Strava. You’ll need to link your Garmin and Strava accounts via the Meta AI app, download the Garmin Connect IQ app to track fitness metrics. 

For Strava, the integration enables users to add a helpful overlay to footage captured on their Meta Vanguard AI glasses, showcasing their performance metrics, including distance, average pace, elevation, and more. (Note that the overlay doesn’t actually appear through the glasses as you’re running.)

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Using this integration is simple; once the activity is completed, all you have to do is select the media taken and overlay the stats. I am attaching one from my walk below, though I pulled it from my Garmin stats. 

The Garmin integration is a bit more in-depth. When working, it should allow users to get real-time stats of their workout simply by asking Meta AI questions about their workout. This is a helpful feature as it allows athletes to stay in the zone of their workout without having to glance down at their watch or phone to check for updates. 

There is also an autocapture feature that automatically captures content based on designated performance metrics. For example, you can set it to capture the moment you hit 10 miles on your run, and it can automatically take that for you.

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Lastly, users can enable the visual status LED on paired glasses as a notification when different targets are met. However, despite linking my Garmin watch to the glasses, which enabled the overlay integration shown above, I was unable to get Meta AI to track my workouts. I’ll update this review when that’s fixed.

How do they look?

There is one significant caveat to the Oakley Meta Vanguard, and that’s its lack of prescription support. As lovely as they look to me, they’re not compatible with prescription lenses, so you have to commit to wearing contacts with them, or you won’t be able to see properly. For that reason, I recommend the Oakley Meta HTSNs to those who want similar recording features, plus support for varying vision.

Although I say this every time I write a smart glasses review, having a wearable on your face is deeply personal, and they need to look and feel good for the purchase to be worthwhile. As a result, these smart glasses may not be for everyone, but I love them. 

The iridescent sheen on the smart glasses, paired with the vibrant color options, makes for a stylish fit. The lens color also filters light beautifully, reducing strain even in bright outdoor conditions.

While the visor may seem excessive for many, in athletic circles, it’s common practice to wear similar form factors. When I walked through Prospect Park in Brooklyn, I not only saw many athletes wearing very similar shades, but I was even stopped by a fellow runner.

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In my experience, the larger form factor also results in more comfortable weight distribution. With the Vanguards, I felt less pressure on the bridge of my nose, despite the glasses weighing 13 grams heavier than the HSTNs. The larger headband area also makes button placement more intuitive, with the addition of a new customizable button that I’ve programmed to trigger Hyperlapse video recording.

ZDNET’s buying advice

If you are someone who would wear or is interested in wearing smart glasses with the style of the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses, the purchase is worth the money, as traditional Oakleys can run you upwards of $300.

However, if you are not someone whose style aligns with the visors, perhaps the more toned-down Oakley Meta HTSNs would be a better match, as they pass for more common everyday sunglasses.