I Tested Meta's Ray-Ban Display Glasses

Meta's new $799 smart glasses offer a transparent display interface, integrating features from your phone into a wearable format. The glasses, an advanced version of previous models, boast improved camera resolution, enhanced audio, and five microphones, now including default transition lenses and an extended battery life to power the display. This projected display, visible only to the wearer, is not augmented reality but a fixed window for glanceable information.

The device is controlled via a comfortable, lightweight neural band worn on the wrist, which interprets muscle impulses for hand gestures. This system proves surprisingly intuitive and accurate, avoiding accidental triggers while allowing for natural interaction. The accompanying software, while functional, is not yet a phone replacement, with about 50% of its capabilities reliant on a smartphone.

Key applications like messaging are enhanced, with clear message display and excellent voice dictation. Real-time captioning and translation are also impressive, leveraging the microphone array to isolate speech. While the camera quality is adequate for basic use, the AI integration offers unique advantages for context-aware assistance, hinting at future possibilities for memory recall.

• The new smart glasses cost $799 and feature a transparent display.
• Control is managed by a wrist-worn neural band that uses hand gestures.
• The glasses offer enhanced messaging with superior voice dictation and real-time captioning/translation.
• AI integration allows for context-aware assistance and hints at future memory recall capabilities.
• While not a phone replacement, they offer unique wearable functionalities and a glimpse into the future of personal technology.

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Introduction to the Smart Glasses [00:00]

• The speaker has hands-on experience with Meta's new $799 smart glasses.
• These glasses feature a display and a transparent interface.
• This is the first time the speaker has been convinced by a tech product designed for the face.
• The glasses demonstrate how smart glasses can perform many phone functions, often better.

This section introduces the product and expresses genuine surprise and conviction regarding its potential, setting a positive and intrigued tone for the review.

"And I'm going to level with you. This is the first time I've ever been convinced by a tech product designed for your face."

The Glasses: Hardware and Design [00:24]

• The glasses are described as a three-part product, with the glasses themselves being the first part.
• They are an advanced version of previous Ray-Ban Meta models.
• Key hardware includes a camera with 2.5 times the resolution of previous models, two speakers, and five microphones.
• New additions include default transition lenses that automatically tint in sunlight and a larger custom-designed battery to power the display.

The core hardware of the glasses is detailed, highlighting improvements in camera, audio, and battery, with a focus on how these elements support the new display functionality.

"This display powered. So, this display, it's like a projected image that you see slightly to the side of your right eye."

The Display: Functionality and Perception [00:56]

• The display is a projected image seen slightly to the side of the right eye.
• It is explicitly stated that this is not augmented reality; the display is not tracked to the surroundings.
• The display is intended as a small, glanceable window in a fixed position.
• An interesting feature is that even at full brightness, others cannot see what the wearer is seeing due to indirect projection.

This part clarifies the nature of the display, distinguishing it from AR and emphasizing its privacy and practical application as a supplementary visual interface.

"This is not augmented reality. This display is not tracked to your surroundings. It's just meant to be this small glancible window in like a fixed position."

Surprising Aspects of the Display Glasses [01:19]

• The storage case is highly praised for its premium feel and dual functionality (storage and flat-pack pocketability).
• The inner display is described as "insanely bright," brighter than any smartphone screen the speaker has used.
• Even at maximum brightness, the display is private, invisible to others.
• The glasses are surprisingly comfortable, considering the technology packed inside, weighing 69g, which is only slightly more than non-tech Ray-Bans (45g).
• They feature overextension hinges for comfort during wear.

This section highlights several unexpected positive attributes of the glasses, from the case design to the display's brightness and the overall comfort and weight of the device.

"But then also with some key additions like you now get transition lenses by default to automatically tint like sunglasses when you're outside and then untint."

Control System: The Neural Band [02:32]

• The second part of the product is the control system.
• Existing controls like the touchpad and capture button are still present.
• The primary new controller is a "neural band" worn on the wrist.
• This band measures electrical impulses from wrist muscles, enabling control through hand gestures.
• The speaker finds this design choice logical, avoiding the need for a separate controller for everyday use.

This segment introduces the innovative control method, emphasizing its practicality and integration into an everyday wearable.

"But it's this new neural band that's designed to be the primary controller for the display glasses. And it's really freaking good."

Neural Band: Gesture Control Performance [03:09]

• The hand gestures become "mindless" and intuitive after about an hour of use.
• Accuracy is remarkably high, with 97% of gestures performed as intended without conscious thought.
• Crucially, there were no accidental triggers during use, a difficult balance to achieve.
• The gesture control system, while different from eye-tracking, is reminiscent of other advanced interfaces.
• Specific gestures include double-tap to turn on the screen, pinching for various actions, an imaginary joystick for navigation, and rotating a grab motion for volume adjustment.

This section delves into the effectiveness and accuracy of the gesture controls, noting the impressive ease of use and lack of misfires.

"But equally how in the entire time I was wearing the thing, I hadn't once accidentally triggered something I didn't want to."

Software and App Integration [04:16]

• The third piece of the puzzle is the smartphone and software.
• The company envisions this device as a future phone replacement, but that day is not today.
• Currently, about 50% of the glasses' functionality relies on a connected smartphone.
• The home screen displays upcoming events and notifications.
• Apps are accessed by swiping to the side, but the UI is not as slick as a high-end smartphone.
• There is no app store, and the app selection is small.
• Many functions use the company's own versions of apps (e.g., MetaMaps instead of Google Maps, Meta AI instead of ChatGPT).

This part addresses the software ecosystem, acknowledging its current limitations and dependence on a phone, as well as the proprietary nature of its apps.

"As of right now, I would say about 50% of the things the glasses can do are in some way reliant on your phone."

Messaging and Communication Features [05:19]

• Despite limitations, many features feel useful and non-gimmicky.
• Messaging, specifically WhatsApp, is highlighted as a surprisingly good experience on the glasses.
• Messages are easy to read on the display, and links can be opened.
• There are four ways to respond: voice note, dictation, pre-made responses, and writing.
• Dictation is "phenomenally good" due to the five microphones, better than on a phone or watch.
• Writing is a beta feature where users can write letters on their leg, which is surprisingly reliable for discreet communication.

This section focuses on a key application—messaging—and details its improved usability on the glasses, particularly praising the dictation and the innovative writing input method.

"And the dictation, I guess, because you have five microphones strapped to your face, is phenomenally good. Like much better than when you try to use a phone."

Advanced Features: Captions and Translation [06:39]

• Real-time captions are an "insane" feature, using the microphone array to isolate and display subtitles for the person being looked at.
• This works even with background noise and is nearly instantaneous.
• The same technology enables real-time translation, though with a slight delay.
• The translation quality is high, attributed to the clear audio captured by the face-mounted microphones.
• This clarity reduces misheard words, a common issue in live translation.

This part explores advanced audio processing features, showcasing the effectiveness of real-time captions and translation powered by the sophisticated microphone system.

"So, you look at someone and your glasses will use this five microphone array to know what sound is coming from where and completely isolate just what the person you're looking at is saying >> to be able to give you real time subtitles."

Other Applications: Maps, Music, Camera, and AI [08:12]

• Navigation in maps is intuitive, with the arrow rotating as the head rotates, though the company's map service is questioned for its competitiveness.
• Music playback directly accesses Spotify, with decent speaker quality for a secondary feature, but privacy is compromised at higher volumes.
• The camera can capture 12-megapixel photos and 3K video, but the quality is comparable to a smartphone from eight years ago, with a slight capture delay.
• Meta AI is triggered by a specific gesture, and while not mind-blowing in intelligence, its integration into the peripheral vision is a unique advantage.
• The AI allows for follow-up questions and even navigation of the interface while performing other tasks, highlighting the benefit of an always-present smart device.
• Future possibilities include the camera remembering where items are placed.

This final application segment covers various features, from navigation and audio to the camera and AI, providing a balanced view of their strengths and weaknesses, and hinting at future potential.

"And the big upside compared to the Vision Pro is because this isn't relying on cameras to see those gestures, you can do them anywhere."

Market Positioning and Future Outlook [09:58]

• The speaker believes this particular product might not be worth buying for most people at $800.
• It's seen as an effort to get a product to market before competitors offer more affordable alternatives and to normalize the idea of smart glasses.
• The company aims to be associated with smart glasses technology.
• The expectation is that the product will improve significantly and quickly now that it's released.

This concluding section offers a critical assessment of the product's current value proposition and its strategic role in the market, suggesting a hopeful outlook for the technology's future development.

"I think really the Ray-B band displays are just Meta trying to get something out into the market before Apple makes a more affordable vision product to start normalizing the idea of smart glasses..."