Our verdict: Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 is the pair to buy. Ray-Ban Meta Audio is the sleeper hit at $349, the Display is for early adopters, and the VR Glasses need reviews before anyone spends $1,299.99.
Meta now sells smart glasses at four very different prices. At Connect 2026 it added a $349 pair with no camera, refreshed the $449 Ray-Ban Meta, kept the $799 Display with a screen in the lens, and announced $1,299.99 VR Glasses for spring 2027.
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3
Ray-Ban Meta Audio
Meta Ray-Ban Display
Meta VR Glasses
The key facts from Connect 2026
The 4 pairs at a glance
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3- 12 MP photos, 3K video
- Up to 9 hours of battery
- Wayfarer, Aviator, Zena; 27 combos
The catch: little reason to upgrade from Gen 2.
Ray-Ban Meta Audio- 43 grams, Meta's lightest pair
- 12 hours, plus 48 from the case
- Clubmaster and Burbank; 23 combos
The catch: no photos or video.
Meta Ray-Ban Display- Full-color screen in the lens
- Wristband reads finger gestures
- Up to 6 hours, 30 with the case
The catch: heavier and more noticeable.
Meta VR Glasses- About 100 grams plus a pocket puck
- Micro-OLED, 37 pixels per degree
- 75+ games, IMAX Enhanced
The catch: 3 hours of video, no preorders yet.
Price and specs
Prices checked October 23, 2026, on Meta's own pages.
| Spec | Audio | Gen 3 | Display | VR Glasses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $349 | $449 | $799 | $1,299.99 |
| Camera | None | 12 MP photos, 3K video | Yes, with viewfinder | – |
| Display | None | None | Full-color, in lens | Micro-OLED, 37 PPD |
| Controls | Voice, touch | Voice, touch, action button | Voice, Neural Band | Eyes, hands, voice |
| Battery | 12 hrs + 48 hrs case | Up to 9 hrs | 6 hrs, 30 hrs with case | Up to 3 hrs video |
| Weight | 43 g | – | – | About 100 g + puck |
| Styles | Clubmaster, Burbank; 23 combos | Wayfarer, Aviator, Zena; 27 combos | Black, Sand | One design |
| Availability | Oct 13 | Now | Now | Spring 2027 |
What each pair can do
| Feature | Audio | Gen 3 | Display | VR Glasses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Takes photos and video | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Open-ear music and calls | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Meta AI by voice | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Screen you can see | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Movies and games | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| All-day wear | ✓ | ✓ | Mixed use | 3 hrs |
| On sale today | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
– means Meta hasn't said.
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3: refined, not reinvented
Gen 3 keeps the formula and fixes the small things: slimmer frames, an hour more battery (up to nine), adjustable temple tips and a customizable action button that calls Meta AI instantly. The 12 MP camera shoots 3K video, and six microphones cut more than 90% of background noise.
Style is the real upgrade, with 27 frame and lens combinations across Wayfarer, Aviator and the new Zena cat-eye. The catch: Gen 2 owners already have the same core camera, audio and AI.
Ray-Ban Meta Audio: the pair that could go mainstream
Meta took out the camera and kept the speakers, microphones and Meta AI. The result weighs 43 grams and lasts up to 12 hours, plus another 48 from the charging case.
The missing camera is the point. Nobody across the table wonders if they're being recorded, so these work in offices, classrooms and gyms where camera glasses feel awkward.
Meta Ray-Ban Display: useful, not for everyone yet
At $799, including the Neural Band wristband, the Display is the only Meta pair with a full-color screen in the lens. Directions, messages, live captions and a camera viewfinder appear when you want them, and Connect added hands-free navigation and a launch in the UK, Canada, France, Italy and Germany.
Battery runs up to six hours of mixed use, and the frames are bulkier than Gen 3. Buy it if you want the future now.
Meta VR Glasses: big promise, many unknowns
Meta shrinks a headset to about 100 grams by moving the battery, storage and Snapdragon Reality Elite chip into a puck that clips to a pocket. You control it with your eyes, hands and voice, and any flat surface becomes a keyboard and touchpad.
The catch: $1,299.99, up to three hours of video, and no sale date beyond spring 2027. We compare it with XREAL, VITURE, Vision Pro and Galaxy XR in our VR and AR glasses guide.
What about Muse and the cheaper Meta Glasses?
Muse, Meta's personal AI agent, comes to the glasses in the coming months. You'll say its name, it can act on what you're looking at, and it gains connectors like Walmart, Best Buy, Instacart and PayPal. Muse Charm, a pocket device for talking to Muse, gets more details later this year.
The non-Ray-Ban Meta Glasses line also grew, starting at $249 for the Meta Adventurer. For how Muse compares with other agents, see our personal AI agents guide.
Which pair should you buy?
The verdict
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 is the best Meta smart glasses for most people: camera, audio and AI in frames people want to wear. Ray-Ban Meta Audio is the smartest new product Meta announced, and at $349 it's the easiest first pair.
FAQ
What did Meta announce at Connect 2026?
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 ($449, available now), the camera-free Ray-Ban Meta Audio ($349, on sale October 13), Meta VR Glasses ($1,299.99, spring 2027), Muse coming to its glasses, and a pocket device called Muse Charm. The Meta Ray-Ban Display ($799) remains in the lineup.
Which Meta glasses should I buy?
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 for most people, with a camera, audio and Meta AI for $449. Choose Ray-Ban Meta Audio at $349 if you don't want a camera. Consider the $799 Display only if you want an in-lens screen, and wait for reviews before buying the $1,299.99 VR Glasses, which go on sale in spring 2027.
How long does the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 battery last?
Up to nine hours, one more than Gen 2. Ray-Ban Meta Audio lasts up to 12 hours, with up to 48 more hours from its charging case.
Do Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses have a camera?
No. They're Meta's camera-free pair: speakers, microphones and Meta AI in 43-gram Clubmaster and Burbank frames, built for places where recording glasses aren't welcome.
Should I upgrade from Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 to Gen 3?
Probably not. Gen 3 adds an hour of battery, slimmer frames, adjustable temple tips and an action button. Those are nice, but Gen 2 already has the same core camera, audio and Meta AI experience.