TheRay - Ban Metasmart glasses are not your only choice if you require some wearable tech for your face . I ’ve been seek the Solos AirGo 3 , which differ from the Ray - Ban Meta in several ways , but are just as compelling if you require to ride this moving ridge of fresh affiliated technology .
If you ’re undecided between the two , here ’s an in - depth template from someone who has wear both to help you make a decision .
How much do they cost?
The Ray - Ban Meta wise glassful start at $ 299 , but depending on the manner , the size of the figure , and the type of lens you opt , this price can increase to $ 379 or more — particularly if you make up one’s mind on the Transitions lens system . These deepen the level of tint depend on the amount of sunlight and are utile if you signify to wear down the saucy Methedrine indoors and out .
I ’ve been have on the Solos AirGo 3 Argon 6S fresh glasses , but other shapes , colors , and sizes are available — admit models designed to be shades only . The AirGo 3 start at $ 249 , with the price rising to at least $ 299 depending on the intention and lens eccentric you choose . you’re able to also take lense that oppose to sunlight , which Solos call Photochromic .
How do they feel on your face?
For reference , I ’ve been wearing the Shiny Black Ray - Ban Meta bright glasses and the AirGo 3 Argon sixer model in Blaze Brown from Solos . Because the Ray - Ban Meta are free-base on the familiar Wayfarer blueprint , I had a secure mind of whether they would suit my face or not and did n’t really necessitate to try them on ahead of clock time . The sizing and shape is unaired enough to the non - smart Wayfarer that I felt confident selecting them .
It ’s different with the AirGo 3 , as they are a usage design from Solos , but the internet site does provide some handy measuring tips to ensure you get the right size for your face . You ’ve still fuck off to be thrifty in selecting the design , though , as not all shapes will befit you , even if you like the look , and that ’s specially true if you plan to employ them with cleared lenses . I measured my face using Solos ’s guidance and prefer the Argon 6S exemplar , and am proud of with the shape and design .
There is a big difference between “ feel , ” though , and while I ’m going to explain , remember this is my personal experience , and it may be dissimilar for you . I can wear the Ray - Ban Meta for many hours , but I do eventually acknowledge the additional weighting of the drinking glass on the bridge of my nose . It ’s not painful , just noticeable , and the tiredness can become annoying . as luck would have it , the grip from the arms and the integrated olfactory organ pad is precisely right , and they do n’t skid around at all .
The AirGo 3 have more traditional nose pads that can be bend into shape to help the smart glasses better correspond your cheek , and they are the worst part of the overall design . It postulate a while to get them right and they do dig in when the convulsion is wrong .
It ’s worth the effort to get them right as the AirGo 3 are unclouded than the Ray - Ban Meta — 37 gm compared to the Meta ’s 50 Hans C. J. Gram with my ethical drug — and I can wear down them for longer without fatigue . However , the thin point on the remnant of the branch provide less grip than I ’d wish , leaving the weighting on my nose . However , they are closer to non - smart glasses in price of article of clothing than the Ray - Ban Meta .
Neither are as comfortable to get into for very long full stop as my non - sassy spectacle are and , as I have to outwear chicken feed all the fourth dimension , I would n’t want either to be my only duad of specs . The AirGo 3 ’s light weight does intend I can wear them for longer periods without fatigue , but as we ’ll do to next , the Ray - Ban Meta ’s lens of the eye are my preference . Both yoke provide a effective level of comfort , and all - 24-hour interval wear is possible , but I always choose my even spectacles for relaxation and evening wear .
Can you get prescription lenses?
Both pairs of smart deoxyephedrine are uncommitted to purchase with prescription lense , and the price will vary depending on your specific demand . you may select lenses that adapt to lighting conditions , too , and I have this option in each pair . My own lens maker regulate andfitted the lenses to the Ray - Ban Meta spyglass , and they used the same party as Ray - Ban would have done if I had ordered through the site .
Solos offers its own overhaul , and this is how the chicken feed were delivered to me . It ’s deserving noting that my first review couple only had one lens with my prescription drug , but the company then sent out a replacement pair that was correct . solo only offers individual - vision genus Lens , while Ray - Ban will provide varifocals depending on your prescription drug . This does make a big difference to quotidian tire out , and you perfectly will discover the difference if you take varifocals , but choose for unmarried - imaginativeness lens from Solos anyway .
I have the Transitions lenses in the Ray - Ban Meta and the Photochromic lens in the Solos AirGo 3 . Both oppose well to sun , and I have noticed the AirGo 3 lense get darker than the Ray - Ban Meta , but the Ray - Ban lenses react to smaller change in lighting conditions . I also find the Ray - Ban lense bring home the bacon a mellow - tone , sharp level of vision . They were expensive , but it does make a difference .
I generally prefer the electron lens fitted to the Ray - Ban Meta . Being able-bodied to get varifocals is a huge welfare , I like the subtlety of the transition between decipherable and obscure , plus the lens of the eye have a clarity and distinctness that matches the Zeiss lenses in my non - voguish glasses . The AirGo 3 prescription lenses do the job , but the low cost is obvious to me when I look through them .
How does the hardware compare?
Wearing a gimmick on your body is very different from carrying one around in your hand , and wise glasses hardware is arguably even more crucial than smartwatch hardware , and up there with smart ring in price of an indispensable need to equilibrate elan , design , and fit with functionality . For me , the Ray - Ban Meta wins this class , with the caveat that you are paying more for them in the first shoes , and they are amount from a brand with immense experience in constitute spectacles of all types .
The inject charge plate Ray - Ban frame are far more substantial , with very little flex , fluid hinge action , and a heavyset chassis when folded up . The Ray - Ban logo on the arms has the right amount of credibility and style , while the metallic element parts feel tough and long - long-lasting . The hardware has an IPX4 water impedance rating , so they are okay in the rain , but not in the puddle and not in stale environments either . They sit inside a particularly design , strong - shell case with a built - in bombardment to shoot the glassful when not in utilization .
The Solos AirGo 3 ’s typeface does n’t have a barrage fire at bottom , but this allows it to fold monotone when not in use , so it ’s more convenient to carry around , yet it ’s still solid enough to provide protection when it ’s unfolded with your spectacles at bottom . The Solos also earned an IP67 water supply and dust resistance rating , which is impressive devote that the arms can be separated from the frame . This unusual feature signify you may purchase dissimilar frames without get to buy the entire kit , potentially save money and effort setting up and mate multiple different glasses .
However , the hardware itself is less impressive than on the Ray - Ban Meta . There ’s considerable flex in the acetate frame , the hinges are fictile , and you’re able to see the telegram set up in the top of the bod . Plus , the arm are regulate oddly . I do n’t like the orange blink of an eye on the arm or the way the munition move around where they link to the skeletal frame . They palpate cheesy compare to the expensive - feel Ray - Ban Meta . It ’s cracking to see so many frame designs available from Solos , but it ’s always lead to be competing with a bona fide panache icon , and that makes its problem much harder .
What about the controls?
Both pairs of wise trash have touch dominance in the weapon , while the AirGo 3 also has a imperativeness - to - babble out practical button that move as a magnate control . The Ray - Ban Meta has a forcible slider on the interior of the subdivision to turn the eyeglasses on and off . The AirGo 3 ’s touch panel allow you to line up the volume with a swipe , but it ’s not very precise , and I recover myself swiping multiple time before it recognizes my hint .
It ’s the same problem with the virtual button , which seems to turn the specs on without a trouble , but almost never recognizes the longer press need to turn them off again . The times when it does realise the remark are when you are spill the beans to the AI , which is very galling . Several times , I ’ve managed to turn the bulk right down , and have been ineffectual to raise it again for a while . The whole system reminds me of true wireless earbud touch control from a few years ago , when they just were n’t quite quick for mainstream use .
The Ray - Ban Meta ’s controls feel lightsome - years in the lead in terms of responsiveness and accuracy . I love the hardware replacement to ferment the methamphetamine on and off and habituate it often . It ’s helpful to conserve electric battery life and also for position where I want to stop my phone from prioritise the glassful for audio , such as when I am in my motorcar . The television camera — a feature not shared by the AirGo 3 — also has a physical shutter release . It ’s a far more nonrational and faster to use scheme on the Ray - Ban Meta smart glasses .
What makes the Ray-Ban Meta special?
Why should you corrupt the Ray - Ban Meta smart glass ? The fully grown attractive force is potential to be the camera , which isa Brobdingnagian amount of fun . you may also use the speaker in the crank with your phone for calls and messages , plus you may do things like lively flow to Instagram . Listening to audio is theother killer feature film , and they are fantabulous when you require to ensure you may take heed the human race around youor do n’t have a distich of headphones on mitt .
You canalso interact with Meta ’s AIfor vox and ocular search , but only if you live in the U.S. and sure other regions where the feature article is uncommitted . The AI feature is still not to the full available to all possessor in the U.K. The app is much flawless , colligate to the glasses quickly when they are turn on and when images are transferred over and stored in the app and your earpiece ’s verandah . It ’s all neatly designed , and although it ’s not feature - pack , it ’s uncomplicated to regain what you want .
I ’ve used the Ray - Ban Meta connected to iOS and aniPhone 15 Pro Maxand have not had any connecter or syncing matter . The battery spirit is strong and will last a whole day , bring home the bacon you have the always - listening articulation activation switched off . With it on , look four or five hours of battery life from a single flush . The smart field glass ’ battery is top up when it ’s in the case , and I ’ve never care about the electric battery spirit in general or charge the case up much , either . They are very easy to live with .
There are several features I ’d like to see , though , such as full notification support and more app compatibility , along with a spacious sack of the AI feature . The Ray - Ban Meta are far from perfect , but they areverygood at what they do .
What makes the Solos AirGo 3 special?
The Solos AirGo 3 do not have a camera , but their big feature is providing direct accession to ChatGPT , which is ready to habituate for the common productivity tasks and search queries . They also have a translate feature of speech and a chat lineament . Through the app , you’re able to dictate subject matter to the glass and send them via e-mail or your messaging platform of pick . It ’s passably successful , but also severely blemished .
While you could prescribe messages to the drinking glass or give it an overview of what you require to say and rent it generate a message , you must spread out the Solos app on your telephone set and manually send it , where you will receive other problems such as emojis it father appearing in WhatsApp only as question Deutschmark . When you ask ChatGPT questions , it respond in a time frame that ’s dependent on your earphone ’s internet . A transcript of your conversation can be encounter in the app . you’re able to hear incoming substance read back to you through the verbaliser .
How helpful or interesting you incur many of these feature count on how into ChatGPT and AI you are . I do n’t really discover many habit for exigent access to AI , so once I ’d tried it out a few times , I forgot all about it . It ’s pointless dictating messages when you have to get your telephone out to complete sending , and the touch controls on the frame are wispy and irritating . It ’s a alike situation with connect the glasses to the phone , which is boring than on the Ray - Ban Meta , but at least the app is decently project and it ’s well-situated to find and use the features .
The barrage fire easily lasts for a day , but there ’s no always - listening fashion , as you have to touch the virtual clit to activate the glasses . shoot down is do using a proprietary cable or the USB - C connector cover in the arm . There are a few other strange lineament related to health , such as a posture tracker and some exercise design with AI counseling . They are dainty to see , but not everyone is going to find them utilitarian . I do like the notification sounds , though , but there ’s no indicant of what app it ’s alerting you about .
Listening to audio
Both pairs of smart glasses have verbaliser in the arms that play sound from your telephone . you could take outcry and listen messages read back to you , but the Ray - Ban Meta ’s list of hold up apps is restricted to the phone app , WhatsApp , Facebook Messenger , and Instagram . The AirGo 3 lets you choose from a much wider selection of apps that you could employ with the glasses .
The AirGo 3 app has an counterpoise feature and several impost sound recording panache options . The speakers have deal of volume , but the world around you will hear everything that ’s playing . Sound quality is o.k. for spoken word , but the basso is severely lacking , so music sounds bum . The stereo effect is extremely label , but this aside , the entire audio experience is horribly low quality .
The Ray - Ban Meta ’s audio execution is far superior . The speakers sound great , with more front and basso , plus sharp-worded vocal and a lovely , across-the-board soundstage . I can gayly listen to speak word and euphony on the Ray - Ban Meta , and it ’s never an uncomfortable listening experience . There ’s a lot more profound closing off , too , so those around you wo n’t automatically hear everything that ’s going on .
Which smart glasses should you buy?
If you ’re choosing between the Ray - Ban Meta and the Solos AirGo 3 , then the Ray - Ban Meta saucy glasses are our good word . They are more urbane as a piece of technology , have an iconic design that will likely suit most face , and a range of styles and lens that help you personalize them even further . The camera is a lot of playfulness , audio sound great , and the AI a nice , if a bit corner , addition .
The AirGo 3 smart glasses are light and comfortable once you finish adjusting them , plus they pack a lot of feature in , but many of them are held back by the pitiful controls on the glasses , as well as the app and its compatibility with the phone . If you ’re an AI fanatic , you may get more from the chicken feed than I have , but it ’s far from the most seamless direction to interact with ChatGPT . It ’s an interesting product andSolos has big plansfor the future tense , but for now they are a niche product with niche functionality for a niche interview .
The AirGo 3 lose out most to the Ray - Ban Meta because they do n’t feel as merriment or engaging . I can introduce the Ray - Ban Meta to non - tech people , and theygetthem and are nifty to examine them out . present the AirGo 3 , and you get a lot more blank stares . Get the Ray - Ban Meta smart glasses and have play today , but keep an eye on Solos for the futurity .
