Ray-Ban Meta Optics review: A better fit comes with a higher price

Published 22 June 2026 · tech

As someone who often wears contacts, but defaults to my prescription glasses most days of the week, Ray-Ban Meta glasses with see-through (but not prescription)

As someone who often wears contacts, but defaults to my prescription glasses most days of the week, Ray-Ban Meta glasses with see-through (but not prescription) lenses haven't made much sense to me. I get that having transition lenses can make an expensive pair of glasses useful in more situations, but I've generally preferred the sunglasses form factor because it tends to be a better fit for the situations when I most want to reach for a pair of smart glasses. That said, I've always wondered if I would feel differently if I had my own prescription in a pair. After wearing the Ray-Ban Meta Optics as my primary glasses for two weeks, I'm starting to see the appeal. The glasses are very similar to the second-generation frames, but have a few upgrades that make them easier and more comfortable to wear throughout the day. One issue I've had with just about every pair of Ray-Ban Meta glasses is that the slightly oversized frames tend to slip down my nose. With the Optics lineup, Meta made the inner nosepads swappable so you can get a more secure fit.

I changed the "universal fit" pads that came on out of the box for the "high bridge" pads and immediately noticed less slippage. There's also a low bridge option included if you need it. Karissa Bell for Engadget The "Scriber" style frames I tested were still oversized, but they stayed on my face better than the Gen 2 Wayfarers I tested last year. The tips of the glasses are also moldable (at a Meta store or optician's office) so you can get an even more precise fit, though I didn't have this done with my pair. I found that the overextension hinges helped a lot with overall comfort, and I didn't have issues with the glasses pressing uncomfortably around my ears like I do with many other frames. I also appreciated that the frame styles felt a bit more subtle than previous versions. The "Scriber" frames I tested were still larger than the glasses I would normally choose for myself, but the color scheme felt more natural than the brightly-colored or super-dark styles Meta has had in other lines.

I had multiple people tell me they had no idea I was wearing smart glasses rather than "regular" Ray-Ban frames. Meta has also improved the battery life slightly compared with the other Gen 2 glasses. While the older Gen 2 model gets "up to 8 hours" of battery life, according to Meta, the Blayzer and Scriber frames are rated for "more than 8 hours." Battery life in general is very dependent on what you're doing, some features will drain it a lot quicker. But I found I was easily able to wear my Scriber frames for well over 8 hours without charging. That's with intermittent audio from the open-ear speakers and occasional Meta AI use. Karissa Bell for Engadget The other big change with the optics line is the addition of an action button, a customizable button that acts as a shortcut for frequently-used commands. The feature first debuted on the Oakley Meta Vanguard sunglasses, which had the button on the bottom side of the frames. On the Optics-branded glasses, it's now a tiny extra button on the end of the main capture control.