Meta's next Ray-Ban smart glasses cost more and listen better, according to new hands-on testing.
PCMag got early access to the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 and ran it through hands-on testing ahead of wider availability. The outlet found two concrete upgrades over the prior generation: an improved microphone array and roughly an extra hour of battery life per charge. Those gains come with a catch - PCMag reports the new glasses cost more than their predecessor. Beyond the mic and battery changes, PCMag's testing didn't surface other major hardware differences.
That's a familiar pattern in wearable hardware: modest spec bumps justify a higher price without a full redesign. It matters here because Ray-Ban Meta has been one of the rare AI-glasses products with actual consumer traction, so how buyers respond to a pricier, incrementally-better sequel will say a lot about whether this category is maturing or just getting more expensive.
A better mic and an extra hour of battery are welcome, incremental fixes - closer to a running-shoe refresh than a category-defining leap.