The Oakley Meta Vanguard made its exciting debut at the recent Meta Connect event. While building on the legacy of the comfortable Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, the Vanguard carves out its own niche, specifically designed for the demanding needs of athletes and outdoor adventurers. Its standout features include a robust wraparound design and a distinct, centrally positioned camera. These innovative smart glasses are launched alongside the new Meta Ray-Ban Display and the third-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses, a release Meta had hinted at just days prior in a short video.
Price and Availability of Oakley Meta Vanguard Smart Glasses
Priced at $499 (approximately Rs. 43,850), the Oakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses are now available for pre-order. Enthusiasts can secure their pair through Meta’s or Oakley’s official websites. The stylish shades come in several color options: Black, Road, Sapphire, and a luxurious 24K gold. Mark your calendars, as they officially go on sale starting October 21.
For added convenience, the Vanguard’s lenses are replaceable, costing $85 (around Rs. 7,500) per pair. Initial availability includes Canada, Europe, the UK, and the US. Meta has also confirmed plans to expand the launch to Brazil, India, Mexico, and the UAE later this year.
Oakley Meta Vanguard: Key Specifications and Features
Dubbed “Performance AI glasses” by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the Oakley Meta Vanguard is engineered specifically for athletes engaged in high-intensity activities. These glasses boast a wraparound design for superior eye protection and weigh in at 66g, making them slightly heavier than the standard Ray-Ban Meta. They also come with an IP67 rating, ensuring robust resistance against dust and splashes. A key highlight is Oakley’s proprietary Prizm Lens technology, designed to effectively shield against sun, wind, and dust.
At its core, the Oakley Meta Vanguard features a powerful 12-megapixel camera, strategically positioned directly above the nose piece to capture stunning first-person footage with a wide 122-degree field of view. The nose piece is also replaceable, allowing for a customized and comfortable fit. The camera offers versatile recording options: users can capture five-minute videos in 1080p at 30fps, or shorter three-minute clips at 1080p 60fps. For the ultimate visual experience, 3K resolution video recording is available at 30fps for three-minute durations. Additionally, Meta has introduced exciting new slo-mo and hyperlapse modes to enhance creative possibilities.
Mirroring the conventional Ray-Ban Meta glasses, the Vanguard is equipped with open-ear speakers and a sophisticated five-microphone array. This setup enables seamless interaction with Meta AI and crystal-clear call quality. The company boasts that the speakers are robust enough to deliver audio clearly even when driving at 30mph winds. Furthermore, the microphone system includes advanced wind noise reduction for improved voice clarity. Adding to its functionality, the smart glasses incorporate a dedicated Action button for camera controls and a secondary customizable button, both conveniently located on the underside of the arms.
For connectivity, the Vanguard supports both Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi, and it includes 32GB of onboard storage. In an exciting collaboration, Meta has integrated its AI with Garmin smartwatches. This partnership allows users to effortlessly access health and workout data by simply speaking a request into the glasses’ microphone, with the paired Garmin smartwatch providing the information instantly.
Battery life is impressive, with Meta claiming up to nine hours of use for the Vanguard during regular activities, or up to six hours for continuous music playback. The included charging case extends this significantly, offering an extra 36 hours of battery life. Fast charging is also a perk, allowing the wearables to reach 50 percent charge in just 20 minutes.