The Meta and Rayban smart glasses are one gadget every tech geek would want to explore. Seeing how you can take pictures and videos without holding your phone up, I purchased one myself after our initial review. The Wayfarer was my obvious choice since it’s more subtle and looks just like a prescription lens.
So this post will review the specifications, features and my holistic experience of the Wayfarer Meta Smart Glasses. In the end, you’ll be able to make an informed decision on whether it’s the right choice for your needs or not.
A Sturdy, Stylish and Subtle Design
Compared to the other Meta Smart Glasses, the Wayfarer seemed less bulky and so, I was worried it might break easily. Surprisingly, it is very sturdy yet stylish. Without the white recording light coming on when you need to take a picture, it can pass for regular glasses.
It also comes with a brown case which doubles as a charger so you can keep it safe when it’s not in use. While I would’ve loved a different type of frame – perhaps cat-eyed, the square lens seems to work for most face types.
The only downside to it is that, like most glasses, you’ll need to take it off so it doesn’t wear down your ears. So it may be the best option for hands-free streaming but not a great option for long streams.
Relatively Impressive Audio and Sound
Perhaps the best feature of the Wayfarer Smart Glasses is the audio. This is because I have used it more as a headphone than for recording. It’s excellent if you need to listen in on a call or audio while still paying full attention to your surroundings.
Unfortunately, the audio isn’t subtle. Because it isn’t plugged in directly to your ears, your seatmates on a bus, plane or train will still be able to pick up sounds from your audio. When listening to music, anyone close to me could decipher what I was listening to. So it may not be a great option for secret work calls you plan to have.
While the spatial audio is very impressive, audiophiles who love a good bass might not be a fan of this feature. That’s because it strips the audio off and you won’t get that pumping beat like a regular headphone.
When recording, the audio though is very immersive, so you can’t drown out any background noise. When you or anyone close to you speaks, it will pick it up.
Set Up and Battery Life
Connecting it was pretty straightforward. Once you download the Metaview app, follow the prompts and connect your device. The battery life is also pretty impressive as it can last for more than eight hours of use.
Once it’s running low, simply put it back in its case and it’ll automatically charge – just like AirPods. Occasionally, you’d have to charge the case using a type-C cable too.
Interesting Twist to Camera Quality
The 12MP camera while incomparable to an iPhone or DSLR, still left an underwhelming impression. For starters, no matter what angle you take a picture from, it has a fish-eye lens that makes it seem like you’re far away from your model. So while it might be great for wide-angle photography, it is not great for portrait or landscape especially when taking a picture of a person.
Another issue I had was that you had to be perfectly still to take a clear picture. Since it’s incapable of framing, you have to do all the work. So any slight head or neck tilt causes you to get instant blurry pictures. The camera can also not autofocus or zoom in. So your view is literally all you get.
Interestingly, the image quality of videos is so much better than pictures which makes sense, since it’s at 1080p. The framing is better and while you still can’t zoom in, you get a clear spatial audio sound of your surroundings. Unfortunately, you can only record videos of up to one minute. Else it’ll cut off and sum up to multiple clips. This might be because, it’s specifically designed for socials like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
Pros of the Wayfarer Meta Smart Glasses
- Inconspicuous and sturdy design
- Spatial audio
- Handsfree recording
- Doubles as an earphone for calls and music
- 1080p video resolution
- Simple setup
- Long-lasting battery
Cons of the Wayfarer Meta Smart Glasses
- Fish-eye lens for images and videos
- No framing or zoom option
- Low image quality for pictures
- No bass in the audio sound
- No voice isolation
Wrapping Up
The Meta Wayfarer smart glasses are a great step towards innovation. It’s an excellent headphones alternative, great for hands-free recording and vlogging. However, the existing features need more work as there is room for improvement. Hopefully, Meta will release more designs with a better camera and sound.
