The Best Smart Glasses of 2023

What to Look For in Smart Glasses in 2023

Before shopping for a pair of smart glasses, it’s a good idea to understand exactly what you can expect from the current generation. While you might imagine something like the ill-fated Google Glass or augmented reality (AR) spectacles, the smart glasses of today are more an extension of your smartphone and its functions more than anything else.

Still, you will get plenty of features and capabilities, such as built-in cameras, microphones, speakers, support for voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, and more.

So smart glasses are a good accessory if you want to remain connected without looking at your phone constantly. They essentially act as an extension of your smartphone.

Now that you know what you are getting, here are a few things to remember.

One of the most important things is the feature set of a pair of smart glasses. What exactly do you want from them? Do you want to capture photos, listen to music, or have easy access to a voice assistant? Be sure to double-check for the features you want, as not all smart glasses will have them.

Also, if you don’t want cameras to avoid making people uncomfortable around you, there are options without built-in cameras.

The design and the look of smart glasses are equally important. You’ll want something you’ll want to wear—otherwise, they’ll sit in a drawer somewhere, never used. In addition, if you wear prescription lenses, it’s essential to check if the smart glasses can be fitted with them, as unfortunately, not all smart glasses work with prescription lenses.

Lastly, battery life and water resistance are also crucial, and you’ll want to keep a close eye on these features to make sure that your smart glasses don’t get damaged or run out of battery at the worst time.

Now that you know what to look for, here are the best smart glasses you can pick up now.

The result of Ray-Ban’s collaboration with Meta (previously known as Facebook), the Stories Smart Glasses have many smart features in a form that looks just like a normal pair of sunglasses.

Thanks to this integrated tech, which includes dual 5MP cameras, microphones, and open-ear speakers, you can take photos and videos, listen to music, and receive calls.

The camera quality is good enough for social media, but there is a slight learning curve in the framing of a shot. The Stories allow 30-second video clips, which you can take about 30 before the 4GB capacity gets full. In terms of photos, you will be able to take around 500.

One of the biggest positives of the Ray-Ban Stories is how they look. You can buy these in three classic shapes—Wayfarer, Round, and Meteor—and over a dozen frames and lens color combinations. There is also support for prescription lenses. Many smart glasses don’t look like a normal pair of glasses, and the Stories get big points in this respect.

As you can expect, the Stories glasses pair with your phone to stream music, power calls, and other features that require internet connectivity. Fortunately, the companion app—Facebook View—is simple and easy to use.

All-in-all, the Ray-Ban Stories are a pretty rounded pair of smart glasses that look stylish and have a decent set of smart features. The only major drawback some people may find with these is the requirement of a Facebook account to use them.

Best Smart Glasses Overall

Ray-Ban Stories

The Ray-Ban Stories are a solid pair of smart glasses that can take photos, play music, and answer calls.

Best Budget Smart Glasses: Razer Anzu

Although not as stylish or feature-rich as the Ray-Ban Stories, the Razer Anzu are a great pair of budget smart glasses. So if you are curious and want to try a pair, these won’t leave a big dent in your wallet.

The Razer Anzu can play music, answer phone calls, and provide access to your phone’s digital assistant. You can do all this with a touch of your finger.

One of the big highlights of the Razer Anzu is the included Game Mode, which offers low-latency sound for your gaming sessions. You also get blue-light filtering lenses by default. Both of these features can come in handy during your long gaming sessions.

Speaking of, Razer claims its smart glasses can last up to five hours on a single charge, which should last long enough for most gamers. The Anzu are also rated IPX4 water resistant, so sweat, rain, or splashing water won’t damage them.

You’ll also be happy to know that Anzu supports prescription lenses, and the company has partnered with Lensabl to offer compatible lenses.

Unfortunately, not everything is excellent with the Anzu. For example, the larger modules on the arm of the glasses can make long hours of wearing them uncomfortable. Plus, the gesture control on the Razer glasses can be finicky.

You can choose from rectangular or round designs and small or large sizes.

Best Budget Smart Glasses

Razer Anzu

A hybrid of sunglasses, Bluetooth headphones, and blue-light-filtering computer glasses, the Razer Anzu are a great option to start your smart glasses journey.

Amazon

$59.99
$199.99 Save 70%

If you are into short-form videos and social media, you’ll like the Spectacles 3 from Snap. As the name suggests, the Spectacles 3 are the company’s third stab at producing a pair of smart glasses, and there are several improvements and updates from previous generations.

The unique selling point of the Spectacles 3 is the dual camera setup that can capture in-depth data. This lets you take 3D photos or add 3D AR effects to your videos. The company also bundles a Google Cardboard-like VR viewer to enjoy your creations in 360 degrees.

Spectacles 3 are easy to use and pair with your smartphone. You can record videos or take photos with the tap of a button, then import them into the Snapchat app to share with others or on social media.

The design, however, is a bit divisive and won’t be for everyone. But the Spectacles 3 certainly turn heads. Like Razer, Snap has partnered with Lensacl to offer Spectacles 3 with prescription lenses, so you can get the Snap smart glasses fitted with your prescription lenses without issues.

Unfortunately, unlike their predecessor, the Snap Spectacles 3 don’t play well with water as they don’t have IP ratings. This latest iteration of Spectacles is pricier than its predecessors, which can be too much to digest for many.

Best Smart Glasses with Camera

Snap Spectacles 3

Snap’s third attempt at building a pair of camera-focused smart glasses may have a divisive design, but they certainly include many fun features.

Bose is known for high-quality audio products, and the company’s audio expertise shows in its Frames Tempo smart glasses.

Part of Bose’s second-generation smart glasses lineup, the Frames Tempo delivers surprisingly good audio, considering that these tiny speakers project sound in front of your ears. Just don’t expect the big bass you get from regular headphones, as there is some sound leakage.

Battery life is another high point for the Frames Tempo, lasting up to eight hours on a single charge. In addition, these smart glasses charge via USB-C, so you won’t have to worry about using (and losing) a proprietary cable.

The Frames Tempo are also IPX4 rated for splash resistance and come with scratch and shatter-resistant lenses and a rugged frame. Plus, you get a dual microphone array to attend phone calls or talk to your phone’s voice assistant.

In terms of design, the Bose Frames Tempo are focused on sports and have a design reminiscent of your typical Oakley, Nike, or Under Armour sunglasses. You can swap lenses, and the company offers a couple of options—though they’ll always look sporty.

But if you don’t like the look of the Bose Frame Tempo, the company also offers Frames in Tenor and Soprano. While the Tenor and Soprano have slightly different specifications, they still deliver better audio than other options on the market.

Best Smart Glasses for Music

Bose Frames Tempo

From good sound quality to great battery life, the Bose Frames Tempo have a lot going for them. Plus, these sports-focused smart glasses are ready for your active lifestyle.

Fortunately, many smart glasses on the market support prescription lenses, including most of our recommendations. But if you want the best options for prescription lenses, the Amazon Echo Frames (2nd Gen) are the pair of smart glasses to get.

As the name suggests, these are Amazon’s second-generation smart glasses and are primarily targeted at people who want speakers and microphones in their sunglasses to answer calls, talk to a voice assistant, play music, and listen to podcasts and other audio-based media.

While the Echo Frames support Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri—though unsurprisingly, Alexa is the easiest to use and has the best integration. With voice assistant support, you can also control your smart home devices with the Echo Frames.

The four micro speakers on the Amazon smart glasses do their job well, and the audio quality is decent. So you will have no trouble with audiobooks, podcasts, and phone calls. But, as expected, audio quality can’t compare to quality headphones.

In other features, Amazon has made these IPX4 water-resistant like other smart glasses. Battery life is also okay, and the Echo Frames can last up to four hours of music playback on a single charge. Moreover, Amazon glasses are pretty lightweight and comfortable.

While Amazon doesn’t ship these with prescription lenses, you can get the lenses from an eyewear professional and get them fitted at any LensCrafters location. Alternatively, you can share your prescription lens specifications and Echo Frame with Boomerang lenses online, and they will fit your chosen lenses and send the glasses back to you.

Sadly, there is only one size, which may not fit everyone perfectly. And the plasticky design looks basic. But you can pick from three hues to match your style or outfit.

Best Prescription Smart Glasses

Amazon Echo Frames (2nd Gen)

Amazon’s Echo Frames (2nd gen) smart glasses offer easy access to Alexa and have a decent audio quality to play music, listen to podcasts, and answer calls.

Frequently Asked Questions