Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses drop to $239 with rare 20% discount

Amazon is offering Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses for $239, marking a rare 20% discount on the popular wearable technology that combines Ray-Ban’s classic design with Meta’s AI capabilities. The deal represents significant savings on a product that was frequently out of stock during much of 2024 and has rarely seen price reductions since its launch.

What you should know: The discounted glasses deliver near-AirPods audio quality while adding camera and AI assistant functionality that traditional headphones can’t match.

• The smart glasses feature built-in speakers that provide audio quality “nearly as bright and clear as a pair of AirPods” for calls and podcasts, though they lack the bass depth of premium headphones.
• A 12-megapixel ultrawide camera captures photos and videos with quality comparable to an iPhone 12 or Samsung Galaxy S20, offering faster access than pulling out a phone.
• The “Hey Meta” AI assistant uses Meta’s large language models for information searches and hands-free queries.

Key details: Multiple styles are available at different price points, with the classic black frames offering the deepest discount.

• The standard black frames with green-tinted lenses are priced at $239, down from $299.
• Transition lens versions cost $303 (normally $379), while other styles range $30 to $80 higher than the base model.
• Battery life lasts about half a day with moderate use, charging to 50% in 20 minutes via the included USB-C case.

Why this matters: Smart glasses represent an emerging category that bridges traditional eyewear with advanced technology, positioning users for future AI-powered features.

• Meta regularly adds new capabilities through software updates, including real-time Spanish-to-English translation and visual search for landmarks and street signs.
• The glasses don’t require a Facebook account, only a Meta account that can theoretically be kept separate from other Meta platforms.
• Since smart glasses are becoming more common and smarter AI-powered features are on the horizon, getting a pair gives you “a better chance of getting a taste of the future,” according to ZDNET’s review.

The big picture: This discount comes at a time when smart glasses adoption is accelerating and Meta continues expanding AI capabilities across its hardware ecosystem.

• The glasses were among “the most popular tech products of the last year” and represent Meta’s successful entry into wearable AI technology.
• Future updates promise features like helping users remember visual information, such as parking spot locations.