Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 lands with 2x battery and 3K video

Meta just unveiled the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2), and the single biggest update addresses the exact reason many people left the first pair at home: battery life.

The new model delivers up to eight hours of typical use on a single charge, effectively doubling the endurance of Gen 1. Meta also added fast charging that gets the frame to 50% in 20 minutes, while the redesigned charging case packs an additional 48 hours of power.

Sharper video and noise-filtering ears

On the hardware side, Meta upgraded the camera to 3K Ultra HD at up to 60 frames per second with ultrawide HDR. Meta claims the sensor captures more than twice as many pixels as the previous generation, with hyperlapse and slow motion shooting arriving via software update later this fall.

Audio is also getting smarter. Meta previewed a feature called conversation focus, which uses the open-ear speakers to isolate and boost the voice of the person in front of you while cutting through ambient noise in crowded bars or busy parks. The feature will roll out as a software update to both Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta HSTN frames.

On the software side, live translation is expanding to German and Portuguese, heading toward six-language two-way dialogue that can run completely offline if language packs are downloaded in advance. The lineup keeps popular styles like the Wayfarer, Skyler, and Headliner, but raises the starting price to $379.

Why it matters

We think Meta is playing the long game with smart glasses far better than anyone trying to cram heavy waveguide displays onto people's faces right now.

Doubling battery life to eight hours transforms this product from an occasional recording toy into an all-day wearable. For travelers, content creators, and casual users, being able to walk through a city without battery anxiety makes the $379 price tag much easier to justify.

That said, an $80 price bump over the original $299 baseline is noticeable, especially since the core form factor remains largely unchanged. If you already own Gen 1 and only use it for quick calls or short clips, an immediate upgrade probably isn't essential.

Still, with millions of units already sold and IDC ranking it as the world's top AI glasses platform as of July 2025, Meta is running away with the wearable AI category while rivals are still stuck in prototyping phases.