The Meta Ray-Ban Display isn’t here to replace your phone just yet—but after trying them on at Meta Connect 2025, it’s clear they’re not far off. With a bright color display, gesture-based control, and AI-powered smarts, these glasses make a compelling case for heads-up computing.
Meta Ray-Ban Display leads the charge at Connect 2025
Mark Zuckerberg didn’t hide his excitement. The Meta CEO proudly took the stage wearing the Display glasses, calling them a milestone over a decade in the making. At $799, you’re getting both the smart glasses and a neural wristband that tracks subtle finger movements to control the interface. The glasses themselves come in two styles—shiny black or translucent light brown—with transition lenses and prescription support. Battery life lands at six hours for the glasses and 18 for the wristband. You’ll be able to try them in stores starting September 30.
The Meta Ray-Ban Display feels surprisingly comfortable
At 69 grams, the Display glasses are a bit bulkier than the audio-only Gen 2 model, but not distractingly so. They sit light on your face and the wristband, made from a soft fabric with magnetic cinching, fades into the background fast. The right-eye display sits just outside your direct line of vision and shines at a blistering 5,000 nits—bright enough for sun or shadow. Meta used LCOS tech to keep the image private from anyone else looking at you, which adds to the seamless feel.
Gesture control via a neural wristband is a real breakthrough
The wristband is where things get wild. Within minutes, users can pinch, swipe, twist, and tap to navigate the interface without touching the glasses. It’s not science fiction—it works, and it works fast. Pinch-and-rotate can zoom, swipe shifts screens, and thumb-index pinches confirm selections. Zuckerberg calls it “the world’s first mainstream neural interface,” and for once, the hype isn’t misplaced.
What can Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses actually do?
A lot, and more than you’d expect from a face-worn device. These features stood out:
- Live transcription that isolates one speaker—even in a crowded room
- WhatsApp messaging, AI note-taking, and hands-free photo/video capture
- Voice control that smartly filters out background conversations
- Step-by-step AI recipe cards you can swipe through while cooking
- Live AI that sees and hears your environment to summarize info in real time
There’s even an experimental text reply mode where you “write” letters in the air with your wrist, turning invisible gestures into messages.
Smart glasses are gaining momentum fast
Meta isn’t the only one eyeing this space. Google’s planning its return with Android XR-powered glasses, and other players are circling. But the Meta Ray-Ban Display is the first to blend fashion, function, and futuristic input in one product you can actually buy. Just don’t expect to wear them for years—they’re built for the edge of what’s next, not the comfort zone of what’s now.