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Everyone’s talking about AI, but smart glasses are quietly breaking big in 2025. With Meta, Apple, and Google vying for dominance, and the hardware finally powerful enough to be practical instead of mere gimmicky, smart specs are transitioning from awkward face computers for tech-heads, into something potentially useful for everyone.
If you’re thinking of jumping in, the sheer range of styles, features, and price points can be daunting, so I put together this guide to help you find your perfect pair.
What smart glasses can do
The term “smart glasses” is almost too broad to be useful. It’s been applied to everything from AI-enabled sunglasses to augmented reality display glasses, so before you buy, it’s worth considering what you want your glasses to do.
Roughly speaking, smart glasses exist across the following categories, although most straddle a few classifications:
Audio-first smart glasses
These are basically earbuds embedded in glasses. They usually look like “normal” glasses, and they’re designed to play music, take calls, and often to let you talk to an AI assistant. They don’t have screens or AR overlays.
Who they’re for: Anyone who wants to take hands-free phone calls or listen to podcasts without the hassle of earbuds. Example: Reebok Smart Audio Glasses
Camera-first smart glasses
Camera glasses produce high-quality stills and video from almost invisible cameras. They’re like a lighter Go Pro.
Who they’re for: Anyone who wants to capture life on the fly and/or record a concert without holding up their phone. Example: Ray-Ban Metas.
Display-first smart glasses
Glasses designed for video or augmented reality display high-def video and/or digital information like directions, messages, video or even 3D animations directly in your field of view.
Who they’re for: Cutting edge tech fans and frequent travelers. Example: XReal One Pro.
Vision-first smart glasses
The purpose of vision-first glasses isn’t to let you listen to podcasts, but to enhance your vision. There aren’t any vision-first smart glasses on the market in the U.S., but the future could hold cyborg-style upgrades for your eyes, from automatic zoom to automatically adjusting bifocals.
Who they’re for: People who need glasses to see better.
So those are the basics. Here are my picks for the best smart glasses in each category.
Credit: Stephen Johnson
I’ve tested a ton of different smart glasses for Lifehacker, from super high-tech AR shades like the XReal One Pro to amusing novelties like the Chamelo Music Shield, but the smart glasses I wear every day are Ray-Ban Metas. They look good, they’re comfortable, and they do everything I want a pair of smart glasses to do. They play music, take pictures and video, stream content, and allow access to an AI agent, all painlessly. I haven’t had a chance to try out Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses yet, but my choice for most useful pair of smart glasses in 2025 are the Ray-Ban Metas. Check out my full review for more details.
Best display smart glasses: Xreal One Pro
Credit: Stephen Johnson
XReal’s One Pro smart glasses let you watch movies, play games, and answer emails from inside your eyeglasses. You just plug them into any device with USB-C video and you’re in business. The display is impressive—the equivalent of a big-screen TV at 1080p—and they include an onboard chip for rudimentary augmented reality too. On the downside, they are not everyday glasses. You can’t reasonably wear them around town, and they have to be tethered to another device to work. But if you’re taking a long plane trip or you want a separate display for your computer, XReal glasses are a great option. Check out my full review for more details.
Best everyday display glasses: Even Realities G1 smart glasses
Credit: Stephen Johnson
You can’t watch video or play games on them, but Even Realities G1 smart glasses can be worn every day, and give users a HUD—glancing upwards turns on a monochrome screen that can display a map, news feed, and other information. They have built-in AI that you can access instantly without anyone knowing, which opens a range of possibilities, both ethical and unethical. Unlike other AR-style glasses, G1s are lightweight and made to be worn as everyday glasses. Check out my full review for more details.
Best sports smart glasses: Bleequp Rangers
Credit: Stephen Johnson
The $379 Bleequp Rangers don’t have an AI voice assistant or any kind of display, but if you want to document your runs or bike rides, these lightweight sports glasses take 16MP still images and hi-def video, and feature open-ear audio, turn-by-turn navigation, and a walkie-talkie. It’s everything you need on a long ride, and the optional battery pack gives you up to four hours of recording time. Check out my full review for more details.
Best audio-only/fashion smart glasses: Chamelo Music Shield
Credit: Stephen Johnson
I’m not sure Chamelo’s Music Shield even counts as a pair of “smart glasses,” but they’re so cool, I had to include them. They don’t have AI, a camera, or an in-lens display, but they play music, and the lenses change from light to dark with a swipe of a finger, so you can choose the best tint for light conditions or coordinate with your outfit, but mostly, impress your friends with your slick, novelty specs. Check out my full review for more details.
Upcoming smart glasses to watch for
If you’re waiting for the next-generation of smart glasses before you jump in the pool, here are some of the intriguing models currently in development.
Apple Smart Glasses
Nothing has been announced officially, but the tech rumor mill is churning about Apple’s plans to release a line of smart glasses instead of further developing its virtual reality gear like the Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s first smart glasses will supposedly be released in 2026. They’ll be like Meta’s smart glasses, but better—maybe better just because they say “Apple” on them, or maybe actually better. We won’t know for sure until something is officially announced.
Google Android XR Glasses
Google seems to have put the Google Glass fiasco behind it and is planning to release a pair of Android-powered smart glasses with a camera, Gemini AI support, and an optional see-through micro-display that will let you project info—messages, navigation, and real-time translation—right onto your lenses. They’ve already released the Android XR operating system, and glasses are expected to be available at some point in 2026.
Samsung’s Project HAEAN
Samsung’s upcoming smart glasses are still under wraps, but the rumors out there are intriguing. Unlike Samsung’s just released Galaxy VR, HAEAN (if real) isn’t a big VR helmet. It’s a pair of glasses you could wear in public and not feel like a goof. They’re rumored to be powered by Samsung’s in-house XR chip and integrated with Galaxy AI, presumably with the end-goal of a voice and AI-centric wearable with a focus on comfort.
IXI Autofocus Smart Glasses
It’s too early to tell whether this Finnish start-up’s claims will turn into vapor, but IXI has recently raised $36.5 million from investors to develop smart glasses that invisibly and automatically adjust to correct farsightedness, as opposed to taking pictures or playing podcasts or whatever. Lenses that automatically adjust for optimum focus would be a big deal, because the next step is glasses that improve on 20/20 eyesight—maybe by allowing long-distance views, or instant microscope eyes. No release date for these either, but “a long way off” seems logical.
