The Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses prove tech can look good. Here's our review.
In India, Oakley Meta HSTN AI glasses start at Rs. 41,800
Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses finally reached Indian shores late last year. Unlike the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, the Oakley Meta HSTN (referred to as how-stuhn) caters to a niche category of performance-focused users, such as athletes, sports enthusiasts, and techies who love to mix style and substance with the power of AI. Priced at Rs. 41,800, the Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses aren't for everyone, but they bring the magic, turning your boring eyewear into AI-enabled gear. So, should you grab the Oakleys' iconic design cues, mixed with Meta's smart-glass prowess? Read on to find out whether they are worth the money.
While the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses can be credited with making the concept of sunglasses with a camera so popular that Meta extended its partnership with EssilorLuxottica, the company that owns Ray-Ban and Oakley, to develop "multi-generational smart eyewear products" over the next decade.
It packs a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera offering 100-degree FOV
Unlike the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, the Oakley Meta HSTNs are available in various iterations. It comes in six frame and lens colour combinations, including Oakley Meta HSTN Warm Grey with PRIZM Ruby Lenses, Black with PRIZM Polar Black Lenses, Brown Smoke with PRIZM Polar Deep-Water Lenses, Black with Transitions Amethyst Lenses, Clear with Transitions Grey Lenses, and Black with Clear Lenses.
The smart glasses features custom 5-mic array
Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses have been available in India since last month and start at Rs. 41,800. Though the prices go up to Rs. 47,600, depending on the style you choose. Unlike some affordable smart glasses that are heavy and don't look premium, the Meta HSTN sports Oakley's signature clean angles along with a sculpted O-Matter frame. It is lightweight, and I could wear it comfortably all day. Thanks to the sporty frames, the glasses mimic the polished look of Oakleys. The fit is ergonomic and snug, perfect for workouts, commuting or even long travel days.
The glasses pack two discreet open-ear speakers
The glass temples pack microphones, cameras, speakers and sensors. From the front, they simply look like a polished pair of Oakleys — only when you interact do you realise there's so much more going on under the surface.
Camera - 12-megapixel ultra-wide 100-degree FOV, 3024x4032 pixels image resolution, and up to 3K at 30fps video resolution support
Dimensions - 147mm (hinge to hinge), 43mm (lens height), 49mm (lens width), 24mm (bridge width) and 158mm (temple length)
Mic - Custom 5-mic array (two housed in left arm, two in right arm, and one near nose pad)
Audio - 2 discreet open-ear speakers
Controls - Capture button on the right side and supports gestures
Storage - 32GB (claimed to store over 1,000 photos and 100+ 30-second videos)
Battery Life - Up to 8 hours with a single charge
Charging case - Up to 2 days with a fully charged case
Companion App - Meta View app
Connectivity - Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3
Weight - 53 grams (frame) and 213 grams (including charging case)
It sports a capture button on the right side and supports gestures
The Oakley Meta HSTN I got for this review had transition lenses, which made it convenient whether indoors or outdoors. The lenses provided a moderate tint in bright sunlight, making them comfortable to wear during the day and at night. However, the level of tinting cannot be compared to proper sunglasses, for example, the first-gen Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer smart glasses, to put some context.
During my review, my colleagues and most people I met around that time assumed it was a pair of regular transition glasses until they spotted the camera lens and noticed the LED blinking whenever the glasses were in action.
The smart glasses pack 32GB storage space that can store over 1,000 photos and 100 30-second videos
Jumping to the points that make the Oakley Meta HSTN a game changer. First comes the audio experience; it's incredible to hear the world around me, but I can still play a soundtrack on top of it all. For calls, anyone on the other end will listen to you crystal clear, whether you're on the move or there's wind in the background. Absolutely love what the engineers did with the open-ear audio. Compared to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses (which support 1080p video), the Oakley Meta HSTN can record up to 3K videos and comes with larger batteries. The open-ear speakers are placed well to direct audio towards the ears, reducing sound leakage. The video quality is crisp and top-notch for sharing on platforms like Instagram, which is the biggest targeted user base for the entire smart glasses category by Meta.
The Meta AI features are great; you can just say "Hey, Meta" followed by whatever you want to ask the glasses, and it will answer promptly. During my time with the glasses, I could ask questions about the weather, places, and upcoming holidays to plan my vacation, and the glasses impressed me with their smarts. Of course, there's more capability that can be enabled, but whatever's in the package is a good 8 out of 10 at the moment. One point to add is that while many features can be used offline, Meta AI functionality requires an Internet connection.
It supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3
The Oakley Meta HSTN glasses are water-resistant and come with an IPX4 rating, which protects them from splashes, rain and sweat. However, it's worth noting that they are not designed to resist submersion or extended exposure to water or other liquids. But with IPX4 support, you can be relaxed about splashes and sweat, and call it 'weather-resistant'. This means you can get a great workout even when the skies aren't sunny. Unfortunately, the charging case doesn't have any water resistance or an IP rating, so avoid exposure to water or liquids, as it could damage it. The company should have added a minimum level of ingress protection to the case, as it is targeted at sports enthusiasts.
Meta AI Companion App
Moving on, the Oakley Meta HSTN glasses are compatible with both iPhone and Android devices. You will need to install the Meta AI app (formerly Meta View), the companion app. The Meta AI app lets you customise settings, handle imports and share photos directly to social platforms like Instagram. You can interact with the Meta AI assistant on both the glasses and within the app. Considering I have been a long-time Ray-Ban Meta smart glass user, the same Meta AI app can add multiple glasses.
The Meta AI app is the companion app for Oakley Meta HSTN
You can download updates, change Wi-Fi settings, and tweak Meta AI features. The Oakley Meta HSTN also supports app connections via the Meta AI app, and you can connect Apple Health, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Audible, Garmin, Shazam, Spotify and Strava. Much like the first-gen Ray-Ban Metas, the Oakley Meta HSTN also includes the Be My Eyes feature, designed for people with low vision to connect with a network of Be My Eyes' sighted volunteers to help complete everyday tasks. The Meta AI app also lets you customise touchpad and capture button settings. The app's default page shows the battery status of the glasses and the charging case when plugged in. You can also access the media in the Gallery section within the app.
You get multiple customisation options in the companion app
Battery Impresses
The Oakley Meta HSTN comes with one of the biggest upgrades in the battery department, which I compared to my first-gen Ray-Ban Metas during my review. Compared to the mere 36 hours of battery life with the charging case on the Ray-Ban Meta, the Oakley Meta HSTN is claimed to offer up to 48 hours with the charging case and up to 8 hours on a single charge. During my review, the Oakley Meta HSTN lasted about 6 hours on a single charge and about 40-42 hours with the charging case, which is still better than the Ray-Ban Metas. But an interesting update is that you pop your glasses into the charging case; within 20 minutes, you get another 50 percent charge.
The Oakley Meta HSTN AI glasses can offer up to 2 days of battery life with a fully charged case
The Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses, at a starting price of Rs. 41,800, are more expensive than the Ray-Ban Metas but offer better battery life and video quality, which rightly justifies the cost. Apart from these two advantages, the design is another highlight. My suggestion would be to go for Oakley Prizm lenses if your usage will be mostly outdoors. Long story short, the Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses are a better package than the first-gen Ray-Ban Metas in every aspect. However, there are a few areas where the company can improve, like adding better padding to the temple arms. The thick frames can be tweaked to make them more comfortable for long hours.
Of course, if you do not have the budget, you can go for the Ray-Ban Meta, which is cheaper than the Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses.
Oakley Meta HSTN Smart Glasses Ratings, Pros and Cons:-
Rating - 9/10
Pros
Cons
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