At Meta Connect 2025, Oakley revealed its latest entry into the smart glasses race: the Oakley Meta Vanguard. 
These glasses combine the iconic Oakley visor look with some of Meta’s most ambitious wearable technology to date, bringing together powerful hardware, AI assistance, and practical design upgrades.
The Vanguard is built around the same 12MP ultrawide sensor seen in Oakley’s HSTN model, but this time the camera is placed in the center above the nose bridge. That change alone gives recordings a truer first-person feel, closer to what your eyes actually see. Users can now capture up to 3K resolution video at 30fps, alongside slow-motion and hyperlapse modes. This makes the Vanguard more than just a lifestyle accessory – it’s shaping up as a content creation tool for athletes, travelers, and anyone who wants high-quality POV clips.
Audio has been given serious attention too. Meta claims the Vanguard’s open-ear speakers are 6dB louder than the HSTN’s, making them the strongest yet in its smart eyewear lineup. Five microphones, including three near the nose region, ensure better voice pickup even in noisy environments. Combined with hands-free access to Meta AI, the Vanguard positions itself as both an entertainment device and a productivity assistant.
Durability is another milestone. This is the first generation of Meta glasses with an IP67 rating, meaning the Vanguard is dust-tight and can handle being submerged briefly in water. For active users, especially cyclists and runners, this pairs nicely with new fitness features like real-time activity sharing with Garmin devices and Strava.
Battery endurance remains competitive: up to six hours of nonstop audio or nine hours of typical use, with the charging case adding a huge 36 hours on top. A full recharge reportedly takes just 75 minutes, which should keep downtime minimal.
Style hasn’t been forgotten either. The glasses use Oakley’s Prizm lenses, available in black, gold, road, and sapphire finishes. Whether you want them for everyday wear or sport-specific use, the lens options offer flexibility. That said, some early reactions suggest the visor-inspired design, while sleek, still feels a bit bulky compared to traditional eyewear.
Connectivity is modern, with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 built-in, and storage is locked at 32GB. Pricing is set at $499 in the US, €549 in Europe, and £499 in the UK, with pre-orders live now through Meta and Oakley’s official sites. General availability begins October 21 across the US, Canada, much of Europe, and Australia, with expansion to Mexico, India, Brazil, and the UAE later in the year.
With this release, Oakley and Meta are betting that the blend of premium eyewear aesthetics and next-gen wearable tech will finally make smart glasses more than just a niche experiment. The Oakley Meta Vanguard isn’t just about specs – it’s about proving that style, function, and future-focused features can coexist in a single frame.
1 comment
price tag is $499?? better be more comfy than they look