Updated
Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1) vs Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2)
Gen 1 launched in 2023 and Gen 2 replaced it in September 2025. From the outside they are hard to tell apart: both come in Wayfarer, Skyler and Headliner shapes, both have a 12MP camera, a touchpad on the right arm, a capture button and open-ear speakers, and both pair with the Meta AI app. The changes are inside. Gen 2 records 3K video where Gen 1 stops at 1080p, Meta rates its battery at twice the typical-use hours, and the published prescription range is much wider. Ray-Ban's US page no longer lists Gen 1, so most people meeting it today will find it secondhand or as leftover stock.
Short answer
For a new purchase, Gen 2 is the straightforward choice: double the rated battery, 3K capture and a prescription range that reaches -12.00. Gen 1 only makes sense as a cheap used pair for someone who mostly wants open-ear audio, calls and Meta AI, charges often anyway, and has a mild prescription or none. Because Gen 1 is gone from Ray-Ban's US lineup page, buy it only from a seller you trust.
Choose Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1) if
Pick Gen 1 if you find one well below Gen 2's price and your use is mostly music, calls, messages and quick photos. Meta says Gen 1 receives the same software features as Gen 2, including look and ask and live translation. Skip it if your prescription is stronger than -6.00 or +4.00 total power, the limit Ray-Ban published for Gen 1.
Choose Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) if
Pick Gen 2 if you record video or wear the glasses for most of the day. Meta rates it at 8 hours of typical use against 4 hours of moderate use for Gen 1, and the case adds 48 hours. Video goes up to 3K, with 1080p at 60fps and 720p at 120fps for slow motion. The published Rx range runs from -12.00 to +6.00.
Published specs side by side
Rows that differ are marked. "Not published" means the maker hasn't given a figure.
| Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1) | Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) | |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $299 (launch price)[1] | $379 (starting price at launch)[2] |
| Status | Discontinued | On sale |
| Type | AI glasses with a camera and open-ear speakers | AI glasses with a camera and open-ear speakers |
| Display | None | None |
| Camera | 12 MP; 1080p (1440x1920) 30fps; clips up to 60s at launch[1] | 12 MP; 3K Ultra HD 30fps; 1080p 60fps; 720p 120fps; ultrawide HDR[2] |
| Audio | open-ear speakers, 5-mic array | open-ear speakers, 5-mic array |
| Battery (glasses) | up to 4 hours (glasses, moderate use)[3] | up to 8 hours (glasses, typical/moderate use)[2] |
| Weight | Not published | 51 g |
| Water resistance | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| Chip | Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 | Not published |
| Storage | 32GB | 32GB |
| Prescription | -6.00 to +4.00 total power[4] | -12.00 to +6.00 total power[5] |
| iPhone | iOS 17.2 or later[6] | iOS 17.2 or later[6] |
| Android | Android 10 or later[6] | Android 10 or later[6] |
| Controls | touchpad on right arm, capture button and voice ("Hey Meta") | touchpad on right arm, capture button and voice ("Hey Meta") |
| Countries listed | 18 | 29[7] |
| Features tracked | 24 | 26 |
The differences that matter
- Video: Gen 1 records 1080p at 30fps, and clips were capped at 60 seconds at launch. Gen 2 adds 3K Ultra HD at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps, 720p at 120fps and ultrawide HDR.
- Battery: Meta rates Gen 1 at 4 hours of moderate use and Gen 2 at 8 hours of typical use. The Gen 2 case adds 48 hours; Gen 1's case was rated for 32 hours of extra charging.
- Prescription: Gen 1's published range is -6.00 to +4.00 total power. Meta's help page gives -12.00 to +6.00 for Gen 2.
- Autocapture: Meta explicitly excludes Gen 1. Gen 2 gets it through the Early Access Program.
- Launch price: $299 for Gen 1 in 2023, $379 for Gen 2 in 2025. We could not confirm a current Gen 2 US price after Gen 3 arrived.
- Countries: Gen 2's list includes Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Singapore, none of which appear on Gen 1's list.
- Lineup status: Ray-Ban's US Ray-Ban Meta page shows Gen 2 next to Gen 3 but no longer shows Gen 1. Meta has not published an end-of-sale notice.
Features only one of them has
Based on the features each maker lists for the model. A feature missing here may still arrive by software update.
- Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) only: Conversation focus, Scan and pay (UPI Lite)
Questions people ask
Does Gen 1 still get new features?
Meta says Gen 1 receives the same software features as Gen 2, with exceptions such as autocapture, which is explicitly unavailable on Gen 1. Updates arrive through the Meta AI app, which the App Store now lists as needing iOS 17.2 or later.
How can I tell a Gen 1 from a Gen 2?
Not by the frame shape: both come as Wayfarer, Skyler and Headliner. Ask the seller for the model details or the original box before paying, and check that the listing says which generation it is.
Open this pair in Compare to swap either model.
Sources
- Introducing the New Ray-Ban | Meta Smart Glasses(about.fb.com)
- Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) Now With Up to 2X the Battery Life(about.fb.com, read 4 October 2026)
- Ray-Ban Meta FAQ (ray-ban.com US)(ray-ban.com, read 5 October 2026)
- Ray-Ban Meta prescription data (PDF)(media.ray-ban.com, read 4 October 2026)
- How to order prescription lenses for AI glasses(meta.com, read 5 October 2026)
- Meta AI app (Apple App Store)(apps.apple.com, read 5 October 2026)
- AI glasses supported countries(meta.com, read 5 October 2026)
Last verified 5 October 2026 against the sources listed on this page.