Oakley Meta Vanguard: Smart Eyewear Athletes Might Desire

Enhanced Visuals and Endurance Features

Earlier this year, when Meta introduced the Oakley-branded HSTN sunglasses, they labeled them as 'performance AI' eyewear, despite only slight advancements over Meta's Ray-Ban collection. However, the freshly revealed Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses, introduced at Connect, clearly target dedicated athletes with substantial supporting features.

Priced at $499, these sunglasses feature Oakley's iconic wraparound design along with gleaming, replaceable lenses. Notably, they are Meta's initial smart glasses to reposition the camera to the center above the nose bridge. This adjustment should help prevent the interference of hats or helmets with photo captures, a previous drawback with the HSTN model.

Further camera modifications enhance the glasses' capability to reliably document first-person action footage. They now boast a 12-megapixel camera with a broader 122-degree lens and adaptable video stabilization. Dedicated modes for slow-motion recordings and Instagram-friendly hyperlapse clips are now available as well.

Improved Durability and Performance

Significant improvements in specifications include an extended battery life—six hours for uninterrupted music playback and nine hours for varied use. The charging case adds another 36 hours of usage. Additionally, according to Meta, these glasses are engineered for a wider range of temperature conditions, promising better battery resilience in extreme climates.

The built-in speakers offer enhanced sound, with Mark Zuckerberg mentioning at the Connect event that the open-ear speakers are 6 decibels louder than previous versions. He shared an experience of taking a call while on a jet ski, describing the audio as impressive.

During a personal demonstration, I noticed that increasing the volume necessitated stopping the music to clearly hear someone speaking beside me. The glasses feature superior water resistance compared to earlier models, with an IP67 rating allowing complete submersion.

Innovative User Features

Meta ventured to alter the button layout, placing the capture button at the lower right instead of the top. There’s also an intriguing 'action button,' offering customizable functionality. Users can program it for specific tasks, like commencing a Spotify playlist or activating a hyperlapse recording. Integrating Meta AI functionalities, it can also provide information such as surf conditions or object recognition.

The Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses come equipped with Strava and Garmin compatibility. In a demonstration, while using a Garmin watch and the Vanguard glasses on a treadmill, I requested Meta AI for heart rate and pace data. Strava users can overlay visuals from their run on the metrics shown post-run.

Polarizing Design Meets Athletic Functionality

Similar to the HSTN model, the design of Vanguard frames may garner mixed opinions. Many people may avoid large wraparound shades for daily outings. Personally, I tend to opt out for regular use! Nevertheless, Meta has introduced sufficient new utilities making these $499 glasses a sound investment for athletes. Having used Oakley ski goggles extensively, I believe the Vanguard could be a practical replacement across various conditions.

The Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses are currently open for pre-orders, with an official sale date set for October 21.