Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 vs Gen 3: Should You Upgrade?

The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 launched September 23 at $449, a year after the Gen 2. If you already own a Gen 2, is the new pair is worth $70+ more? The short answer, based on the specs and the reviews so far: for most Gen 2 owners, no, but here's the full breakdown so you can decide for yourself.

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What You Get With the Gen 3

Price: starting at $449 in the US. Final price depends on frame and lens configuration.

Camera and video: 12MP ultrawide camera with a 100-degree field of view. Photos at 3024×4032. Video up to 3K Ultra HD at 30fps, plus 1080p at 30/60fps and 720p at 120fps, with adjustable stabilization, Hyperlapse, slow motion, and Autocapture. Storage is 32GB, rated for 1,000+ photos or 100+ 30-second videos.

Microphones and speakers: six-microphone array with wind-noise reduction and immersive audio recording, plus open-ear speakers with adaptive volume. Meta has promoted a noise-reduction claim for the array, but treat that as a manufacturer claim, not a tested result. More on what reviewers found below.

Battery: up to 9 hours of general use on the glasses, with the case adding up to 50 more hours. A 20-minute charge gets the glasses to about 50 percent. Note that 9 hours is a general-use rating, not 9 hours of continuous recording.

Weight: Wayfarer Standard 51.5 grams, Wayfarer Large 53.8 grams, Aviator 54.5 grams. The case is 133 grams.

Frames: Wayfarer, Aviator, and Zena, with 27 total color-and-lens combinations. Zena is a new bold cat-eye frame. The Aviator line includes a limited-edition vintage-inspired colorway marking the Aviator's 90th anniversary. Lens options include sun, clear, Transitions, polarized configurations, and prescription.

Controls and fit: a capture button, touch controls, voice commands, and a new assignable action button you can set to shortcuts like instant Meta AI access. The arms are slightly slimmer than Gen 2, with professionally adjustable temple tips across the lineup.

Other specs: Bluetooth 5.3, IPX4 water resistance, iOS 17 or Android 10 and up with the Meta AI app. 

New software: Dynamic photos capture a moment in multiple frames so you can pick the best shot. Dolby Atmos capture (video with 360-degree spatial sound) was announced for later this year, and Muse, Meta's personal AI agent, is announced as coming to Meta AI glasses in the coming months. 

What Hasn't Changed

The…