Meta, for one, has been collaborating with Essilor Luxotica for a long time now, and this collaboration has led to the advent of at least seven new smart glasses, including the Ray-Ban glasses, and now, HSTN.
The Ray-Ban sunglasses looked perfect, but we all knew we were going to see something better. Yeah, that’s because the Ray-Ban glasses were more like an introduction to a new niche, and as anyone would expect, the subsequent releases would be badass. Umm, just that the subsequent release isn’t a new Ray-Ban, but the HSTN; you may want to pronounce it as Houston.
In June 2025, Oakley teamed up with Meta for its new AR smart glasses codenamed the Oakley Meta HSTN, which leads the way for Meta’s Performance AI glasses project. The key highlight of these smart sunglasses is the 3k video feature and image stabilization. However, the glasses also integrate Meta’s AI and connectivity features.
The HSTN looks good for athletes; you can listen to music, capture moments on the fly, and obtain valuable information (via Meta AI) while at your game without any obvious distractions. Now, let’s look deep into these.
Oakley Meta HSTN Glasses Overview
The aesthetics are different from Ray-Bans, but the specs? Just a few upgrades. So, these glasses come with a 12MP camera sensor, with a shutter button sitting at the top of the camera’s side frame. They feature open-ear speakers that pretty much give you clear audio, and the touchpad? Perfect for music selection or volume control, depending on which side you slide to. These new AI glasses seem to be marketed for athletes, but then, individuals can take advantage of their features too—for hiking, mountaineering, cycling, biking, and other sports.
Hardware Specifications
The Oakley Meta HSTN prides itself on its premium material adornment, mainly the O Matter frame (one-size-fits-all with a high-bridge nosepad).
· Frame: O Matter frame
· Lenses: Standard Oakley Meta HSTN Transitions photochromic lenses and optional Oakley PRIZM lenses
· UV Blocking: All Oakley Meta HSTN lenses block 100% of UVA/UVB light for eye protection. The limited-edition model honors Oakley’s history with gold accents and 24K PRIZM Polarized lenses.
In total, there are six frame-and-lens combos, all Rx‑ready for prescription inserts.
Full Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
| Water resistance | IPX4 |
| Camera | 12MP Ultrawide with capture LED light |
| Photo resolution | 3024 X 4032 pixels (Portrait only) |
| Video resolution | 3K (~2300 x 3100) at 30 fps (Portrait only) |
| Speakers | Open-ear audio |
| Mic | 5-mic Array |
| Interface | Touchpad on the side, Meta AI for voice and camera |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6; Bluetooth v5.3 |
| Storage | 32GB built-in; no room for expansion. |
| OS Support | iOS and Android |
The 32GB storage is poised to store up to a hundred short videos of 30s–60s length, or over 500 pictures. A capture LED on the front of the frame lights up whenever a video/photo is being taken, signaling recording activity to those around the wearer. Now, this is a feature I don’t think I like—why notify everyone?
The glasses come in a fancy carrying case, which doubles as the charging case; you put the glasses into the case, and they start charging automatically. Now, the glasses charge fully in about 50 minutes and go on to last for up to 8 hours, depending on what you’re using them to do; if it’s video playback, you’re having less than 6 hours of runtime.
However, the charging/carrying case can charge the device roughly 4 times, or, would I say, allows you to use the glasses for straight up 48 hours; you know, charging it, using it, putting it back to recharge, and putting it out for use; you know, just like that, for 48 hours, before you would need to recharge the carrying case.
AI and Software Integration
Right off, the HSTN glasses come with Meta AI integration, which is activated using the wake word “Hey Meta.” For example, the user can say, “Hey Meta, take a photo,” “take a video,” “play my music,” or “how strong is the wind today?” You know, stuff like that.
Also, the wearer of these glasses can look at an object or text and say, “Hey Meta, look…” and the glasses will snap a photo and process it with AI, then provide the user with details about the object. Moreover, the assistant can translate texts (e.g., an Italian sign into English), identify objects (e.g., name a plant), or even generate captions for scenes.
App and Ecosystem
You wouldn’t imagine that this would work on its own, right? Well, it needs to be paired with the Meta AI smartphone app for iOS and Android. So, you would need a Meta account to use these glasses.
The initial setup procedure is quite seamless; you turn on the glasses, open the Meta app, and select “Add Device,” then press and hold the glasses’ camera button to pair. Once paired, you can now manage the glasses’ settings and functions from the Meta app.
Media captured on the glasses can be synced to the phone via Bluetooth/Wi-Fi for quick sharing on social apps. The touchpad on the right temple also supports playback control (tap to pause/play, swipe for volume). Privacy controls include the capture LED for transparency and the ability to disable camera use via the app. For now, no additional apps support this guy, and it doesn’t run on a specific OS.
Use Cases and Applications
Practically, this appears to be built for professionals and athletes so they can track their performance, capture their athletic moments on the fly, and receive hands-on information—all while enjoying cool music as they perform. But anyone can literally use this as an everyday tech, umm, except that the price is a bit steep.
Compared with the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, technically, the Oakley Meta HSTN builds on the same Meta AI glasses platform used by Ray-Ban Meta but with sports-focused enhancements. Like Ray-Ban, it supports “Hey Meta” voice controls, an all-day battery, and open-ear audio. The Ray-Ban Meta used a Snapdragon AR chipset and had custom speakers with extra bass and a 5‑mic array. Oakley’s glasses likewise have 2 custom speakers and a 5‑mic array but emphasize ruggedness and optics: the HSTN frame is one-piece thermoplastic vs Ray‑Ban’s acetates, Oakley offers PRIZM™ polarized lenses (no Ray-Ban model had PRIZM), and Oakley is IPX4 water-resistant.
Oakley Meta HSTN and Ray-Ban Meta: Key Specs
Limitations
The Oakley Meta HSTN requires a smartphone connection; you have to pair it via the Meta AI app. Without a phone connection, the features won’t work. Also, there are limited style options to choose from—but this is pretty much a niche device.
Conclusion
Conclusively, the Oakley Meta HSTN glasses blend high-end sports eyewear with on-board AI to create a new class of performance AI glasses. These are athletics-focused glasses with onboard AI to make life easier for professionals. There are a few trade-offs, but the company is working on more variants that would address most concerns already pointed out by first-hand reviewers.
