My Impressions of the Neural Band Controls, High-Resolution Display, and Bulky Design Left Me Quite Impressed by How Meta Executed the Ray-Ban Display
On Wednesday, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses at Meta Connect 2025. However, the day prior, Meta allowed me to experience them in a private demonstration. I viewed Instagram videos, sent messages, read live captions, and more, and I’m here to share my experience using and wearing them, as well as the aspects not evident from the specifications.
Certain features, such as the advertised six-hour battery life and IPX4 water resistance, I couldn’t test firsthand. Yet, I can evaluate the clarity of the monocular display, the comfort of the thick frames, and the experience of utilizing the sEMG band for gesture controls.
They Are Bulky, Yet Comfortable
While the Ray-Ban Meta glasses can pass as somewhat “ordinary,” these Meta Ray-Bans — note the reverse name prioritizing intelligence over aesthetics — are distinctly thick to house the display technology.
Unlike other smart glasses with notably wide temples, these maintain a cohesive appearance. Meta attributes this to “ultra-narrow steelcan batteries,” which help maintain a classic Wayfarer profile. Without the camera cutouts, one might assume it’s a fashion decision.
Assessing comfort after wearing something for only an hour is challenging, but the 69g glasses sat comfortably on my face. Meta indicates that it “rounded off the edges,” allowing the glasses to rest gently against my face instead of digging in.
As these lack nose pads, proper fitting is essential, but they are light enough that I believe users could wear them daily without discomfort. For physical activities, however, you’ll want to opt for the lighter, non-display Ray-Bans that won’t bounce during movement.
The Monocular Display is Fully Legible and Discreet
With Google’s monocular display glasses, anyone can see what you’re viewing from outside. However, with the Meta Ray-Ban Display, I got up close to a Meta engineer wearing another pair, examined from multiple viewpoints, and found no light leakage. This ensures privacy: you can check messages or videos without it being apparent (or impolite) to those around you.
I tested the 5,000-nit, 600×600, 90Hz display in both indoor and outdoor settings. Meta’s team had me look at content against a bright pavement and clear sky, and it automatically adjusted the brightness and tone, ensuring I never faced issues with readability or color clarity. Additionally, the transition lenses did not impede visibility.
These demonstration units differ slightly from my experience; it felt somewhat less centered in my sight, and the resolution appeared a bit idealized. Nevertheless, it’s closer to the truth than you might expect!
Meta claims it achieves 42 pixels per degree, outperforming the Apple Vision Pro (34 PPD) and Quest 3 (25 PPD), but only in one specific area of your vision.
What’s crucial is that I never needed to strain to read or view content, while my line of sight remained clear. Other smart glasses offer a larger display, but none are safe to utilize while driving.
Adapting to a Monocular Display is Mostly Effortless
Meta confirmed to me that they will not produce any Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses with a left-eye display, but representatives mentioned that those who are left-eye dominant have tested and appreciated them.
As a right-handed individual, I can only comment on my personal experience. There is a slight degree of “binocular rivalry,” as my left eye adjusts to the lack of input. I adapted quickly, and I prefer a monocular display since it allows Meta to keep the weight relatively low. However, it’s advisable to try them out for yourself before purchasing the Ray-Ban Displays, to determine if it bothers you.
As a side note, these glasses only accommodate a -4 to +4 prescription, a slightly narrower range than the Meta Ray-Bans; this could leave out individuals with more severe prescriptions.
The Entire Experience Relies on the sEMG Gestures
I’m accustomed to maintaining my hand in view for Quest gesture controls, but the sEMG concept is that you don’t have to; the Meta Neural Band detects electrical muscle signals to register various finger taps and swipes, even with your hand concealed. I tested this, and it was effective.
You tap your thumb and middle finger to bring up or dismiss the menu, or hold it to summon Meta AI; swipe your thumb up, down, left, or right to navigate the UI; select options by pinching; or pinch-and-twist your index and thumb to zoom in the camera viewfinder or adjust the volume on a music playlist.
I occasionally needed to swipe an additional time, or a right swipe was registered as up. But overall, it functioned as expected, and I can appreciate the allure of swiping through Instagram or WhatsApp during a meeting, undetected.
