Oakley Meta Vanguard

Oakley Meta Vanguard
Basic Info
VR/AR	Augmented Reality
Type	Smart Glasses
Subtype	Wearable Camera
Platform	Meta AI Glasses
Creator	Meta Platforms
Developer	Meta Platforms
Manufacturer	EssilorLuxottica
Announcement Date	September 17, 2025
Release Date	October 21, 2025
Price	$499 USD
Website	https://www.meta.com/ai-glasses/oakley-meta-vanguard/
Versions	Black PRIZM 24K, White PRIZM Black, Black PRIZM Road, White PRIZM Sapphire
Requires	Smartphone (iOS or Android), Meta AI app
Predecessor	Oakley Meta HSTN
System
Operating System	Meta AI Platform
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1
Storage
Storage	Relies on smartphone storage
Display
Display	None (audio and AI only, no visual overlay)
Image
Optics
Optics	PRIZM Lens Technology
Tracking
Eye Tracking	No
Hand Tracking	No
Audio
Audio	Open-ear speakers (six decibels louder than Oakley Meta HSTN)
Microphone	Yes (five-microphone array)
Camera	12 MP center-mounted camera, 122-degree wide-angle lens, up to 3K video
Connectivity
Connectivity	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (via smartphone)
Ports	USB-C (on charging case)
Battery Life	Up to 9 hours mixed use, up to 6 hours continuous music
Device
Weight	66 grams
Material	O-Matter frame material
Input	Programmable button, capacitive touch, voice ("Hey Meta")
Compliance	IP67 dust and water resistance

The Oakley Meta Vanguard are augmented reality smart glasses developed through a partnership between Meta Platforms, Inc. and Oakley, a brand owned by EssilorLuxottica. Unveiled at Meta Connect on September 17, 2025, and released on October 21, 2025, at a price of $499, they are marketed as "Performance AI glasses" built for high-intensity sports such as running, cycling, and snowboarding. The Vanguard sit alongside the lifestyle-oriented Oakley Meta HSTN (released July 2025) as the more rugged, athlete-focused member of the Oakley Meta range. Their most prominent distinction is a single camera mounted in the center of the frame, above the nose bridge, rather than the temple-mounted camera used on the HSTN and on Ray-Ban Meta glasses.

Overview

The Oakley Meta Vanguard combine Oakley's wraparound sport eyewear design with Meta's artificial intelligence technology, integrating a camera, open-ear audio speakers, a microphone array, and the Meta AI assistant. Like other Meta smart glasses, they do not include a visual display; instead they rely on audio feedback and camera-based functionality together with voice control via the "Hey Meta" wake phrase. Meta positions the device as an athletic counterpart to its lifestyle frames, with hardware tuned for outdoor and high-motion activity, including louder speakers, a higher water and dust resistance rating, and integration with the Garmin and Strava fitness platforms.

Launch

Meta unveiled the Oakley Meta Vanguard at Meta Connect 2025 in Menlo Park, California, on September 17, 2025, alongside the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta and the display-equipped Meta Ray-Ban Display. The glasses extend the broader Oakley Meta line first announced with the Oakley Meta HSTN in June 2025, which itself grew out of Meta and EssilorLuxottica's multi-year smart eyewear partnership.

Preorders opened on the day of the announcement through meta.com and oakley.com, with general availability beginning October 21, 2025. The launch was supported by a marketing campaign featuring Oakley and Meta brand athletes, including footballer Kylian Mbappé, American football quarterback Patrick Mahomes, cyclist Mark Cavendish, basketball player J.R. Smith, and Olympic triathlon champion Cassandre Beaugrand.

Design

The Oakley Meta Vanguard use a one-piece wraparound shield design described by reviewers as sleek and blade-like, a departure from the more conventional eyeglass shape of the Oakley Meta HSTN. The frames are optimized to be worn with cycling helmets and hats, with control buttons positioned on the underside of the frame so they remain accessible during activity. A programmable button beneath the frame can be configured to trigger a custom Meta AI prompt.

To accommodate different face shapes, the glasses use Oakley's Three-Point Fit system with three interchangeable nose pads, including low-bridge and high-bridge options. The Vanguard weigh 66 grams, with much of the electronics housed in the temple arms. They ship with Oakley PRIZM lenses, which are designed to enhance contrast in varied lighting, and are offered in four frame and lens combinations: Black with PRIZM 24K, White with PRIZM Black, Black with PRIZM Road, and White with PRIZM Sapphire.

Hardware

Camera

A defining feature of the Vanguard is its single 12-megapixel camera mounted at the center of the frame above the nose bridge, rather than at the temple as on the Oakley Meta HSTN and Ray-Ban Meta models. The central placement is intended to provide a more natural, head-aligned point of view and to keep the lens clear of helmets and caps. The camera uses a 122-degree wide-angle lens and records video at up to 3K resolution.

The Vanguard add several capture modes beyond those of earlier Meta glasses. Reported recording options include 3K at 30 frames per second, 1080p at 60 frames per second, and a slow-motion mode that captures 720p at 120 frames per second. A Hyperlapse mode records extended footage that is sped up on playback, and adjustable video stabilization smooths motion during activity.

Audio and microphones

The Vanguard feature open-ear speakers that Meta describes as the most powerful on its AI glasses to date, rated six decibels louder than the Oakley Meta HSTN to remain audible on noisy roads or in wind. A five-microphone array is optimized to reduce wind noise for calls and voice commands.

Battery and durability

Meta rates the glasses at up to nine hours of battery life in mixed use, or up to six hours of continuous music playback. The included charging case provides an additional 36 hours of charge, and a quick charge restores the glasses to 50 percent in about 20 minutes via the case. The Vanguard carry an IP67 dust and water resistance rating, which Meta states is the highest of any of its smart glasses, allowing use in rain, dust, and intense conditions. The battery is also tuned for a broader temperature range to handle cold-weather activity.

Chipset and connectivity

The Vanguard are built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 platform, the same wearable system-on-chip used across Meta's current Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses. They connect to a paired smartphone over Bluetooth and use the phone's Wi-Fi for transferring media and updates, and they require the Meta AI companion app on a supported iOS or Android device.

Software and Meta AI

The Vanguard run Meta AI and emphasize hands-free, screen-free assistance during workouts. Athletes can ask the assistant about live performance data, for example checking pace or distance, without looking at a phone.

A key software feature is integration with Garmin devices. When paired with a compatible Garmin watch or bike computer, users can ask Meta AI for real-time stats such as heart rate, and an autocapture feature can automatically record short video clips when the wearer hits distance milestones or increases their heart rate, speed, or elevation. Reviewer Ray Maker of DC Rainmaker noted that the Garmin integration worked with most watches and bike computers released in roughly the previous four years, while finding the automatic capture inconsistent in practice.

The glasses also integrate with Strava. After a workout, users can overlay Strava activity metrics such as distance, average pace, and elevation gain onto captured photos and videos within the Meta AI app, then share the result directly to Strava and other platforms. Activity data can additionally be summarized through Apple Health, Garmin Connect, or Android Health Connect. Captured media can be shared to services including Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

Models and pricing

The Oakley Meta Vanguard launched at a single price of $499 across four frame and lens configurations.

Oakley Meta Vanguard launch configurations

Frame Color	Lens	Price (USD)
Black	PRIZM 24K	$499
White	PRIZM Black	$499
Black	PRIZM Road	$499
White	PRIZM Sapphire	$499

Availability

The Vanguard launched on October 21, 2025, in the following markets:

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• Ireland
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Austria
• Belgium
• Australia
• Germany
• Sweden
• Norway
• Finland
• Denmark
• Switzerland
• Netherlands

Meta said it planned to expand availability to Mexico, India, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates later in 2025.

Reception

Early reviews were generally positive, with particular praise for the center-mounted camera and the Garmin integration, while reviewers flagged the $499 price and the absence of a visual display as limitations. In an in-depth review, DC Rainmaker called the glasses "astoundingly good" for capturing outdoor activity, especially for owners of a Garmin watch, but criticized the inconsistent autocapture, the lack of a prescription lens option, and real-world battery life well below the rated nine hours under heavy video use. Reviewers also commented on the 66-gram weight: although heavier than ordinary sport sunglasses, several found the glasses comfortable because much of the mass sits in the temple arms.

See also

• Oakley Meta HSTN
• Ray-Ban Meta
• Meta Ray-Ban Display
• Smart glasses
• Augmented reality
• Meta Platforms
• Oakley
• EssilorLuxottica
• Meta AI
• Wearable technology