The Best Smart Glasses for Every Type of Person

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Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence, but in 2025, smart glasses will gradually become popular. Meta, AppleAnd Google Competing for dominance and hardware finally powerful enough to be practical rather than just gimmicky, smart specs are moving from clunky face-to-face computers for techies to something potentially useful for everyone.

If you're thinking about getting started, the huge selection of styles, features and prices can be overwhelming, so I've put together this guide to help you find the perfect match.

What smart glasses can do

The term “smart glasses” is too broad to be useful. It's applied to everything from AI-enabled sunglasses to glasses with augmented reality displays, so it's worth considering what you want from your glasses before you buy.

Roughly speaking, smart glasses fall into the following categories, although most share several classifications:

Audio-first smart glasses

Essentially, these are headphones built into glasses. They typically look like “regular” glasses and are designed to play music, take calls, and often allow you to talk to an AI assistant. They don't have screens or AR overlays.

Who are they for: Anyone who wants to take hands-free phone calls or listen to podcasts without having to use headphones. Example: Reebok smart audio glasses

Camera-focused smart glasses

Camera glasses allow you to take high-quality photos and videos from almost invisible cameras. They are similar to a lighter Go Pro.

Who are they for?: Anyone who wants to capture life on the fly and/or record a concert without picking up their phone. Example: Ray-Ban's goals.

Display-centric smart glasses

Glasses designed for video or augmented reality display high-definition video and/or digital information, such as directions, messages, video, or even 3D animation, right in your field of view.

Who are they for: Fans of advanced technology and frequent travelers. Example: XReal One Pro.

Vision First smart glasses

The purpose of vision-focused glasses is not to allow you to listen to podcasts, but to improve your vision. There are no vision-focused smart glasses on the US market, but there could be cyborg-style upgrades for your eyes in the future, from auto-zooming to auto-adjusting bifocals.

Who are they for?: People who need glasses to see better.

So those are the basics. Here are my picks for the best smart glasses in each category.

I've tested a ton of different smart glasses for Lifehacker, from super high-tech AR glasses like XReal One Pro to fun new products such as Chamelo Musical Shieldbut the smart glasses I wear every day are Ray-Ban Metas. They look good, are comfortable and do everything I need from a smartglass. They play music, take photos and videos, stream content, and provide access to an artificial intelligence agent—all seamlessly. I didn't have a chance to try Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses for now, but my pick for the most useful pair of smart glasses in 2025 is the Ray-Ban Metas. Check out my full review for more details..

Smart glasses with the best display: Xreal One Pro

XReal One Pro smart glasses let you watch movies, play games, and answer emails without leaving your glasses. You simply plug them into any device with a USB-C video connector and you're good to go. The display is impressive—the equivalent of a big-screen TV at 1080p—and they also include a built-in chip for basic augmented reality. On the other hand, these are not everyday glasses. They cannot be worn in the city and must be tethered to another device to work. But if you're taking a long plane trip or need a separate display for your computer, the XReal glasses are a great option. Check out my full review for more details..

Best glasses for every day: Even Realities G1 smart glasses

You can't watch videos or play games on them, but Even Realities G1 smart glasses it can be worn every day and gives users a HUD – looking up includes a monochrome screen that can display a map, news feed and other information. They have built-in AI that you can instantly access without anyone knowing, which opens up a number of possibilities, both ethical and unethical. Unlike other AR style glasses, the G1 is lightweight and designed for everyday wear. Check out my full review for more details.

Best Sports Smart Glasses: Bleequp Rangers

$379 Bleekup Rangers You don't have an AI voice assistant or any display, but if you want to document your runs or bike rides, these lightweight sports glasses capture 16-megapixel still images and HD video, and also come with open-ear audio, turn-by-turn navigation, and walkie-talkie. That's all you need on a long trip, and the extra battery will provide up to four hours of recording. Check out my full review for more details.

Best Fashionable Audio-Only Smart Glasses: Chamelo Music Shield

I'm not sure if Chamelo's Music Shield qualifies as a pair of smart glasses at all, but they're so cool I had to include them. They don't have AI, a camera or a built-in display, but they do play music and the lenses change from light to dark with the swipe of a finger, so you can choose the best shade for the lighting conditions or coordinate it with your outfit, but mostly impress your friends with your sleek, new looks. Check out my full review for more details.

Future smart glasses worth paying attention to

If you're waiting for the next generation of smart glasses before you jump into the pool, here are some of the intriguing models currently in development.

Apple smart glasses

Nothing has been officially announced, but tech rumor mill discusses Apple's plans to release a line of smart glasses instead of further developing its virtual reality hardware such as the Apple Vision Pro. Apple's first smart glasses are expected to be released in 2026. They'll be similar to the Meta smart glasses, but better—maybe better simply because they say “Apple” on them, or maybe they actually are. better. We won't know for sure until something is officially announced.

Google Android XR glasses

Google appears to have put an end to the Google Glass fiasco and plans to release a pair of Android-based smartglasses with a camera, Gemini AI support, and an optional transparent microdisplay that will let you project information—messages, navigation, and real-time translation—directly onto your lenses. They have already released Android XR operating system, and the glasses are expected to go on sale at some point in 2026.

Samsung HAEAN Project

Samsung's upcoming smart glasses are still under wraps, but there are rumors out there intriguing. Unlike the newly released Samsung Galaxy VRHAEAN (if it's real) is not a virtual reality headset. These are glasses you can wear in public without feeling like an idiot. They are rumored to be powered by Samsung's own XR chip and integrated with Galaxy AI, presumably with the end goal of creating voice and AI-centric wearables with an emphasis on comfort.

Smart glasses IXI with autofocus

It's too early to tell whether this Finnish startup's claims will turn into steam, but IXI recently raised $36.5 million from investors to develop smart glasses that discreetly and automatically correct farsightedness rather than taking photos, playing podcasts, etc. Lenses that automatically adjust for optimal focus would be big deal because the next step is the glasses that improve has 20/20 vision – perhaps due to the ability to see at a great distance or to see instantly under a microscope. They don't have a release date either, but “far” seems logical.