In the rapidly evolving world of technology, smart glasses have emerged as a groundbreaking innovation, seamlessly merging optics with digital functionality. As we step into 2024, budget-friendly options for smart glasses are more plentiful than ever, making it easier for tech enthusiasts and casual users alike to experience augmented reality, notifications, and hands-free operation without breaking the bank.
This article aims to explore the top five budget smart glasses on the market, showcasing their unique features, performance, and how they fit into the daily lives of users seeking both practicality and style. With the rise of remote work and the ongoing demand for tech that enhances productivity, smart glasses have gained traction as an essential tool for professionals and everyday users.
Whether you’re looking to streamline your workflow, stay connected on the go, or simply enjoy the latest tech trend, there’s likely a pair of smart glasses that fits your needs without the hefty price tag. Join us as we delve into our list of the top-rated budget smart glasses for 2024.
How do we pick items?
Our curated product lists are the result of thorough research and are grounded in verified user reviews. Please keep in mind that prices may vary. For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing information, we recommend checking directly with the retailer or service provider. We do get comission when the reader purchases the item on Amazon through us, but this does not affect our comprehensive selection methodology when identifying the top-rated products. The list last updated: September 28, 2024.
In this article:
Smart Glasses Explained
Smart glasses are enhanced eyewear that integrates technological features such as wireless networking, cameras, audio, augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), making them more versatile. Earlier versions of these glasses were criticized for being bulky, less fashionable, and obnoxious. However, that has changed over the years as innovators discover easier and better ways of integrating smart features into normal eyewear frames.
Common types of smart glasses
- Audio smart glasses – these are eyewear glasses with inbuilt speakers or bone conduction devices that can be used to listen to music or enjoy a hands-free experience;
- Fitness/health tracking smart glasses – similar to smartwatches, these health-focused smart glasses are designed to capture vital health signals and display them on the glass panels or send them to a connected device such as a phone;
- Augmented, virtual, and mixed reality (AR/VR/MR) smart glasses represent the more advanced applications of the smart glasses concept, and they leverage the trending tech innovations of AR, VR, and MR;
- Prescription smart glasses offer vision correction features and integrate smart features outlined above, such as audio, AR, VR, or MR, as well as tracking fitness. Some glasses offer all features, while others have one or a mix of several.
- Enterprise/industrial smart glasses are designed for business users. The best example of these smart glasses is the original Google Glass, which was launched as the ‘Enterprise Edition.’
Top-Rated Smart Glasses for 2024
This section outlines the best smart glasses in five categories: sports, interchangeable lenses, features, quality, and overall. Let’s start with the:
Best budget-friendly smart glasses overall
OhO Smart Glasses
Price: $39.99
These smart glasses are designed and manufactured by OhO Sunshine, a Shenzhen, China-based company. The company offers multiple smart sunglasses, including the black-shade polarized Bluetooth speaker highlighted here.
These glasses come in various shades and offer varying features, including:
- Voice control—The glasses can be controlled with the help of a Smart Assistant, enabling hands-free call operations and initiating Siri, Cortana, and Google Now.
- Ergonomically designed volume up and down buttons—These buttons are well placed on the underside of the temple, making them easy to operate.
- Open-ear Bluetooth speakers.
- UV light protection using polarized lens coating technology adds color, contrast, and clarity to the lenses.
The OhO Sunshine smart glasses are well-designed and fashionable. They are also some of the cheapest eyewear on the market, offering decent value for money.
Best budget smart glasses for sports
OhO Smart Glasses (Athletic/Outdoors)
Price: $49.99
Our pick of the best pocket-friendly smart glasses worn while engaged in sports is another offering from OhO Sunshine. Sports smart glasses need to be robust and withstand rigorous exercises. As such, our pick offers the following features;
Waterproof; lightweight; UV400 Polarized protection; open-ear Bluetooth speakers; intelligent voice assistant; and physical buttons to supplement the voice controls.
An added advantage to wearing the OhO smart glasses is that they are well-designed, easily customizable, and fashionable with mirror-blue lenses.
Best budget smart glasses with interchangeable lenses
Razer Anzu Smart Glasses
Amazon buyer rating: 4.1 stars | 4,789 Ratings
Price: $59.99
Like smartwatches, which offer interchangeable wristbands, some smart glasses allow the swapping of lenses. This feature further enables users to customize the smart glass and introduces more individuality for those who value it. This is the standout feature of Razor Anzu Smart Glasses, an offering from the Gaming-focused California-based Razor company.
The Anzu smart glasses offer more than just lensing swapping as a feature, and the rest of these include:
- Blue-light filtering and UVA/UVB protection;
- Low-latency audio;
- Touch-sensitive temple arms that serve as controls;
- Built-in speakers and microphone with voice assistant compatibility;
- Long-lasting battery life – up to five hours of usage on a full charge.
Top-rated high-quality mid-budget smart glasses
Wayfarer by Ray-ban | Meta
Amazon buyer rating: 4.2 stars | 1,027 Ratings
Price: $366
Ray-Ban is an iconic brand that offers premium eyewear. Thanks to its partnership with social media giant Meta, it is now venturing into the smart glasses space with the Wayfarer glasses. This new offering has innovative features, including:
- 12MP ultra-wide camera and five-mic system to record video and audio in high quality;
- High-quality open-ear speakers;
- Seamless compatibility with mobile apps such as WhatsApp, Messenger, and SMS, plus Meta AI;
- Prescription-lens compatible and UVA/UVB protection lens.
Despite the addition of the smart features, the Wayfarer does not miss out on the brand-recognizable design cues that have become popular with high-end consumers. As such, this will be a great addition to existing Ray-Ban customers who need extra versatility from their eyewear.
Most Advanced mid-budget smart glasses
RAYNEO Air 2s XR Glasses
Amazon buyer rating: 4.4 stars | 59 Ratings
Price: $399.99
RayNeo is a sub-brand of the popular electronics manufacturer TCL, focusing on developing augmented reality (AR) hardware, software, and applications. The Air 2s XR glasses have been developed with cutting-edge AR technologies, offering gamers and tech enthusiasts unparalleled versatility from an eyewear device.
The RayNeo Air 2s XR glasses are feature-packed, but some note-worthy features include:
- Studio-level acoustic experience;
- Eye comfort enabling blue-light and flicker protection;
- Gaming features such as a 120Hz refresh rate and easy compatibility with consoles such as PS5, Switch, and Steam Deck;
- Privacy protection;
- Compatible with a wide array of devices, such as iPhones, tablets, TVs, gaming consoles, and laptops, among others;
- Vivid images on a 201” Sony micro OLED screen show sharp, clear, and crisp colors, making watching movies, music, and sports more enjoyable.
Summary
We expect that eyewear will become even smarter as technology advances further. Most current smart glasses offer enhanced audio experiences. Still, as we have highlighted, some companies, such as RayNeo, are introducing even more features to normal prescription glasses and making them even more intelligent and versatile, meaning that we will be able to do more with our eyewear.
F.A.Qs on Smart Glasses
Smart glasses are enhanced eyewear that integrates technological features such as wireless networking, cameras, audio, augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), making them more versatile.
Smart glasses are enhanced eyewear that integrates technological features such as wireless networking, cameras, audio, augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), making them more versatile.
Smart glasses enable hands-free communication, are lightweight and multi-purpose, and offer innovative features like AR/VR.
The biggest criticism of smart glasses is that they pose health and safety risks. Safety risks include serving as a distraction when in unsafe environments and health risks due to prevalent use as eyewear without a prescription.
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