Smart glasses have been a tech wish-list item for decades, and the technology is finally catching up, according to WIRED. The publication's latest smart-glasses guide reports that Meta and Ray-Ban sold more than 7 million pairs of smart glasses in 2025, and Google, Samsung, and Apple are releasing their own versions soon. WIRED writer Boutayna Chokrane compiled the guide, with hands-on testing by Simon Hill and Adrienne So across nearly every pair on the market.
Market Traction
The best smart glasses let you listen to music, answer texts hands-free, or teach you about the world while you are looking at it, WIRED said. The category is hugely varied, the guide noted:
Some are glorified headphones for everyday wear; others have very specific use cases, like for sports, gaming, or working.
WIRED updated the guide in August 2026 with refreshed specs, prices, links, and a new FAQ section. The publication also points readers to its Best Meta Glasses and Best Virtual Reality Headsets buying guides.
Three Honorable Mentions
| Model | Price | Key specs and features | Cited drawbacks |
|---|---|---|---|
| RayNeo Air 3s Pro | $299 | 201-inch virtual screen (1080p, 120 Hz, 1,200 nits); improved color and brightness over Air 2s | 46-degree field of view; lens shade needed outdoors; buggy 3 DoF software; weaker fit and comfort |
| Viture Luma Pro | $499 | Portable travel screen; cheaper than newer Viture Beast | Older display; requires SpaceWalker app; gaming users may spend savings on accessories |
| Engo3 | $400 | 38.5-gram weight; photochromic lenses; Garmin or Apple Watch integration; color HUD | HUD sits near the nose bridge, causing cross-eyed checks |
RayNeo Air 3s Pro: A Large Virtual Screen With Software Caveats
TCL-owned RayNeo offers many smart-glasses models, and WIRED reviewer Simon Hill tested several. The Air 3s Pro shows a 201-inch virtual screen (1080p, 120 Hz, 1,200 nits), with color vibrancy and brightness improved over earlier releases such as the Air 2s and the older TCL RayNeo Air 2 XR Glasses. Hill could just about see the whole screen clearly, though he had to slide the glasses down his nose to avoid blurring at the bottom. The glasses need a lens shade in brighter environments, and while RayNeo added on-device spatial sound, it did not work well in testing. The software required for 3 DoF (three degrees of freedom) remains buggy and unpolished. At $299, the Air 3s Pro is a good virtual screen for movies and light gaming, but WIRED found it inferior in design, fit, and comfort.
Viture Luma Pro: A Cheaper Travel Screen
WIRED reviewer Adrienne So wrote that every new pair of smart glasses makes the previous model look dated. The newer Viture Beast offers a better display and an onboard chip, removing the need for the SpaceWalker app. The $499 Viture Luma Pro, however, is a cheaper way to get a small, portable screen for traveling. So cautioned that gaming users will probably spend whatever they save on accessories anyway.
Engo3: A Sports HUD for High-Speed Athletes
The Engo3 sports sunglasses target high-performance aerobic athletes moving fast enough that looking down at a wristwatch could be dangerous. The glasses weigh 38.5 grams, about half the weight of the Oakley Meta Vanguard, and use photochromic lenses with an ambient light sensor that adjusts transmittance. They connect to a compatible Garmin or Apple Watch, letting wearers customize a color heads-up display with real-time workout data. WIRED found the HUD accurate and the text crisp, but the display sits near the bridge of the nose, leaving the wearer cross-eyed when checking it.
Implications for Hardware Buyers
WIRED's testing places the tested smart-glasses tier at $299 to $499 and spans sports, gaming, and working use cases. For technology decision makers evaluating wearable hardware, the Engo3's Garmin and Apple Watch integration demonstrates a wearable head-up display for real-time data. The cited drawbacks — limited field of view, unstable 3 DoF software, and ergonomic quirks — underline that the category still rewards hands-on evaluation before purchase.
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