The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are at their best-ever price for Black Friday | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessCreatorsMobilePolicySecurityTransportationReviewsExpandLaptopsPhonesHeadphonesTabletsSmart HomeSmartwatchesSpeakersDronesScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthEntertainmentExpandGamesTV ShowsMoviesAudioAIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee All ShoppingCarsExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersOther TransportationFeaturesVideosExpandYouTubeTikTokInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are at their best-ever price for Black FridayComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...GadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechVerge ShoppingCloseVerge ShoppingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Verge ShoppingThe Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are at their best-ever price for Black FridayThe first-gen smart glasses are similar to the latest model, but currently retail for $140 less.The first-gen smart glasses are similar to the latest model, but currently retail for $140 less.by Sheena VasaniCloseSheena VasaniCommerce WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Sheena VasaniNov 27, 2025, 9:00 PM UTCLinkShareIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergePart OfThe Verge’s guide to Black Friday 2025see all Sheena VasaniCloseSheena VasaniPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Sheena Vasani writes about tech news, reviews gadgets, and helps readers save money by highlighting deals and product recommendations for The Verge.Meta may have just released the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) at the end of October, but they’re not significantly different from the last-gen model introduced in 2021. The overall experience is very similar, which is why the original Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses remain a great buy, especially now that they’re on sale for an all-time low of around $238.99 ($60 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for Black Friday.Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1) smart glasses$239$29920% off$239$239 at Amazon$239 at Best Buy$239 at TargetLike their successor, the first-gen Ray-Ban Meta let you listen to music, snap photos, record 1080p video, and make hands-free calls thanks to a five-microphone array. You can upload the resulting photos and videos — and even livestream— to Facebook or Instagram via the companion app. The glasses also support a host of AI-powered features, letting you use your voice to take photos, pull up the history of a landmark, ask questions, or get recipes based on what’s in your fridge. They can even translate multiple languages in real time, helping you with Spanish, Italian, French, and other languages you may be less familiar with.Additionally, many of the same software upgrades currently slated to roll out to the Gen 2 model — including the new slo-mo and hyperlapse video modes, as well as the new “conversation focus” feature that boosts the audio of whoever you’re talking to — will also roll out to the original pair. The forthcoming software update, which is scheduled for the fall, will also improve the live translation feature by expanding it to support additional languages, including German and Portuguese.RelatedThe absolute best Black Friday deals we’ve found (so far)Meta’s new wearables trade-in program gives you Ray-Ban and Oakley discountsThe best AR glasses are cheaper than ever during Black FridayThe biggest upgrade with the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 is that they have twice as much battery life: they offer up to eight hours of continuous use and a charging case that adds an additional two days of runtime, compared to 32 additional hours with the first-gen model. You’ll also get slightly sharper 3K video at 30fps, but since both models use the same 12-megapixel sensor, the difference isn’t all that significant.Read our full Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses review.Verge DealsSign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we’ve tested sent to your inbox weekly.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses represent a compelling entry point into the burgeoning world of wearable AI. As of November 27, 2025, according to a report by Sheena Vasani at The Verge, the first-generation model is currently available at a historically low price of $238.99, a reduction of approximately $140 from its original retail price. This discount is being offered across major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, capitalizing on the Black Friday shopping period.

The first-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses share a remarkably similar experience to the more recent second-generation model, which debuted at the end of October 2025. This suggests a refined product line rather than a fundamental redesign. The core functionalities – listening to music, capturing photos, recording 1080p video, and engaging in hands-free calls – remain consistent thanks to the glasses’ five-microphone array. Users can seamlessly upload these media and even livestream directly to Facebook or Instagram via the companion app.

Beyond basic functionality, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses integrate a suite of AI-powered capabilities. These include voice-activated photo capture, the ability to instantly identify landmarks using historical data, answering questions through voice commands, and even providing recipe suggestions based on the contents of the user’s refrigerator. A particularly notable feature is the real-time translation functionality, supporting multiple languages such as Spanish, Italian, French, and offering expansion to German and Portuguese through a forthcoming software update.

The forthcoming software update, slated for release in the fall of 2025, will introduce several enhancements, including slo-mo and hyperlapse video recording modes, as well as a “conversation focus” feature designed to amplify the audio of the person the user is speaking to. This update also promises to improve the live translation feature, broadening its language support.

A significant upgrade with the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 is the substantial increase in battery life. The first-generation model offered approximately 32 hours of additional runtime, while the Gen 2 boasts up to eight hours of continuous operation. This extended battery life is supplemented by a charging case that provides an additional two days of usage. While a slight resolution increase to 3K video at 30fps is present, the impact is marginal due to both models utilizing a 12-megapixel sensor.

Overall, the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1) provides a readily accessible way to experience many of the features frequently associated with more expensive augmented reality devices. It stands as a pragmatic showcase of AI-powered glasses, particularly appealing to those seeking an entry point into this emerging technology.