Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 launches in the UK from £409, with Aviator joining the range

Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 are now available to order in the UK, with the standard-lens Wayfarer listed at £409. Announced at Meta Connect on 23 September, the new glasses promise longer battery life, clearer voice pickup and a slimmer fit. Aviator also joins the range, giving anyone who never quite took to the Wayfarer another familiar Ray-Ban shape to consider.

The changes look sensible, although the case for replacing a perfectly good pair of Gen 2 glasses is less obvious. We haven’t tested Gen 3 yet. We’ll look to get a pair in for a full review and find out how much difference these improvements make in everyday use.

What has changed from Gen 2?

The main advertised differences are set out below. These are manufacturer specifications, not results from our own comparison test.

Sources: Meta’s Gen 3 announcement, Ray-Ban’s Gen 3 range and our Gen 2 review. Battery figures are advertised maximums and vary with use.

An extra hour would be welcome, particularly if your glasses often run out towards the end of the day. It is a smaller step than Gen 2’s increase to eight hours, which roughly doubled the earlier model’s claim. Constant music, calls and camera use still need testing separately from a headline battery figure.

For people who make plenty of calls outdoors, the microphones may be the more interesting improvement. Meta says the new six-microphone system removes more than 90% of background noise when picking up your voice. We’ll want to hear what the person at the other end of a call actually gets on a windy street. That claim shouldn’t be confused with noise-cancelling headphones: the glasses still leave your ears open to your surroundings. We were already pretty happy with call quality on the Gen 2s, so we’re looking forward to seeing what Gen 3 brings.

A slimmer frame, with more room to adjust the fit

Ray-Ban says Gen 3 have a slimmer design and a camera and LED opening that’s 36% smaller. Meta also specifies temple tips that can be professionally adjusted, while the new action button provides a customisable shortcut to functions such as Meta AI.

Comfort is difficult to judge from a launch photograph. A small change around the ears could make a bigger difference to someone who wears their glasses all day than another feature in the app. We’d like to try the new fit for a decent stretch before calling it more comfortable than Gen 2.

The camera keeps the same headline resolution

Gen 3 retain a 12MP camera and 3K video, so there isn’t a resolution jump to put alongside the battery and microphone changes. That doesn’t establish whether the pictures are identical; exposure, processing and performance in poor light need a proper comparison.

Meta also describes a new dynamic-photo option for choosing the best frame. Dolby Atmos video with 360-degree spatial sound is promised for Meta AI glasses later this year. Meta hasn’t given a model-by-model rollout list in the announcement, so Gen 2 owners should wait for those details before treating it as a reason to upgrade. Taking photos became something of a learned skill on our Gen 2s, though, so the dynamic-photo option sounds like a particularly exciting improvement.

Aviator could bring in people the old styles didn’t

The new Aviator is likely to catch plenty of attention. If you prefer that shape, a pair of smart Wayfarers was always going to involve a compromise, however useful the technology sounded. Having another established Ray-Ban style available could persuade people who simply didn’t like the previous frames on their face.

These are still substantial smart-glasses frames, as Meta’s photograph shows; don’t expect the thin metal construction of a traditional Aviator. There’s also a new cat-eye style called Zena. Meta advertises 27 frame-and-lens combinations across the three styles, including a limited-edition Aviator marking the design’s 90th anniversary.

Aviator Limited edition

Wayfarer Havana

Zena Shiny Black

Zena Milky Grey Lilac

UK orders are open, starting at £409

We checked the following configurations on Ray-Ban’s UK site on 24 September:

• Wayfarer, Matte Black with Grey lenses: £409.
• Wayfarer, Polished Black with Green Polarised lenses: £439.
• Aviator, Shiny Black with Clear/Green Transitions lenses: £489.

These listings had an active order button; delivery estimates and lens options vary. The £489 Aviator price above is for that Transitions configuration, rather than a starting price for every Aviator. Check the exact frame and lenses before comparing prices.

Would we replace our Gen 2 pair?

Ray-Ban looks determined to keep its place at the top of the smart-glasses market. Gen 3 build on a product we already rate highly, with attention to fit, battery life and clearer calls. Bringing Aviator into the range could broaden that appeal further: people have to like the glasses before they care about the technology.

For existing Gen 2 owners, there’s still a separate decision about replacing a pair they’re happy with. Our hands-on Gen 2 review found plenty to like about having music, a camera and quick AI help available without reaching for a phone. Those glasses don’t lose that usefulness because a newer version has arrived.

Better voice pickup or a better fit could still be enough for some owners, and the Aviator will have an appeal of its own. For someone buying their first pair, Gen 3 deserve a look alongside current Gen 2 prices. We’ll reserve our recommendation on upgrading until we’ve worn and tested the new glasses.