Mentra glasses at $449, or a camera frame at $109?

1. What Mentra glasses are, and what they cost

Search for “mentra glasses” and the results are the company’s own videos, a Reddit thread from its assembly line and launch coverage from the tech press, all saying a version of the same thing: Mentra Live is a pair of camera-and-audio glasses built on an open-source operating system. The frame is the hardware; MentraOS, the SDK and the app store are the point.

On its product page (checked October 7, 2026), Mentra Live is listed at $449. The specifications it publishes are a camera that takes 3264 × 2448 photos and 1080p video with a 119° field of view, stereo speakers with three microphones, WiFi plus Bluetooth, a 260 mAh cell in the glasses with a 2,200 mAh charging case, 12+ hours of mixed use, 40+ minutes of livestreaming and a weight of 43 grams. The lens line reads “Clear non-prescription lenses”, while the company’s home page says it covers a wide range of Rx prescriptions, so ask Mentra directly if you need correction. The page does not mention a display.

Two things decide whether this guide is for you. First, the price: $449 before shipping puts Mentra Live in a different bracket from a consumer camera frame. Second, where you live: Mentra’s shipping policy says website orders ship to addresses within the United States, with international shipping possible for approved business orders. If either of those rules you out, keep reading.

2. Mentra Live vs the OXIVUE M02C

The table puts Mentra’s published figures next to the M02C. Where Mentra’s page does not state something, the cell says so rather than guessing. Mentra figures are from mentraglass.com on October 7, 2026.

Prices checked 2026-10-07; checkout price may change.The M02C is listed at $159 and costs $109 at checkout as a single pair. Free shipping starts at $99, so one pair qualifies. Mentra’s shipping cost is calculated at its checkout.

3. Where Mentra Live is the better buy

We sell the frame in the right-hand column, so take the concessions here as the honest part of the page. There are four things Mentra Live does that no OXIVUE frame does, and if any of them is why you are shopping, buy the Mentra.

• You can build on it.MentraOS is open source with an SDK and an app store. That is the whole proposition: the glasses are a platform, and the apps on them can be yours or someone else’s. OXIVUE has no SDK, no open firmware and no app store. Our Brilliant Labs Frame guide covers the same fork between glasses you program and glasses you wear.
• It livestreams. Mentra lists 40+ minutes of live streaming from the glasses. The M02C captures photos and clips to the phone app and does not stream.
• Battery with the case. Mentra quotes 12+ hours of mixed use with a 2,200 mAh charging case. The M02C is rated 7 hours of listening or 4 hours of calls from its own cell, with magnetic charging and no case.
• WiFi and three microphones. Mentra Live connects over WiFi as well as Bluetooth and lists stereo speakers with three microphones. The M02C is Bluetooth 5.4 with open-ear directional speakers and microphones.

On prescription lenses the two sites disagree with each other: the Mentra Live spec line says non-prescription, the Mentra home page says it covers a wide range of Rx. Check with Mentra. On our side there is no ambiguity: no OXIVUE frame takes prescription lenses.

4. The M02C at $109: what you get

The OXIVUE M02C is the frame we would hand a consumer who liked the idea of Mentra Live and did not need to build anything. It is listed at $159 and costs $109 at checkoutas a single pair, about a quarter of Mentra’s price.

• Camera. A Sony IMX2198 MP sensor with dual stabilisation. Mentra’s listed 3264 × 2448 photo resolution works out to about the same pixel count, so on stills the two are closer than the prices suggest. Capture starts with a touch on the temple; nothing records unless you start it.
• Visual AI.Say “Hey Cyan” and the M02C can describe what you are looking at, through the HeyCyan app on your phone. It is the one OXIVUE frame with this feature.
• Translation. 40+ languages through the app. The translated audio is heard by the wearer alone; the other person reads the reply on your phone, and translation pauses after each sentence. It needs your phone nearby and connected.
• Weather. Rated IP65: dust-tight and protected against water jets, so rain between the car and the door is covered. It is not a rating for immersion, so no swimming and no saltwater.
• Lens choice. Full-tint sun, photochromic or clear. Mentra Live is sold with clear lenses.
• Weight and charging. About 41 g on an Italian TR90 frame, Bluetooth 5.4, and magnetic pogo charging that snaps on.

If you want the same family at a lower price and do not need visual AI or a water rating, the M08 is $99 at checkout with an 8 MP camera and the same three lens choices; the maker of its sensor is not published. Both frames are on the comparison page, and our cheapest camera glasses guide explains what gets removed from frames priced below these.

5. Who should buy which

Buy Mentra Live if you are a developer, a researcher or a business deploying glasses, if livestreaming from your face is the job, or if you want to choose and install apps on the glasses themselves. The $449 buys a platform, and a platform is worth that to the right person. You also need a US delivery address for a website order.

Buy the M02C if you read about Mentra Live, liked the camera-and-audio idea and have no intention of writing code: you want to capture what you see, hear calls and directions without blocking your ears, ask what you are looking at, and translate on a trip. At $109 the decision is a lot smaller, and it ships to 39 countries.

Buy neither if what you actually want is text in your field of view. Neither product page mentions a display. The display category is a different purchase; our Even Realities G1 guide sets out what a lens display gives you and what it costs in weight and battery.

One more thing to settle before you order from us, because we do not sell on a try-and-see basis. No refunds except transit damage (replaced or refunded); faults are repaired or replaced under the 2-year warranty; change of mind and unmet expectations are not refundable. The “What these frames won’t do” list below is there so that nothing in that sentence surprises you later.

6. Outside the United States

This is the practical reason a lot of people searching for Mentra glasses end up on an alternatives page. Mentra’s shipping policy (checked October 7, 2026) says website orders ship to addresses within the United States and that international shipping may be available for approved business orders and deployments. A consumer in Toronto, London, Berlin or Sydney cannot simply check out.

OXIVUE ships to 39 countries: the contiguous United States, Canada, the UK, all 27 EU states, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Colombia and Mexico. International orders take 9–14 business days after shipment. Our prices exclude import VAT and duties outside the US; the recipient pays those on delivery, and the shipping policy says what to expect by region. We do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii, US territories or APO addresses.

7. Livestreaming, recording and consent

Both products put a camera at eye level, and a livestream is a recording of everyone in front of you. On the M02C, a capture starts with a visible touch on the temple; it is not designed to be used without people noticing, and we would not sell it on that basis. Recording a conversation may require the other person’s consent depending on where you are, and some US states require everyone in a private conversation to agree. Our recording laws by state guide goes through it. This is general information, not legal advice.

Shipping, refunds and warranty. Free shipping from $99. US orders typically arrive in 5–9 business days; international orders take 9–14 business days. OXIVUE does not offer refunds except for an order damaged in transit, which is replaced or refunded. Faults after delivery are covered by the 2-year warranty through repair or replacement. None of our frames take prescription lenses. Compare every model on the comparison page.

Frequently asked questions