Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer: one frame, three generations, two sizes.

Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer generations compared

Meta launched the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer in September 2023 at $299, released Gen 2 in September 2025 at $379, and released Gen 3 on September 23, 2026 at $449. All three are still listed on Meta’s store. The frame barely changed; the electronics did.

All three have 32 GB of storage, Bluetooth 5.3, a 133 g charging case and a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty, and none has a display. The full generation-by-generation story is in Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 vs Gen 1.

Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Gen 2: the value pick

Gen 2 is where most of the Wayfarer’s upgrades landed. Against Gen 1, Meta’s spec sheets show the rated battery doubling from up to 4 hours to up to 8, the case going from 36 to 48 extra hours, and video rising from 1080p to 3K Ultra HD at 30 fps. The frame dimensions are identical; the electronics add 3 g (51 g in Standard).

On September 30, 2026, Meta listed the Gen 2 Wayfarer at $379 with clear or green lenses, $409 with polarized Gradient Graphite and $459 with Transitions, in seven colors, each in Standard and Large. Gen 3 did not replace it on the store, so Gen 2 is now the middle option: most of Gen 3’s camera and battery for $70 less.

Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Gen 3: what changed

Gen 3 is a refinement, not a rebuild. Meta’s Gen 3 Wayfarer sheet shows the same 12 MP camera and 3K at 30 fps as Gen 2, with three changes you can measure: battery up from 8 to 9 hours (and 50 hours from the case), six microphones instead of five, and a slightly narrower frame, 129 mm hinge to hinge in Standard against 131 mm. It weighs 51.5 g in Standard and 53.8 g in Large, and it needs iOS 17 or later on iPhone.

The Gen 3 Wayfarer was $449 with clear, green or grey lenses, $479 with polarized green and $529 with Transitions, in eight colors. Gen 3 also comes in two new shapes, Aviator and Zena; those and the full launch details are in Meta glasses Gen 3.

Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Gen 1: cheapest, with caveats

Meta still lists the original Wayfarer at $224 with clear or green lenses, with $299 shown beside it, plus $247 for polarized and $284 for Transitions. The Shiny Black with green lenses we checked was marked out of stock on September 30, 2026, and the same page offered refurbished Gen 1 Wayfarers from $227, so stock varies by color.

The trade-off is the battery: up to 4 hours on the glasses against 8 on Gen 2, and video that tops out at 1080p. At 48 g in Standard it is the lightest Wayfarer. If you are looking at used or refurbished pairs, check battery health first; our guide to Gen 1 vs Gen 2 covers what else to look for.

Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer sizes: Standard vs Large

Every Wayfarer generation comes in two sizes. Meta’s dimensions, in millimetres:

To choose, read the three numbers printed inside the arm of glasses that already fit you: lens width, bridge, temple. Around 50-22-150 points to Standard; 53 mm lenses or wider point to Large. Large adds about 2 g. Meta’s store also offers a virtual try-on.

Wayfarer lenses and colors: clear, sun, polarized, Transitions

On every generation, price follows the lens. Here is the ladder Meta listed on September 30, 2026, cheapest first:

1. Clear— Gen 1 $224, Gen 2 $379, Gen 3 $449. The Gen 2 clear lens filters at least 20% of blue light between 380 and 450 nm, per Meta. More in clear Meta glasses.
2. Sun (green or grey)— same price as clear on each generation.
3. Polarized— Gen 1 $247 and Gen 2 $409 in Gradient Graphite; Gen 3 $479 in green.
4. Transitions— Gen 1 $284, Gen 2 $459, Gen 3 $529, in tints from grey and graphite green to sapphire and aquamarine.
5. Prescription— any generation, -12.00 to +6.00, priced on top of the frame.

Frame colors run from Shiny and Matte Black to Havana and transparent finishes such as Transparent Matte Ocean Blue on Gen 3 and Shiny Cosmic Blue on Gen 2.

Which Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer should you buy?

1. Most people: Gen 2 at $379. 3K video, up to 8 hours and the full lens range, $70 under Gen 3.
2. Heavy daily users and callers: Gen 3 at $449. The extra hour and the sixth microphone matter if the glasses are on your face all day. Check that your iPhone runs iOS 17.
3. Lowest Meta price: Gen 1 at $224, if your color is in stock. Accept a 4-hour battery and 1080p video.
4. Not sure you want Meta at all: see the alternatives below before spending $379.

For every Ray-Ban Meta style, not only the Wayfarer, see Ray-Ban smart glasses.

Cheaper wayfarer-style smart glasses

We make the OXIVUE M08, a rectangular frame that is the closest thing in our line to a Wayfarer, at $149(currently $50 off one pair at checkout, applied automatically). It is not a Ray-Ban and does not pretend to be: it measures 52-18-145 with a 42 mm lens height, between the Wayfarer’s Standard and Large lens widths with a narrower bridge, and weighs about 42 g, lighter than any Wayfarer generation on Meta’s sheets.

It has an 8 MP camera (against Meta’s 12 MP), open-ear audio, and real-time translation in 40+ languages through the HeyCyan app, which needs a free sign-up but no Meta or social-media account and no subscription. You choose sun, photochromic or clear lenses at the same price. It has no display and does not take prescription lenses, so if you need your prescription in the frame, the Wayfarer is the better buy. The M02C($159, about 41 g, IP65, “Hey Cyan” visual assistant) is the step up. Our full list is in Ray-Ban Meta alternatives, and every spec sits on the comparison page.

Bottom line

The Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer is one frame in three generations: Gen 1 from $224 for the lowest Meta price, Gen 2 from $379 as the value pick, and Gen 3 from $449 for the longest battery and the extra microphone. Pick Standard or Large from the numbers on your current glasses. If you want the camera, audio and translation in a wayfarer-like frame for far less, the OXIVUE M08 at $149is where to start; US orders arrive in 5–9 business days, with free shipping from $99 and a 2-year frame warranty.

Frequently asked questions