Vuzix Z100 smart glasses, and the Blade 2: what Vuzix says, with dates

1. The Vuzix Z100: $499, 38 g and up to 48 hours

Vuzix announced general availability of the Z100 on November 20, 2024, saying the glasses were “priced at just $499”. Its release (checked October 31, 2026) gives the weight as 38 grams, “the weight of a standard pair of glasses”, and a battery that runs “up to 48 hours on a single charge”. The display is a waveguide that shows “a crisp, transparent, monochrome image”, and Vuzix’s January 2024 unveiling called the optics “monocular”, so the display serves one eye.

The unveiling, on January 9, 2024, gave an earlier weight of 35 gramsand said the Z100 would “initially be offered as a developer’s edition”, built on the Vuzix Ultralite OEM Platform. The two releases differ by 3 grams, so we quote both with their dates and do not pick one.

The Z100 pairs by Bluetooth with Android and iOS phones running the Vuzix Connect app (version 1.7 in the November 2024 release), which pushes notifications, updates and messages to the glasses. That release lists notifications from phone apps, a teleprompter, a fitness readout of pace and step count, turn-by-turn directions from Google Maps on the Android app, and a translation and transcription engine that shows the text of what people nearby are saying. A separate Vuzix release dated February 3, 2025 (distributed by PR Newswire) names the Z100 as a platform for Mentra’s AugmentOS, an operating system for smart glasses.

What those releases do not describe is just as useful. Neither mentions a camera, and neither mentions prescription lenses (Vuzix sells inserts separately; see section 4), so ask Vuzix about a camera before you assume one. Neither release names an operating system or processor for the glasses themselves.

2. The Z100, the Blade 2 and an OXIVUE frame side by side

The table uses what Vuzix stated in the releases above and on vuzix.com, with dates, plus the OXIVUE M08 as a reference point for a pair with a camera and no display. “Not stated” or “not described” means the release does not say.

Vuzix figures from Vuzix press releases at ir.vuzix.com and, for the inserts, vuzix.com, checked October 31, 2026. OXIVUE prices checked 2026-10-31; checkout price may change. The Z100 and Blade 2 prices are the launch figures in Vuzix’s releases, not current prices.

3. The Vuzix Blade 2: $1,299.99 in 2022, built for work

Vuzix introduced the Blade 2 on August 24, 2022 as “its third generation Blade model” and gave the price as $1,299.99, to be sold on its own website from September for shipment within the US, EU, UK, Canada and Japan. A second release on September 28, 2022 said it was generally available in those markets. Vuzix said it was “Configured primarily for commercial use” and “optimized for enterprise use”, naming healthcare, construction, security and retail.

The 2022 releases list a Qualcomm processor (model not named) running Android 11, 40GB of integrated storage, WiFi and Bluetooth on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, a see-through waveguide display with 24-bit full-colour images, an HD camera, noise-cancelling microphones, in-temple stereo speakers, integration with major mobile device-management tools and ANSI Z87.1 safety certification. They say prescription inserts were available. They give no weight and no battery figure, so we do not print one.

The Blade 2 releases describe a colour display, an HD camera and a Qualcomm processor running Android 11. The Z100 releases describe a monochrome display linked to a phone app. The Blade 2 releases give no weight, so we do not compare the two on weight.

4. What vuzix.com lists today: neither has a price

On October 31, 2026 the Z100 and Blade 2 product addresses on vuzix.com both opened Vuzix’s general Smart Glasses page. That page shows the LX1, the M400 and a line of “AI smart glasses” marked “In Development”, with no prices and no mention of the Z100 or the Blade 2. Vuzix’s comparison page listed only the LX1 at $2,199.99 and the M400 at $1,499.99.

• Z100 accessories are still listed.Vuzix’s accessories page lists a Z100 magnetic charging cable at $29.99 and Z100 prescription inserts at $149.99. The inserts page read “Sold out”, says the kit does not include the glasses and says it ships within 4 to 6 weeks of your order date. Vuzix’s product sitemap (checked October 31, 2026) has pages for those accessories and for Blade 2 inserts, but no product page for either pair of glasses.
• Vuzix still names the Z100 in 2026. Its January 5, 2026 release says some solutions would be shown at CES 2026 as implemented in the Ultralite Pro enterprise platform and Z100 smart glasses. It gives no price, availability or end date for the Z100.
• Discontinued? No announcement found(checked October 31, 2026). We are not saying either model is withdrawn or still available to buy; Vuzix’s site does not say.
• Announced: AI smart glasses.Vuzix’s smart-glasses page (checked October 31, 2026) lists “Vuzix AI Smart Glasses” as “In Development”, saying they bring “AI interaction into a lightweight, socially wearable form”. It gives no price or release date.

For the models Vuzix does list, with prices, see our guide to Vuzix smart glasses and the alternatives.

5. Work or consumer? What Vuzix’s own releases say

Vuzix’s releases lean toward work. The Z100 unveiling was framed around enterprise customers and frontline workers, and the November 2024 release describes “safety glasses-certified smart glasses” for enterprise users. The Blade 2 releases name healthcare, construction, security and retail clients.

The Z100 also has a broader side. The November 2024 release lists fitness, directions and captions, quotes the CEO describing the glasses as “built and priced with the broad market white label customer in mind”. Its subtitle says developers are releasing transcription, navigation and AI apps. “White label” usually means another company sells the product under its own brand. The Z100 releases we read do not call it a consumer product.

6. Before you buy a Z100 or Blade 2

• Get today’s price and stock from Vuzix. $499 and $1,299.99 are figures from 2024 and 2022.
• Ask what software is supported.The Z100 releases describe a phone link through the Vuzix Connect app (and, in a separate release, Mentra’s AugmentOS), and the Blade 2 runs Android 11. Ask how long Vuzix supports each.
• Ask whether the Z100 has a camera.Vuzix’s Z100 releases (checked October 31, 2026) do not describe one.
• Plan for prescription lead time. Z100 inserts ship within 4 to 6 weeks and were sold out on October 31, 2026.
• Check the warranty and seller if you buy anywhere other than Vuzix.

If you are choosing glasses for a job, our best smart glasses for work guide sets out the categories, and who makes smart glasses places Vuzix among the other makers.

7. If you do not need a display: OXIVUE M08 and M02C

A display is what a Z100 offers and what OXIVUE does not. The M08 is $99 at checkout (listed $149) for one pair, with an 8 MP camera, open-ear speakers and microphones, about 42 g and 7 hours of listening or 4 hours of calls. The M02Cis $109 at checkout (listed $159), rated IP65 (not immersion). OXIVUE does not publish which AI model powers the M02C’s voice-activated visual assistant. Two or more pairs in one order are 50% off all eyewear.

A capture starts only with a touch on the temple, so ask before you record anyone and check local law; see smart glasses recording laws by state. The M08 and M02C translate 40+ languages through the companion app: you hear the translation and the other person reads the reply on your phone. Nothing appears in your view, and none of our frames take prescription lenses or claim eye protection, so they are not a substitute for certified safety eyewear. For text in the lens, read smart glasses with a display and prescription smart glasses; for the camera side, camera glasses.

Shipping, refunds and warranty. Free shipping from $99. US orders typically arrive in 5–9 business days. International orders take 9–14 business days after shipment. Import VAT or duties outside the US are paid by the recipient. 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. None of our frames take prescription lenses. Details on the shipping policy and warranty pages. Read the refund policy.

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