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Since AI and wearable tech were two of the biggest trends last year, it should come as no surprise that smart glasses have been the focal point of CES 2026. The specs we’re seeing push the limits of the previous model with longer battery life, more functionality, increased comfort, and more.
Also: CES 2026: The biggest news on TVs, smart glasses, robots and more live
The glasses serve a variety of purposes, some using XR to create portable desktop setups, and others competing with Meta’s Ray-Bans, packing cameras and voice assistants into a lightweight form factor. Anyhow, while the conference hasn’t officially started yet, ZDNET’s smart glasses experts have either covered the news or have already gone hands-on with many of them.
To help you determine which glasses are worth the hype, we’re collaborating on a roundup of the best smart glasses, with updates coming daily.
I tried out the new RayNeo Air 4 Pro ahead of CES week, and the world’s first HDR10-capable smart glasses made an impression. These glasses have a dedicated image quality chip and 1,200-nit peak brightness, producing visuals with more sparkle and pop than most pairs I’ve worn over the past few years.
Despite weighing only 76 grams, they don’t compromise on performance, offering a 120Hz refresh rate and quite immersive-sounding audio tuned by Bang & Olufsen. This is a huge leap forward for tech enthusiasts who want high-fidelity, cinematic viewing on the go – hopefully at a price many will be able to accept. – Kerry Van
Also: I’m wearing the world’s first HDR10 smart glasses, and they could easily replace my home TV
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I like the Rokid AI Glasses Style because of their lightweight design and combination of nose pads. Their functionality is similar to that of the Meta Ray-Ban Glasses, where you get a camera, open-ear speaker, and mic in a pair of sunglasses. These are rated to last up to 12 hours, but there’s no charging case, so you’ll have to carry a dongle wire everywhere.
I’m not fond of their pogo,pin,enabled proprietary charging mechanism, but that’s more forgivable at their retail price. They’re available for less than the Meta Glass at $299, and are also more comfortable to wear for long periods of time. , prakhar khanna
Plus: These smart glasses beat out the Meta Ray-Bans for me with useful features and a cheaper price
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The XGIMI Memomind AI glasses are exactly the same as the Even Reality G1. They have a display on each lens, which can be used to view the dashboard, navigate, chat with their AI, and more. I liked the comfortable-to-wear design – they feel like normal glasses.
I was impressed by the responsive user interface and the microLED brightness inside the lens. At $599, they’re $100 cheaper than their Even Reality rival and come in more styles. , prakhar khanna
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