Meta unveiled its $1,299 Meta VR Glasses alongside new camera-free smart glasses and a handheld device called Muse Charm during the Connect conference in Menlo Park on Wednesday. The lightweight VR spectacles feature a 5K microOLED display and are powered by an external computing puck, with a spring 2027 release date.
Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg introduced a slate of new wearable hardware during the company’s annual developer conference, anchoring his ongoing metaverse strategy in virtual reality while pushing further into artificial intelligence agents. The announcements include a high-end virtual reality device, an AI-powered pendant, and an expanded lineup of camera-equipped and audio-only smart glasses designed to navigate growing privacy debates.
Meta VR Glasses Debut With 5K MicroOLED Screens and External Compute Puck
The centerpiece of the hardware lineup is the new Meta VR Glasses, which trade the bulky plastic chassis of traditional headsets for a streamlined form factor. Weighing 100g, the magnesium-alloy device resembles an oversized pair of spectacles. Wearers peer through small lenses onto a crisp 5K microOLED screen boasting 37 pixels per degree, delivering visual fidelity that rivals Apple’s high-end Vision Pro headset.
To achieve this lightweight design, the glasses are tethered by a cable to a pocketable 300g external puck that houses a Qualcomm processor and a three-hour battery pack. This external configuration removes the computational weight from the user’s head, making the glasses five times lighter than previous Quest 3 models. The device also includes front-facing cameras and sensors that track eye and hand movements, reducing the need for physical controllers.
“We have built a new kind of VR device that delivers the same magical feeling of presence and immersion, high-resolution displays and views of the world around you in a form factor that is a pair of glasses for the first time.”
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO
Designed for productivity and entertainment rather than traditional gaming, the glasses support multiple virtual windows, PC or Mac screen mirroring, and an IMAX-enhanced 3D movie viewing experience. They will feature a Disney+ immersive experience at launch. The Meta VR Glasses will cost $1,299.99 and are scheduled to go on sale in North America, Europe, and Asia in spring 2027, representing the company’s first major VR hardware launch since the debut of the $299 Quest 3S in 2024.
Muse Charm Pendant Expands Meta AI Agent Access
Zuckerberg revealed a handheld device known as the Muse Charm pendant, which pairs with the company’s Muse AI personal agent. Executives shared limited pricing and specification details for the pendant, noting that engineers are still finalizing component layouts ahead of a planned holiday release in December.
“We’ve packed a lot of technology with this little guy. So, if you’re not wearing glasses, this is going to be by far the fastest way to talk to your Muse and to show it what’s going on around you.”
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO
Users will be able to speak directly to the gadget to interact with their Meta AI agents without having to unlock a phone or open an app
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Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Add Audio-Only Options and Global Display Rollout
Addressing rising privacy scrutiny and public backlash over camera-equipped wearables often criticized as recording devices, Meta introduced an audio-only version of its popular smart glasses. Lacking a camera entirely, the new Ray-Ban Meta audio models feature built-in microphones and speakers for music, phone calls, and interactions with the company’s AI assistant. Available in Clubmaster and Burbank styles, these lighter frames offer up to 12 hours of battery life and retail for £319 (€349/A$529).
Meanwhile, the camera-enabled Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 aviators offer up to nine hours of battery life with Dolby Atmos audio support for £409 (€449/A$679). Meta also announced improvements to recording indicator LED lights and tampering detection features across its smart glass lineup. In addition, the Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses—equipped with a virtual display in the right lens—are expanding internationally, launching in the UK and Canada on September 23 priced at £749 (CA$1,149), followed by France, Germany, and Italy on October 13 for €899.
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