Ray-Ban Meta Burbank Audio Glasses Review: Do I Miss the Camera?

Quick summary: I’ve been wearing the Ray-Ban Meta Burbank audio glasses for a while now, and these are the Ray-Ban Meta glasses with no cameras at all. So, do I miss the camera? Honestly, not really. They’re lighter, they connect almost instantly, the mics and speakers are as good as ever, and the battery life is a huge upgrade. If you need photos, video or “look and tell me” AI, though, these aren’t for you.

Key takeaways

• No cameras: no photos, no video, and no visual Meta AI. Ask it what you’re looking at and it’ll tell you it can’t do that.
• Lighter: 43 grams versus 51 grams for the camera models. You notice it.
• Connects almost instantly when you take them out of the case.
• Same six-microphone setup, so calls still sound excellent.
• Sound is on par with the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3 in my experience.
• Battery: up to 12 hours, and in my real-world mixed use I really do get about 10 to 12.
• Privacy win: a good option for places where camera glasses aren’t allowed.

If you just got a pair, start with my Ray-Ban Meta Burbank setup guide.

What you give up without a camera

Let’s get the big one out of the way. There are absolutely zero cameras on these. You can’t say “Hey Meta, take a picture,” you can’t record video, and you can’t ask “Hey Meta, what am I looking at?” If you try, it’ll just tell you it can’t do that, which makes sense.

So here’s my simple rule: if you know you want to take photos, take videos, or have your glasses look at something and give you an answer, don’t get these. Get camera glasses like the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer (Gen 3) instead. If you don’t need any of that, these are great glasses to get.

Weight and comfort: 43 grams vs 51 grams

The camera versions weigh 51 grams. The Burbank audio glasses weigh 43 grams. The camera models don’t exactly weigh you down, but you notice it when a pair is lighter, and these are very comfortable to wear all day.

I went with the Burbank frames because I could get them in a large size, and as far as I remember the Clubmaster doesn’t come in large. I also just liked the way the Burbank looks better.

They connect so fast

This is something I don’t think a lot of reviewers will mention. After the second or third time using these, I noticed how quickly they connect. I take them out of the case, put them on, and they’re connected almost instantly. With other Meta glasses, especially the older ones, it can take maybe five seconds or so. Not a big deal, but this is a massive difference, and I really appreciate it. My guess is it might be because there are no cameras, but I don’t know that for sure.

The charging case

The case is basically the same as before, just in a lighter brown than the darker brown on other models, and I’m really digging it. You still get:

• A sync button on the back for pairing
• USB-C charging
• A case that fits in your pocket and doesn’t collapse

Meta rates the glasses at up to 12 hours, with about 48 more hours from the case, so roughly 60 hours total.

Microphones and call quality

These have the same great six-microphone setup. Whether I’m on a bike, walking around, inside my house or outside, nobody ever complains about how I sound. People actually tell me how good I sound. Meta glasses, all of the versions, are literally my favorite devices for talking on the phone, and these are no exception.

Sound quality

Music, podcasts and videos all sound great. I don’t notice them being louder or better than the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, Gen 3 or even the Gen 1. It’s not the loudest thing you’ve ever heard, and it’s not as good as earbuds or over-ear headphones, but it’s good quality and super convenient. Honestly, Ray-Ban Meta glasses have some of the best audio, if not the best audio, I’ve heard on glasses. You also get that semi-private listening, so the people around you don’t really hear what you’re playing.

Meta AI still works, just audio only

You can’t use anything visual, but you can still talk to Meta AI the same way:

• Ask questions like who won the game, who the president is, or what the weather is.
• In the Meta AI app, give it access to apps like Gmail and your calendar, then ask it to find information or add something to your calendar.

Audio-wise, it has all the same stuff. Nothing feels missing apart from the camera features.

Controls

• Action button on top
• Tap to play or pause
• Swipe forward or back for volume
• Double tap to answer or hang up a call
• Or just use your voice to control them

Battery life: the biggest reason to get these

This is the huge win. Here’s roughly what I’ve gotten on other Meta glasses with mixed use:

Glasses	My typical battery life
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1	about 3 to 4 hours
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2	about 5 to 7 hours
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3	about 6 to 8 hours
Ray-Ban Meta Burbank (audio)	up to 12 hours

And with camera glasses, if you’re recording video the whole time, you might only get around 45 to 55 minutes before they’re dead.

With the Burbank, I put them on in the morning and I don’t need to charge them until almost bedtime. This isn’t one of those “up to 12 hours, but not really” claims. With mixed use I get about 10 to 12 hours. If you’re talking to it and playing music nonstop, it won’t last that long, but for normal use it’s amazing. Instead of charging in the afternoon, now it’s the evening before I need to swap pairs or top them up.

The privacy upside

Not having cameras is also a big plus in some places. Government buildings, some offices and other spots don’t allow glasses with cameras. These are a great alternative: you still get music, calls and Meta AI, but you can’t record or take photos of anyone. For people who have privacy concerns, or who work somewhere that does, that’s a huge win.

Lenses: I use VR Wave transitions

The lenses I’m wearing are VR Wave transition lenses. They turn into sunglasses in the sun, they’re inexpensive, and I use them on all my glasses. Use code gtv10 at VR Wave. Here’s how I installed VR Wave replacement lenses on the Burbank.

Heads-up: VR Wave is a brand I work with. Links on this page are affiliate links.

My verdict

I walked away more impressed than I expected. I get that a lot of people want or need the cameras, and if that’s you, grab one of the camera models. But if you don’t need them, you get better battery life, a lighter frame, faster connections, and all the other great stuff (calls, music and Meta AI) minus the camera. I absolutely love these. The battery life alone is a massive win for me.

Shop Ray-Ban Meta glasses

Prices are from meta.com. Use promo code GREGGLESTV at checkout on Meta’s site.

• Ray-Ban Meta Audio Burbank at Meta, from $349 (no cameras, up to 12 hours)
• Ray-Ban Meta Burbank at Best Buy
• Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer (Gen 3) at Meta, from $449 (with camera)
• Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer (Gen 1) at Meta, sale from $224 (was $299)
• Oakley Meta Vanguard at Meta, from $499
• VR Wave lenses for Ray-Ban Meta Audio, code gtv10

Curious what the camera models can do? Here are the Meta AI glasses features I use every day.