Affordable smart glasses: what you actually get
Affordable smart glasses give you the everyday basics: a camera for photos and video, open-ear speakers for music and calls, and in some models a voice assistant. In the U.S., Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 starts at $379, so "affordable" depends on what you need. Before you pay, compare where your photos are stored, whether a light shows when the camera is on, whether you can add a prescription, and what support and returns look like. OQON VISION, currently sold and shipped in Colombia, is priced at 350,000 COP at launch.
How much do smart glasses cost?
Prices vary a lot, and the gap is not only the brand. Here is a reference point for the best-known pair in the U.S. and for OQON VISION. Check current prices before you buy.
| Model | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) | From $379 | Android Central |
| OQON VISION | 350,000 COP at launch (list price 500,000 COP) | oqonlabs.com |
Prescription versions and special lenses usually cost more than the starting price, so read what the base price includes. A lower sticker price only helps if the glasses do the things you'll use every week: capturing a moment, answering a call, or asking a quick question without taking out your phone.
What do you actually need?
Start from what you'll do every day, not from the spec sheet:
- You mostly want to capture and listen: photos, video, music and calls with your hands free. You don't need to pay for extras you won't use.
- You want a voice assistant: check which languages it handles well and what it needs to work (account, app, internet).
- You wear prescription glasses: find out who fits the lenses and what they cost on top.
Be honest with yourself about habits. If you'll wear them daily, comfort, lens options and sweat resistance matter more than a long feature list. If you only expect to use them on trips, a simpler pair may be plenty.
What to check before you pay
- Where your files go. Cloud upload, or straight to your phone?
- A light that shows when the camera is on. It protects the people around you, and you.
- Phone compatibility. Android and iPhone.
- Prescription support. Cost and where lenses are fitted.
- Sweat and rain resistance. For everyday use outdoors.
- Returns, warranty and support. Where they apply and who answers.
- Payment and shipping. What's accepted and where they ship.
What OQON VISION does
OQON VISION is a pair of everyday glasses with Artificial Intelligence to capture, ask and get reminders hands-free. It is currently sold and shipped in Colombia.
- Capture in one tap: one tap takes a photo, a double tap records video (tap again to stop). The camera is 8 MP and video is 1080p.
- Your files stay yours: photos and video stay on the glasses until you tap Import in the OQON app; then they move over direct Wi-Fi to your phone. Nothing is uploaded to any cloud, and capturing works without internet.
- A voice assistant: optimized for Spanish, and it also answers in your device's language. It answers in your ear, describes what's in front of you from a photo, records voice notes and delivers reminders to your ear. It needs an OQON account, the app open in the background and internet on your phone.
- Open-ear audio: music, volume and calls over Bluetooth with nothing in your ears. A short tap on the capture button answers a call.
- Built for trust: an LED lights up whenever the camera is active and can't be turned off. Stickers to cover the camera are included.
- Made for outdoors: IPX5, so they resist sweat and rain (not submersible). Android and iPhone, with clear and dark lenses included.
- Prescription compatible: lenses are fitted at partner opticians in Colombia and sold separately.
Common mistakes when buying smart glasses
Overpaying rarely comes down to the list price. It usually comes from decisions made with too little information:
- Buying the brand instead of the use. If you'll take photos, play music and answer calls, you don't need to pay for features you'll never touch.
- Forgetting the prescription. If you wear prescription lenses, ask up front what fitting them costs and who does it. That is part of the real price.
- Not reading what the assistant needs. A voice assistant requires an account, an app and internet on your phone. Better to know before you buy than after.
- Skipping the return policy. A clear window and a full refund remove the risk of getting it wrong.
- Ignoring where your files go. Your photos and video are yours; confirm whether they upload to a cloud or move straight to your phone.
How to buy OQON VISION, step by step
OQON VISION is currently sold and shipped in Colombia.
- Go to oqonlabs.com and pick your glasses.
- Pay upfront by card, Bre-B or PSE.
- Receive them through national shipping in Colombia; cost and time depend on the city.
- Download the OQON app, create your account and start capturing.
If you're not convinced, you have 30 days to return them for a 100% refund.
Photo: SumUp / Unsplash
See also our guide to glasses with a camera.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to get smart glasses with a camera?
Price depends on what you need. Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 starts at $379 in the U.S. OQON VISION is 350,000 COP at launch (list price 500,000 COP) and is currently sold and shipped in Colombia.
Are cheaper smart glasses worth it?
They are if they cover what you'll use every day. Compare file storage, assistant language, prescription support and support in your country instead of price alone.
Can I use them with a prescription?
OQON VISION is prescription compatible. Prescription lenses are fitted at partner opticians in Colombia and sold separately.
How do I pay and how does shipping work?
Payment is upfront by card, Bre-B or PSE at oqonlabs.com. Shipping is within Colombia, with cost and time depending on the city.
What if I don't like them?
You have 30 days to return them for a 100% refund, plus a 30-day warranty against manufacturing defects, honored in Colombia.
Is there a business option?
Yes. Volume pricing starts at 10 units after a 15-minute call, and OQON builds custom apps for each company's use case. Write to info@oqonlabs.com.