Oakley Meta Vanguard vs. Meta HSTN: One for sports, one for everyday wear

Meta is rapidly expanding its lineup of smart glasses, and now, there are multiple Oakley styles to choose from. Oakley Meta HSTN arrived first, bringing longer battery life and better video recording to Oakley's popular HSTN frames. Then, at Meta Connect 2025, we got Oakley Meta Vanguard, which added Meta tech to Oakley's athletic Sphaera sunglasses.

The question is, if you're an athlete or an Oakley fan, should you go with Vanguard or HSTN? Believe it or not, the choice is pretty easy. If you need a pair of glasses or sunglasses for all-day wear, Oakley Meta HSTN are the way to go. Those who need something exclusive to workouts and fitness, with top-tier Garmin and Strava integration to match, should pick the Oakley Meta Vanguard.

There is a bit more to it than that, so let's break down all the differences between these two styles of Oakley Meta smart glasses.

Oakley Meta Vanguard vs Oakley Meta HSTN: Pricing and availability

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Oakley Meta Vanguard was announced at Meta Connect and are set for release on Oct. 21, 2025. They're available for pre-order now, starting at $499.99, at Meta, partner retailers, and third-party retailers. You can get Vanguard in Black or White frame colors, and there are currently four lens options available: Prizm 24K (Gold), Prizm Black, Prizm Road (Red/Purple), and Prizm Sapphire.

The lenses are user-replaceable, and replacements are available starting at $85. Currently, there are no prescription lenses available, either on the first or third-party markets.

Meanwhile, Oakley Meta HSTN launched in July 2025 and is now generally available. Initially, only a limited-edition style costing $499.99 was available; however, styles are now being sold for as low as $399.99. Lens styles include Prizm, Prizm Polarized, Clear, and Transition lenses. Prescription options are available within the supported range of -6.00 to +6.00.

Oakley Meta Vanguard vs Oakley Meta HSTN: Design

Both the Oakley Meta Vanguard and Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses have unique and somewhat controversial designs. They're also based upon popular and longtime Oakley styles — Sphaera and HSTN. So, while tech enthusiasts might not appreciate the Oakley Meta frames, the broader group of mainstream Oakley fans might love them.

Vanguard is designed to only be worn in certain situations, like while outdoors or working out. There are no clear, prescription, or Transition lenses available for Vanguard, which further cements the positioning of the smart glasses as outdoor-focused. They are large, with a hinge-to-hinge length of 136mm and a lens height of 59mm.

Oakley Meta Vanguard are heavier than the HSTN style, weighing 66 grams. However, they'll likely be more comfortable and secure than the HSTNs. This is because the Vanguard style includes a silicone nose pad for grip and tight arms that'll rest securely against your head.

Oakley Meta HSTN are more versatile, with a subdued design language compared to Vanguard. They're available in more colors and styles, and support polarized, clear, prescription, and Transition lenses. At 53 grams, the Meta HSTN smart glasses should be more comfortable for all-day wear than the activity-focused Vanguard version.

Both pairs of smart glasses have the same camera, but Vanguard positions it between the two lenses. This might create a better POV experience for videos. Meanwhile, the HSTN model has the camera positioned beside the right lens. On the left side, there's an LED status indicator that lets others know when you're recording or snapping photos.

Notably, the Oakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses are rated for IP67 certification against dust and water ingress. Vanguard is not waterproof, but the IP67 rating is a big step above the IPX4 certification of the Oakley Meta HSTN. Oakley Meta Vanguard should survive splashes, sweat, and even heavy rain, whereas HSTN should be handled more delicately.

Oakley Meta Vanguard vs Oakley Meta HSTN: Hardware and specs

From a hardware perspective, Vanguard and HSTN are quite similar. They both sport the same 12MP ultrawide with a photo resolution of 3024 x 4032 pixels. Both pairs of smart glasses can also record 3K video at 30 FPS, and presumably, Vanguard will have the same or better video stabilization as HSTN. They have 32GB of onboard storage, which translates to over 1,000 photos or over 100 30-second video recordings.

Additionally, Oakley Meta Vanguard and HSTN have two open-air speakers, but they're not identical. Vanguard's speakers are six decibels louder than the ones inside HSTN, and Meta claims you can hear them in up to 30 MPH winds.

Both glasses are compatible with iOS and Android via the Meta AI companion app. They use Bluetooth 5.3 for pairing and Wi-Fi 6 for updates and media transfer. However, in addition to Meta AI features available on both frames, Vanguard gets exclusive integration with Garmin Connect and Strava.

That means you can ask Meta AI about your stats and progress while working out, if you have Vanguard and a supported watch.

In terms of battery life, expect to get up to eight hours from HSTN and nine from Vanguard. Both glasses come with a charging case, but HSTN gets more hours of total charge time with 48 hours (including case battery). Each case has a USB-C port for charging.

Oakley Meta Vanguard vs Oakley Meta HSTN: Which should you buy?

Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are generalized for the masses, but the Oakley Meta brand has allowed Meta to specialize a bit. Oakley Meta Vanguard are the pinnacle of specialization — they're set to be absolutely excellent for workouts, training, and fitness, but probably not much else. Like the non-smart Oakley Sphaera sunglasses they're based on, Vanguard is intended to be used outdoors during physical activity, not all-day wear.

That said, if you're a runner, hiker, or biker who wants smart capabilities on your face, Oakley Meta Vanguard could be your best option. With Meta AI, Garmin Connect, and Strava integration, you can chat with your smart glasses about your pace or progress during your run hands-free. The open-air speakers for music listening and a camera for recording are added bonuses.

For people who want something sportier than Ray-Ban but more versatile than Vanguard, there's Oakley Meta HSTN. These have many of the same internals as Vanguard but can go more places, with prescription and Transition lenses available.