The best AI wearables in 2026 are AI glasses. Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3), from US$449, is the pick for most people: a camera, open-ear speakers, and Meta's AI assistant, in frames that look like normal Ray-Bans. If you want a screen in your lens, the Meta Ray-Ban Display costs US$799. For your health, WHOOP and the Oura Ring 5 still lead, and both now come with an AI coach you can chat to.
When I first wrote this list, it was mostly fitness bands plus two AI gadgets that hadn't shipped yet. One of them, the Humane AI Pin, has since been switched off for good. The other, the Rewind Pendant, became the Limitless Pendant, and Meta bought the company and stopped selling it. So this version starts again with the three kinds of AI wearable worth buying now: AI glasses, AI pins and pendants, and health wearables with AI coaching.
Prices are each maker's own US price in US dollars. Anything you can't buy yet, or can't buy anymore, is flagged.
What are the best AI wearables in 2026?
The best AI wearables in 2026 are Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) glasses for most people, the Meta Ray-Ban Display for a screen in your lens, the Plaud NotePin S for recording meetings, and WHOOP or the Oura Ring 5 for health coaching.
| AI wearable | Type | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) | AI glasses | From US$449 | Most people |
| Meta Glasses | AI glasses | From US$249 | The cheapest camera glasses |
| Oakley Meta Vanguard | Sport AI glasses | US$499 | Running, cycling, and training |
| Ray-Ban Meta Audio | AI glasses, no camera | From US$349 | Music, calls, and AI without a camera |
| Meta Ray-Ban Display | AI glasses with a display | US$799, with Neural Band | Messages, captions, and directions in your lens |
| Even Realities G2 | Display glasses, no camera | US$599 | A discreet heads-up display |
| Rokid Glasses | Display glasses | US$699 | Translation subtitles |
| Plaud NotePin S | AI recorder pin | US$179 | Meetings and lectures |
| Friend | AI companion necklace | US$249 | Chatting with an AI all day |
| Pebble Index 01 | Voice-note ring | US$75 pre-order | Quick voice notes |
| WHOOP 5.0 and MG | Screenless band | US$199 to US$359 a year | Training and recovery |
| Oura Ring 5 | Smart ring | From US$399, plus US$5.99 a month | Sleep |
| Apple Watch Series 12 | Smartwatch | From US$399 | iPhone owners |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 | Smartwatch | From US$379.99 | Samsung phone owners |
| Google Pixel Watch 5 | Smartwatch | From US$399 | Android owners who want Gemini |
| Google Fitbit Air | Screenless band | US$99.99 | A cheap WHOOP alternative |
What are AI glasses?
AI glasses are normal-looking glasses with a camera, microphones, open-ear speakers, and an AI assistant built into the frame. You talk to them ("Hey Meta"), they answer through small speakers near your ears, and the camera lets the assistant see what you see.
Most AI glasses have no screen. A few, like the Meta Ray-Ban Display, add a small display in the lens, and some display glasses, like the Even Realities G2, drop the camera altogether.
AI glasses pair with an app on your phone, which connects them to the AI. Meta is the biggest name in AI glasses, and it sells them under the Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Meta Glasses names, all made with eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica (MacRumors).
What do AI glasses do?
AI glasses let you take photos and video, play music, take calls, and ask an AI assistant about what you're looking at, all without touching your phone. Here's what the AI glasses on sale can do:
- Photos and video. Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) and Meta Glasses have a 12MP camera that records 3K video (Meta).
- Answer questions about what you see. The camera feeds the assistant, which uses computer vision to work out what's in front of you. Meta says its new Muse agent will let you ask about objects in view without describing them (Meta).
- Live translation. Meta's glasses translate conversations in 20 languages (MacRumors).
- Music and calls. Open-ear speakers in the arms play audio without blocking your ears.
- Captions, messages, and directions. Display glasses show them in your lens. The Meta Ray-Ban Display shows live captions, WhatsApp and Messenger messages, video calls, and walking directions (Meta).
- Training stats. The Oakley Meta Vanguard pairs with a Garmin watch so Meta AI can give you real-time performance stats mid-workout (Meta).
What are the best AI glasses in 2026?
The best AI glasses in 2026 are Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3), from US$449. Meta's own-brand Meta Glasses, from US$249, are the best value, and the Oakley Meta Vanguard is the pick for sport.
Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3): best AI glasses overall
Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) are the AI glasses most people should buy. They start at US$449 and run for up to 9 hours on a charge, an hour more than the Gen 2 (Meta).
The 12MP camera records 3K video, a six-microphone array cuts more than 90% of background noise (Meta's figure), and a new action button opens Meta AI. Gen 3 comes in Wayfarer, Aviator, and a new cat-eye frame called Zena, across 27 colour and lens combinations.
Meta still sells the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, which started at US$379 (Meta) and got new colours at Meta Connect (Meta). Gen 3's upgrades are a slimmer frame, more battery, better microphones, and the action button, so a discounted Gen 2 is still a good buy.
Meta Glasses: best cheap AI glasses
Meta Glasses are Meta's own-brand AI glasses and the cheapest way into camera glasses. The Adventurer and Fury frames cost US$299, with a 12MP camera that records 3K video, up to 8 hours of battery, and prescription lenses from -12 to +2.25 (MacRumors).
At Meta Connect, Meta added a US$249 Adventurer that comes with a plug-in case, plus new Capri and Nova frames (Meta). The Starfire Kylie Jenner edition costs US$399.
Oakley Meta Vanguard: best AI glasses for sport
Oakley Meta Vanguard are AI glasses built for running, cycling, and hard training. They cost US$499, are rated IP67 for water and dust, and have speakers 6 decibels louder than the cheaper Oakley Meta HSTN (Meta).
The Vanguard pairs with Garmin watches, so Meta AI can tell you your stats mid-workout (Meta). The Oakley Meta HSTN, from US$399, is the everyday sporty option, with IPX4 resistance to sweat and light rain.
Ray-Ban Meta Audio: best AI glasses without a camera
Ray-Ban Meta Audio are Meta's first AI glasses without a camera. They cost US$349, weigh 43 grams, and last up to 12 hours, with up to 48 more hours from the charging case (Meta).
You still get Meta AI, music, and calls. They come in Clubmaster and Burbank shapes, and take prescription lenses (Engadget). They suit anyone who wants an assistant in their glasses without pointing a camera at everyone they talk to.
What are the best AI glasses with a display?
The best AI glasses with a display are the Meta Ray-Ban Display (US$799), the Even Realities G2 (US$599), and Rokid Glasses (US$699). Display glasses show text, captions, and directions in the lens, so you can read the AI's answer instead of only hearing it.
Meta Ray-Ban Display
The Meta Ray-Ban Display costs US$799, including the Meta Neural Band, a wristband that reads the muscle signals in your wrist so you can control the glasses with small finger gestures (Meta).
A full-colour display sits off to the side of your view. It shows Meta AI answers with visuals, messages, video calls, live captions, translation, and walking directions. Battery life is up to 6 hours of mixed use, and up to 30 hours with the case.
You can now order the Meta Ray-Ban Display online in the US. It's also sold in Canada, the UK, France, Italy, and Germany, and Meta is adding cycling directions, transit times, and calendar invites (Meta).
Even Realities G2
Even Realities G2 are display glasses with no camera and no speakers, by design. They cost US$599, and the optional Even R1 smart ring for controlling them is another US$249 (Tom's Guide).
The G2's display shows live translation in 35 languages, a teleprompter, conversation notes, and Even AI's answers, and the battery lasts up to two days (Even Realities). Even makes prescription lenses from -12.00 to +12.00. Pick the G2 if you want the screen but don't want people wondering whether you're filming them.
Rokid Glasses
Rokid Glasses have a display in both lenses and a 12MP camera, in a 49-gram frame (Rokid). They list at US$699 on Rokid's own store.
The monochrome display shows real-time translation subtitles for conversations, signs, and menus. The built-in assistant runs on OpenAI's GPT-5 and wakes when you say "Hi Rokid". Battery life is about 6 hours of music playback, with a charging case for top-ups.
Are Google and Apple AI glasses available yet?
No. Neither Google nor Apple sells AI glasses yet.
Google's Android XR glasses run Gemini and are made with Samsung, Warby Parker, and Gentle Monster. Google says audio glasses come first, in late 2026, and will work with both Android phones and iPhones, with display glasses to follow (Google). A Samsung official told The Korea Herald that Samsung's glasses launch in November, with no price yet (9to5Google).
Apple's first AI glasses are further off. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple will show them at WWDC in June 2027 and release them late that year (MacTrast).
What are the best AI pins and pendants in 2026?
The best AI pin you can buy in 2026 is the Plaud NotePin S (US$179), a clip-on recorder that turns conversations into transcripts and summaries. The original AI pin, Humane's, is dead, and two of the best AI pendants, Bee and Limitless, were bought by Amazon and Meta. What's left is a recorder pin, a companion necklace, and a voice-note ring.
Plaud NotePin S: best AI pin for meetings
The Plaud NotePin S is a small AI recorder you wear as a magnetic pin, a clip, a lanyard, or a wristband. It costs US$179, records for up to 20 hours, and transcribes in 112 languages with speaker labels (Plaud). Press its button to highlight a key moment.
The free plan covers 300 transcription minutes a month. Plaud sells the NotePin S with a year of its Pro plan (1,200 minutes a month) for US$278.99, so Pro works out at US$99.99 a year. The original NotePin, without the button, is US$159.
Friend: the AI companion necklace
Friend is an AI necklace that listens to your day and chats with you about it. The new version costs US$249, up from US$129, and adds a speaker so it can talk out loud instead of only sending messages to its phone app (Engadget).
Friend remembers 30 days of conversations unless you pay US$10 a month for longer memory. It's a companion, not a productivity tool. Engadget's headline sums up the reaction: "That AI wearable you don't like just got worse."
Pebble Index 01: cheapest AI voice-note ring
The Pebble Index 01 is a US$75 ring with a button and a microphone for quick voice notes (Pebble). Press the button, whisper a thought, and the Pebble app turns it into text on your phone with on-device speech to text. A local AI model then files it as a note or a reminder, with no internet connection needed.
The Index 01 never needs charging, because its battery lasts for years, and there's no subscription. The price goes up to US$99 after pre-orders, and Pebble says new orders ship in one to two months.
Bee and Limitless: bought, and no longer on sale
Bee and the Limitless Pendant were two of the best AI pendants, and you can't buy either one now. Amazon bought Bee (Amazon), and Bee's site lists the US$49.99 Bee Pioneer as sold out (Bee).
Meta bought Limitless and stopped selling the Limitless Pendant on 5 December 2025 (Limitless). Existing owners get the unlimited plan free, with support promised through 2026.
What happened to the Humane AI Pin?
The Humane AI Pin was discontinued and switched off. HP bought most of Humane's assets for US$116 million, and every AI Pin stopped working at noon Pacific time on 28 February 2025 (TechCrunch). After that, the pins couldn't make calls, send messages, or answer questions. Only buyers inside the 90-day return window got refunds.
The Humane AI Pin clipped onto your clothes and projected text onto your palm instead of using a screen. It sold for US$699 for most of its life and was cut to US$499 before the end.
The Humane AI Pin's lesson applies to every AI wearable: if it needs the maker's servers, it dies with the maker. Limitless Pendant owners are in the same spot, with support promised only through 2026.
What are the best health wearables with AI coaching?
The best health wearables with AI coaching are WHOOP, for training and recovery, and the Oura Ring 5, for sleep. Smartwatches from Apple, Samsung, and Google now have AI coaches too. For a full training plan, pair any of them with one of the best AI fitness apps.
WHOOP 5.0 and WHOOP MG
WHOOP is a screenless band that tracks strain, recovery, and sleep, sold as a yearly membership with the band included. WHOOP One costs US$199 a year, Peak costs US$239, and Life costs US$359 with the WHOOP MG band, which adds ECG readings and Blood Pressure Insights (WHOOP). The battery lasts up to 14 days.
WHOOP AI, the coach WHOOP first built with OpenAI's GPT-4, answers questions about your own sleep, strain, and recovery data (WHOOP). It can now also build a workout from your goals, equipment, and limitations (WHOOP). It's a good example of where AI personal fitness is heading: the coach knows how you slept before it tells you how hard to train.
Oura Ring 5
The Oura Ring 5 is the best smart ring for sleep tracking. It's 40% smaller than the Ring 4, lasts 6 to 9 days per charge, and starts at US$399 in Black or Silver, or US$499 in the other finishes (TechCrunch, Oura).
Most Oura features need an Oura Membership, at US$5.99 a month or US$69.99 a year. Membership includes Oura Advisor, Oura's AI health assistant (Oura). Oura still sells the bigger Oura Ring 4 alongside the Ring 5.
Apple Watch Series 12
The Apple Watch Series 12 is the AI health wearable for iPhone owners. It starts at US$399, while the Apple Watch SE 3 starts at US$249 and the Ultra 4 at US$799 (Apple).
The Series 12 adds a daily readiness score and checks your heart rate every five seconds in the background (Apple). Workout Buddy gives real-time pace and progress insights during a workout, but needs an iPhone that runs Apple Intelligence and Bluetooth headphones. Battery life is up to 24 hours.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Ring
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 is the pick for Samsung phone owners. It starts at US$379.99 and uses Galaxy AI for an Energy Score, bedtime guidance, and a Running Coach, with Google Gemini as the voice assistant (Samsung). Its AI health features need an Android phone, and some need a Samsung one.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is the subscription-free alternative to Oura. Samsung lists it from US$299.99, against a US$399.99 list price, and it lasts up to 7 days (Samsung). Samsung Health, where its data lives, needs no subscription (Samsung).
Google Pixel Watch 5 and Fitbit Air
The Google Pixel Watch 5 is Google's Gemini smartwatch. It costs US$399 for the 41mm model or US$429 for the 45mm (Google). Its Google Health Coach builds strength workouts and adjusts its advice based on your sleep and heart rate variability.
Google Health Coach needs Google Health Premium, at US$9.99 a month. The Google Fitbit Air is Google's US$99.99 screenless band, a budget take on WHOOP, with up to a week of battery and a three-month Premium trial (Google).
Pavlok 3: best for breaking habits
Pavlok 3 is a wristband that helps you break habits by buzzing, chiming, or zapping you. The Pavlok 3 Sports costs US$184.99 on Pavlok's store, and Pavlok sells an AI Coach add-on for US$49.99 (Pavlok).
Pavlok 3 also works as a silent alarm and tracks your steps and sleep. You can buy the Pavlok 3 Sports on Amazon.
Apollo Neuro vs WHOOP: which is better?
Apollo Neuro and WHOOP do different jobs, so the better one depends on what you want. WHOOP measures your body and tells you how recovered you are. Apollo is built to change how you feel: it vibrates gently against your skin to help you calm down, focus, or get back to sleep.
- Price. Apollo now sells the Apollo Neuro as the Apollo wearable, for US$448 with a year of its SmartVibes AI membership (Apollo). WHOOP costs US$199 to US$359 a year with the band included (WHOOP).
- AI. Apollo's SmartVibes AI senses when you start to wake up and plays vibrations to help you fall back asleep. WHOOP's AI coach answers questions about your sleep, strain, and recovery.
- Battery. Apollo runs for up to 8 hours of continuous use. WHOOP lasts up to 14 days.
Pick WHOOP if you want data and coaching. Pick Apollo if stress or broken sleep is the problem and you'd rather feel something than read a score. Apollo's sleep claims, like 46 more minutes of sleep a night, are the company's own figures.
What is a biometric wearable?
A biometric wearable is any device you wear that measures signals from your body, like heart rate, heart rate variability, skin temperature, blood oxygen, and movement. Smartwatches, fitness bands, and smart rings are all biometric wearables.
The sensors in biometric wearables are similar across brands. Optical sensors shine light into your skin to read your pulse, a temperature sensor tracks changes overnight, and an accelerometer tracks movement and sleep. Some add electrodes for ECG readings, like the Apple Watch and the WHOOP MG.
AI is what turns those raw signals into something useful. Biometric wearables roll the signals into one daily number, like Apple's readiness score or Samsung's Energy Score, and now into AI coaches you can ask questions, like WHOOP's coach, Oura Advisor, and Google Health Coach.
