First available in October of 2025, Solos is positioning the AirGo A5 as lightweight, comfortable smart glasses with hands-free AI assistance and a long-lasting battery. As a result, the target audience differs from that of the popular Meta Ray-Ban glasses, which are geared more towards content creation, as these are more intended for the AI enthusiast.
Yet, they are still an investment, with the cheapest frames costing $249, so I put them to the test to determine if they are worth the price.
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Because the smart glasses do not have a camera, they are much lighter than the most popular ones, such as Meta Ray-Bans. This affects their shape, as well — my colleagues in the office couldn’t tell they were smart glasses at all, until I mentioned it.
Another design highlight is the adjustable end tips. When I first put them on, I was put off by how long and straight the end tips were, as shown in the picture above. However, once I realized I could bend them, I hinged them to mimic the fit of my regular glasses, and I was impressed with how much that helped secure the fit.
A neat feature about the glasses’ legs is that you can remove them from the main frame to swap them for different styles, including ones that Solos makes with cameras. This allows for more versatility on the go, as you can skip bringing two pairs of glasses and just bring the frames. The Solos AirGo A5 also comes in different colors and styles, including a titanium pair
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One complaint I had was the positioning of the LED light, which alerts you to incoming calls, SolosChat activation, and notifications. It is too visible to both me and anyone talking to me. I was on a video call when the person I was talking to gave me a puzzled look as the light started flashing, only to match my own confusion.
You can change the LED’s position from the Right Temple to the SmartHinge, but I’d like to shut it off altogether.
Let’s talk AI
I rarely found myself using the Solos AI assistant, which is powered by ChatGPT’s voice search and assistant capabilities. This is less due to the quality of the assistant and more because, as with any AI-powered smart glasses, I don’t often have the need for quick queries, such as checking the weather, solving simple math problems, or finding new dinner ideas.
I also had an issue with the Solo Chat wake-up call activating the assistant, especially in noisy environments, where I had to say the phrase repeatedly for it to work. While I think there is promise here, especially with the addition of ChatGPT, I wouldn’t say that these glasses are worth purchasing solely for that.
The SolosCoach, however, is a fun application of AI, as it can correct your posture, remind you to stretch, track steps, provide quick fitness sessions, and more. I’d like to see more smart glasses integrate these experiences, although most smartphones can do so to some degree, as well.
ZDNET’s buying advice
If you are looking for smart glasses and your top priorities are comfort and a marathon battery life, then the Solos AirGo A5
