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Snapchat's Second-Gen Spectacles Have Arrived

The new Spectacles are on sale now in the US, Canada, UK, and France for $150.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Snapchat's rumored second-generation Spectacles are officially a thing.

Launched Thursday, the new smart specs are the same shape as the originals, but the temple area of the frame, which houses most of the wearable's electronics, is about a third smaller. That gives them a smaller profile and makes them more comfortable to wear, Snap said.

As rumored, the new Spectacles are water resistant, so you can snap all your beach or poolside antics without worrying about breaking them. Check out the video below for a look at the new Spectacles.

"We want Spectacles to be the simplest and easiest way to make memories from your point of view, and we appreciate all of your thoughtful feedback — many of these improvements were inspired by you!" the company wrote in a blog post.

Just tap the button on the top right side of the frames to start recording a 10-second HD video. Press it a second time to keep recording up to 30 seconds. Or, press and hold that button to capture a circular photo, if you prefer. The second-gen Specs offer new dual microphones, which promise to capture clearer sound and less wind noise.

In addition to those improvements, Snap says this new model will transfer content to your Snapchat account "up to four times faster" than the originals: less than 3 seconds per video, instead of around 9 seconds. Plus, they will remember your home Wi-Fi and automatically transfer content to your Snapchat account when you arrive home.

Interested? The new Spectacles are on sale now in the US, Canada, UK, and France for $150, a small price hike from the $129.99 originals. They come in three color options: onyx, ruby, and sapphire, and you can now choose between two lens shades for each color. Snap has partnered with the online lens replacement service Lensabl to now offer prescription and polarized lenses for US customers. The lenses offer protection from UVA and UVB rays.

The price includes a cable and charging case that can hold four full charges. Snap said the next-gen Spectacles can take and transfer about 70 videos on a single charge. They can store up to 150 videos or 3,000 photos at a time.

Stay tuned for PCMag's full review of this new model. In the meantime, check out the video below for our thoughts about the original.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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