I stare at screens all day long with three monitors on my desktop. I sometimes use a laptop with a secondary monitor. Of course, I have my phone, and a Steam Deck I like to play games on. You don’t need to hear all this. It’s not bragging. I’m trying to point out how ridiculous it is that most of our lives revolve around screens — my life, really. It’s definitely not good for my eyes, my health either, but technology is a huge part of what I do. Modern writing is all done digitally and online. The next best solution is to wear blue light filtering — blue light blocking — glasses when looking at those screens. Enter the WearIQ wireless smart audio glasses.

I have two pairs of WearIQ wireless smart audio glasses. One pair has clear blue light filtering lenses, and the other is a pair of polarized sunglasses with dark lenses. I don’t wear reading or prescription glasses. But I’m the oddball. I think like 60% to 70% of the world’s population wears glasses — over 4 billion total. If you do happen to need prescription glasses, you’ll want to look elsewhere.

But one really cool feature incorporated into these glasses is Bluetooth audio. Like open-ear headphones, they play music and audio from connected devices. You don’t have to use the audio, it’s optional, but it’s there when you want it. Personally, I love that. The next question is how well they work? What scenarios serve these audio glasses well? Are there times when they’re better to use than others? You’re in luck, dear reader. I’ve put them to the test, and I’m here to share all. So, grab a snack and a drink and let’s get some shades on.

Wireless smart audio glasses: First, let’s talk about price

In most reviews, I talk about the price at the end. This is not to mislead or deceive, it’s because I think it makes more sense to do that, because, by then, you also know what each product has to offer. However, with the WearIQ wireless smart audio glasses I think that would be a huge disservice. That’s because these are reasonably priced and modest. Where most sunglasses, eyewear and stylish options can be expensive, especially if they look good, the opposite is true here.

Amazing Impulse, the company behind WearIQ made the smart decision to price these competitively. All pairs, from the dark polarized lenses to the clear lenses, are $25 — $24.88 to be exact. That’s cheaper than most eyewear that only acts as eyewear. They’re also durable and IPX4 water-resistant. They’re safely protected from light rain, sweat and splashes, though you don’t want to take these swimming or in the water. I will say, my pool has a splash pad that’s about ankle deep and I wear the sunglasses while lounging in there. They’ve held up fine and will continue to do so as long as they don’t fall off. You cannot submerge them.

You can also wear them during a variety of activities, like playing sports, running, hiking, or going on adventures. If you want, you can even wear them while driving, because they can facilitate hands-free calls from a connected phone.

They also play audio from a connected device

Tucked inside the frames, which aren’t too chunky, are speakers, a microphone, and the Bluetooth connectivity hardware. You can sync them with your phone, a tablet, any Bluetooth-enabled device, like a Steam Deck, to play audio just like you would with wireless headphones or earbuds. They employ an open-ear design and they work pretty damn good. The audio sounds crisp, clear and worthy of the HD audio marketed on the product pages.

The battery lasts for 10 hours of continuous use with a single charge, and that rating holds up. They also last for 200 hours or so in standby, but you can power them off before putting them in the case. They come with a USB-C cord to charge and the port to plug it in is on the underside of the right frame. That’s also where you’ll find a small physical button — used to power them on and off.

Thanks to the microphone you can also use them to take calls, hands-free. There’s a touch area on the side of the right frame that you can use to reject incoming calls. To accept them you click the button underneath once (not the touchpad). You can also double tap that button to wake up your device’s voice assistant. When music is playing you press the button once to pause or stop and press it again to start it up. You still have to use your phone to get that stuff going in the first place. The glasses also talk to you briefly when they power on and when pairing.

Moreover, they’re compatible with Android and iOS, and they have a range of 50 to 200-feet.

Polarized or blue light, take your pick

As I said in the intro, I have two pairs, both black frames. But one pair has dark polarized lenses, so sunglasses, and the other pair has clear blue-light filtering lenses. I wear the latter during the day when I’m at my desktop; I’m wearing them right now, actually.

It’s debatable whether blue light glasses work or not. Studies have purportedly shown “no significant improvement in vision performance or sleep quality.” I’m no doctor and I’m certainly not an optical expert, so I won’t make any health claims. But I can say that I have personally noticed a difference in my own body while wearing them. Whether that’s a placebo effect or not, I’ll let you make up your own mind. There are, however, a ton of different blue-light filtering options on the market, including gaming glasses. Those range from cheap to pricey, but few, if any, have Bluetooth audio built-in.

The dark polarized lenses offer UV protection, up to UV400. They work well on the water, which is great down here in Florida. They also work great as regular sunglasses while driving or while outdoors. I wear them while doing my yardwork or out back when I’m in the sun.

They’re surprisingly lightweight and comfortable. I barely notice I have them on while huddled in front of my screens. Outside it’s a different story, of course, because of the polarized lenses.

They look good, too. You won’t look like a dork, and they match well with just about any outfit. Seriously, casual shorts and tee, polo, dressed up, it doesn’t matter. I’ve had several friends and family comment on them. Sure, you may assume they’re just being nice, but no, the glasses are sleek and attractive.

What’s the verdict, and the price?

These wireless smart audio glasses are $25. That’s about the same price as a good pair of sunglasses, or a family dinner at a fast-food joint — hell, cheaper even these days. You don’t have to use the audio tech, you can just wear them as sunglasses or blue-light glasses. They look good, and the frames don’t look ridiculous like smart glasses usually do. They’re easy to pair. They have excellent battery life. The audio sounds pretty damn good, and it’s nice to rock out when you want to. Even at full blast, the audio won’t overpower the buzzing of a lawnmower. But most people can’t hear what you’re listening to if you’re out in public either.

I didn’t mention this earlier, but there are a bunch of frame colors and styles available, too. So, if you don’t want to go with the boring black frames, you can find your own swanky setup.

Since they arrived, I’ve worn my WearIQ glasses every day, and that’s no exaggeration. When I’m inside, tucked in front of my myriad of screens, I wear the clear, blue-light lenses. When I’m outside in the sun, I wear the polarized lenses. It’s not a marketing gimmick to sit here and write out that I adore them. But they are glasses, plain and simple. They’re pretty tough, but if you’re prone to losing glasses, dropping them often, losing them in the water while you’re kayaking or hijinks like that, just be mindful that could all happen with these, too. As long as you take good care of them, they should last. If you’re on the fence about buying a pair, I say go for it, and thank me later. It’s twenty-five bones well spent.

• Recommended Buy: Yes. They’re $25.
• For Who: Anyone.
• Alternative: None at this price.
• MSRP: $25