With the changing weathers on my hikes and travels a pair of sunglasses is one of the first things I put in my backpack or suitcase. I have recently been testing out these Ampere Dusk Electrochromic Smart Sunglasses.
On the go I regularly use the smartphone and smartwatch but now it was time to see how smart sunglasses could change how I go about my daily business.
In short these sunglasses allow you to change tint at leisure be it through a small button on the frame or via the app. They also come with audio capabilities so you can listen to music, take/make calls or ask your favourite Voice Assistant your questions on the go without getting your phone out of your pocket.
Change Tint On Demand
The headline act of these sunglasses is the ability to change the tint level on demand and very quickly.
There are 2 ways to change the tint. A button on the left arm allows you to rotate through 4 levels of darkness. However if you do it through the app then you can really fine tune the tint to whatever darkness level you wish, at 4% intervals of darkness.
I live in the UK and the weather is more than changeable for sure. Even a morning dog walk can go from glorious sunshine to dark clouds in minutes so the ability to quickly change the sunglasses tint level is definitely welcome.
According to Ampere the polorised lenses block 100% of UVA and UVB rays. I do find when driving the car that it would be dangerous to have one of the darker tints but even with no tint enabled at the lighter end the sunglasses do get rid of any glare.
In the app you can quickly change to driving mode so they do not fall below safe levels.
Audio
The next smart feature of the Ampere Dusk Sunglasses is the audio capabilities. At the end of each arm are speakers that allow you to listen to your music, make calls or speak to your voice assistant.
The glasses effectively become bluetooth speakers that are built into your frames. They are not in-ear speakers so yes you will be able to walk and keep your wits about you and hear the traffic and world in your surroundings. The flip side is that if you are in a gym or on a sunlounger then the person on the machine or lounger next to you could well hear what you are hearing.
Due to the nature and size of the frames and speaker you may want to adjust the EQ via the app to get a quality of sound you prefer.
I found that when making calls it was clear enough and the people on the other end had no problem hearing me as I walked along hands free. There are 2 MEM digital microphones built in for purpose.
Battery and Charging
The sunglasses have a 110 mAh battery capacity which when compared to your smartwatch and phone may not sound much but for this purpose it is more than good for me.
They charge very fast and get to an 80% charge in just 15 minutes. Then a full charge in 45 minutes.
What this gives you though is a full week of charge if just using the tinted lens element. When listening to audio you can get approximately 4 hours of continuous play.
Design
There are 2 colours to choose from when buying the Ampere Dusk sunglasses. Black or Navy & Teal. I have a black pair and find it really does not matter what I am wearing clothes wise as they will always work. You can also pay a little more and purchase them as mirrored sunglasses.
The shape are a traditional square type sunglasses and the weight is less than 30g which is good for all day use.
If you was wearing them down a busy street then they hide their smart capabilities very well as any buttons are small and blend into the frames.
The fit between the arms is one size fits all but adjustments can be made with the 4 differing nose guards supplied in the box they come in.
Cost
At the time of writing there are 3 options when buying the Ampere Dusk Sunglasses:
Standard Lens with the built in electrochromic lenses and built in audio – £299
As above but with mirrored lenses – £329
Or you could go without the built in audio and have just the smart tint option (Dusk Lite) – £199
See all options available via Ampere.
Conclusion
Smart glasses and sunglasses tech is moving ahead fast now and this offering from Ampere gives a glimpse of things to come. The ability to change the tint so fast in 2 different ways is a great idea especially in my climate.
The audio options are an added bonus especially when out on travels or on the road. A way to double up your hands free solution.
Ampere Dusk Smart Sunglasses
I have recently been testing out these Ampere Dusk Electrochromic Smart Sunglasses.
On the go I regularly use the smartphone and smartwatch but now it was time to see how smart sunglasses fared for me.
Product Brand:
Ampere
Pros
- Easy and quick to change tint level
- Quick bluetooth pairing
- water resistant