The Oura Ring 5 just changed the smart ring game. Oura’s flagship ring has undergone a physical transformation, with the brand completely reengineering its smart ring to make it 40% smaller and even lighter than before. Forget the chunky rings of the past, the Oura Ring 5 looks like jewelry, for discreet, comfortable fitness tracking.

Proving that good things really do come in small packages, the new ring has about a day longer battery life than its predecessor, and four times more powerful LEDs, repositioned for better accuracy.

But should you be tempted to upgrade your ring if you already own an Oura Ring 4? And how does it compare to some of the best smart rings on the market? Read my full Oura Ring 5 review to find out more.

Oura Ring 5: Cheat sheet

• What is the Oura Ring 5? The Oura Ring 5 is a smart ring that has health tracking sensors within. As well as doing the basics, like counting your steps and reading your heart rate, the Oura Ring 5 can track your sleep, tell you when you ovulate, look at your overall stress levels throughout the day, and give you actionable insights based on your body’s resilience.
• When is the Oura Ring 5 release date? The Oura Ring 5 was released on May 28, 2026 and is available to buy now.
• Who is the Oura Ring 5 for? The Oura Ring 5 is for anyone who wants to be more informed about their health and wellness, without wearing a smartwatch or activity band on their wrist.
• What is the difference between the Oura Ring 4 and the Oura Ring 5? The main differences between the two smart rings are in the design. The Oura Ring 5 is 40% smaller than the Oura Ring 4, as well as being lighter. The Ring 5 has more powerful sensors for more accurate measurements and longer battery life. The Oura Ring 5 is also fully waterproof up to 100m, whereas the Oura Ring 4 is water resistant.
• How much does the Oura Ring 5 cost? The Oura Ring 5 starts at $399/£399 for the ‘base finishes’, which are Silver and Black. The premium finishes are — Gold, Stealth, Brushed Silver, and Deep Rose, and cost $499/£499.
• Is there a subscription fee for the Oura app? Yes, the Oura membership costs $5.99 / £5.99 per month or $72 / £72 per year.
• Is there a size difference between the Oura Ring 4 and the Oura Ring 5? Yes, slightly. Oura recommends using the Oura Ring 5 sizing kit to re-test your size with the smaller ring.
• Does Oura offer any trade-in deals? At the time of writing, no. You can send your old Oura ring back to Oura to recycle, but you do not get any money or credit for trading your old ring in.

Oura Ring 5: Specs

Oura Ring 5 review: Design

The Oura Ring 5 is noticeably smaller and lighter than its predecessor, the Oura Ring 4. Oura says they completely redesigned the ring to achieve the dramatic shrinkage, re-engineering the internal architecture to ensure it was smaller but just as powerful.

The width of the ring has dropped to 6.09mm from 7.9mm, and the thickness is now 2.28mm, with the ring weighing 2 grams. The exact weight and size of the Oura Ring 5 will depend on the size you’re wearing. The Oura Ring 5 comes in sizes 6-13.

Speaking of which, Oura recommends you use a new sizing kit for the Oura Ring 5, even if you’ve got an Oura Ring 4 on your finger. I found my size hadn’t changed — I’m wearing an Oura Ring size 7 in both rings, and the fit is similar, if not a tiny bit smaller on the newer ring. My colleague Sam, on the other hand, had to go up a size in the Oura Ring 5, so it’s worth checking.

The Oura Ring 5 comes in six different colors, and they’ve changed slightly from the Oura Ring 4. The cheapest options, Silver and Black, cost $399/£399. The more premium options include Gold, Stealth, Brushed Silver, and Deep Rose, and cost $499/£499. Compared to the Oura Ring 4, the Gold color is a brighter gold to better match jewelry. Deep Gold replaces the Rose Gold colorway on the Oura Ring 4. In person, it’s a more coppery gold.

All of the Oura Ring 5 colors are made from a thicker, more scratch-resistant coating, aiming to minimize the damage from daily wear and holding weights in the gym.

The Oura Ring 4 will still be available in Gold, Stealth, and Silver, and ceramic in Cloud and Midnight in sizes 4-15 for $349. At the time of writing, Oura doesn’t have a trade-in program, so if you have recently bought an Oura Ring 4, you won’t get any money back for upgrading to an Oura Ring 5.

Oura Ring 5 review: Oura app

A screenless tracker is only as good as its app, and Oura’s app makes understanding your health data a dream. When you open the app, there are three tabs: Today, Vitals, and My Health. Today shows you a breakdown of changing information based on what might be relevant to you at a given point in the day. At the top of the page, there are shortcut tiles that allow you to see key information at a glance.

The Vitals tab has expanding and collapsing cards covering all your daily metrics, including your readiness score, sleep score, activity progress, menstrual cycle status, and daytime stress chart.

My Health is a zoomed-out picture of your overall wellness, looking at long-term insights like stress resilience, heart health, sleep chronotype, and cardiovascular age. My app tells me my sleep health has declined over the past 90 days, which is feedback I’ll pass on to my two-year-old, who has decided it’s his nightly mission to escape from his crib.

There are a few new features in the Oura Ring app added via a software update. Firstly, you’ll now be able to use your ring for live activity tracking. When starting a live activity from your Oura app, you’ll be able to see your live data from a lock screen widget on your phone. This can track your pace and distance live during workouts like runs, cycles, and strength training sessions.

Oura has also added two new Women’s Health features: Menopause Insights and Hormonal Birth Control. Menopause Insights asks you structured questions about how well you’re sleeping, your mood, cognition, and daily functioning, helping Oura ring wearers to really understand how strongly they feel perimenopause is affecting their daily lives.

The Hormonal Birth Control Feature is an update to the ring’s current Cycle Insights tool, and will support pills, patches, IUDs, implants, and other hormonal methods. It will be able to help women see at a glance how their biometrics shift across hormone and hormone-free days.

There’s also a new Locate feature on the app. This allows you to connect multiple devices to the app, as well as an Oura Charging Case, allowing you to keep track of your devices in one place. Locate is available for Oura Ring Gen3 and all future generations.

Oura Ring 5 review: Battery life

Oura says they’ve been working on the new device for over two years, and they didn’t want the smaller size to affect battery life. They’ve done the opposite, improving the battery life on the newer ring, giving you 6-9 days per charge, compared to the 5-8 with the Oura Ring 4. During my week of testing, I’ve found this to be accurate — I’ve only had to charge my ring once.

From what I've experienced, the batteries in these rings do seem to deteriorate over time, so I’ll be paying close attention. But for now, I’m very content to not have to worry about charging the Oura Ring 5 for several days at a time.

You still charge the ring on the same charging dock, but if you have an Oura Ring 4, the charger won’t work with the Oura Ring 5.

Launching alongside the Oura Ring 5 is the new Oura Ring 5 charging case, which costs $99/£99. It holds up to five ring charges and supports wireless charging. There’s an action button that makes it easier to see the charging status, and you can now add the charging case to Oura’s new Locate feature.

Oura Ring 5 vs Oura Ring 4: Should you upgrade?

If you’re already one of the millions of people with an Oura Ring on your finger, does it make sense to upgrade to the Oura Ring 5?

Firstly, it’s worth noting that from a software perspective, everything mentioned above is available to you, as Oura has rolled the updates out to previous rings.

After a week of testing, however, I do really love how small the ring looks on my finger. It completely disappears, and compared to the chunky ring I’ve worn for years, I don’t think anyone would even notice the smart ring on my finger. If I’d just bought an Oura Ring 4, I’m not sure it would be enough to make me splurge for the new ring, but if I were wearing an Oura Ring 3 or earlier, I’d definitely consider the upgrade.

Oura says the Oura Ring 5 is more accurate than the Oura Ring 4, thanks to more powerful LEDs, but I haven’t noticed any differences in the tracking, and it would be impossible to say which is more accurate for some metrics without lab tests. I do find the ring more comfortable to wear, and while I’m never diving down to 100m, as a swimmer, I do appreciate the fact that the Oura Ring 5 is fully waterproof, rather than just water resistant.

Oura Ring 5 review: Should you buy?

I’ll be updating this review once I’ve had a chance to test the new features that recently rolled out, but after a week of testing, I’m confident that this is the best Oura Ring to date. The Oura Ring 5 has set new standards for the world of smart rings, and I think it’ll be a race between Samsung, Ultrahuman, and Luna to create smaller, thinner rings to compete.

The Oura experience is second to none, and if you’re looking for a fitness tracker that allows you to gain deeper insights into your overall health, without looking like you’re wearing a tracker, the Oura Ring 5 is the way to go.

After a week of continuous testing, I’m genuinely struggling to find a flaw or a missing feature in the Oura Ring 5. By chopping 40% of the bulk while actually extending the battery life, Oura hasn't followed the tech trend of making slight tweaks to launch a new product — it has completely rewritten the blueprint for what invisible tech can do.

The time has come: the Oura Ring 4 has officially been upstaged by the hotly anticipated Oura Ring 5, and there are plenty of changes to the ring you should know about if you're deciding whether or not to invest.

I have been wearing my Oura Ring since its 2021 release, graduating from the Oura Ring Gen 3 to the latest 5 model, and I'm convinced it's still the best smart ring on the market, despite stiff competition emerging.

Launched on May 28 2026, the Ring 5 is now the "world's smallest smart ring," but what else can you expect? Oura announced new features that will roll out to the Oura Ring Gen3, Oura Ring 4, and Oura Ring 4 Ceramic. These include live workout tracking, more women’s health features and a brand new way to find your ring or charging case if you lose it.

Read on to find out more about the Oura Ring 5 vs Oura Ring 4, whether we think it's worth upgrading and a sneak peek at the new design.

Oura Ring 5 vs. Oura Ring 4: Specs compared

Oura Ring 5 vs. Oura Ring 4: Price and availability

The Oura Ring 5 launched on May 28 and is now available for pre-order directly with Oura and other retailers including Amazon and Best Buy.

Shipping is due to begin June 4, while the Oura Ring 4 and ceramic will continue to be available.

As for pricing, the Oura Ring 4 starts at $349, while the Ring 5 begins at $399, with premium finishes (Gold, Stealth, Brushed Silver and Deep Rose) coming in at $499. Each purchase comes with a charger, but you can buy Oura's Ring 5 charging case, which is now available for pre-order at $99.

You'll get a one-year protection plan, plus a free month's trial of the Oura membership, which costs $5.99 a month thereafter.

Oura Ring 5 vs. Oura Ring 4: Design

There have been some pretty significant changes to the newer version's design, and the most notable is that the Ring 5 is 40% smaller than its predecessor, making it more wearable for your everyday life; it's now the world's smallest smart ring.

Like the Oura Ring 4, the Ring 5's sensors are recessed. However, the 5's sensor domes provide better skin contact, more powerful LEDS (for clearer readings) and 12 stronger signal pathways for better accuracy across finger types and skin tones.

Oura also redesigned the mechanical, electrical, optical, battery and sensing architectures to ensure the quality of the ring isn't compromised by the smaller size. The rings are made from non-allergenic titanium, but the 5 features an extra-strong physical vapor deposition coating that enhances scratch resistance. It's also dust and waterproof to 100 meters (IP68), rather than waster resistant.

While the Oura Ring 4 comes in sizes 4 through 15, the Ring 5 comes in sizes 6 to 13. Oura strongly recommends confirming your best fit with a sizing kit; the new design means your ring size might change.

Oura Ring 5 vs. Oura Ring 4: Fitness tracking features

The Oura Ring 4 introduced smart sensing, which meant your ring could create up to 18 sensing paths to read through your finger. As mentioned, Oura redesigned the ring from the ground up, creating smaller but more powerful LEDS repositioned for accuracy, and 12 refined but stronger signal pathways.

Gen 3, 4 and Ring 5 users can benefit from Oura's large bounty of health metrics and integrations, like sleep tracking, activity tracking, automatic workout detection, heart rate readings, readiness scores, stress tracking, menstrual cycle predictions, resilience estimates and long-term health trend insights, to name a few.

The Oura app is still split into three tabs, Today, Vitals and My Health, in an effort to keep all your information organized.

Oura has now introduced live activity tracking that lets members start a workout and follow their key metrics in real time from their phone. You can start a workout in the Oura App and track pace and distance during activities like running, cycling and strength training.

Members can also connect third-party heart rate monitors and supported devices, which gives access to heart rate in real time, including lock screen widgets for metrics. This feature becomes globally live on June 4. Automatic Activity Detection will also be more accurate, especially for low-motion activities like Pilates or yoga.

Oura Ring 5 vs. Oura Ring 4: Battery life and charging

The Ring 4 can last up to 8 days, though we've found it typically lasts around 5-6 days, which declines gradually over time. The Ring 5 is expected to add a day of battery life, lasting up to 9 days. How this fares is down to testing, so we will include our results in our Oura Ring 5 review.

With one-touch multiring support, members can pair and switch among multiple Oura Ring 4 and Oura Ring 5 devices on a single account at no further cost.

A sandblasted anodized aluminum case stores one month of battery and, unlike the 4, the Oura Ring 5 charging case supports wireless charging. There's also a dedicated action button to check charging status and quickly pair the device. This will cost $99 and is available for pre-order.

Oura also introduced Locate, which helps you find your case and ring more easily, available for Oura Ring 4 and 5. You can support multiple devices and use the search mode in the app.

Oura Ring 4 vs Oura 5: Women's Health & Privacy settings

Menopause Insights

Menopause Insights asks you structured questions about sleep, mood, cognition and daily functioning, helping your Oura ring understand how strongly perimenopause may affect your daily life. After the symptom assessment, Oura members will access a personalized dashboard that translates these symptoms into an overall impact level.

Thankfully, it’ll be easy to follow at a glance, and you can learn how lifestyle changes, stress and interventions can change this data using your My Health view. Members can also save and share results with clinicians.

This update will be available to anyone with the app.

Hormonal Birth Control

Also rolling out is Oura’s new Hormonal Birth Control feature, which adapts Cycle Insights for members using pills, patches, IUDs, implants and other hormonal methods. You can gain insight into how contraception influences your wellbeing, and how your hormone fluctuations impact your body.

This is an update to the ring’s current Cycle Insights tool.

Lab Uploads

Oura users will now be able to import lab and blood work results directly into the Oura App, placing blood biomarkers alongside the data Oura collects. This will be available globally from June 30, 2026.

Privacy and Data Control

Finally, Oura will now make it possible for all members to erase data stored in the Oura App by choosing a specific time window. This will still preserve the account and longitudinal history but allows members to decide what data is stored without impacting the value of long-term trends.

Oura Ring 5 vs. Oura Ring 4: Should you upgrade?

Although the in-app features will be available across both devices, there are some pretty big changes to the design of the 5 that could make it worth the upgrade, given the price isn't enormously different.

However, if you're not ready to invest in the 5, we suspect the Oura Ring 4 will be on sale, so you could pick up a bargain.

If you're an avid Oura Ring user and want to be on the cutting edge of the company's latest hardware, I think you can purchase a new one knowing it won't be replaced for a while.

And if the size of the current ring feels off-putting, I can confirm that I've worn the Oura Ring 5 and it is super tiny, much easier to wear, and comes in beautiful colorways that blend into my everyday. Think sleek and chic.

We'll be testing the Oura Ring 5 here at Tom's Guide, so look out for our full, in-depth review coming soon.

More from Tom's Guide

• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• I ditched my Apple Watch for an Oura Ring for a month
• Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Oura Ring 4 — which smart ring wins?

There are many reasons you should choose one of the best smart rings over a conventional fitness tracker. And when it comes to smart rings, Oura is the undisputed leader of the pack for me. I've been wearing an Oura Ring 3 for the last couple of years, and it sounds like my natural next upgrade could be right around the corner.

According to a leaked internal document, posted on Reddit, the upcoming Oura Ring 5 could break cover as soon as this week. While Oura itself hasn't commented on the leak, it shows a "launch timeline" that claims the Oura Ring 5 will be announced tomorrow, May 28, 2026.

The leak also says that pre-orders will begin the same day, and the new smart ring will get an official launch and start shipping on June 5, 2026.

What can we expect from the Oura Ring 5? Well, the leaked documentation states that the Oura Ring 5 will be, "Oura's newest, smaller, and more comfortable ring, designed to keep the same health-tracking capabilities and membership features members know from the Oura Ring 4."

Oura gen 5 from r/ouraring

The Oura Ring 4 was a real step-up over the Oura Ring 3, offering an all-titanium design, recessed sensors, more size options, and an extra full day of battery life. If you've never used an Oura Ring before, it tracks all the necessary metrics: steps, calories, sleep, and can also provide you with advanced features like stress measurement and cardiovascular age. The Oura Ring 4 is up to 120% more accurate in certain respects than the Oura Ring 3 as well.

We'll seemingly need to wait until later this week to find out if there are more improvements to come with the Oura Ring 5. But it seems like the company is focusing on getting its wearable to be smaller and less obtrusive — trying to lighten the (size-dependent) 3.3 to 5.2 grams of the Oura Ring 4.

Battery is my big concern

After using an Oura Ring myself for roughly two years, and while I love the wearable, there's one major concern I have with it. It's not the $5.99 / £5.99 per month (or $72 / £72 per year membership), it's the battery life.

Screenless fitness trackers like the Oura Ring (and the recently-launched Fitbit Air) can offer up several days' worth of battery life compared to something like the Apple Watch Series 11. Apple's smartwatch is infinitely more capable, but it's likely to be dead within 70 hours. In my first year with the Oura Ring, it would easily go for five or six days without needing a charge. Sadly, that's no longer the case.

After two years, the tiny battery in my Oura Ring 3 now can't manage a full 24 hours without needing to be charged. And, honestly, after the third or fourth time of waking up to find the ring had died on me overnight, I stopped wearing it.

I appreciate that it's very hard to battle battery degradation on a device this small, but for a $299 starting price plus the monthly membership, I had hoped for a wearable that would last me longer than two years.

With the Oura Ring 5 supposedly smaller and thinner, I'm concerned about the impact on long-term battery life. My sincere hope is that Oura has made efficiency savings inside the Ring 5 that mean anyone buying one in 2026 can still expect reasonable performance and longevity from it in 2028 and 2029.

Here's what my colleague Kate Kozuch thought after wearing an Oura Ring 4 for an entire year.

More from Tom's Guide

• No, not squats — this move is my secret weapon for building glute size and strength
• The Fitbit app is officially dead — but don’t panic, its replacement is even better
• 9 under-desk walking pads that will help you hit your step goals

It's good news for Oura lovers and those invested in wearing the best smart rings on the market, as we could be set to see the release of the Oura Ring 5 in 2027, according to an exclusive from Android Headlines.

The Oura Ring 4 remains best in show for in-depth, comprehensive fitness, sleep, and health tracking, despite stiff competition from the likes of the Ultrahuman Ring Pro and Samsung Galaxy Ring; Oura looks set to protect that status with the release of its next-generation ring, although it's unlikely we'll see it until 2027.

Here's everything we know so far.

Oura Ring 5: Price

It's too soon to tell whether the new ring will come with a price increase, although it's likely. The Oura Ring 3 was released in November 2021, with a starting price of $299. The Oura Ring 4 launched in October 2024, starting at $349.

Oura Ring 5: Design

According to Android Headlines' exclusive, the Oura Ring 5 could still be over a year away from being announced. Tom's Guide has reached out to Oura for comment.

It's rumoured Oura will be ditching its Rose Gold color in favor of a Deep Rose colorway (pictured), which has a more bronze look and may appeal to those who prefer a pared-back approach to design.

There may also be colorways in Matte Black, Silver, and Gold, which are already available with the Oura Ring 4. That said, Matte Black may be labeled Stealth, while Silver models may be available in brushed and glossy options.

The new ring also appears to have a slightly more curved design than existing models.

Oura Ring 5: Charging

According to Android Headlines, the charging style will remain the same. At the moment, the ring can be charged with the compatible dock, as well as with the Oura charging case.

It isn't clear whether the Oura Ring 5 will have any improvements from a battery life perspective, but reportedly, there could be some changes to sensors and health tracking.

Some major upgrades we saw between the Oura Ring 3 vs Oura Ring 4 included recessed and improved sensors that also bolstered accuracy, better battery life, and more sizing options, along with improvements to the app, which applied to users of either ring model.

More from Tom's Guide

• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• I just went hands-on with RingConn Gen 2 — a subscription-free alternative to Oura Ring promising 150-plus days of battery
• I just went hands-on with the new Circular Ring 2 — and it's the most impressive smart ring at CES 2025

Today, Oura announced it has acquired Doublepoint — a company specializing in AI-driven, biometrics-based gesture-recognition technology. This suggests that voice and hand gestures will come to Oura rings in the near future.

It’s thought that in future rings, voice and hand gestures could play a central role in the user experience. What this might look like remains to be seen, but based on what competitors are doing, we’d guess that ring wearers will be able to use double-pinch gestures, similar to those on the Samsung Galaxy Ring and Apple Watch.

Doublepoint Technologies is a Helsinki-based startup that uses artificial intelligence and biometric data to enable users to control wearable devices with small hand movements.

In an interview with Bloomberg at MCW Barcelona, Oura’s Chief Executive Officer confirmed that gestures would become more important in future products, but cautioned, “it’s not like something’s happening tomorrow or in the near term,” so we might have a while to wait. He also stressed that he wanted the gestures to be “meaningful” to Oura’s customer base. At MWC, he referred to a Doublepoint demo in which users could skip songs with gestures or create a trackpad with their fingers.

The Oura ring is one of the best smart rings on the market. The news follows a massive period of growth at Oura, which released the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic last year. The company was recently valued at approximately $11 billion.

More from Tom's Guide

• Just got a new Oura Ring? Here's how to set it up like a pro
• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• I ditched my Apple Watch for an Oura Ring for a month — here's what I learned

Samsung’s annual winter launch event, Galaxy Unpacked 2026, is rumored to take place on February 24, where we will likely get our first look at the next-gen Samsung Galaxy S26 smartphone lineup. Far less likely to appear is the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2.

Despite launching all the way back in 2024, the Samsung Galaxy Ring remains one of the best smart rings you can buy today. Still, rumors of a replacement have been swirling around ever since the model began shipping in July 2024.

Unfortunately, we likely have to wait until late 2026 or even 2027 for the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2. Here are the three biggest reasons why.

1. Samsung insiders say so

According to a December insider report from the Korean JooAng Daily, the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 will not launch at the 2026 Galaxy Unpacked event (likely) in February alongside the new S26 smartphone models. The main reason? A fresh patent dispute with smart ring powerhouse, Oura.

2. Samsung is locked in a legal battle with Oura

Legal kerfuffles between major brands are nothing new; who could forget the wild ride that was the Apple vs Masimo patent debacle?

Now, it’s Samsung's turn. Oura filed a patent dispute in November 2025 with the International Trade Commission, alleging that Samsung and other smart ring manufacturers are infringing on an array of the brand’s tech. Oura is seeking both damages and an injunction halting the sales of these products.

However, on December 1, 2025, Samsung countersued, claiming that Oura is the one actively infringing on Samsung’s patents, including those for generating workout goals, charging tech, and more.

Ultimately, until this patent disagreement is properly sorted, it seems highly unlikely that Samsung will release a new Galaxy Ring model, given that a loss in court could mean yanking the brand-new ring from store shelves.

3. No recent spec or feature leaks

Aside from reports of Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 delays, there has been little to no new information regarding the design, features, or specs of the wearable in the last six months. Generally speaking, when a new smartwatch or ring is just about to debut, the rumor and leak mills are abuzz.

Right now, that isn’t the case.

On the flip side, Samsung is known for surprises

Of course, there’s always a chance Samsung will surprise us with an early preview of the Galaxy Ring 2, despite the universe suggesting otherwise. After all, the original Samsung Galaxy Ring was a ‘one more thing’ style surprise announcement at the winter 2024 Unpacked event, though it didn’t end up shipping for another six months.

Could history repeat itself? We should know for sure in less than 30 days.

More from Tom's Guide

• Gesture controls, haptic feedback and lawsuits — 7 things that will happen with smart rings this year
• These are the 7 coolest wearable tech gadgets I tried at CES 2026
• How to shop for your first smart ring in 2025 — and start your health-tracking journey

For years, falling asleep fast and staying asleep all night has been one of my strong points. I don't have children waking me up at night. I don't have trouble falling asleep once I'm in bed and I tend to sleep soundly through the night.

However, my Oura Ring has brought one sleep metric to my attention that I'm lately falling short on: keeping a consistent sleep schedule.

As an outgoing twenty-something, social jetlag impacted me for pretty much the entire month of December. I'd like to say my sleep got back on track once we welcomed in the New Year.

In reality, I commute over an hour to work some days, work from home others, and I've found myself lying in longer at the weekends lately (dark, cold winter mornings just aren't it).

On the Tom's Guide sleep team, we often write about how sleep regularity is a golden sleep hygiene rule, and actually more important than sleep duration.

But I'll eat my words and admit my sleep schedule hasn't exactly been consistent for the past couple of months — thankfully, my Oura Ring isn't letting me get away with it.

Research suggests I'm not alone. In fact, data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2017-2020) reveals most Americans don't have a regular sleep schedule. Yet going to bed and waking up at different times from night to night could be quietly harming your health.

Key takeaways

• If you follow one sleep rule it should be going to bed and waking up at the same.
• A new study shows that sleep regularity can add up to four years to life expectancy.
• Obtaining seven hours of sleep per night, and maintaining a consistent bedtime within a one-hour window, can reduce mortality risk by 24%.
• Haphazard bedtimes can undo a lot of benefits of the right amount of sleep.

The science behind consistent bedtimes

Sleep regularity, which means going to bed and waking up at approximately the same time every night and morning, is associated with several sleep and health benefits. That includes better sleep quality, improved energy levels, a healthier body and boosted longevity.

Most recently, a study by Vitality and London School of Economics and Political Science indicated that obtaining seven hours of sleep per night and maintaining a consistent bedtime within a one-hour window can reduce mortality risk by 24% and potentially add up to four years to life expectancy.

Interestingly, this research, which tracked more than 47 million nights of sleep, suggests bedtime consistency was the strongest factor influencing sleep-related health risks (even greater than sleep duration).

Before that, a 2024 study investigating the relationship between sleep regularity and incident dementia in over 88,000 UK participants concluded irregular sleep can pose a dementia risk.

In a 2020 study of nearly 2,000 participants, researchers from Harvard Medical School found people with the most irregular sleep patterns were nearly twice as likely to suffer develop a cardiovascular disease, such as a heart attack or stroke, compared to those with the most regular sleep schedules.

Again, these findings were independent of sleep duration, meaning it didn't matter if the person averaged the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep. If the timing varied wildly from night to night, the risk increased.

All in all, the scientific picture around inconsistent sleep is pretty bleak, and I've got my Oura Ring to thank for bringing my shoddy sleep timings to my attention.

How going to bed at the same time improves sleep

Sleeping and waking at the same time every day helps align the body's natural clock, a.k.a. your circadian rhythm, resulting in shorter sleep latency and more restful nights.

When you go to bed at regular times, your body gets used to producing and repressing sleep-inducing hormones like melatonin on a consistent cycle. This should make it easier to nod off, enter deep sleep stages and stay soundly asleep through the night.

On the flip side, when you wake up at the same time every morning, your body gets better at releasing alertness hormones like cortisol when you need it. This means you're more likely to wake up with enough energy to power through the day, and can wave goodbye to morning grogginess.

• Read more: What is your sleep data trying to tell you? Expert shares 3 key sleep metrics you should pay attention to

How to keep a consistent sleep schedule

Admittedly, my sleep schedule has been a little haphazard of late. But these are the expert-approved habits I'm employing to improve my sleep consistency going forward...

1. Get morning sunlight

Rise and shine, literally. Time and time again, I write about the benefits of morning sunlight, be it simulated sunlight from a sunrise alarm clock, natural daylight through your window or, best of all, sunlight soaked up on your morning walk.

As a key cue in your circadian rhythm, it tells your body it's time to wake up, so you can stick to that regular wake time. Research shows morning sunlight also leads to greater sleep drive the following evening, so you're ready to nod off on time, too.

Plus, giving you an endorphin hit, morning sunlight can boost your mood, energy levels and concentration (hello, productivity). So, pull those curtains back as soon as you get out of bed to enjoy the health and sleep benefits of daylight.

2. Stick to an evening routine

Your internal body clock is governed by external cues including light, temperature and habits. This means you can train your body to wind down in the evening by establishing a nighttime routine.

Said routine should include a series of activities you find calming, be that a dark shower, pre-bed stretch session, meditation or reading. When you practice this routine consistently, your brain and body will naturally get sleepy around that time, helping you maintain a regular bedtime.

3. Eat meals at regular times

What's your breakfast, lunch and dinner got to do with sleep, you ask? It turns out, there are many connections between our eating habits and sleep. While sugary foods are bad news for sleep, summer fruits are thought to boost sleep quality. And the time we eat plays a crucial role in our ability to rest.

This is because our metabolism and circadian rhythm are interconnected. Eating at regular times through the day helps sync your 'food clock' with your 'sleep clock'. This should mean you avoid late night hunger pangs, cutting out the urge to delay bedtime, and wake up ready for a nutritious, energy-stabilising breakfast.

If there's one thing that'll get me out of bed in the morning, it's the thought of breakfast waiting for me downstairs.

The Oura Ring remains the best smart ring on the market right now, and the release of the Oura Ring 4 last year, plus the latest Oura ceramic range and a brand-new charging case, are all welcome additions.

Whether you’ve just set up your new Oura Ring or you’ve been a smart ring wearer for some years, the number of features available can be overwhelming to navigate — some you might not even know exist. There are a few features I can’t live without, but the journey is different for everyone; the sleep and health data that matter to you may not to others.

That said, I just discovered several features that I want to share with you, and I think they’ll boost everyone's Oura Ring experience this year. Here’s what hidden features you need to know about your Oura Ring, and how to use them.

5 hidden Oura Ring features you should know about (if you don't already)

• Use the + menu located on the lower right side of the app home screen
• Tap add an activity
• Select the activity (in this case, it would be housework)
• Edit the start time, duration and intensity of the activity
• Hit done.

• Tap the battery icon located upper right of the app home screen
• Toggle the slider on for airplane mode
• Hit confirm
• Check that there is an airplane icon in the upper-right corner of your home screen
• To turn off: Place your ring on its charger, wait for it to connect, then allow any syncing to finish and remove.

• Tap the three lines at the top left of your app home screen
• Hit settings, then location permissions
• Toggle on Oura location features and choose if you’d like to enable them in low power mode
• The last location of your device will appear from when it was last connected. Note: If the ring is not connected, its location may change without showing up.

• For iPhone users:
  • Touch and hold your phone's home screen
  • Hit edit at the top left of your screen
  • Tap to add widget
  • Scroll to the Oura app
  • Select the data you want to show
  • Confirm add widget
  • Next, touch and hold your phone's lock screen
  • Select customize
  • Tap the lock screen
  • Hit the + button under the time
  • Scroll down to the Oura app
  • Choose which widgets you want to allow
  • Hold and drag each one to the screen
  • Hit done.
• For Android users:
  • Touch and hold a space on your home or lock screen
  • Tap widgets, then scroll to the Oura app
  • Tap or drag the widget you want.

• Manually select a tag by tapping the + sign at the bottom right of the home screen
• Select add a tag and choose from available options, or add a custom tag. When you complete a meditation session or workout, a tag will automatically be created
• You can also tap the + button, select an unguided session to follow, and a tag will be added afterward
• If you sync with other workout apps, your workout will automatically be imported with a tag
• You can add tags via the timeline on the home screen at any time.

What's your favorite Oura tip or trick? Let us know in the comments below!

More from Tom's Guide

• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — here’s why it's the best smart tech I have invested in
• Oura Ring's AI-powered 'Advisor' is rolling out
• The Oura ring accessory I’ve waited years for is finally here

I checked out more than a dozen new smart rings last week, while covering CES 2026, the world's largest consumer tech show, chatting with another half dozen brands about new models launching this year.

As a result of those conversations and booth visits, several themes emerged surrounding the future of smart rings. From haptic feedback to gesture controls to lots of litigation, these are my seven biggest predictions for smart rings in 2026.

1. Custom gesture controls are coming

Up until this point, the best smart rings have been centered around holistic, fitness, sleep, and women's health tracking, but that's about to change. I spoke with a handful of brands actively building customizable gesture controls into their smart rings.

One example is the Aivela Ring Pro, which was created by a former Apple product designer and offers a total of 14 programmable gesture controls alongside impressive wellness tracking insights.

The Aivela Ring Pro supports both standard gestures, like tapping the side of the ring to start or stop music, sliding your finger to scroll through your TikTok feed, or pressing and holding the side of the ring to begin recording a workout, as well as "air" gesture controls, like drawing a heart with your finger to like a post on social media.

The Even Realities R1 is another noteworthy ring with gesture controls. However, unlike the Aivela Ring Pro, which is designed to control just about any piece of tech in your life, the R1's gesture controls are primarily for navigating the brand's (excellent) G2 smart glasses.

And just like the Aivela Ring Pro, the Even R1 also offers comprehensive wellness tracking tools.

2. Say hello to alerts via haptic feedback

I chatted with two different brands launching smart rings in 2026 with haptic feedback. In the case of the RingConn Gen 3 — expected to launch this summer — the device's smart vibrations can be set up as a gentle means to wake a user or as an alert for health notifications.

RingConn also says the ring will be able to alert you to new insights via subtle vibrations. However, there's no word yet on whether users will have full control over the feature. I could imagine a finger vibration every time you get a new text message could get old fast and potentially be a major battery drain.

3. Unlock blood pressure insights

Look out, Apple, the best Apple Watch models aren't likely to be the only wearables with hypertension tracking in 2026. In addition to haptic alerts, RingConn is also bringing blood pressure insights to the forthcoming RingConn Gen 3 model.

While not exactly the same as Apple's hypertension alerts, blood pressure insights on the Gen 3 will monitor a user's long-term blood pressure trends, helping users track whether their cardiovascular health is improving or not.

This is not a blood pressure monitor, nor is it a diagnostic tool for hypertension. However, it does represent a major expansion of what smart rings are capable of, health-monitoring-wise. Moreover, I fully expect the other major smart ring players to follow suit with similar features.

4. Choose from even more subscription-free options

The Oura Ring 4 remains the best smart ring at the start of 2026. (I'm especially fond of the Ceramic models.) However, in addition to the cost of the ring itself, which starts at $349, you need to spend another $69 a year for an Oura app subscription.

If you loathe subscription pricing, I've got good news. You can expect even more Oura Ring alternatives in 2026 that are completely subscription-free. These include the Aivela Ring Pro, the Pebble Index 01, and the Even Realities R1.

The RingConn Gen 3, meanwhile, will also remain subscription-free, just like its predecessors.

5. Major smart ring players will have a comeback

Toward the end of 2025, the U.S. smart ring market took a massive hit: the latest Ultrahuman Ring Air was yanked from store shelves and barred from being sold by the manufacturer. The reason? A successful lawsuit on the part of Oura, claiming Ultrahuman, along with RingConn, violated the brand's patents with their latest products.

While RingConn settled with Oura for an undisclosed amount, Ultrahuman opted to take its smart ring off the U.S. market and regroup.

This is, of course, not the end of Ultrahuman in the U.S. In addition to continuing to support U.S. customers who bought Ultrahuman smart rings before the band, all signs point to the brand figuring out a way to work around the patent issue with a new or altered model.

This could mean removing certain pieces of tech or turning off certain features, similar to what Apple had to do with its blood oxygen tracking feature on various Apple Watch models after the infamous Masimo legal debacle.

However, there's also a chance that Ultrhuman will build around the issue and find new means of accomplishing the same holistic feats, all without touching on Oura's patents. Whatever route the brand takes, my money is on a new Ultrahuman smart ring for 2026.

6. Additional patent lawsuits will be filed

Of course, the Oura vs. RingConn vs. Ultrahuman legal drama is most likely not the end of the lawsuits between smart ring rivals. In fact, you can count on additional litigation in 2026 from the major players.

Unfortunately, the mass filing of patents as a means of beating the competition is essentially par for the course when it comes to consumer tech brands in 2026. Really, the only question is, which smart ring company will be the first to drop fresh litigation this year, and how soon will it come?

7. Battery life will keep getting better

The Pebble Index 01 is one of the most intriguing new smart rings I demoed at CES 2026. It doesn't have any health or fitness tracking features, but it does offer a single, customizable clicky button that can be set up to do any number of tasks, like record voice memos.

What's even more remarkable about the Index 01 is its ring's battery life. It's designed to last the entire product life of the ring, two to three years.

While we likely won't see any traditional health-focused smart rings with unlimited battery in 2026, longevity is, across the board, improving. The RingConn Gen 3, for instance, is rated at 13 days per charge, a notable increase over its predecessor's 10-day battery, and way better than the Oura Ring 4's eight-day battery.

More from Tom's Guide

• These are the 7 coolest wearable tech gadgets I tried at CES 2026
• How to shop for your first smart ring in 2025 — and start your health-tracking journey
• 5 wearable tech predictions for 2026 — from futuristic Fitbits to the ever-elusive Apple Ring

Rumors of an Apple smart ring have been circulating for as long as I can remember. With numerous patents filed over the past decade, each hinting at a potential finger-based wearable from the Cupertino King, there’s still no hard evidence that such a device will ever see the light of day.

But what if the Apple Ring wasn’t launched by Apple at all, but rather by former Apple product designers? That’s where the Aivela Ring Pro enters the chat. With former Apple industrial designer Hartmut Esslinger leading the charge, the Aivela Ring could be the next best thing to an actual Apple Ring.

Combining health and fitness tracking features with gestures that can be used to control just about any piece of Bluetooth-enabled tech in your life, I just got my hands on an early version of the Aivela Ring Pro, and I’m impressed. Here’s everything you need to know.

Aivela Ring Pro: Price and availability

The Aivela smart ring launched on Kickstarter in September 2025 and quickly reached fully-funded status. However, you can still secure an Aivela Ring Pro for $179 via early-backer pricing if you move quickly.

Compatible with Android and iOS devices, the Aivela Ring Pro is subscription-free.

The ring has already begun shipping to early backers, with units continuously released in batches. Check the Aivela Ring Pro Kickstarter for more details on availability.

Aivela Ring Pro: Design

I tried on the Aivela Ring Pro, and it’s impressively lightweight and fairly sleek-looking. The exterior is titanium, while the interior is resin to maximize on-skin comfort. Users can choose from sizes seven through 14.

Depending on your size selection, the Aivela Ring Pro weighs between 2.4 and 3.6 g, which is definitely on the lighter side compared to the best smart rings I’ve tested. Water resistance is 100 meters, which is par for the course and more than enough protection for bathing and swimming.

Finishes include matte black, rose gold, silver, and gold.

Aivela Ring Pro: Health tracking

When it comes to health and fitness tracking, the Aivela Ring Pro has the basics covered and then some. The ring monitors your heart rate, blood oxygen saturation levels (SpO2), body temperature, movement, sleep quality, and ovulation cycles (for women).

Like the best fitness trackers, including the Oura Ring 4, the Aivela Ring Pro provides a daily sleep score out of 100, along with a "vitality" score similar to Oura’s readiness score.

Users can also view a breakdown of their sleep cycles and nightly movement, while keeping tabs on daily calorie intake, workouts, step count and more.

The companion app even includes an AI coach you can chat with via text for personalized insights, tips, and wellness plans. It also generates custom two-minute "podcasts" aimed at breaking down your health data.

Aivela Ring Pro: Programmable gesture controls

The coolest feature of the Aivela Ring Pro is support for gesture controls. A small "optical finger navigation" sensor on the exterior of the device is what makes the magic happen.

In total, the Aivela Ring Pro supports eight standard gesture controls — like tap, swipe, double-tap, double-tap-and-hold, etc. — along with six "air" based controls, like making a heart pattern with your ring-worn finger.

In theory, these gesture controls can be programmed to do just about anything, from scrolling through your phone’s TikTok feed by swiping the side of the ring to starting a workout tracking session in Strava with a double-tap.

Other examples include controlling music or podcasts, flipping through slide decks, or snapping photo/videos. Better yet, with support for both Android and iOS devices and the ability to control everything from earbuds, smartphones, TVs, and more, the customization possibilities are nearly endless.

Aivela Ring Pro: Battery

The Aivela Ring Pro battery is rated at seven days per charge, which is fairly competitive. By comparison, the latest Oura Ring 4 offers an eight-day battery life rating.

Meanwhile, the battery recharge time for the Aivela Ring Pro is an impressive 30 minutes or so.

Aivela Ring Pro: Outlook

To put it bluntly, the Aivela Ring Pro promises a lot, from competitive holistic tools and battery life to a comfortable and lightweight design to supporting loads of gesture controls for all your favorite tech gadgets.

The question is, can it deliver on the user experience side? When I demoed the Aivela Ring, it was admittedly a little buggy in terms of gesture control support. While I did observe a brand rep showing off the ability to browse TikTok by swiping the OFN sensor, it took several tries. (To be fair, shoddy internet could be to blame, as we were in the dark depths of the Venetian Convention Center in Las Vegas during CES 2026.)

Ultimately, I love the idea of nonchalantly tapping my smart ring with my thumb to skip to the next track on Spotify or turn on my smart TV. Combine that with reliable holistic tracking, and you’ve got a winner in my book. Stay tuned for a full review of the Aivela Ring Pro.

More from Tom's Guide

• These are the 7 coolest wearable tech gadgets I tried at CES 2026
• I just went hands-on with the RingConn Gen 3 — and it beats even the Oura Ring 4 in several crucial ways
• I got barefoot at CES to test the Withings Body Scan 2 — and unlocked tons of longevity insights in just 90 seconds

A year ago, I purchased my Oura Ring 4, and it has been sitting on my left index finger every single day. My hands have perfectly molded to its presence, and I actually feel like something is missing when I take it off to charge it.

I’ve become somewhat obsessed with tracking my metrics with one of the best smart rings, and I think that can only be a good thing. But you’d never know, because the ring is discreet and has no screen to distract me, or the person I’m talking to.

With a smartwatch, our wrists demand our constant attention, but a ring takes that away while still effectively tracking metrics like heartbeats, sleep cycle, readiness and temperature. I can get an in-depth look at these metrics in the Oura app at the end of the day, so, for me, the best way to connect to my health is to disconnect from the screen.

I don’t want a screen

I may be cynical, but when I had an Apple Watch, I would always keep it on silent as I hated notifications coming through. It would constantly vibrate on my wrist, light up, and was frankly distracting.

For many people, this kind of access to the outside world is ideal and keeps them connected to loved ones. But as someone who is easily distracted, this became more of a hindrance for me. I would constantly turn my wrist each time the watch vibrated, and even though it’s just a glance, it would lead me to pick up my phone and ultimately forget about the task I was doing.

Since the Oura Ring is screen-free, I’m able to stay present in my daily tasks and remain connected to my body’s data, just minus the glowing wrist. It‘s also one of my pet peeves when I am sitting talking with someone, and they keep looking at their smartwatch. I’d even go so far as to say I find it pretty rude.

Extended battery life

Since the Oura Ring is screen-free, the battery life is far longer than that of a wearable with a screen. After all, screens drain a lot of power.

I only have to charge my Oura Ring once a week and still get all the data and features even when the power is running low. This means I get fewer data gaps where I have to take the ring off for charging.

In-depth insights

I actually purchased my Oura Ring along with the Oura subscription because I had a major surgery in 2024, and I wanted to get back to exercising while still prioritizing my recovery. This was the best choice I could have made because, since returning to hiking, running and Pilates, the ring has become my advisor.

I can get in-depth insights into my readiness when I work out. This allowed me to build the best routine to start getting strong while also paying attention to how much recovery I needed to give my body.

Oura has even been able to alert me when I’m about to get sick; when I had the flu, I knew a few days before to start taking it easy based on my temperature readings. And the temperature readings are also great for cycle tracking.

So, I won’t be taking this ring off any time soon, because staying screen-free and keeping track of my personal health now couldn’t be simpler.

More from Tom's Guide

• I wore the Oura Ring for 6 months to track my sleep — and now I'm regularly getting 8 hours and feel so much better
• US bans foreign-made drones including those by DJI — here’s what it means for you
• Apple fined $116 million for this iPhone feature that's 'harmful' to developers

So, you just got your hands on an Oura Ring 4? Congratulations, you now own the most powerful, reliable, and all-around best smart ring on the market today. But before you start your fitness tracking journey, you'll want to ensure that the device is properly set up and paired with your smartphone.

Fortunately, the Oura Ring 4 setup process is fairly painless. More importantly, you can complete it in roughly 30 minutes if you follow my illustrated steps below. Do this, and you'll be tracking your health with the Oura Ring like a pro in no time.

How to set up your new Oura Ring

1. Download the Oura app and enter your email address
2. Unbox your new Oura Ring and place it on the charger next to your phone
3. Tap "Set up ring" and grant the Oura app access to Bluetooth devices
4. Tap on your ring when it appears on the screen and confirm pairing
5. Verify your email account with Oura
6. Choose how you'll log in to the Oura app
7. Sync your phone's data with Oura's and update the firmware if prompted
8. Select your country of residence and add your personal info
9. Choose health data syncing options and notification settings
10. Answer the brief health survey and check off the activities you enjoy
11. Put on the Oura Ring and verify that the sensors are working
12. Explore the Oura app and wear the ring for the next few months

Read on to see full illustrated instructions for each step.

Congratulations. Your new Oura Ring is fully set up and ready to keep tabs on many aspects of your well-being, from sleep quality to heart health to physical fitness to ovulation tracking. Prepare for a world of holistic insights and tips unmatched by any other smart ring manufacturer.

Of course, to make the most of your new finger-based fitness tracker, be sure to wear it at all times. Battery life should be good for around a week of use per charge. And, when it does need a power-up, a full recharge takes about an hour in my experience.

More from Tom's Guide

• The Oura Ring is still my favorite smart gadget in 2025 — 3 must-try features you might not already know about
• How to shop for your first smart ring — and start your health-tracking journey
• How to use the Oura Ring sizing kit to ensure a perfect smart ring fit

It feels like the best smart rings and wearable gadgets are ever evolving, which can make it hard to know which is the best wearable for you and your sleep, health and fitness tracking.

I’ve personally always stuck by the Oura Ring, and currently wear the Oura Ring 4. What I love most is that it doesn’t really matter which ring you have when it comes to the app content, which offers most of the same features to every member.

The brand doesn’t believe in becoming a sitting duck either, and while the competition continues to heat up as we shift toward 2026, Oura has been busy developing.

The Oura Ring is still miles ahead of the competition, in my opinion, but if you are thinking about buying an Oura Ring for the first time or simply aren’t sure if you're using your ring the best way, here are my three must-try features you should consider using more often and during the holidays.

1. AI-powered heart rate and recovery tracking

Oura users can record their workout heart rates, access live readings and track heart rate data, including Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and resting heart rate. This isn't really news.

What is less commonly known is that your Oura Ring could be key to better recovery if you know which metrics to focus on. Your heart rate reveals insights into stress resilience and your overall cardiovascular health, and Oura can assess how your heart rate data looks over the weeks, months and years, especially your resting heart rate, which I recently tested for myself.

How to use it:

• Open the Oura app
• Tap the three lines in the top left corner
• From the menu, select Trends
• Tap Heart Rate Variability
• Toggle between days, weeks, months and years and view your data as a trend on the graph.

You can also ask Oura’s AI advisor to find and summarize the data for you (which I did). On your Today tab, tap the + sign at the bottom right of the app, then select Advisor. Be specific with your requests to access the most accurate data.

The Oura Ring tracks your heart rate using sensors; on the Ring 4, these are recessed and have been updated for even better accuracy, but whichever model you have, the ring measures blood flow in your finger to look at shifts in your heartbeats.

Oura can capture your lowest resting heart rate, nighttime recovery and cardiovascular balance, all of which play into resilience and recovery trends. It is well worth checking this feature out if you are interested in recovery and heart health over time.

When I tested it, Oura split my heart rate data into weekly averages and could compare weeks against each other, which is handy if you want to look at how your resting heart rate and recovery fluctuate over the holidays, which can be either faster or slower-paced for many.

I also asked the Oura Advisor to look at my sleep and stress data during the same period to see how my body was coping. Thankfully, when comparing a period of heavy workload and social activity, my lowest heart rate data remained steady, which can indicate stable recovery and consistency. On the flipside, any major shifts in your patterns can indicate that your recovery might need a closer look.

If you want to see how your body is coping with significant change or lifestyle choices, this is the feature to try.

If you plan to look at your heart rate data trends, the Oura Ring sits at the top of the accuracy range and corresponds "nearly perfectly" with ECG values, which are the gold standard for measuring heart rate.

2. Symptom Radar

A year ago, on December 5, 2024, members gained access to a game-changing health feature called Symptom Radar. I reported how much I loved the Symptom Radar feature for flagging up health concerns for me before I even knew how my body felt.

Symptom Radar assesses biometric data every morning for early signs of strain, including common cold, stress, or flu symptoms. The feature also helps you monitor which biomarkers have changed, and Oura will give severity levels: no signs, minor signs and major signs.

You can track this in-app and look at which markers look out of balance, then head to Oura’s AI Advisor to delve into the data. While it might not always come to anything (it could just be a few late nights or heavy meals before bedtime, throwing out your metrics), I have found Oura’s predictions nearly always spot on, whether it’s stress-related or a cold creeping up on me.

While it doesn’t fix the issue by viewing the data, it does help you tailor your lifestyle choices accordingly, like going to bed earlier, taking a warm bath, staying away from alcohol, or shifting your workout schedule.

How to use it:

• Tap the Today tab of your app
• Scroll to Symptom Radar
• Tap to view more

3. Stress tracking

One of the big draws of the Oura Ring is its ability to detect stress throughout the day and provide a daily and weekly report on stress levels; this also feeds into your readiness and resilience scores.

Oura’s Daytime Stress feature launched in 2023, and it’s still one of my favorite evolving features. By tracking your stress throughout the day (the data can refresh in-app every 15 minutes and starts two hours after waking), you can see how workload, social interactions, stressful situations and even workouts impact how your body deals with stress.

Oura uses biometrics like nighttime heart rate variability (HRV) and body temperature to detect stress in the body, providing feedback as restored, relaxed, engaged, or stressed. However, it's worth noting that high-intensity workouts can act like a cortisol cocktail on the body and temporarily elevate stress levels, so always contextualize this feedback for your lifestyle.

I’ve continued to use my Oura Ring to manage stress, along with the Stress Resilience tool for mapping and improving it; you can use these features to delve into trends and potential causes.

Here’s everything you need to know about these Oura Ring features. And if you’re looking for some ways to reduce daily stress in your life, you can access breathwork and meditations through Oura, too.

Bottom line

Oura doesn’t prescribe, diagnose, or cure, but these features still help to contextualize physical and mental fluctuations in your body and map your unique health journey.

Taking some time during the holidays to test these features could set you up for a happier, healthier 2026, while helping you to keep a closer eye on your relationship with exercise, sleep and stress.

More from Tom's Guide

• Oura Ring 3 vs Oura Ring 4
• Oura Ring 3 vs Whoop 4.0: Which is the best fitness tracker?
• Oura Ring vs Ultrahuman Ring Air.

They say size doesn't matter, but when it comes to smart rings, too small or too large can lead to discomfort and/or unreliable health data. The best way to ensure perfect sizing for your smart ring is by using a sizing kit.

As such, the Oura Ring 4, the best smart ring available today, only performs at its best when properly sized to your finger, which is why the brand offers a sizing kit with plastic dummy rings for $10.

However, you don't actually need to shell out 10 smackeroos to size up your finger. I'll touch on that, as well as how to properly test the dummy rings, below.

How to use the Oura Ring sizing kit

1. Purchase your sizing kit (and collect your rebate)
2. Choose your finger
3. Try different sizes until you find one that’s snug yet comfy
4. Wear the ring for at least 24 hours
5. Confirm your ring size and select your new Oura Ring

Read on to see full illustrated instructions for each step.

Follow the above steps and proper Oura Ring 4 sizing is all but guaranteed. If that ends up not being the case, Oura offers a 30-day return/exchange policy.

Not sure if the Oura Ring 4 is the right smart ring for you? Here's my handy-dandy guide on how to choose the right smart ring for your needs and budget. Similar to Oura, most other brands, including Samsung (Galaxy Ring) and Ultrahuman, offer their own sizing kits.

More from Tom's Guide

• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• The new Pebble smart ring won’t track your health, doesn’t need to be recharged and costs just $75 — here’s why I can’t wait to try one
• Garmin vs Apple — who makes the better smartwatch in 2025?

Several Oura ring owners have claimed their devices are overheating and shared pictures of the results on Reddit, prompting concerns over safety. The claims follow the report of a Samsung Galaxy Ring owner being hospitalized with burns back in September.

Oura itself has been quick to respond in the /OuraRing subreddit, where the claims were posted, to say it would be investigating the issue. One of the first posts, made on December 5, is titled "Ring started smoking" and shows five images of an Oura Ring 4 with burn marks showing on the metal case as well as a blister on the owner's finger.

The post reads: "I felt a fire on my finger tried to get the ring off fast but wasent fast enough I gotta blister and my hand smells like electronic fire wondering why this would happen iv had my ring about 4 or5 months and ive been loving it until this."

A pinned comment from Reddit user u/AllieAtOura responded: "I'm very sorry you've experienced this with your ring, and appreciate the concern this brings. I just sent you a DM, and we'd love to investigate it and have this resolved for you."

Ring started smoking from r/ouraring

Other posts share similar stories about overheating concerns. One of which involves an Oura Ring 4 getting hot enough to wake the owner up from sleep.

In that instance, another Oura representative responded with the following: "Thank you for sharing what happened, and I’m sorry to hear you experienced this. That definitely shouldn’t be happening, and I'd like to get a support case created for the right team to investigate.

Oura's products, like any of the best smart rings, contain lithium-ion batteries to function. And, while it's possible for these batteries to overheat to the point of burning, it's an extremely rare occurrence.

Oura's response

I've personally been wearing an Oura Ring 3 for over a year at this point and have never felt it get even mildly warm.

When I contacted Oura directly, the company provided the following statement: "We take any safety-related report seriously and are actively reviewing the recent posts on a case-by-case basis. While Reddit discussion threads can create the impression of scale, the two reported cases appear to be isolated incidents rather than a wider pattern, and we’re conducting thorough investigations — including third‑party analysis — to understand exactly what happened and support the members involved." 

Oura's own product safety page, which doesn't mention battery swelling or failure but does note: "If you experience redness or skin irritation on your finger while wearing your Oura Ring, remove it immediately. If symptoms persist longer than 2-3 days, please contact a dermatologist."

More from Tom's Guide

• The new Pebble smart ring has a built-in mic and costs just $75
• Oura Ring 4 review: the new gold standard for smart rings
• The best Oura Ring alternatives in 2025

I review wearables for a living, and I have a confession. I hate wearing a smartwatch to bed. However, I love the sleep-tracking insights the best smartwatches offer. What's a fellow to do?

Fortunately for me and folks like me, smart rings exist. These petite and discreet wellness trackers keep tabs on loads of holistic factors beyond just sleep quality. Most offer comprehensive women's health tracking, workout recovery insights, and basic activity tracking.

Some, like the Ringconn Gen 2, can even alert you to signs of sleep apnea. Better yet, smart rings tend to offer better battery performance than smartwatches. The Oura Ring 4, for example, lasts up to about a week per charge.

Ready to pull the trigger on your first smart ring, or shopping for a smart ring for someone else? Here's everything you need to know to end up with the best smart ring for your needs and budget

How to shop for your first smart ring

1. Set your budget
2. Decide whether you are okay with paying a monthly subscription
3. Narrow your search based on your phone type
4. Identify the features that matter most to you
5. Protruding sensors or flush ones?
6. Ensure proper sizing
7. Choose your finish
8. Begin your health-tracking journey

Read on to see full illustrated instructions for each step.

And with that, you should be all set to kick off your finger-based health-monitoring journey with the perfect smart ring. Remember, the whole point of a smart ring is to wear it at all times for the best results. Most need to be recharged every few days, though the best smart ring models last up to a week.

Worried about charging? Grab an accessory charge case to go with your new smart ring. Most brands offer them for a reasonable amount (less than $50), including Oura, Samsung, and Circular.

More from Tom's Guide

• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• The new Pebble smart ring won’t track your health, doesn’t need to be recharged and costs just $75 — here’s why I can’t wait to try one
• Garmin vs Apple — who makes the better smartwatch in 2025?

In my opinion, there is nothing more important than getting your wellness fix. It’s a sure-fire way to set your mind, body and soul right as you head into the new year when you want to feel like the best version of yourself. And with Black Friday deals in full swing, you don't have to splurge.

So, I’ve spent some time trawling through the Amazon deals pages so you don’t have to, and I’ve found the best deals on the things that make me feel great. From the best smart rings to the best sunrise alarm clocks, these are my favorite gadgets that I use daily to stay at the top of my game.

Quick links

• Stanley Quencher: was $45 now $27
• Hatch Restore 3: was $169 now $139
• Hyperice Venom 2 Back Wrap: was $269 now $215
• Oura Ring 4: was $349 now $249
• Dyson Airwrap i.d.: was $649 now $519

For more discounts, check out our Black Friday deals live blog.

Shop today's best Black Friday deals

• Amazon: 50% off Ring, Ninja, AirPods and more
• Walmart Plus: 50% off @ Walmart
• REI: half-off Arc'teryx, Patagonia, more
• Dell: monitors from $69, laptops from $299
• Nectar: 50% off mattresses + bundles
• Best Buy: laptops from $149
• Lenovo: doorbuster deals from $319
• Wayfair: up to 80% off home decor
• Lululemon: top picks from $9
• Newegg: Doorbuster deals from $6
• Walmart: holiday gifts from $15
• Birkenstock: deals from $20 @ Nordstrom
• Saatva: luxury mattresses from $1,099

If you're looking for Oura Ring alternatives, one option is now off the table thanks to a patent lawsuit between Oura and Ultrahuman. This week, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that Ultrahuman infringed upon Oura's patents. This has immediate and significant ramifications for Ultrahuman smart rings.

Initially, it means that the brand's flagship Ultrahuman Ring Air is effectively banned in the United States. According to an Oura blog post, "the ITC’s final ruling enforces exclusion and cease-and-desist orders, effectively banning the import and sale of Ultrahuman smart rings in the U.S."

Ultrahuman made its own post and says that existing Ultrahuman Ring Air owners will continue to see support," with the caveat that the device needs to be purchased on or before October 21, 2025. Apparently, retailers can still sell leftover inventory past that date. If you buy a Ring Air after the 21st, Ultrahuman says you will still be supported with diagnostic and tech support.

Once the current stock of Ring Air models is gone, retailers won't be allowed to restock them.

The company also promised that a new ring is in development. “A new ring design is already in development and will launch in the U.S. as soon as possible," its post reads.

Presumably, this one would not infringe on Oura patents, though the post noted that Ultrahuman is waiting on the results of a U.S. Patent and Trademark review of one of Oura's other patents. A decision on that isn't supposed to come until December.

How we got here and RingConn

Oura sued both Ultrahuman and RingConn earlier this year, with an initial judgment in favor of Oura declaring that its competitors had infringed on Oura's patents. The ruling determined that both companies infringed on every element asserted by Oura.

Unlike Ultrahuman, RingConn decided to settle with Oura, meaning that the dispute is considered resolved. With that, Oura granted RingConn a multi-year patent license. So you can continue to buy the RingConn Gen 2 Air and other RingConn models in the US.

Oura has a reputation for suing rivals, something Ultrahuman heavily notes. In June 2024, Samsung made the unusual step to preemptively sue Oura in order to prevent Oura from filing patent claims against the Galaxy Ring. At the time, Samsung lawyers cited a pattern of Oura filing claims against other smart ring makers.

It's also similar to the now-resolved Apple vs. Masimo lawsuit over blood oxygen tech, which resulted in Apple pulling the Series 9 and Ultra 2 from U.S. shelves in January 2024. Thankfully, blood oxygen monitoring is back in the latest Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 devices.

Oura and Ultrahuman alternatives

Unfortunately, the Ultrahuman Ring Air is one of our picks for the best smart rings and the best Oura alternatives.

However, there are other smart rings that you should consider, including the aforementioned Samsung Galaxy Ring, which is great for sleep analysis and features up to a week of battery life.

You can also check out the Amazfit Helio Ring, which is great for more budget-conscious individuals. It doesn't require a subscription fee and at $199, is less than the competition while offering similar health features.

The RingConn Gen 2 Air is also sub-$200, subscription-free, and will last up to 8 days on a single charge.

Ultrahuman says it plans to make a US comeback, so we'll likely see another smart ring from it in the future. For now, you're not bereft of options.

More from Tom's Guide

• I test smart rings — 5 battery maintenance tips to avoid catastrophe
• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• I just tested a smart ring that can control your AR glasses — and this is what wearables have been missing

The wearable industry is turning its attention to blood pressure, with Apple Watch launching hypertension alerts last month and now Oura, the makers behind 2025's best smart ring, revealing plans to develop its own blood pressure monitoring feature.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition that affects the arteries and can lead to serious health issues such as a heart attack or stroke. It’s not a feature to be taken lightly, which is why Apple’s alerts received FDA approval, and now Oura’s next step is something called the Blood Pressure Profile Study. This will be a new feature in the Oura app, where eligible users can participate in research that will help the company collect data and build a software feature designed to detect hypertension risks.

Who can take part in the study

To take part in the research, you need to be based in the U.S., aged 22 or over, and using an Oura Ring Gen 3 or newer. The latest model available is the Oura Ring 4. You also need to use the English version of the Oura app. Anyone who is currently pregnant, within 12 weeks postpartum, or has a cardiac implant such as a pacemaker will not be eligible to participate. More details about the study and how to join will appear in the Oura Labs section of the Oura app.

What will the study involve

So far, Oura says that if you opt in to the Blood Pressure Profile Study, you’ll wear your ring as usual, answer a few background questions, and the company will translate signals from your body into insights about your cardiovascular health.

The company explained, “By choosing to participate in the Blood Pressure Profile Study, you can provide direct feedback and contribute valuable data that may help researchers at Oura understand new ways wearable technology could support future heart health research.”

How to stay safe with your health data

More from Tom's Guide

• You need to know this: The hidden Oura Ring feature that could save you $500
• Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Oura Ring 4 — which smart ring wins?
• Polar 'firmly denies' allegations after being sued by Whoop over Loop band design

I’ve been wearing an Oura Ring for years — it’s my go-to for checking in on my sleep, where I am in my cycle, and my overall health. It’s one of the best fitness trackers on the market, and it even knew I was pregnant before I did. So, you can imagine my dismay when I got to my car following a trip to the store with my toddler, only to find it missing from my index finger. I knew I was wearing it before loading him into the cart, and I hadn’t noticed it fall off.

The first thing to point out — yes, I think I ordered the wrong size. I upgraded to the Oura Ring 4 from my Oura Ring Generation 3 relatively soon after giving birth, not realizing my fingers might still be a little swollen. If I were you, I’d wear your sizing ring for a few days before buying an Oura Ring — I wish I had.

What I hadn’t realized, however, is that Oura has a hidden Find My Ring feature. In fact, I’d been looking under the shelves in the grocery store for at least 30 minutes before I thought to look on the app. But once I used it, I was able to accurately track my ring down, and found it under my car, saving me $500 replacing the ring and an awful lot of stress.

How to use the Oura Find My Ring feature

Find My Ring is only available on Gen 3 and Oura Ring 4 with an active membership. It’s also only available on iOS right now, so if you’re using an Android, you’ll need to download a third party app like Wunderfield.

If you’re on iOS, here’s how to find your Oura Ring, should you leave it in your gym bag, or if it falls off when you’re out and about:

• Make sure that Location Services are enabled on your phone for the Oura app.
• Open the Oura app and head to the Home tab.
• Tap the battery icon in the top right corner, and select Show latest location.
• This will display your ring’s last known location on a map. If you tap on the map, you can zoom in on the exact GPS coordinates.

More from Tom's Guide

• Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Oura Ring 4 — which smart ring wins?
• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• I ditched my Apple Watch for an Oura Ring for a month — here's what I learned

I’ve been fortunate enough to wear the Oura Ring 3 and Oura Ring 4 since their inception, and there’s no end to the innovative features Oura continues to release on both rings, truly making them the best smart rings on the market, in my opinion.

Some features I take less notice of (meals and glucose tracking) while others I pay a lot of attention to, including heart rate trends. As members, Oura users can record workout heart rates, access live readings, and track heart rate data over time, including Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and resting heart rate, which reveal insights into your stress resilience, health, and recovery.

While I do pay attention to my resting heart rate and nighttime data, I haven’t really paid much attention to my overall trend — how my heart rate data looks over the weeks, months, and years. So, I decided to track mine over a month to see what the data could tell me about my health. Here’s what I found out.

How to track HRV on Oura Ring 4

In the Oura app, tap the three lines in the top left corner. From the menu, select Trends, then tap Heart Rate Variability. From here, you can toggle between days, weeks, months, and years and view your data as a trend on the graph.

I don’t find this format particularly helpful, so I decided to ask Oura’s AI advisor to do the hard work for me instead.

How to use Oura Advisor

On the Today tab, tap the plus sign at the bottom right of the app, then select Advisor from the list. You can then type a request or question and converse with Oura Advisor.

I would aim to ask direct questions to access accurate data, like asking Oura to compare specific weeks or how one month compares to another. This way, you'll find out more about how other factors could be affecting your heart rate, such as a poor week of sleep or late meals. The more data you input, the more detailed the results.

What did Oura tell me?

It's worth noting that Oura determines your baseline based on physiology and lifestyle factors, like sleep quality, stress, activity, medications, temperature, and illness. The ring tracks your heart rate using recessed sensors that measure changes in blood flow through your finger.

The sensors use light, which can detect shifts with each heartbeat while you rest and sleep, and allows the ring to capture your lowest resting heart rate and how it fluctuates over time. This data allows you to look at your nighttime recovery status and cardiovascular balance — both indicators of overall health.

Oura split my heart rate data into weekly averages and then gave me a four-week average of 56 bpm for my resting heart rate. During this time, there was no clear upward or downward trend, which is a good thing.

I then compared a few specific weeks, including one week that had been quite boozy (several events and a friend’s birthday), where my energy levels were low, and one week where I hadn’t drunk alcohol at all and had been sleeping well.

The data showed my lowest nighttime heart rate was slightly higher on the week I had consumed alcohol, then the following week, my average dropped. Oura explained the decrease could reflect a positive shift in recovery and less physiological strain. In other words, the alcohol had negatively impacted my heart rate.

Oura then looked at my sleep and stress data during this period. While my sleep score was actually better during the boozy week, my stress resilience improved in the week that I didn’t consume any alcohol, rising from "limited" to "adequate," showing better recovery despite the lower sleep score.

Next, I asked Oura to show me how my four-week heart rate data impacted my recovery, and the Advisor explained that my weekly average lowest heart rate had stayed steady without any substantial rise or fall; this indicates consistency and stable recovery. If there had been a significant rise, it could relate to rest, stress, or activity patterns, which can all impact your resting heart rate.

Throughout October so far, my lowest nighttime heart rate has held steady between 50 and 52; however, during September, which was a challenging month for me personally (high stress, poor sleep), my resting heart rate average was higher at 54-56 and my overall Readiness score was lower (below 70, which isn't ideal), while my HRV status was increased in October, suggesting that I am now recovering. A high HRV is a good thing, whereas a low HRV signals poor recovery.

Bottom line

More from Tom's Guide

• I ditched my Apple Watch for an Oura Ring for a month — here's what I learned
• Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Oura Ring — which smart ring wins?
• No smart watch could make me switch from Oura — here's why

I test smart rings for a living, so when I saw the recent news that a Samsung Galaxy Ring user was hospitalized due to a swollen battery, I was horrified. The thought of a smoldering, expanding smart ring stuck on my index finger now haunts me day and night.

Fortunately, there are basic practices you can follow that lower the risk of such a catastrophic event happening to you. While some of these tips may seem obvious, like avoiding extreme temperatures , others, like avoiding charging your ring to 100%, may surprise you.

Based on maintenance advice published by Oura and Samsung as well as my own experience, here are five ways to help you lower the risk of a smart ring battery disaster.

1. Understand your smart ring’s water resistance rating

Smartwatch and smart ring makers have a dirty little secret: water resistance ratings are bunk. Okay, that’s not entirely true, but 50 meters of water resistance doesn’t actually mean that you can scuba dive down to 50 meters and not worry about your Circular Ring 2 springing a leak.

Water resistance ratings are measured by how much atmospheric pressure a device can handle for an extremely short period of time. So while, yes, your smart ring may be okay for a few moments at depths of 50 meters, that’s assuming there’s no current and you're not moving.

In reality, 50 meters (or 5ATM) is enough water resistance to handle short periods of surface-level swimming, showers, scrubbing the dishes, etc. Feel free to wash your car with your smart ring on, but it’s best to remove it before any high-impact water sports, like wakeboarding or diving.

The best smart rings have 100 meters of water resistance, which is enough for the above activities. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good idea to wear your Oura Ring 4 while snorkeling or scuba diving…

2. Minimize contact with salt water

While some contact with salt water is NBD, it’s best to remove your smart ring before jumping into the ocean. Too much time in the brine could lead to the corrosion of electronic components or even battery failure.

That said, an occasional dip in the sea should be just fine; just remember to give the device a thorough rinse in fresh water afterward.

3. Charge often, but not to 100%

This one may come as a surprise, but it’s pulled directly from the Oura site, which recommends you don’t wait until your smart ring battery gets very low to put it on the charger. Additionally, you should avoid charging it 100% every time — a difficult habit for some of us to break.

Why follow these charging practices? According to Oura, the onboard “lithium polymer batteries actually perform the best when they’re at 25-80%.” This means that it’s more ideal to toss your ring on the charger every time you shower for 15 minutes a day, versus charging it overnight once every five to six days.

That said, charging to 100% every time isn’t the end of the world, just as long as the ring doesn’t sit at 100% for too long…

4. Don’t leave your smart ring on the charger

Letting your smart ring sit on the charger for days or even weeks at a time is a big no-no, as my grandma would say. Please do not do this. Not only will it potentially cause the battery capacity to degrade faster than it should, but it could also pose a fire risk.

Johnny Cash Ring of Fire = good. Samsung Galaxy Ring of Fire = bad.

5. Avoid high heat

Speaking of fire, you probably want to avoid getting too close to any lava flows while wearing your smart ring. Similarly, if you work in an environment where exposure to high temperatures is common, you might want to leave the wearable at home.

Also, never leave your smart ring sitting in your car during the hotter months. The combination of direct sunlight passing through the windows creates a greenhouse effect that can make it gosh-darn toasty in there — not an ideal environment for lithium batteries.

For example, Oura says you should avoid temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, which is not outside of the range your car’s interior can get during the heat of summer.

More from Tom's Guide

• Oura just launched the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic in four new colorways — and I’m obsessed with the new ‘Tide’ color
• Oura Ring 4 vs Circular Ring 2 — which smart ring should you choose for tracking your health?
• Apple put a heart rate monitor in the AirPods Pro 3, so where is the Apple Ring we've been waiting for?

Smart ring design is a bit of a snooze in 2025. Even the best smart rings all look pretty much the same: a standard circular band in your choice of several metal finishes. Not a fan of metal jewelry? Prior to today, you’d be out of luck. Fortunately, Oura’s new ceramic smart ring collection is here to save the day.

The new Oura Ring 4 Ceramic is exactly what it sounds like: the guts of an Oura Ring 4, with a fancy, new ceramic exterior. With four colors to choose from, including an eye-catching aqua/light-blue option, I'm admittedly more than a little hyped on these (and eager to get one on my finger!).

Oura Ring 4 Ceramic

This is Oura’s first non-metal smart ring, and it sure is a beaut! It comes in four colors, including Midnight (dark blue), Pedal (light pink), Tide (light aqua), and Cloud (off-white).

While the standard Oura Ring 4 starts at $349, the Ceramic models are $499.

The zirconia ceramic exterior is particularly hard and scratch-resistant. Oura also notes that the color is inherent to the material and not a finish/coating. This means that your new Oura Ring 4 Ceramic should maintain its stunning color for the life of the device.

Like the Oura Ring 4, the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic will be available in sizes 4 through 15. While the onboard tech is the same, the Ceramic models are notably heavier than the metal options.

The standard Oura Ring 4 weighs between 3.3 grams and 5.2 grams, depending on size, but the Ceramic edition is between 5.1 grams and 8.1 grams. The Ceramic is also a little thicker, 3.5mm versus 2.9mm.

Oura Ring Charging Case

Once fully juiced up, the new Oura Ring Case can recharge your Oura Ring 4 or Oura Ring 4 Ceramic up to five full times. Charge time takes roughly 90 minutes. Unfortunately, the new $99 Oura Ring charge case doesn’t seem to support older models like the Oura Ring Gen 3.

The new case is also size-specific, which seems a bit odd/unfortunate. This means that if both my partner and I are Oura Ring 4 owners, we can’t share a case when traveling.

Splash and dust-resistant, the new Oura Ring Case is a clamshell-style, and features an anodized aluminum exterior with a soft silicone interior.

Oura multi-ring support

If you already own an Oura Ring 4 (or prior model) and are tempted by one of the new Ceramic models, Oura has gone about making switching between models a painless affair. With multi-ring support, Oura owners can select their ring of choice from within the app with just a few taps and switch rings or add a new ring with similar ease.

In addition to the above, Oura also announced a new recycling program that’ll make it easier and more sustainable than ever to trade in a busted or outdated Oura Ring.

More from Tom's Guide

• Samsung Galaxy Ring owner reportedly hospitalized after it swells — 'won’t be wearing a smart ring ever again'
• Apple put a heart rate monitor in the AirPods Pro 3, so where is the Apple Ring we've been waiting for?
• Oura Ring 4 vs Circular Ring 2 — which smart ring should you choose for tracking your health?

I’m currently testing the Circular Ring 2, a subscription-optional smart ring that boasts eight days of battery, ECG readings, AFib detection, and a revolutionary new digital sizing process. While the jury is still out on its data accuracy, my initial impressions of the Circular Ring 2 are positive.

Of course, when assessing what could be one of the best smart rings in 2025, it’s impossible not to compare it to the Oura Ring 4, our hands-down favorite finger wearable available right now.

While this comparison is subject to updates based on the results of further testing, here’s how the Oura Ring 4 versus Circular Ring 2 plays out across six categories, including price, sizes and finishes, design and durability, health features, fitness features, and battery life.

Oura Ring 4 vs Circular Ring 2: Specs compared

Oura Ring 4 vs Circular Ring 2: Price

The Oura Ring 4 starts at $349 and requires a $5.99 monthly subscription for the Oura app.

The Circular Ring 2 also starts at $349 and is subscription-free for most features. However, forthcoming tools, including blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring, are likely to be locked behind a paywall. This has understandably frustrated early backers of the Circular Ring 2, which launched earlier this year on Kickstarter and was billed as completely subscription-free.

In Circular’s defense, the to-be-paywalled features were never part of the original pitch, but rather, "stretch goals" for the device. No word yet on what access to blood pressure and glucose monitoring will cost, or when either will debut; the Circular site says late 2025 for the former and early 2026 for the latter.

Still, with the majority of its core features free for all users, the Circular Ring 2 wins this category.

Winner: Circular Ring 2

Oura Ring 4 vs Circular Ring 2: Sizes and finishes

The Oura Ring 4 is available in sizes 4 through 15 and the following finishes: Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Brushed Titanium, Black, and Stealth. The Circular Ring 2 comes in sizes 6 through 14 in your choice of Gold, Rose Gold, Black, or Silver.

Though Circular offers its device in fewer sizes and finishes, the brand’s pre-purchase sizing process is far superior to Oura’s. Even though Circular continues to offer a physical sizing kit — check out a video of me demoing it at CES — the Circular Ring 2 can be sized using just the Circular app. Oura, meanwhile, mails a kit of plastic dummy rings for sizing.

Winner: Draw

Oura Ring 4 vs Circular Ring 2: Design and druability

Both smart rings boast an all-titanium exterior. That said, the exterior of the Circular Ring 2 seems more susceptible to scratches, and that's based on just one week of wear.

The Oura Ring 4 is more comfortable than the Circular Ring 2, thanks to recessed sensors. The Circular Ring 2 isn’t uncomfortable, but the protruding interior sensors do leave an indentation on my finger.

The Circular Ring 2 is a little heavier than the Oura Ring 4, but the difference is fairly negligible. Durability-wise, the Circular Ring 2 boasts 50 meters of water resistance, so you can swim, shower, wash dishes, etc., while wearing it. The Oura Ring 4, on the other hand, is rated for 100 meters of water resistance, enough for high-impact water sports and diving.

Winner: Oura Ring 4

Oura Ring 4 vs Circular Ring 2: Health features

Both smart rings have onboard heart rate, blood oxygen, and body temperature sensors, along with accelerometers to monitor movement. While the Oura Ring 4 is the gold standard for accurate holistic data from a smart ring, Circular’s data also looks promising.

Both apps offer insights into your vitals, sleep quality, and energy levels. They each also offer women’s health tracking features. However, Oura’s insights go into more detail than Circular’s, while providing a wider range of tracked metrics.

That said, only the Circular Ring 2 offers ECG readings and AFib detection. Still, for having a more comprehensive approach to holistic data, I'm giving the Oura Ring 4 the win in this category.

Winner: Oura Ring 4

Oura Ring 4 vs Circular Ring 2: Fitness features

While the Circular Ring 2 offers a daily Energy Score that’s similar to Oura’s Readiness Score, the Oura Ring 4 is better suited for activity tracking. Neither device has an onboard GPS, so you’ll need to carry your phone with you while working out for location, pace, distance, etc. data, but the Oura Ring 4 can automatically detect and track up to 40 different workout types.

The Circular Ring 2, meanwhile, can automatically detect a few basic workouts like walking and running, but not more astute pastimes like badminton or horseback riding. You know what smart ring can? The Oura Ring 4.

Winner: Oura Ring 4

Oura Ring 4 vs Circular Ring 2: Battery life

The Oura Ring 4 and Circular Ring 4 both advertised eight days of battery per charge. In our testing, the Oura Ring 4 lasts a little closer to six days per charge. Though I’m still testing the Circular Ring 2, real-world battery life appears to be slightly better, at seven days per charge.

The Circular Ring 2 has another advantage over the Oura Ring 4: It ships with a travel-friendly, battery-sporting charging case, which can recharge the ring to 100% in just 30 minutes.

Winner: Circular Ring 2

Oura Ring 4 vs Circular Ring 2: Overall winner

The Oura Ring 4 and Circular Ring 2 cost the same up front, $350, but the Oura Ring costs more in the long run due to the mandatory $5.99 monthly subscription. Even still, the Oura Ring 4 is the better overall smart ring than the Circular Ring 2, thanks to a more durable/comfy design, more comprehensive wellness insights, better fitness tracking, and greater size availability.

Still, the Circular Ring 2 has the upper hand when it comes to battery life and heart health monitoring, thanks to its ability to perform ECG readings and detect potential AFib. That said, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if these features eventually came to the Oura Ring, either by way of a firmware update or an Oura Ring 5.

Overall winner: Oura Ring 4

More from Tom's Guide

• I compared the Apple Watch's new Sleep Score to Oura Ring for a week — and the results are wild
• Forget the Oura Ring 4 — these are the best Oura Ring alternatives in 2025
• Oura is expanding its partnership with the US military and users are stressed — here’s what that means for your data

As a tech reviewer, I cover a lot of devices — from the best wireless earbuds to the best air fryers. There are a lot of products that I test, and while I like a great deal of them, some of them don’t hit the mark. But now and again, I come across a device that I know will become a favorite.

Until I sat down and really thought about it, I didn’t realize how much tech I used in my morning routine. But each one of these products sets my day up perfectly, and I actually couldn’t start my day without them. From sunrise alarm clocks to sleep trackers, these are the products I use every single morning without fail.

Philips SmartSleep Sleep and Wake-Up Light

If you’re a night owl like me, the Philips SmartSleep Sleep and Wake-Up Light is a serious game changer. If I don’t get to sleep early enough, I end up feeling lethargic all next day, and when I have important tasks to take care of, that is the last thing I want.

With the Philips light, I can wind down for the night with a sunset simulation, but we’re talking about the morning here, right? Well, in the morning, the light simulates a sunrise. This gently wakes you, much like if you were camping under the stars.

Since using the light, my mornings have been a lot smoother, and it’s especially useful as we get closer to the winter months, when it is far more tempting to stay curled up under the covers with the curtains drawn.

Oral-B iO Series 3

As I like to brag about whenever I can, my dentist always tells me I have perfect teeth, and I put that down to this toothbrush. The Oral-B iO Series 3 has been a staple in my routine for years now, and although it’s not as advanced as later models, all of the speed settings are more than enough to get a perfect clean.

The iO brush heads are a little expensive when they need to be replaced, but I can get a deep clean all the way to the back of my mouth with ease. Having that clean feeling first thing in the morning is the best way to start the day, and having one of the best electric toothbrushes makes it simple.

Oura Ring 3

I check my Oura Ring 3 every single morning. It’s the best way for me to check out if my body needs a little extra rest or if I can take on some tougher tasks. It gives me actionable feedback every morning, and I can even check out what has been impacting my sleep recently.

When I wake up, I add tags relating to how I feel, how I slept, and what I did the day before, making sure any activity is logged. By doing this, I have been able to find out what helps me sleep better and keep my sleep and readiness scores consistent.

More from Tom's Guide

• Don’t waste your money on the Oura Ring 4 — the older model tracks sleep just as well and is $150 cheaper
• I wore the Oura Ring for 6 months to track my sleep — and now I'm regularly getting 8 hours and feel so much better
• 'The White Lotus' season 4 sets location — and it might surprise you

Oura, the brand behind the best smart ring in 2025, is in hot water with some users over a blog post about the brand's growing partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). With diehard Oura Ring customers going as far as canceling their subscriptions, here’s everything you need to know.

In a recent post on Oura's website, the brand announced an expansion of its partnership with the U.S. military by way of investing in a brand-new factory — predicted to be up and running sometime in 2026 — in Fort Worth, Texas.

What's the Oura U.S. military controversy about?

So, what's the big deal? A few things. First, Oura's acknowledgment that the U.S. DoD is the brand's "largest enterprise customer" didn't sit right with some users, particularly those who oppose one or more of the U.S.'s current military strategies.

But that's not all. Oura also confirmed that the controversial company, Palantir, known for what some might call aggressive surveillance/data-mining techniques, is managing the privacy and security side of things for the brand's military customers. Palantir is also known for its involvement in the ongoing U.S. immigration crackdown (among other things). So, yeah, it's not exactly a warm and fuzzy company.

Should you be worried about your Oura Ring data?

Fortunately, Tom Hale, the CEO of Oura, made it crystal clear in a TikTok post that individual customer data is handled completely separately from enterprise customer data. Moreover, to ease concerns, the brand additionally issued a statement confirming that Palantir is not a partner of Oura, but rather, "provides the security layer for some of the DoD’s projects with Oura."

Beyond that, Oura's privacy policy confirms that the brand will never share your data with a third party without consent. While these clarifications surely will calm the nerves of some users, others are still uneasy.

For further clarification on how customer data is handled and what privacy safeguards the brand has in place, I've reached out to Oura for comment and I'll update this story if/when I hear back.

Oura's partnership with the U.S. military is nothing new

It's also worth noting that Oura's partnership with the U.S. military isn't exactly new. The brand has been supplying rings to various branches going back to 2019.

According to the same post announcing the expansion, the smart ring maker was initially tapped by the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) after a deadly fatigue-related accident in 2017.

In an effort to mitigate crew member exhaustion and future tragedies, the NHRC provided service members with Oura Rings to monitor vitals. And since then, Oura has provided "tens of thousands of rings" to the U.S. military.

Oura says that the ongoing partnership is purely about helping service members perform at their best, with a focus on four key areas, including stress management and resilience, fitness and recovery optimization, fatigue risk management, and early illness detection.

Are you sticking with Oura?

Ultimately, the panic over the U.S. military gaining access to Oura Ring customer data is almost certainly overblown. With separate methods for handling standard customer data and enterprise customer data, not to mention consent-based safeguards in place, it's highly unlikely that the CIA is monitoring your resting heart rate as we speak.

That said, customer concerns about Oura's partnership with the military, more generally speaking, are valid. And if you fall into that category, I have good news: Oura isn't the only smart ring show in town. Here are the best Oura Ring alternatives in 2025.

On that note, what do you think of the Oura Ring/U.S. military hoopla? Are you ditching your Oura Ring or sticking with it? Let me know in the comments below.

More from Tom's Guide

• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• Apple Ring — everything we know so far about Apple's rumored smart ring
• Ultrahuman launches Cycle and Ovulation Pro — and they say it’s the most accurate cycle tracking on any smart ring

There's no brand better associated with smart rings than Oura. Although the finger-based wearables market is barely ten years old, to get a sense of where it might be headed in the next decade, I chatted with Jason Russell, vice president of consumer software products at Oura.

As part of a Tom's Guide special report on the future of wearable tech in the year 2035, my conversation with Jason ranged from harvesting body heat for device power to "integrating complementary wearables" beyond the smart ring into the brand's portfolio of helpful, holistic tech.

While the Oura Ring 4 is the best smart ring you can buy in 2025, what I hoped to hear from Jason is what a theoretical Oura Ring 10 might look like. Fortunately, his predictions don't disappoint.

You can find an edited version of my interview below, and for more insights into the wide world of next-generation tech, visit our In the World in 2035 hub to peer into the crystal ball and see the future of transportation, AI, robots, television, and more.

How might smart ring battery life improve over the next ten years? Will batteries become more flexible? What about user-generated energy from, say, body heat?

Jason Russell: We expect to see longer battery lifespans in the next decade. Hardware improvements like advanced sensor technology will have a significant impact, while software enhancements — including more efficient signal paths and the ability to disable unused sensors — will also contribute meaningfully.

Flexible batteries and body-powered energy harvesting are also compelling areas of future exploration. Flexible batteries have the potential to conform better to their device, enabling new form factors and comfort without sacrificing power.

Body-generated energy — through thermoelectric, kinetic, or even bio-voltaic sources— is still early-stage but interesting. The challenge is achieving sufficient power density in a small, wearable footprint.

By 2035, it’s plausible that wearables could integrate hybrid energy systems that passively recharge throughout the day, vastly extending runtime and reducing dependency on charging cycles.

Consider the Oura Ring 10, hypothetically debuting in 2035, what will it potentially look like, what features might it offer, and what type of battery life can we expect?

Russell: The Oura Ring 10 will likely reflect a major evolution in both form and function. Oura continually stretches the boundaries of what’s possible in biometric sensing, comfort, and wearability, and that will continue to be true.

With 20-plus PhDs on staff driving cutting-edge research in cardiovascular health, metabolic health, women’s health, and much more, future rings will continue to demonstrate pioneering innovation beyond what we might imagine to be possible today. Beyond our hardware, we’ll also see breakthroughs in the role we play in people’s health journeys.

As we’ve already demonstrated with our recent launch of our metabolic health partnership with Dexcom, we foresee stretching the boundaries of biometric sensing via the ring while integrating complementary wearables that together enable an even more complete picture of your health.

Our members see Oura as a gateway to a much deeper understanding of their health, and you can see how Oura will expand on that promise as multiple streams of health data converge — biometric signals from the ring, metabolic insights from external sensors, even contextual data from your environment or behaviors.

This unified view will enable richer, more predictive health intelligence, helping people not only understand their health in real time but also anticipate issues before they arise.

Oura already monitors stress. What does the future of mental health tracking look like for Oura users?

Russell: Mental health and stress management will become even more proactive and personalized, and we’ll see AI play a larger role in this management. For example, Oura Advisor currently uses an LLM algorithm to analyze and contextualize thousands of biometric data points to provide members with personalized guidance so that they can make informed decisions about their health.

In a future state, we could see Advisor using long-term trend data to proactively identify potential health issues through fluctuations in things like stress, sleep, HRV, heart rate, and more.

Additionally, we see Oura collaborating with the broader health ecosystem to enhance telehealth and clinical decision-making by leveraging real-time health metrics and trends with healthcare professionals.

We see a world in which Oura can help support self-management, but also prompt proactive care interventions.

What types of new health metrics might the smart rings of the future track? How might the insights from my future Oura Ring differ from those I see today?

Russell: Smart rings of the future, including Oura, will likely track a broader range of health metrics. In the last year alone, we have significantly expanded our product offering from our original pillars of Sleep, Activity, and Readiness to now include other key areas of health, such as stress, cardiovascular health, and metabolic health.

As sensors become more advanced and miniaturized, the depth and granularity of data will also increase significantly. But the biggest shift will be in how insights are delivered: instead of just showing you the data, future insights could anticipate changes in your health, offer personalized, real-time guidance, and adapt to your unique physiology and goals, making the experience more predictive, proactive, and deeply personalized than ever before.

Do you see the smart ring evolving into something beyond a wellness device? If so, what non-health features could future smart rings offer?

More from Tom's Guide

• Google Exclusive: How the Pixel Watch 3 got a life-saving feature the Apple Watch can't match
• Ringconn Gen 2 Air review — this budget smart ring beats the Oura Ring 4 in three big ways
• I biked 13 miles with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 — and there's a clear winner

I've tested sleep trackers of all shapes and sizes this year, from top-rated smart beds like the Eight Sleep Pod 4 mattress cover, through to Garmin, Apple and Whoop wearables.

While all of these leading sleep tech brands have built great value, reliable sleep trackers, the Oura Ring is the one I always recommend to friends. Right now the Oura Ring 4 is 15% off at Amazon for Prime Day, cutting the price to less than $300.

We rarely see a discount like this at Oura, which is why this Amazon Prime Day deal is worth snapping up fast. In fact, it's one of the best Prime Day sleep deals we've seen so far.

• See all Amazon Prime Day deals now 

• Read more: New sleep-tracking study just compared Oura Ring vs. Apple Watch vs. Fitbit — here’s which one is most accurate

On a tighter budget?

• Read more: Don’t waste your money on the Oura Ring 4 — the older model tracks sleep just as well and is $150 cheaper

I have tracked fitness metrics for years and have used my fair share of the best fitness trackers from Apple Watches, Fitbits and now the Oura Ring.

I went in skeptical when I first got the ring six months ago because I just didn't know what to expect. But I can say with absolute certainty this is the best purchase I have made.

Smartwatches, of course, have their place and are great for some people. For example, the Garmin Vivoactive 6 is suitable for intense training, while the Apple Watch Series 10 is ideal for everyday wear. But what about the distractions and comfort?

I often feel like, although they are smart (duh), smartwatches are trying to do too much. But with the Oura Ring, there is an element of calm. It knows what it is, what it's for, and does it well with impressive accuracy.

Minus the distractions

I'm sure most people will agree with me here when I say that one of my pet peeves is being in a conversation with someone and they can't look away from their phone. They pick it up after every notification, or scroll whilst nodding along with what you're saying.... only to lift their head and ask "sorry, what was that?"

Perhaps I'm being cynical, but it's the one thing that gets under my skin. But now it's not the phone causing the distraction — it's the smartwatch.

Now I can be in a conversation with someone, and their stare is fixed to their wrist as their finger swipes and types across the screen. Somehow it seems less overtly rude than being sat with an electronic brick in your hands, but it's still annoying.

Okay, so rant over. But do we really need a screen strapped to our wrists? My answer is no.

24 hour wearability

This is where my love of the Oura Ring comes in. As far as fitness trackers go, it is pretty discreet. I have the Oura Ring 3 in the Heritage design, and I find it goes well with the rest of the jewelry I wear on a daily basis.

I choose to wear the ring on my index finger, and it never gets in the way of what I am doing. The only time I take the ring off is when I'm cooking.

It is equipped to deal with every situation, and being waterproof, I can wear it in the shower, in the pool (to track swimming sessions), or while washing the dishes. It is so comfortable I don't even realise I'm wearing it anymore.

I love that even though, yes, I wear it 24/7 (with a 40-minute break once a week for it to charge), I am not tethered to a screen.

I write about tech for a living, so of course, I love getting to know all of the new advances, but I cannot stand when tech takes over. I am a firm believer that tech should enhance your experience and not distract. That's exactly what the Oura Ring does.

Temperature sensing and recovery

I used to push myself far too hard. Between working out, working, and other life stuff, I wouldn't give myself enough time to rest and recover. While I knew this was the case, I didn't realise how bad it was until I started using the Oura Ring.

Oura forces you to prioritize recovery. This is how you get your scores to be the best they can be. But how does the ring know when you are run down?

It takes your temperature while you sleep using the sensors. This is how the cycle tracking is able to be so accurate. But It also lets me know when I need to take a step back because I'm about to get sick.

When I got the flu, before any symptoms set in, the ring was a reminder to tell me that there were signs of strain on my body and to take it easy. This meant I was able to shake it off far quicker than usual and avoid any unnecessary strain.

I love simplicity

Okay, so the elephant in the room. Yes, a smart watch can do more. It can store music, be used for payments, receive texts and calls — the list goes on.

But my argument is, why do we need that when we have our phones? I understand that on workouts, it's easier to tap your wrist to start and stop, but daily, I much prefer what Oura can offer.

And that offering is silence and zero distraction.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to sleep better at night naturally, according to experts
• I ditched the Oura Ring for the Circular Ring Slim
• Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3 — what's different?

I’ve had my Oura Ring Gen 3 for six months now, and in that time, my daily sleep and readiness scores have come to dictate what I get up to from day to day. Do I need to take it easy and rest up or can I go hell for leather and role play as Wonder Woman? Oura lets me know as soon as I wake up.

I get far more out of Oura than any other fitness tracker I've tried, like the Apple Watch Series 10 and the AmazFit Bip 6. I find the feedback you get from Oura to be fully actionable, and I can build on the feedback. And that’s exactly what I’ve done.

Noticing patterns with tags

The key to getting actionable feedback from Oura is adding tags in the app. It gives the app insights into my daily life, and tells me what I am doing that’s impacting my sleep scores. Pretty cool, right?

I don’t add tags for absolutely everything because that would be a lot of work! But if I'm feeling slightly under the weather, go for a long run, drink alcohol or do anything out of the ordinary, I’ll make sure to note it.

The app also lets you know what sort of things have effected other users. So if you have a rough night, it will prompt you to add a tag that may have contributed to the tossing and turning.

For me, this meant I can actively avoid activities I know are going to keep me up at night, but also keep doing things that have given me high sleep scores. So let’s get into what I've found out.

Eating late increases heart rate

This is one I never would have thought about before using the Oura Ring. If I eat a meal or even a small, carby snack less than three hours before I head to sleep, I can be sure to have a disrupted night.

Eating late can disrupt the sleep-wake cycle of the body, and Oura flags this in the app as a main cause for a restless night.

Late exercise disrupts sleep

I have always been one for an evening run rather than an early morning gym class, but that’s all changed since using the Oura Ring.

Exercising late at night can mean your body takes longer to wind down before drifting off to sleep, giving you fewer hours than you need. Oura says that even exercising one to two hours earlier can help you to see positive changes.

So I took this advice on board and started doing my exercise in the morning and doing gentle yoga in the evening, so I was still getting some movement but at a lower intensity.

Alcohol consumption

Alcohol at social gatherings is the norm for many people so it will come as no surprise that Oura says it is the tag most used by its members.

Alcohol increases your resting heart rate, putting stress on the body. So after a few beers you’re probably going to be waking up every few hours, therefore massively disrupting your sleep stages.

As part of the Community discoveries feature on the Oura app, I can see that a tag of ‘No alcohol’ decreases resting heart rate scores by an average of 3%. Adversely, tagging ‘Party’ increases heart rate by an average of 6%. This seemingly small increase is enough to disrupt sleep and offset you for the next day.

Cool sleeping environment

Everyone knows that in the height of summer it is pretty much impossible to get to sleep. Especially between trying to kick off your sheets and finding the perfect balance of cozy and cool.

But I had this confirmed to me by my ring as on nights where I had the air conditioning in my room set to around 67ºF I had restful, deep sleep and woke up with high sleep scores.

On the other end of that, as the weather has become warmer on the way to summer and I don’t have the air conditioning on I wake up in the middle of the night and struggle to get back to sleep.

Hormonal cycle

The Oura Ring measures your temperature while you sleep to give cycle predictions. During different phases of your cycle HRV (heart rate variation) and core body temperature are affected. These can have a direct impact on your sleep and readiness.

Through feedback from what many would call the best smart ring, I have been able to recognize when in my cycle I need to take it easy to ensure my HRV is impacted as little as possible, making for a restful sleep. This is also true for finding where I can put a little more effort into my workouts without it impacting my readiness scores.

How I used Oura to sleep better

By looking at my own metrics, and the metrics from community discoveries, I have been able to get consistent sleep and readiness scores. Of course, there are days when lower scores can’t be helped, but my feedback is far less erratic and the prompts from the ring have helped me to build a successful routine.

By exercising and eating my evening meals earlier, staying cool at night, being mindful of alcohol consumption and of where I am in my cycle, I am getting my eight hours regularly… and I feel so much better for it.

More from Tom's Guide

• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• I ditched my Apple Watch for an Oura Ring for a month — here's what I learned
• Don't fall for the Oura Ring 4 upgrade — the Ring 3 has the same sleep tracking tech and is $150 cheaper

Oura just announced new AI-powered features to “fuel your body for energy, performance and long-term health.” The two latest upgrades center around metabolic health and meal tracking, but right now, they're only available for US users.

Oura says it’s a “major milestone” toward becoming a “fully integrated health solution.” To date, Oura has undoubtedly been an industry-defining market leader and arguably remains the best smart ring you can buy.

However, with stiff competition from the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Ring and Ultrahuman Ring Air, the smart ring market is becoming increasingly competitive. I’m concerned Oura might be doing too much with its latest branch out into metabolic health.

Could Oura become the jack of all trades, master of none? Here’s what we know so far.

What are the two new features?

The two metabolic-focused AI-enabled tools are Meals and Glucose, and will roll out shortly to Oura Ring 3 and Oura Ring 4 users based in the US who use the app in English.

Oura announced the Oura Labs feature in 2024, allowing members to test experimental features and provide feedback. If they're considered a hit with the audience, features can be rolled out into the app. Here's what made the cut.

1. Meals

The latest Labs success is Meals, which, according to Oura, provides key insights into nutrition and meal timing using AI-powered feedback from Oura Advisor.

Simply snap a photo of your meal and Oura can help provide “informed dietary decisions” about your food, including macronutrients — proteins, fats and carbs — and its quality, plus suggestions for long-term improvement.

Yep, you read that correctly. Using images alone, Oura can tell you how nutritious your food is, right down to the fiber content.

2. Glucose tracking

Paired with the Stelo Glucose Biosensor by Dexcom, a brand new in-app glucose monitoring feature means you can measure glucose levels day and night, with the app providing feedback directly while drawing from existing analysis like your sleep, stress and activity levels.

Essentially, it’s another way for Oura to provide a holistic view on the quality of your everyday health, alongside tools such as heart health, women’s health and fitness, to assess long-term trends.

What do we know?

Your metabolic health can be impacted by the foods you eat, how your body processes them, lifestyle factors and genetics. That’s why the rollout looks at data pulled from the existing features you use daily alongside your meals to inform the analysis.

Shyamal Patel, PhD., and SVP of Science at Oura, describes their approach as “unique.” Published through Oura's website, she explained: “Meal-induced glucose spikes can vary significantly due to factors like sleep, stress, exercise and meal timing, which is why it’s important to approach metabolic health holistically rather than focusing exclusively on diet.”

The goal is to look for patterns and use experimentation to discover what works and what doesn’t, hopefully helping to maintain improved balance over time based on your daily habits.

Rather than avoiding specific foods, the aim is to encourage a healthy relationship that lasts, looking at what could be impacting your glucose from various angles, rather than focusing on the one spike you had, say, after eating chocolate on a Friday afternoon.

Verdict

I’ve been lucky enough to own both generations of the Oura Ring and have used the app for years. I’m worried Oura could be diluting their product by introducing too many new ingredients.

For the average person, monitoring your glucose levels daily isn’t really necessary. I wore a CGM monitor as a test for Tom’s Guide, and I actually found it more stressful than informative, getting lost in the minefield that is your blood sugar.

In fact, I could be found staring down every spike in my blood sugar with the scrutiny of VAR checking a dodgy penalty decision.

Your pancreas is designed to take care of blood sugar for you, releasing insulin (a hormone) to regulate blood glucose by moving it out of your bloodstream and into your cells.

While a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is a useful (and sometimes crucial) tool for people managing chronic health conditions such as diabetes and insulin resistance (a precursor to diabetes), not everyone needs to monitor their own glucose.

I fear Oura is starting to steer away from what they're best at — tracking your sleep and stress hygiene — in a bid to keep on top of the competition with their innovation.

Am I worried it'll encourage people to over-worry about another aspect of their health? Possibly. Do I need yet another app scrutinizing what I eat? No. And although Oura reassures members that the feature aims to keep things balanced, I fear people who don't already have a healthy relationship with their food could struggle.

But to keep evolving in an ever-growing smart ring market, perhaps it's Oura's time to dare to diversify. And given that the features were given the all-clear from Oura Labs, it looks like people want it. For me, the jury is out.

More from Tom's Guide

• I ditched my Apple Watch for an Oura Ring for a month — here's what I learned
• I ditched the Oura Ring for the Circular Ring Slim
• Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3 — what's different?

It feels absurd for me to say that I went a whole month without my Apple Watch. If you know me, or even if you’ve just followed my work, you probably know the Apple Watch isn’t some accessory to me — practically part of my identity.

So deciding to lock my Apple Watch Series 10 away and wear only an Oura Ring for a month felt... weird, to say the least. But having enjoyed testing out the Oura Ring 4 for the last couple of months, I was curious whether it can fulfill my wearable needs. Stress tracking, in particular, is a huge priority for me right now, and the Oura Ring is packed with comprehensive, science-backed insights.

To really understand the trade-offs between the best smartwatch and best smart ring, and because I know most people would realistically pick one or the other, I went all in. No Apple Watch, just the Oura Ring: this is how it all went down.

The Oura Ring is a *totally* different vibe

I think the Oura Ring is as gorgeous as a fitness tracker can get. I picked the rose gold version, and it fits in perfectly with my other jewelry (rings, bracelets, earrings, you name it.) Unlike a smartwatch, it’s not in your face as much. It’s discreet, elegant, and completely ambient.

For the first few days, I loved this low-profile vibe. It almost felt like a tech detox, as though I was re-learning how to just exist without being hyper-connected every second. Dare I say it was peaceful.

But this feeling didn’t last forever. By about a week into this little experiment of mine, I started to miss the sheer utility of having a display on my wrist. I missed glancing down mid-walk to see my distance and heart rate. I missed being able to check the weather quickly. I even missed the little animated celebration when I closed my rings for the day. As beautiful and simple as the Oura Ring is in comparison to the Apple Watch, the simplicity comes at a cost.

Fitness tracking: real-time vs. retroactive

The Oura Ring takes a passive approach to fitness tracking. I would just go about my day, and later on, the app filled me in on my activity. It’s refreshing for those craving a less pressure-motivated relationship with movement. You just live your life, and Oura tracks your actions in the background.

But if you’re someone like me, who likes real-time feedback, it can feel limiting. I like to monitor my calories burned and heart rate during workouts, not after. For health reasons, I avoid letting my heart rate spike too high, and without real-time data, it was like I was working out blindfolded. It’s not a great feeling when you’re trying to be mindful about your fitness.

There’s also the step counting situation. We’ve done side-by-side testing that shows the Apple Watch is much more accurate for step counts, and sure enough, I noticed something didn’t feel right when it came to the steps I was banking. This isn’t the biggest deal to me personally, but worth considering when you’re deciding which fitness tracker is right for you.

Little things that made a big difference

Ambient health tracking is one thing. Ambient life tracking? That’s another story entirely. I didn’t realize just how much I relied on my Apple Watch for everyday conveniences (or to basically manage my life) until they were gone.

Things like taking a phone call from my wrist when my phone was buried deep in my tote bag. pinging my phone whenever I can’t remember where I last put it down and setting times for my laundry cycles.

Also, over the last month, I missed so many more calls than usual that I’m completely convinced some of my friendships are now hanging by a thread.

Final verdict: I’m team Apple Watch (but not ditching my Oura Ring)

After a month of living exclusively with the Oura Ring, I’ve come to the conclusion that if I had to choose only one wearable device, I’d pick the Apple Watch.

It’s an easy decision, really. The real-time data, the daily conveniences, and the freedom to access all the health features without paying a monthly subscription (unless you want Apple Fitness+) make the Apple Watch the more complete package for me.

The Oura Ring, meanwhile, requires a membership to unlock most of its best insights, which has led the internet to looking for Oura Ring alternatives without recurring fees.

That said, I’m definitely not giving up my Oura Ring, since it’s my life and there is no higher power forcing me to pick one or the other. I love my Oura Ring for features like stress tracking, sleep chronotypes, cycle tracking, and getting a deeper look at things like my cardiovascular age and resilience to stress.

So in the end, this isn’t exactly a story about the Apple Watch versus Oura Ring. But this experiment highlighted that wearables don’t need to be one-size-fits-all.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to sleep better at night naturally, according to experts
• I ditched the Oura Ring for the Circular Ring Slim
• Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3 — what's different?

I’m not a fan of subscriptions — I’ll forget to cancel them, and end up spending money each month on apps and streaming services I never use. That said, as everything gets more expensive, one thing I won’t cancel is my Oura ring subscription.

Read on to find out why.

How much is an Oura subscription, and do you need it?

There’s no way around it — the Oura ring is an expensive investment. You’ll end up paying around $300-$400 for the ring itself and an extra $5.99/£5.99 per month for the subscription, or "membership" as Oura likes to call it.

You can pay for the entire year in advance, which is slightly cheaper at $69.99/£69.99.

If you don’t pay for the subscription, you’ll still be able to use your ring, but with limited functionality. You’ll see three daily Oura scores, your ring’s battery life, and basic profile information, but you won’t get detailed sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, advanced temperature monitoring, and all the other tracking features.

Here’s why my Oura membership is one subscription I won’t cancel

I’ve been wearing my Oura ring for two years, and here’s why it’s a subscription I wouldn’t cancel:

It gives more accurate health data than my smartwatches

Sure, you can wear the Oura ring as a fitness tracker, but I wouldn’t say this is the ring’s main selling point. Like most of the best smart rings on the market, the Oura ring is more of a health tracking tool — it’ll tell you how well you’ve slept, how ready you are for your next workout, and how much stress your body has been under throughout the day.

Unlike some of the best smartwatches on the market, you’ll probably only need to charge your ring once a week, rather than daily (best Apple Watches, I’m looking at you). This helps the ring build up more accurate data, as it’s not sitting on charge overnight; it’s on your finger.

As a fitness editor, I’ve compared the sleep tracking data of my Oura ring to my Apple Watch and my step count data, and from a health perspective, the ring comes out on top. While I’ve had issues with its step counting accuracy, and I wouldn’t reach for the Oura ring if I were training for a marathon and looking for ways to get faster, it’s the one fitness tracker I’d refuse to part with, as it tells me more about my overall health than any of my other trackers.

I like how the data is presented

I spend my days writing about health and fitness, but I’m not a scientist, and I don’t want to have to decode data first thing in the morning.

I’ve always appreciated how Oura breaks down my stats and positions them to me in a way that’s easy to understand, even on four hours' sleep with a newborn. It’s one way Oura stands out compared to some of the other smart rings on the market — for example, when testing the Ultrahuman ring, I found the app too detailed, and often got lost in the metrics. Read more in my Oura vs Ultrahuman face-off.

As well as daily scores for readiness, sleep, and activity, you’ll be given written details on why you’ve been given this number and tips on how to improve it. I don’t often spend time confirming activities or adding tags, but I do spend five minutes looking at the app every single morning.

It tells me what’s going on in my body, before I realize

My Oura ring knew I was pregnant before I did, and has frequently detected illnesses before they arise.

My ring told me there were major signs of strain on my body during a recent bout of mastitis, which elevated my body temperature and resting heart rate — I was able to show my doctor this data, and get antibiotics to help my symptoms.

The ring is great at alerting you to any health patterns it notices, too. Pre-baby, I’d get a ‘Pay Attention’ message after drinking a few glasses of wine the night before, helping me realize how much alcohol would affect my sleep.

I’d also know if my body temperature was slightly elevated, I might be getting run down, and to ease off my training for a few days, and let my body recover.

I use it to track my menstrual cycle

The Oura ring uses a skin temperature sensor to take a body temperature reading while you sleep, meaning you don’t need to take a basal body temperature reading in the morning — something I was never organized enough to remember to do.

Typically, your body temperature is cooler during the first half of your cycle, when your estrogen levels are high. Your body temperature rises in the second half of your cycle, around the time you ovulate, when your progesterone levels are high. Your temperature will then decrease again at the start of your period when your hormone levels drop.

You can also sync the ring with the period tracking app, Natural Cycles. Read more about how the Oura ring tracks your menstrual cycle here.

More from Tom's Guide

• We've tested the best smart rings for tracking your health without a smartwatch
• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• My Oura ring knew I was pregnant before I did — here's how

Oura’s new AI-powered feature, dubbed ‘Oura Advisor’ is rolling out over the next two weeks to Oura Ring Generation 3 and Oura Ring 4 members. The feature uses artificial intelligence to provide wellness tips, look at your long-term health trends, and create plans to help you reach your goals.

Oura’s app already gives you a great deal of information about your sleep, readiness score, activity levels, and menstrual cycle, but the Oura Advisor feature will allow you to ask questions about your data, should you wish. The brand describes the feature as a “personal wellness coach”, allowing you to make sense of your data by providing tips and advice. Here’s what it means for you, and how you’ll be able to use it.

Firstly, set up how you want the Oura Advisor to interact with you

Once the Oura Advisor feature rolls out, you’ll need to update your Oura app to use the functionality. Before getting started, you’ll be able to customize the Advisor’s tone of voice — conversational (Oura says this is a supportive, encouraging voice), or direct (a more goal-orientated approach). You’ll also be able to customize how often the Advisor checks in with you — if you’re totally put off by AI, you can turn it off completely, or choose between weekly, three times a week, or daily.

Oura Advisor is currently only available to users who have selected English as their app language, with more languages rolling out later this year.

If you want to ask the Advisor a question, you can use the plus function in the bottom right-hand corner, where you would normally log your period, or add an activity or tag. You’ll also see ‘Dive in with Advisor’ in the Today tab.

Use the pre-written prompts to practice using the feature

If you’re not sure how to use this new feature, Oura has written some prompts for you to get started. It might be that you want to see a quick graph of your sleep scores over a week, or see if there are any new trends you should be aware of. The pre-written prompts make it easy to get started.

The advisor can also do things like help you create meal plan suggestions to improve your diet and meet your goals, or take steps to achieve a goal, like running a marathon, or just getting up earlier. The more you use the feature, the more personalized the recommendations will be — more on that below.

Add more information using the Memory tool

The Oura Advisor tool will store memories, remembering old conversations to make the answers more tailored to you. For example, I am currently a year postpartum, and have found my menstrual cycle has not yet fully returned and my sleep score is dramatically affected thanks to my toddler waking me multiple times each night. Oura Advisor would remember this information, and tailor future answers with this information in mind.

You can also share information like the fact you’re recovering from a surgery, or being treated for an injury, and the Advisor will take this into account when giving you advice. You can remove items from the Advisor’s Memory, or opt out of it entirely, at any time.

Like with all AI features, Oura has promised the tool will “grow with knowledge” over time. If you’re an Oura user, you can expect to see the feature appear in your app over the next couple of weeks.

More from Tom's Guide

• Oura Ring 4 review: the new gold standard for smart rings
• What is the difference between Oura Ring 3 and 4?
• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like

The Oura Ring is about to be an even more powerful wellness tracker for women’s health. Already the best smart ring you can buy today, Oura is tweaking the algorithm behind the daily Readiness Score to take into account natural biometric fluctuations that happen during a user’s menstrual cycle.

So, whether you have the latest Oura Ring 4 or an older model, here's everything you need to know about the Oura Readiness Score algorithm update and how the changes to menstrual tracking might impact you.

Oura's new daily Readiness Score

Daily readiness scores, often on a scale from one to 100, are fairly common not just in smart rings but in smartwatches too. The latest Pixel Watch, Samsung Galaxy wearables and best Garmins all offer them. However, this metric is almost always based entirely on a user’s sleep and workout habits along with vitals readings. But natural hormonal shifts resulting from one’s cycle are rarely considered.

"The menstrual cycle has a profound impact on women’s health and overall well-being, which is why we’re dedicated to ensuring our app features accurately reflect the latest scientific understanding of the physiological changes women experience," says Holly Shelton, Chief Product Officer at Oura.

With the new algorithm, Oura’s Readiness Score promises a smarter interpretation of changes in a user’s logged vitals signs. This means that those who have signed up for the device’s Cycle Insights will now be less likely to see lower-than-expected Readiness Scores because of biometric shifts resulting from their cycle.

Previously, a recorded lower-than-average heart or elevated body temperature at night might generate a warning for possible body strain, even when those fluctuations are completely normal.

For example, several days before ovulation during the follicular phase, it’s not unusual for a woman’s body temperature and/or heart rate to drop slightly. On the flip side, an elevated heart rate during the luteal phase is also normal. Now, those changes should be better anticipated and understood by Oura.

Ours says that the update should impact as many as 35% of users currently seeing lower than expected Readiness Scores and those folks should see their daily score increase by 3-4%.

Oura's mental health pregnancy study

Along with the Readiness Score update, Oura also announced a new partnership with the Scripps Research Digital Trials Center to better understand physiological changes that women may experience during pregnancy. The partnership will see Oura collect data from 10,000 users who have worn their Oura Ring through pregnancy sometime in the last three years.

‘[The study] aims to advance public understanding of pregnancy-related conditions and identify potential warning signs of complications such as postpartum depression, miscarriage risk, and pre-term labor,’ according to an Oura blog post.

Users interested in participating in the study can enroll directly through the Oura app.

More from Tom's Guide

• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• I just went hands-on with RingConn Gen 2 — a subscription-free alternative to Oura Ring promising 150-plus days of battery
• I just went hands-on with the new Circular Ring 2 — and it's the most impressive smart ring at CES 2025

The RingConn Gen 2 is one of the thinnest and lightest smart rings available today. Subscription-free and compatible with iPhone and Android smartphones, it boasts an impressive range of sleep-tracking features, including sleep apnea detection, personalized AI-backed wellness tips, up to 12 days of battery life (or 150-plus days when topped off with the included quick-charge case) and a lower starting price than the Oura Ring 4, the best smart ring we've tested.

The RingConn Gen 2 is one of the three recently launched subscription-free smart rings vying for the title of best Oura Ring alternative in 2025. The other two are the Circular Ring 2 and Luna Ring 2, both of which I checked out in person at CES 2025.

In addition, RingConn faces stiff competition from 2024's Samsung Galaxy Ring, my favorite smart ring for sleep tracking, and the Amazfit Helio Ring which at $199, is the best value smart ring you can buy today. Can the RingConn Gen 2's unique mix of features, specs and affordability help it beat out these peers? Read on.

RingConn Gen 2: Price and availability

The RingConn Gen 2 was announced in fall 2024 and recently became available on Amazon; you can also buy it directly through the RingConn site. With a starting price of $299, it's $50 cheaper than the Oura Ring 4 and Circular Ring 2, $100 cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Ring, and the same cost as the Luna Ring 2.

Available in black, gold or silver, sizes range from six through 14. To ensure you end up with the best size possible, RingConn offers a free sizing kit with dummy rings. As a reminder, smart ring sizing doesn't align perfectly with traditional ring sizing.

The Gen 2 comes with RingConn's clamshell-style quick-charging case which can reportedly recharge the ring 12-15 times before needing to seek out a wall outlet. You can also pick up an accessory desktop charging dock for $39.

RingConn Gen 2: Key specs

RingConn Gen 2: Design

RingConn says that the Gen 2 is the "thinnest and lightest" smart ring in the world. While I can't verify that fact with 100% certainty, I can tell you that it is noticeably thinner and lighter than most of the smart rings I've tested lately, including the Oura Ring 4 and Amazfit Helio Ring.

While weight varies depending on your size, the RingConn Gen 2 weighs somewhere between 2 and 3 grams with a thickness of just 2mm. The next-closest easy-wearing smart ring to it is likely the Ultrahuman Ring Air, which clocks in at between 2.4 and 3.6 grams depending on size, with a thickness of 2.4 to 2.8mm.

A full gram lighter than its predecessor and 1mm thinner, the RingConn Gen 2 is indeed comfortable to wear. While the outside is a perfect circle, the inside has a flat portion where the sensors are. This makes it surprisingly easy to keep the ring correctly oriented without looking; the sensors face the inside of your finger.

The exterior is titanium alloy with a PVD coating for scratch resistance while the inside is medical-grade epoxy. Two of the sensors along the inside protrude slightly but not uncomfortably so.

Water resistance is 100 meters and the RingConn Gen 2 is IP68-rated against dirt, dust, moisture and grime. Overall, the device feels well-constructed and built to last but more wear-testing is needed to verify my initial impression.

RingConn Gen 2: Features

The biggest feature that sets the RingConn Gen 2 apart from the other major (and minor) smart ring players is sleep apnea detection. It also monitors everything from your heart rate and respiratory rate to body temperature and blood oxygen saturation.

Sleep data is accompanied by digestible summaries with details into things like sleep cycles and stages, movement and time spent asleep, along with a daily sleep score out of 100 similar to what other wearables offer. You also get personalized, AI-powered tips to improve sleep and overall well-being.

According to RingConn, the heart rate and SpO2 sensors work with 98% accuracy. Similarly, respiratory tracking should be accurate within one breath per minute, and step-count tracking should be about 95% accurate.

The RingConn Gen 2 tracks a relatively modest number of physical activities including running, cycling and yoga. In addition to monitoring daily movement, it also keeps tabs on how long you've been sitting, offering (optional) periodic reminders to get up and move.

There are also stress tracking and management tools similar to what the competition offers along with menstrual health forecasting and nap detection.

RingConn Gen 2: Battery life

The RingConn Gen 2 is quoted as lasting between 10 and 12 days per charge, a claim I look forward to testing. By comparison, the Oura Ring 4 lasts up to eight days and the Samsung Galaxy Ring lasts for up to seven days. However, with the included charging case, RingConn says that the smart ring can stay powered on for over 150 days, suggesting that users can expect it to provide 12-15 full recharges when fully juiced up.

By the way, the quick-charging case is impressively built with an all-metal construction and a lid that snaps shut with satisfying force.

RingConn Gen 2: Outlook

The RingConn Gen 2 potentially beats our favorite smart ring, the Oura Ring 4, in three key areas. These include the device's unique sleep apnea detection feature, a noticeably lighter/thinner design and the availability of a pocket-friendly quick charging case (something the industry leader still frustratingly lacks). It's also cheaper than the latest Oura Ring both upfront and in the long run (an Oura Ring subscription is $5.99 per month or $69.99 per year).

Of course, the RingConn Gen 2 isn't the only smart ring with a nifty quick charging case. The Luna Ring 2 will also be sold alongside an optional clamshell, which promises to extend its battery life from five to six days up to 30. That's not quite 150-plus but it's still impressive.

While the RingConn Gen 2 is one of the first smart rings with sleep apnea detection, the Circular Ring 2 is among the first with on-finger ECG readings and FDA-cleared AFib detection. It also boasts a potentially revolutionary new digital sizing process that could spell the end of wasteful dummy ring sizing kits forever.

With the RingConn Gen 2 and Luna Ring 2 in hands — and a Circular Ring 2 review unit promised — I should have a better sense of how this exciting new class of smart rings compares soon. Stay tuned for more content, including full reviews, on each.

More from Tom's Guide:

• Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Oura Ring — which smart ring wins?
• Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 — all the rumors so far
• I walked 6,500 steps with Fitbit Inspire 3 vs. Samsung Galaxy Fit3 — here's the winner

In 2025, the best smart rings last for roughly a week per charge. Want more battery life than that? The new Luna Ring 2 — announced at CES 2025 and one of my 7 favorite wearables at the show — promises four times the longevity, with up to 30 days of battery life. Of course, there's a catch.

The 30-day rating includes the use of the brand's forthcoming, pocket-sized charging case to top off the ring's power supply. Still, with health features and insights seemingly on par with Oura and Samsung, along with promising smart features, like a voice-activated AI assistant, the Luna Ring 2 is worthy of your attention.

Subscription-free and shipping in March, here's everything you need to know about the Luna Ring 2, including my first hands-on impressions.

Luna Ring 2: Price and availability

The Luna Ring 2 is manufactured by Noise, one of the largest makers of smart wearables in the world. Based in India, the brand has yet to make its debut in the U.S. or U.K. but that's about to change.

The Luna Ring 2 is available for preorder now — $50 holds your preorder and gets subtracted from the total cost once the ring ships. You order through Luna directly, with availability expected in March 2025. The starting price for the Luna Ring 2 will be around $300.

No word yet on whether the accessory charging case will be available as an add-on but I'm told by representatives from Noise that it likely won't set users back more than $50 and possibly much less.

Luna Ring 2: design

Like many of the top smart rings available, including the Oura Ring 4 and Samsung Galaxy Ring, the exterior of the new Luna Ring 2 is made from high-grade titanium — excuse me, "fighter jet-grade" titanium, as noted by Noise. I'm also told it should be a bit lighter than the current Oura Ring.

I tested the brand's sizing kit at the Noise booth at CES and within moments settled on a size 11 ring. Noise recommends that users wear the ring on their index finger, by the way.

The sizing kit is similar to what you get with Oura and Samsung but I've been assured that Noise has no intention to nickel-and-dime customers with an extra $10 fee for said kit. Once you make your purchase, the kit is mailed to you to try before confirming your final size choice. Then, your Luna Ring 2 is sent.

Of course, I prefer the digital sizing feature launching with the new Circular Ring 2, which I also demoed at CES.

At launch, The Luna Ring 2 will come in sizes six through 12. By comparison, Samsung, which just upped its Galaxy Ring size selection, has sizes five through 15 now available. Oura, meanwhile, offers the latest Oura Ring 4 in sizes four through 14.

Sensors cover half of the Luna Ring's interior, protruding out only slightly but not enough to cause any discomfort. The inside material appears to be some sort of high-grade plastic. A slight wave marking on the outside of the ring is the device's only real unique design element. It's presumably meant to face outward toward the world.

Speaking of aesthetics, the midnight black option has a mirrored metallic finish that appears to shift shades depending on the light, something I quite like. Other finishes include gold, rose gold, stainless steel and silver.

The ring feels well-made and quite comfortable on my finger. It also doesn't seem like it will scratch easily, though time will be the ultimate judge. Water resistance is 50 meters and a one-year hardware warranty is included with the purchase.

Luna Ring 2: features and battery life

On its own, the Luna Ring 2 is expected to get between five and six days per charge, a little less than Oura and Samsung. However, with the accessory case, Noise is claiming up to 30 days of usage or between five and six full recharges.

Samsung sells a similar case with the Galaxy Ring, but from our battery testing, it's good for only about two full recharges. Still, that extends the device's battery life to a maximum of 21 days per charge.

Wellness features are plentiful on the new smart ring with sleep, stress and women's health tracking, heart health monitoring, nutrition and exercise coaching, daily fitness and recovery insights and more. Noise notes that the device uses sensors made by Philips that promise 98.2% accuracy.

Another cool feature is the voice-activated AI assistant. I haven't tried it out yet, but some examples of questions it should be able to answer include "What should be average heart rate be during sleep?" and "Should I eat fruit for breakfast?"

Luna Ring 2: outlook

With no subscription cost and an app that works with both Apple and Android devices, the forthcoming Luna Ring 2 has an immediate advantage over each of its biggest competitors.

The level of holistic insights and AI-backed tools seem impressive and I'm looking forward to testing them out ASAP. Likewise, the voice-activated AI assistant dedicated to wellness info seems like a great feature, assuming that it truly provides valuable (and accurate) insights.

We're barely into 2025 and the best Oura Ring alternative competition is already heating up. Beyond Samsung, Noise will need to take on the new Circular Ring 2 and the recently launched RingConn Gen 2. Both of these devices cost about the same, play nicely across smartphone platforms and come without subscriptions.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tracked my day at CES with the new Garmin Instinct 3 — and walked over 17,000 steps
• Plugable's 10-port smart USB-C charging hub is the peripheral hero we deserve
• I just went hands-on with the Amazfit Active 2 — and it could be the new budget smartwatch to beat

Oura may be the smart ring brand to beat in 2025, but there's no shortage of new products on the horizon that could very well give the Oura Ring 4 a serious run for the money. One of those is the Luna Ring 2 from Noise, which I just checked out at CES 2025.

A short hands-on demo with the second-generation smart ring has me seriously intrigued with its billing. With promising wellness tech and insights on par with the best smart rings out there, including the latest Oura Ring 4 as well as the Samsung Galaxy Ring, here are three reasons why the new Luna Ring 2 could spell trouble for the competition.

1. The Luna Ring 2 is cheaper than Oura Ring 4

With an estimated starting price of $300, $50 less than the latest Oura Ring, and zero subscription costs (the Oura app is $5.99 a month), the Luna Ring 2 is easier on the wallet both right out of the gate and in the long run compared to its main competitor.

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is also subscription-free but starts a full $100 more than the Luna Ring 2.

2. 30 days of battery with optional charging case

On its own, Noise, the brand behind the Luna Ring, estimates it should last between five and six days on a single charge with normal use. That’s a little less than the Oura Ring 4 and Samsung Galaxy Ring. However, with the optional clamshell-style charging case fully juiced up, users can get closer to 30 days of longevity if they occasionally pop it inside of said charger.

Samsung offers something similar for the Galaxy Ring but there’s no such charging case for the Oura Ring.

3. A free sizing kit and app for Android an iOS

Finally, both Oura and Samsung highly recommend that users shell out $10 for their respective sizing kits. Noise isn’t following suit. While the brand still suggests a set of plastic dummy rings be sent before purchase for optimal sizing, Luna Ring reps assure me that it won’t cost you a dime.

Personally, I prefer the new Circular Ring 2 digital sizing tool, but if a brand is going to recommend that you pick up a physical kit, I’m glad in this case it’s at least free.

The Noise Luna Ring 2 plays nicely with Android and Apple devices, like Oura but unlike Samsung. Constructed of jet-grade titanium, it's expected to be available in sizes six through thirteen with lots of sleep and energy insights, stress and meal tracking tools, and AI-backed workout coaching features on offer. (Stay tuned for a full review.)

Preorders for the Luna Ring 2 are expected to open later this month with units shipping in March.

More from Tom's Guide:

• My 7 favorite wearables of CES 2025 — from a smarter smart ring to electric-powered pants
• I just went hands-on with the Amazfit Active 2 — and it could be the new budget smartwatch to beat
• I tracked my day at CES with the new Garmin Instinct 3 — and walked over 17,000 steps

Just in time for CES 2025, Circular has lifted the curtain to reveal the new Circular Ring 2, a completely redesigned smart ring that offers two key features that no other smart ring, including the Oura Ring, can match. These include on-finger ECG readings with FDA-cleared atrial fibrillation (AFib) detection and a potentially revolutionary new digital sizing process.

The Circular Ring 2 is set to arrive in four finishes this spring boasting specs and a starting price comparable to the best smart rings available in 2025. Here's everything you need to know about the new Circular Ring 2.

Circular Ring 2: price and availability

Announced on January 5th, 2025, the Circular Ring 2 is expected to launch via a crowd-funding campaign in mid-to-late January before shipping in March with a starting price of $349, the same as the Oura Ring 4; but unlike Oura, the Circular Ring is subscription-free.

Perhaps a more direct competitor, price-wise, is the Samsung Galaxy Ring, which is also subscription-free, and costs $399.

No word yet on sizes but 2023's Circular Ring Slim is available in sizes six through 13 — and your choice of a black or silver finish — and it's safe to assume that the Circular Ring 2 will be available in a similar range of dimensions.

The Circular Ring 2 will also ship in two new finishes, gold and rose gold, as well as silver and black.

Circular Ring 2: design and key features

The Circular Ring 2 has been completely redesigned. While the Circular Ring Slim is made from a mix of materials, including aluminum, titanium and unspecified non-metal material on the inside, the new Circular Ring 2 has an all-titanium exterior.

The Slim is notoriously easy to scratch — just ask our colleagues at Tech Radar — so, I'm hopeful this shift in materials will lead to a more durable outer surface on the Circular Ring 2.

The Circular Ring 2's environmental sealing rating has been slightly increased over the Ring Slim, from IPX8 to IP68. This still isn't quite enough water resistance for swimming but it should be enough for hand washing and showering.

In addition to the exterior redesign, the Circular Ring 2 boasts new sensors for better holistic tracking accuracy. More importantly, the Ring 2 is officially one of the first smart rings on the market promising on-finger ECG readings to monitor heart health, along with FDA-approved AFib detection.

Neither the Oura Ring 4 nor the Samsung Galaxy Ring support ECG readings or AFib detection via the finger, but plenty of Samsung smartwatches, including the latest Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra, do.

Circular Ring 2: battery life and charging case

One of our most notable complaints about the Circular Ring Slim is its unimpressive battery life, averaging just two days of use per charge. However, the new Circular Ring 2 touts a whopping eight days of life per charge. And that's with 24/7 health and sleep monitoring.

This level of longevity puts the Ring 2 in the same camp as the Oura Ring 4 and Samsung Galaxy Ring. The Circular Ring 2 also ships with a new wireless charging dock, which sounds similar in concept to what you get with the Galaxy Ring (a dock we like very much).

Circular Ring 2: updated sizing process and app

One of my greatest frustrations about smart rings in 2025 is how tedious the sizing process tends to be. Even if you know your ring size, smart ring sizing marches to the beat of its own drum and varies from brand to brand.

While the big players, including Samsung and Oura, still recommend customers buy a $10 sizing kit before purchasing their smart ring, Circular is taking a more earth-friendly approach to smart ring sizing.

Digital Ring Sizing is a new feature coming to Circular's companion app that presumably uses your camera to get an exact ring size measurement, saving you the hassle of ordering, waiting for, using, and tossing out a superfluous kit before committing to a ring.

The companion app has also been redesigned to make navigation easier.

Circular Ring 2: outlook

I haven't had a chance to try the Circular Ring Slim but its quirks are fairly well documented, particularly by my colleague, Sam Hopes, who initially loved the device, but ultimately ditched it in favor of her Oura Ring 3. Her biggest qualms: a less-than-comfy design that scratches too easily, a confusing app with spotty data transfer reliability and unimpressive battery life.

The Circular Ring 2 seemingly addresses each of these pain points, and then some. And if it fully delivers in the battery life, durability, usability and reliability departments then it could very well be the subscription-free, smartphone OS-agnostic alternative to the Oura Ring 4 and Samsung Galaxy Ring that the people deserve.

In fact, if the Circular Ring 2 lives up to its billing and the ECG and AFib detection features work reliably, Circular could very well steal Oura's crown as the smart ring manufacturer to beat in 2025.

I'll be checking out the new Circular Ring 2 in person at CES 2025 this week and look forward to sharing my hands-on experience and initial impressions in the coming days.

More from Tom's Guide:

• Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 — everything we know so far
• 5 smartwatch and smart ring predictions for 2025 — Apple Watch Ultra 3, Samsung AR glasses and more
• The Amazfit Helio is my favorite smart ring — here’s why its sudden price drop is a problem

The next-generation Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 — which could be revealed as soon as January — is tipped to be more inclusive than the current version thanks to additional size offerings. This move would make the device’s range of sizes a near match with industry leader Oura, maker of the best smart ring available.

Presently, the Samsung Galaxy Ring is available in sizes five through 13. By comparison, the Oura Ring 4 ships in sizes four through 15. However, according to known leaker Max Jambor — and initially reported on by 91mobiles — the Galaxy Ring 2 may arrive in two additional sizes: 14 and 15.

This information is supported by a leaked Samsung user manual and a recent certification document from the electronics approval agency, Nemko (national approval of electrical equipment in Norway) both of which mention the new sizes.

So, why are these new sizes such a big deal for Samsung? With Oura dominating the smart ring market, Samsung must meet or surpass anything the OG finger wearable brand does in order to lure as many customers away as possible. And (nearly) matching Oura’s size offerings is a good start.

According to Jambor, the size 14 Galaxy Ring 2 will boast a 23mm interior diameter, and the size 15 ring will have a 23.8mm interior diameter.

Unlike smartwatches, correct sizing for smart rings can make or break the reliability of the device’s measurements. This is why most smart ring brands recommend users first size themselves with a proprietary sizing kit before making a purchase.

Frustratingly, smart ring sizing doesn’t align perfectly with standard ring sizing, so, even if you know your index finger is normally a size 10, it may be an 11 or a 9 in the Galaxy Ring/Oura Ring.

That said, according to Korean leaker Lanzuk, the next-generation Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 may feature an improved sizing experience, too. Here’s hoping!

More from Tom's Guide:

• The Amazfit Helio is my favorite smart ring — here’s why its sudden price drop is a problem
• I test smartwatches for a living — my favorite wearable of 2024 is a battery-life champ
• 5 smartwatch and smart ring predictions for 2025 — Apple Watch Ultra 3, Samsung AR glasses and more

I rated the Oura Ring my favorite smart gadget of 2023, and the smart ring tops the charts again for me as 2024 draws to a close.

While key competitors like Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Ring, the Ultrahuman Ring Air also became a big hitter and the competition for the best smart ring continues to heat up. However, Oura’s hardly been a sitting duck this year. In fact, the brand has been pretty busy.

Oura launched the highly anticipated Oura Ring 4 this October; the app got a major upgrade; and a brand new Oura app feature has been spun out right in time for the holiday season.

Oura’s unique perspective on health, sleep and holistic well-being (not just becoming another fitness tracker) has catapulted the brand ahead of the competition to date. And the holidays are the perfect time to discover Oura’s wealth of features, old and new. Here are three ways I’m using my Oura Ring 3 during the holidays this year to hit rest and reset on physical and mental health.

1. Symptom Radar

The holidays can be busy and stressful, so although prioritizing your physical and mental health is paramount, it often becomes a last priority.

As of December 5, 2024, members get access to a game-changing health feature called Symptom Radar — the first beta-tested feature to make it from Oura Labs to the app. If you’re unfamiliar, Labs allows members to test features and provide feedback; successful features are re-modeled and released as permanent additions to ring 3 and 4 wearers.

Symptom Radar assesses your biometric data (in-app) every morning for early signs of strain, including common cold or flu symptoms. Armed with these telltale markers ahead of time, Oura aims to help you proactively take action for your health.

The feature also helps you monitor which biomarkers have changed and what it means, and Oura will ping you with “severity levels”: no signs, minor signs and major signs. You can track data and potential trends as the days unfold using your history graph, plus Oura provides the biometrics that contributed to your score.

If you’re getting that subtle scratchy feeling in the back of your throat, it could be time to check out Symptom Radar. The feature sits in the Today tab of your app for your latest feedback.

2. Rest Mode

The Tom’s Guide fitness team believes building mental strength is just as important as building physical strength. As we draw closer to the holidays, taking your foot off the gas isn’t always easy, especially with wearables pinging out reminders to close fitness rings or hit step counts.

Oura’s got a neat solution to that. Toggling to Rest Mode signals Oura that you want to focus on recovery during stressful times like jetlag, sickness or poor sleep. Or maybe you just need a break.

Oura can let you know when your body is in a stress state (more on that later), which can help you decide whether or not to toggle on Rest Mode in the Oura app. To do so, simply tap the three bars in the top left of your app and select Rest Mode from the menu.

Once active, activity goals, scores and “related contributors” are paused. Instead, your Readiness Score will highlight recovery-based metrics. You can switch back at any time, and scores will gradually return to normal. Don't worry, you won't be smacked in the face with data straight away.

3. Explore: Breathwork and meditation

Forget YouTube, if you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, the Explore tab is the place to be. This feature still exists, but the app upgrade moved it to the drop-down menu on the left — where Rest Mode also lives.

You can choose to meditate, breathe, or listen to stories, and exercises range from just a few minutes to 30. There are also categories such as Awaken, Reset, Unwind, Focus, or Relax. But don’t worry, breathing exercises don’t need to be extensive or performed in a dark room with your eyes closed and incense sticks burning.

You could just plug in a pair of the best headphones and prioritize two minutes during your morning commute or between meetings; we’ve put together some additional breathing exercises for beginners if you’d like to incorporate those, too.

My favorite Oura breathing exercises are the body scans, which help me step back into my body when I’m feeling super stressed out. And when I toggle on Rest Mode, Oura even recommends meditations for me.

Ironically, there’s a lot of noise surrounding the benefits of meditation and breathwork for your health. But, discerning between fact and fiction, ever-growing bodies of research do tell us that even a few minutes can reduce anxiety, boost mood and mental clarity and improve sleep quality.

Although the effects can be instantaneous for many (these techniques take the nervous system from the sympathetic fight-or-flight mode to the calm, rest and repair of the parasympathetic nervous system) long-term practice yields the best results for most.

It turns out that you can’t physically hide from the impacts of stress, either. Oura’s Daytime Stress feature launched in October 2023 and gives members insights into their stress levels throughout the day, refreshing in-app every 15 minutes two hours after waking.

The remarkable feature uses biometrics like night-time heart rate variability (HRV) and body temperature to detect stress in the body, providing feedback in categories: restored, relaxed, engaged and stressed.

It’s worth noting that “healthy” stressors like high-intensity exercise can also soar you into stressed mode due to spikes in cortisol, so remember to always contextualize this feedback around your unique lifestyle.

That said, I’ve used my Oura Ring to manage stress over time and found it extremely helpful. Plus, the Oura Reflections tool (a personal journal) and Stress Resilience tool (for mapping and improving stress) can help you delve into trends, causes and solutions. Here’s everything you need to know about these Oura Ring features.

Bottom line

A “Stress in America” report published by the American Psychological Association found adults aged 35 to 44 experienced “the highest increase in mental health diagnoses” from 31% in 2019 to 45% in 2023. Adults aged between 18-34 show the “highest rate of mental illnesses” at a whopping 50% in 2023. And those are just some of the alarming stats the report found.

If you needed a sign — this is yours. So take a hot minute to check-in. Although Oura doesn’t claim to prescribe, diagnose or cure, these features could help you contextualize whatever your body is throwing up physically or mentally and find potential ways to manage it or escalate findings to a qualified healthcare provider.

I’ve been using my Oura Ring 3 for three years, and these features are becoming the most useful tools I own for managing my health. If you’re totally new to the Oura Ring or you’ve just invested in one, here’s what happened when we wore an Oura Ring for an entire year, including likes and dislikes and what to watch out for.

More from Tom's Guide

• Oura Ring 3 vs Oura Ring 4
• Oura Ring 3 vs Whoop 4.0: Which is the best fitness tracker?
• Oura Ring vs Ultrahuman Ring Air.

Oura’s full speed ahead right now. Not only did one of the best smart ring brands on the market just release the Oura Ring 4 and upgrade the Oura app for all members this October, but they also just unveiled a brand new feature — and it could be a game changer for your health this winter.

As of December 5, 2024, Oura rolls out Symptom Radar — the first beta-tested feature getting a coveted permanent spot in the Oura app, fresh from Oura Labs. We were introduced to Oura Labs in the latest major Oura app upgrade, which allows members to test “experimental” features and provide feedback, with these features potentially being adapted and rolled out to the app over time.

And it looks like one feature made it. Want to know more? Here’s what you can expect from Symptom Radar, and what it means for Oura Ring 3 and 4 members.

What is Oura’s Symptom Radar feature?

Symptom Radar looks at your biometric data every morning and assesses it for early signs of respiratory strain. Having already leveled up the user experience to be more accurate and detailed, the feature should be able to detect early signs of strain, including the common cold and flu-like symptoms.

The best bit? Oura Labs uses member feedback to inform new features, so the user experience is forefront. Each morning data syncs in the Oura app, and then Symptom Radar analyzes it in three ways referred to as “severity levels”: no signs, minor signs and major signs.

Based on feedback, the feature now offers a history graph so you can track data and potential trends as the days unfold. Oura also provides the biometrics that contributed to a Symptom Radar result so members can track which markers have changed, why and how these markers deviate from their baseline.

How does Symptom Radar work?

Oura looks at key metrics already captured by the Oura Ring 3 and Oura Ring 4, including HRV, temperature, breathing rate, and heart rate and compares them to your baseline for any potential deviations. If one or more deviations are detected, members are alerted using one of the three severity levels; you’ll also be notified if no signs are detected.

If the Oura Ring detects something, the app will encourage you to switch on Rest Mode and prioritize recovery. Rest Mode can be toggled on from the top left menu and pauses activity goals, scores and contributors to help you focus on rest instead. In Rest Mode, your Readiness Score will highlight recovery-based metrics.

According to Oura, fever and respiratory illness monitoring began in 2020 with the TemPredict initiative, determining Oura could “spot pre-symptomatic signs of a fever in 76% of people by flagging when an individual is deviating from their normal temperature patterns.”

Next, an algorithm was developed to alert Oura Ring wearers when these symptoms showed up, which became the foundation of the health risk management (HRM) platform and the basis for Symptom Radar. Over time, the feature has drawn off increased data and tagging to increase accuracy through development before eventually rolling out the Symptom Radar feature.

Oura remains one of the most accurate smart ring brands you can invest in, with an impressive 99% temperature accuracy compared with lab standards. In fact, Oura says Symptom Radar can detect if your skin temperature varies by just +0.5 degrees Celsius (+1 degrees Fahrenheit).

Don’t worry, you don’t need to upgrade to the Oura Ring 4 to access the latest feature. It will roll out to all members with the Gen 3 Ring and the Oura Ring 4 by December 11, 2024.

More from Tom's Guide

• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• Oura Ring 3 vs Whoop 4.0: Which is the best fitness tracker?
• Oura Ring vs Ultrahuman Ring Air.

The CEO of Oura has suggested Apple won't make a smart ring to compete with the best smart rings in case it undercuts sales of the Apple Watch. Furthermore, he suggested that it's "hard to do this product category right."

Speaking in an interview with CNBC, Tom Hale explained that he believes Apple's top brass will be "unconvinced about the value of having a ring and watch together," and "they’re probably keeping a close eye on Samsung and a close eye on us."

Oura has been developing smart rings since 2013 and recently unveiled it's latest wearable, the Oura Ring 4. The company has been somewhat uncontested in the smart ring space by the big tech brands until Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Ring earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Apple has made constant strides to improve the fitness and sleep credentials of the Apple Watch. Within watchOS 11, Apple launched Vitals — basically the iOS Health app but on your wrist. As you continue to wear your Apple Watch on a daily basis, You’ll be able to see how different markers (ie. activity, sleep, heart rate) are impacting your health. Which is a lot like what Oura offers with its Readiness score.

It's understandable that Apple wouldn't want to compromise this; so Hale's argument does have some merit. Furthermore, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg,landed on the exact same argument in his Power On newsletter last month.

"Apple isn't actively developing a ring and has no plans to launch one," he wrote. "[because it] would detract from the Apple Watch."

However, rumors persist that Apple is investigating the possibility of launching a smart ring. Allegedly, Apple even sent out surveys to employees in September that teased the smart ring's existence.

So, will we see an Apple Ring in the near future or not? It's possible only Tim Cook knows the answer to that — but we'll keep monitoring the rumor mill for any new Apple Ring leaks, just in case.

More from Tom's Guide

• MacBook Pro M4 review: A revelation
• Apple iMac M4 review: The best all-in-one just got better
• I tried the new Mac mini M4 and this tiny mini PC is an absolute powerhouse — even if you go with the base model

Smart rings are a fast-growing faction of the fitness tracker industry, and one company can be largely credited with putting these discreet wearables on the map: Oura. So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the brand's Oura Ring 4 is the best smart ring you can buy.

Starting at $349 and available in six different jewelry-like finishes, the Oura Ring 4 is the first hardware refresh since the Oura Ring product line gained sizable popularity. These days, it seems I can't scroll on TikTok or Instagram for any extended period of time without seeing someone rave about their smart ring.

As for me, having worn the previous-generation Oura Ring 3 for over a year (closer to two, in fact), I suspected the changes between the Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3 could only make smart rings more attractive.

With an all-titanium design, recessed sensors, and a greater selection of size options, the Oura Ring 4 prioritizes comfort. But not for the sake of accuracy — "smart sensing" in the ring determines which of the 18 total data collection paths through your finger is the most reliable in real-time, resulting in greater accuracy with fewer gaps.

Data collected by the Oura Ring then informs a refreshed Oura app experience, complete with micro and macro wellness trends that might tell you things about your overall health you never suspected. That's certainly been the case for me, at least.

That said, is the Oura Ring 4 the best fitness tracker for you? And is it worth upgrading from the Oura Ring Gen 3? Read my full Oura Ring 4 review below to find out.

Oura Ring 4 review: cheat sheet

• What is the Oura Ring 4? The Oura Ring 4 is a smart ring packed with small health-tracking sensors and an accelerometer. It can count steps, read your heart rate, track your sleep, predict your cycle, gauge your stress, and offer actionable insights based on your body's readiness and resilience.
• When is the Oura Ring 4 release date? The Oura Ring 4 is available as of October 15, 2024.
• Who is the Oura Ring 4 for? The Oura Ring 4 is for people who want to be better informed about their health and wellness, but don't necessarily want to wear a traditional smartwatch or activity band. It's screen-free and discreet.
• What is the difference between Oura Ring 3 and 4? The Oura Ring 4 is different than the Oura Ring 3 because it has an all-titanium design, recessed sensors, more size options, and an extra full day of battery life. The Oura Ring 4 is up to 120% more accurate in certain respects than the Oura Ring 3 as well.
• How much does the Oura Ring 4 cost? The Oura Ring 4 starts at $349 / £349, but can cost as much as $499 / £499 depending on the material.
• Is there a subscription fee for the Oura app? Yes, the Oura membership costs $5.99 / £5.99 per month or $72 / £72 per year.

Oura Ring 4 specs

Oura Ring 4 review: design

The Oura Ring 4 design migrated to an all-titanium frame that’s almost completely leveled on the inside thanks to new recessed health-tracking sensors. If you look at the Oura Ring 4 next to the Oura Ring 3, you can clearly see (and feel) the difference a lack of bumps on the inside now makes.

The titanium material is also meant to make the Oura Ring 4 more accurate than before, ditching the epoxy layer that may have caused a bit of diffraction for the infrared and other sensor lights that read your finger.

Oura has introduced what it calls "smart sensing," where there are 18 sensing paths (up from just 8 before) that intersect across your finger. In real-time, the ring determines which path is the most accurate or most unimpeded and then uses that measurement to inform data.

Since using the Oura Ring 4, I also noticed fewer gaps in my sleep and stress data that were previously caused by the Oura Ring 3 twisting too far off from the ring's proper orientation. But most importantly, for me, I've found the new design makes the Oura Ring 4 more comfortable to wear 24/7.

That includes sleep, as well as gym workouts, errands, and other activities that require active us of my hands. I even forget I have it on sometimes. It doesn't hurt that the Rose Gold finish of my ring looks great and matches well with my mixed-metal jewelry collection, either.

More people can wear an Oura Ring going forward than before, too. Although you'll still need to request a sizing kit to determine your proper fit, the size range is 4 through 15, up from 6 through 13 previously.

The Samsung Galaxy Ring had an edge in this respect with one extra size than the Oura Ring Gen 3, but that only lasted a few months now the Oura Ring 4 comes in a broader collection of sizes.

While I'm referencing Oura Ring alternatives, I’ve also seen an uptick in people online talking about the Ultrahuman Ring lately since it doesn't have a subscription fee. I haven’t personally tried it, but I know that it only comes in sizes 6 through 12, which seems a bit limiting.

Oura Ring 4 review: Oura app

The actual Oura Ring is only half of the Oura experience. The companion app, which underwent it's biggest refresh in years as of October 2024, is your dashboard for all the information your ring and behaviors can imply about your health. It costs $5.99 / £5.99 per month or $72 / £72 per year, which is important to know up front.

The experience revolves around three new tabs: Today, Vitals, and My Health. Today is effectively the home page, with changing information based on what might be relevant to the user at a given point in the day.

My favorite part are shortcut tiles up top for viewing metrics, which are followed by a list of spotlight cards that rotate throughout the times of day. I also really like the timeline that lets you see all the factors that may impact your health, with the option to add tags for workout types, recreational activities, nutrition, illness, and more.

Vitals is a more stable page with expanding and collapsing cards covering all your daily metrics, such as your sleep score, daily readiness score, activity progress, menstrual cycle status, and the new daytime stress chart.

This chart lets users see the fluctuation of their stress levels during the day. I was surprised to see my chart tell me that I’ve been really stressed lately — I didn’t think I'm a stressed person, but I'm going to work on prioritizing relaxation.

Otherwise, Oura Ring is always adding new features, including 24 in just the last year such as the Oura Advisor (part of the beta Oura Labs testing available to all users) that uses AI to contextualize your Oura data. When the Oura Advisor was first announced, it seemed to rival the Samsung AI features in the Galaxy Ring, namely Wellness Tips. Similarly, Oura Advisor makes suggestions on how to take action relative to your health trends.

Another recent upgrade announced alongside Oura Ring 4 is better automatic activity detection with heart-rate tracking and information on heart rate zones. I will say the step counts are still not as reliable compared to many of the best smartwatches like the Apple Watch Series 10 (my numbers were up to 1,000 steps off depending on the day), but the ring sufficiently picks up on movement types and credits your calorie progress for the day accordingly. Of course, if you're feeling under the weather or simply need a break, the option to enable a 'Rest Day' to pause your activity goals is always available.

Finally, My Health is a zoomed out picture of your overall wellness, spanning longer-term insights like stress resilience, heart health, sleep chronotype, cardiovascular age, and more. This section is also where you can view your monthly and yearly reports, if you’re curious to see how your health is changing over time. At the end of the year, you can look forward to Oura's graphic-driven annual report that takes inspiration from Spotify Wrapped.

Oura Ring 4 review: battery life

According to Oura, the Our Ring 4 should be able to last for up to 8 days — I'll tell you, that has not been my experience. But my experience has been better than it was on Oura Ring 3. On a full charge, I went six days before needing to charge it before bed, to ensure that it wouldn’t die overnight. I was making less than 5 days on my Oura Ring 3 that's supposedly able to last up to 7 days, for comparison.

From what I've experienced, the batteries in these rings do seem to deteriorate over time, so I’ll be paying close attention. But for now, I’m very content to not have to worry about charging the Oura Ring 4 for several days at a time. It's a very different experience than using an Apple Watch or Samsung watch.

An additional, albeit minor, improvement is that the Oura Ring 4's charging base is square and silver. In case you didn't know, the Oura Ring 3 base is black and circular and I would lose it constantly in the bottom of my bags whenever I traveled. I kind of wish Oura copied Samsung with a portable charging case, tough.

Oura ring 4 review: sleep

Capturing everything from the time it takes you to fall asleep to time spent in each essential sleep stage, time in bed vs total time asleep, restfulness, oxygen saturation, heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV), it’s safe to say the Oura Ring 4 is setting the standard for at home sleep tracking.

This might sound like a lot of information to be delivered every morning in the Oura app (it is), but as the best sleep tracker we've tested this year, Oura presents it in a digestible, user-friendly format, giving you a nightly sleep score and daily a readiness score.

If you want to get really nerdy about your sleep, there’s also color-coded graphs showing how long you spend in each sleep cycle and line graphs visualizing your overnight breathing habits.

Thanks to its Smart Sensor algorithm upgrade, the Oura Ring 4 boasts more in-depth sleep tracking than its predecessor, the Oura Ring 3. Now with up to 18 signal pathways (vs up to 8), the ring adapts to your finger to provide smarter and more accurate data. It performed almost perfectly when I compared its metrics to my own sleep diary during the two week testing period.

As well as tracking your sleep, the Oura Ring 4 also provides prompts on how to get more of it. The Oura app holds a library of 26 sleep-inducing audio tracks and a chatbot (Oura Advisor) that analyzes your data to provide relevant and personalized advice on how you can optimize your sleep, resilience and recovery.

Should you upgrade from Oura Ring 3?

What if you’re one of the 2.5 million people who already have an Oura Ring? Does it make sense for you to upgrade to the newer Oura Ring 4?

For starters, everything in the updated Oura app I described above is also available to you. You don’t need to purchase an Oura Ring 4 in order to take advantage of all the features I outlined, including additional features that may be coming in the future.

Truthfully, I don’t see much reason to upgrade unless you’ve had your Oura Ring 3 for several years already or you’re really enthusiastic about smart rings and want the latest technological offerings.

The major difference is that the Oura Ring now only comes in a circular design. So if you have the flat topped Horizon Ring 3 and would prefer a circular ring, the Ring 4 could be an option. That and the newly-recessed sensors, which could make it fit more comfortably on your finger.

Should you buy the Oura Ring 4?

The Oura Ring 4 is everything a smart ring should be: stylish, comfortable, accommodating, long-lasting, and capable of telling me things about my health that I didn’t even consider. If you ask me, it's the new blueprint for smart rings, and my list of additional 'wants' or things Oura could've done differently is very minor.

Everything Samsung, Ultrahuman or other emerging smart ring makers have released recently has been to catch up to where Oura Ring got to a few years ago. The Oura Ring 4 ups the ante once more.

I think we can all agree that the only thing Oura has to be worried about is the long-rumored Apple Ring, which I suspect would be another catch-up product in it’s first iteration. So Oura's chokehold on the smart ring market probably isn't changing anytime soon.

FAQs

When it comes to comparing the best fitness trackers, sleep-tracking is a core pillar to consider. But when testing different sleep-tracking devices like the Oura Ring, Fitbits, and even the Apple Watch, it can be difficult to tell from anecdotes alone which wearable provides the most accurate data overnight.

For anyone craving more rigorous sleep tracking comparisons, there's now scientific evidence that one of these devices is more accurate that the others.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital took the Oura Ring Gen 3, Apple Watch Series 8 and Fitbit Sense 2 to the lab as part of a sleep-tracking study against the polysomnography (a.k.a. the "gold standard" of sleep assessment.) The researchers concluded that the Oura Ring Gen 3 performs the best with up to 10% greater accuracy, especially when it comes to differentiating sleep stages.

According to the study, the Oura Ring offered the highest sensitivity for detecting deep sleep at 79.5% compared to the polysomnography control. The Fitbit Sense 2 detected 61.7% while the Apple Watch Series 8 detected just 50.5%.

Oura Ring also "did not significantly underestimate or overestimate any of the four sleep stages," while the Apple Watch overestimated both light sleep and deep sleep by an average of 45 and 43 minutes, respectively. (This shouldn't seem entirely surprising considering sleep stage information only joined the Apple Watch's sleep tracking feature set last year.)

While these findings are certainly interesting, there's a pretty significant catch: the study didn't compare each company's most current devices. The Oura Ring Gen 3 is being replaced by the Oura Ring 4, while the Apple Watch Series 10 came out in September.

You can still buy the Fitbit Sense 2 new, but the two-year-old watch is confirmed to be the company's last. Fitbit.com is officially shut down and Google is pushing customers to buy the Pixel Watch 3 instead.

That's to say, take the study results with a grain of salt. Still, the evidence definitely suggests Oura has a leg up when it comes to the sophistication of it's sleep-tracking data, and I even have a colleague whose Oura Ring helped her find out she has sleep apnea. Peer-reviewed studies often take time to conduct and publish, but with the pace of advancement in the health-tracking tech market, I'd be curious to the see the results with updated devices.

Take the Oura Ring, for example. Although this study puts what we consider the best smart ring in a positive light, accuracy is supposed to a big change between the Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3. Oura claims the newer ring is up to 120% more accurate in terms of SpO2 readings, which are central to sleep tracking analysis.

So, if you do happen to be in the market for a new sleep-tracking device, the Oura Ring 4 seems like a smart choice — especially when you factor in things like battery life and comfort.

More from Tom's Guide

• Oura Ring 4 revealed with all-titanium design
• Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Oura Ring
• My Oura Ring knew I was pregnant before I did

The Oura Ring Gen 3 has officially been replaced by the Oura Ring 4. So, whether you stumble upon an Oura Ring Gen 3 as stores clear stock, or want to know if you should upgrade to the Oura Ring 4, you've come to the right place.

I used the Oura Ring 3 for many years since it was released back in 2021. But the newer Oura Ring 4, featuring an all-titanium redesign and longer battery life, is here as of October 15 starting at $349. Going forward, those interested in buying one of the best smart rings from Oura will shop the Oura Ring 4 — although, the Oura Ring 3 will stick around for a bit while inventory lasts.

That said, there are some upgrades worth noting when it comes to the Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3. The biggest changes materialize with the actual ring design and sensor accuracy. But when it comes to the companion Oura app and types of fitness tracker metrics the smart rings supply, the two have more in common than you might expect.

Below you'll find everything you need to know about the Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3.

Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: specs compared

Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: Price and availability

The Oura Ring 4 replaced the Oura Ring 3 as of October 3, 2024, with customers no longer able to purchase an Oura Ring 3 directly from Oura.com; however, October 15 was the official Oura Ring 4 release date.

But, the Ring 3 will still work with the updated Oura app, and retailers can sell through their existing stock. As it's now discontinued, some stores are offering money off the older ring, like the $100 discount we saw during Amazon's October Prime Day.

As for pricing, the Oura Ring 4 starts at $349, which is $50 more than the Oura Ring 3's starting price for the original Heritage style that had a ridged exterior; however, the fully round Oura Ring Gen 3 Horizon style started at $349.

Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: design

The Oura Ring 4 might look just like the Oura Ring 3 at a glance, but take a closer look inside, and you'll see there's been some pretty significant changes made to the newer version's design.

Where the Oura Ring Gen 3 had three protruding ridges inside that housed the fitness-tracking sensors, the Oura Ring 4's sensors are almost entirely recessed. There are now two ever-so-slightly raised bumps — I think most people won't even notice them.

The Oura Ring 4 is also now made entirely of titanium, whereas the Oura Ring 3 had a titanium exterior and epoxy layer on the interior. This makes the ring marginally more lightweight, but apparently helps in terms of accuracy, too.

Another significant change to design is the Oura Ring 4 comes in sizes 4 through 15, providing 4 more size options than Oura Ring 3. While you'll still need to confirm your best fit with a sizing kit, the added sizes now give the Oura Ring an edge over the Samsung Galaxy Ring in this regard. Samsung's smart ring comes in sizes 5 through 13.

Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: fitness tracking features

The Oura Ring 4 introduces a new system called "Smart Sensing" in which the ring's sensors are capable of creating up to 18 sensing paths to read through your finger (up from 8 on Oura Ring 3) and determining which paths are most reliable at any given time. This means that the Oura Ring 4 should be able to collect data more accurately while limiting the frequency of data gaps.

Although the Oura Ring 4 could be up to 120% more accurate than the Oura Ring 3 in certain regards, the actual features and data points are all the same. In fact, thanks to an Oura app overhaul that started to roll out on October 3, 2024, Gen 3 and Ring 4 users alike can benefit from Oura's large bounty of health metrics and integrations.

This includes but is not limited to: sleep tracking, activity tracking with automatic workout detection, heart rate readings, readiness scores, stress ratings, menstrual cycle predictions, resilience estimates, and long-time health trend insights. The Oura app is now split into three tabs, Today, Vitals and My Health, in an effort to keep all your information organized.

Oura is regularly adding new features and third-party integrations to the app experience, though it comes at a cost. The membership, which effectively isn't optional, is $5.99/month.

Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: Battery life and charging

The Oura Ring 3 claimed to last up to 7 days between charges, though in my experience and the experience of most users I've chatted with, 4-5 days is a more accurate battery life window. Oura says the Ring 4 can last up to 8 days, though I've not yet had the chance to test whether that's accurate. My guess is that it'll last between 5-6 days with all the features enabled and moderate fitness tracking, but I'll have to see.

It's worth noting that the charging base of the Oura Ring 4 is different, too. The Oura Ring 3 came with a black, plastic charging base while the Oura Ring 4 comes with a squared-off, metal one. It feels more premium and it's also silver, making it easier to see. I can't even tell you how many times I've lost my Oura Ring 3 charger, so hopefully this new base doesn't cause as many problems for me.

Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: should you upgrade?

This isn't a question of which ring you should buy, but whether you're considering an upgrade from the Oura Ring Gen 3 to the newer Oura Ring 4. Since the app experience and included features are almost entirely the same, it's probably not worth it for most existing users to get the Oura Ring 4.

That said, if you're an avid Oura Ring user and want to be on the cutting edge of the company's latest hardware, I think you can purchase a new one knowing it won't be replaced for a few more years.

Update: Our full Oura Ring 4 review is live.

The Oura Ring 4 is here. For those just tuning in, Oura is to smart rings what Fitbit is to fitness trackers — well, at least before Google started killing off the Fitbit brand.

While tech behemoths like Samsung are just jumping into the nascent smart ring space, Oura has been refining its finger-based wearable and companion app for almost a decade. As a result, Oura consistently comes out on top in our best smart rings buying guide.

Despite owning numerous fitness-tracking devices over the years, my first experience with a smart ring didn't come until this summer when I tested and wrote our review of the Amazfit Helio Ring, a budget-friendly alternative to Oura with no monthly subscription cost.

I found a lot to like about the Helio Ring. As someone who hates wearing a smartwatch to bed but appreciates the sleep insights that can only come from an intimate evening spent with such a piece of wearable tech, the Helio Ring proved much more tolerable than wrist-based alternatives. Roughly four to five days of battery life also meant I didn't need to worry about nightly recharges.

While I largely gave the Helio Ring a positive review, I didn't quite fall in love with it enough to warrant purchasing one. This was for several reasons.

Compared to other health tracking devices I've tested, like the latest Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Google Pixel Watch 3, Amazfit's sleep and workout recovery insights aren't as deep, and there are far fewer metrics on offer. The Helio Ring is also pretty limited when it comes to activity tracking, with only four profiles to choose from.

Speaking of lack of choice, that smart ring only comes in one finish, titanium, which isn't really my cup of tea. Still, the Helio Ring got me hooked on the idea that there is a better (comfier) way to monitor my rest and recovery than what I'd previously been used to. Naturally, the Oura Ring 3 piqued my interest.

Now, the Oura Ring 4 has caught my eye and I'm seriously considering pulling the trigger on my very first smart ring. Here are the five biggest reasons why.

1. Expanded activity tracking

Unlike the Helio Ring, the Oura Ring has activity profiles for a fairly wide range of sports and exercises beyond the most basic, including ones I enjoy most like hiking, swimming, golf and even yard work. (Yes, I enjoy it, but I also have a very small yard.) That said, I'm still waiting on a snowboarding/skiing profile.

The Oura Ring 4 also has automatic activity detection, something not found on the Helio Ring. Better yet, the latest Oura Ring's auto activity tracking kicks in any time it registers an elevated heart rate, whether you're participating in trackable activity or not. So, if I'm pulling weeds in the garden or building a piece of Ikea furniture, my Oura Ring 4 will capture heart rate and other data for that endeavor on its own. That's pretty cool.

While the Oura Ring 4 doesn't have any new types of health sensors compared to the Oura Ring 3, the sensors it does have are larger, more plentiful and now recessed within the ring itself to provide better comfort and more precise tracking data, regardless of how the ring is worn.

Oura's new "smart sensing" tech also promises improved heart rate accuracy even during activities with a lot of movement. The increase in sensor real estate is designed to counteract inaccuracies resulting from the ring sliding around on one's finger. Oura relies on AI-backed algorithms to parse the accurate sensor data from the noise.

Best of all, the increased tracking accuracy doesn't negatively impact battery life. In fact...

2. Eight days of battery life

The Oura Ring 4 now gets up to eight days of battery life per charge, up from seven on the Oura Ring 3. For what it's worth, the Samsung Galaxy Ring also manages a week of battery.

While this increase in longevity between the latest Oura Ring and its predecessor isn't earth-shattering, when you compare the battery rating of the Oura Ring 4 to that of the latest Apple Watch Series 10 — another new wearable I'm testing — the difference is much more significant. That's because the Apple Watch 10 still boasts the same 18-hour battery life rating as the original Apple Watch model that launched a decade ago.

Not only should the Oura Ring 4 be able to comfortably cruise through a week of use before needing charge-up, but that task should only take about two hours.

3. A sleeker design

I've never worn the Oura Ring 3, so I can't comment on how comfortable it is. But, based on feedback from friends, family and colleagues, most individuals don't seem to mind wearing it, even if the protruding sensors on the inside of the ring tend to leave a semi-permanent indentation on some folks' fingers.

If the Oura Ring 3 is comfortable enough, then the Oura Ring 4 should be a downright pleasure to wear thanks to completely recessed sensors that now sit flush within the interior of the device.

I'm all for sleek, streamlined designs. And the Oura Ring 4 isn't the only Oura product that got a makeover.

4. A streamlined Oura app

Oura gave its namesake app a major overhaul to coincide with the launch of the Oura Ring 4. Don't worry, Oura Ring 3 users also benefit from the redesign and new features.

Like the Oura Ring 3, the newer model records tons of data, generating holistic scores for things like readiness, sleep quality, stress, heart health and much more. The new app makes it easy to get a sense of these key metrics both at a glance and in-depth. There's also a separate tab for digging into your long-term health trends, something other brands aren't great at providing.

Oura additionally added a new feature to show how users' stress levels and exercise levels impact one another, which I find intriguing and would love to dig into more. Moreover, I can't think of any other wearables manufacturer that shows the correlation between those two metrics.

5. The new tungsten black finish looks mighty nice

Last but not least, the new glossy black Oura Ring finish has me geeking. Boasting a tungsten carbide PVD coating, it's a bit flashier than the Stealth option in a cool yet classy way. It's the kind of smart ring I could see James Bond wearing. Better yet, it's also the same price as the standard silver model. $349.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple Ring — everything we know so far about the rumored smart ring
• I hiked 9 miles with the Apple Watch SE vs. Pixel Watch 3 vs. Garmin Forerunner 165 — 5 things I learned
• Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Oura Ring — which smart ring wins?

On Monday, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman dropped an extensive interview with the CEO of Oura Health Oy (the company behind the popular Oura Ring), Tom Hale, about the company's future and how its flagship fitness tracker, one of the best smart rings, is faring. 

Within that piece, Gurman seemed to confirm that Oura is working on the fourth generation of their fitness-tracking smart ring. Allegedly, the new device will see an announcement sometime in October. 

The current third-generation Oura Ring was announced on October 26, 2021, and released on November 16. A similar announcement and release will probably be in line for the fourth generation if it comes out this year.

According to sources from Gurman, the newer Oura Ring will have stronger battery life and a thinner design. The activity tracking is supposed to be much better as well, with Gurman describing it as the "biggest product overhaul in three years."

Hale says the hardware makes up most of their sales but expects software to rise over time. It's unclear if that means new software products or a rising subscription price. 

“Retention is better than any other subscription model I’ve seen,” Hale said. “To double this business, we don’t have to do that much.”

Other news from Gurman's interview revealed that the Finnish company is expected to sell $500 million in products between the rings and subscriptions. Hale said that the company has sold more than 2.5 million rings. 

There have been several competitors over the years, but probably the biggest is Samsung, which just launched its $400 Galaxy Ring in July and is already one of the best Oura Ring alternatives. This was after Samsung preemptively sued Oura to prevent the company from filing patent claims against Samsung. Apparently, Oura has a habit of suing competitors, so it may have been more of a defensive move.

Allegedly, Apple is working on an Apple Ring, but similar to the iPhone Flip, there isn't a definitive timeline for when either of those mysterious products will arrive.

More from Tom's Guide

• Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Oura Ring — which smart ring wins?
• M4 MacBook Pro 14 specs spilled ahead of Apple event — Update: more photos leaked
• Massive Verizon outage — live updates and what to do with iPhone in SOS

The fourth generation of Oura Rings may have leaked thanks to an influencer and an eagled-eyed Redditor. 

The leaked image was posted to Snapchat by influencer Chantel Jefferies, who is most known as a DJ and model. Redditor EducationalAd6786 spotted the social media post and grabbed a screenshot. 

The screenshotted post shows a hand holding what appears to be an Oura Ring and a caption reading, "New generation Oura ring arrived proud investor." 

From our small look, the shown ring appears very similar to the current Oura Ring Horizon model, which is the more expensive, rounder version and one of the best smart rings. 

Assuming Jeffries is an investor, it would be weird if the new Oura Ring she got her hands on was the current third-gen smart ring, which has been available since November 2021. 

The Reddit poster captured the video Jeffries posted as well, which gives us a better look at the Ring, but it still appears to be a Horizon model.

It does look like the sensors are flush with the ring's interior, in contrast to the slightly raised ones on the Gen-3. These sensors are reminiscent of the optical heart rate sensors found on most fitness trackers, though we can't say for sure now. 

Oura is working on the next generation of their smart ring, and it should come in at least two variations, similar to the current Horizon and Heritage models.

Previously leaked images have shown a device that looks similar to the Gen 3 models, though there is speculation the next models will be thinner.

For many, an upgrade feels overdue, but what else can we expect from the company's next ring, and can it keep the ever-growing competition for best Oura Ring alternatives at bay? 

We attempted to determine if Jeffries is an investor with Oura, but nothing publicly available indicates that she has a stake in the Finnish company. At best, we found she has invested in various bitcoins, the soda company Poppi, and a rewards company called Lolli. Jeffries has regularly posted images of her wearing an Oura Ring or comments about the fitness tracker across various social channels since at least 2021. So, it's not out of the possibility that she has invested in the company or is, at the very least, a big fan.

Oura denies the Ring is Gen 4

A representative of Oura reached out to Tom's Guide and said that the image from the influencer was indeed a current Oura Ring Gen 3. 

We were also informed by the representative that they were "not familiar with Chantel Jeffries as an investor."

More from Tom's Guide

• Best Oura Ring alternatives 2024
• Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review: Huge display, insane battery life
• Massive Nintendo Switch 2 leak could be our first look at the new console

Oura announced its latest smart ring, the Oura Ring 4, on October 3, 2024. It's the first update to the brand's smart ring since 2021, bringing battery life improvements, greater measurement accuracy, and an all-new circular titanium-based design.

Although it's taken a while to get here (three years), the Oura Ring Gen 3 has retained its spot as the best smart ring around, even while the new Samsung Galaxy Ring and several others jostled to take its place.

One of Oura's standout features has been the company's commitment to accuracy, putting the ring, sensors and data through rigorous testing and independent verification. And that's the primary focus of the upgrades on the Oura Ring 4.

But, launched alongside the new ring — which will retail from $349 and ship from October 15 — Oura debuted a newly redesigned app that'll make it easier to see actionable insights, short term trends and more comprehensive analysis.

The company has also gone all-in on the circular design, discontinuing the Gen 3's flat-topped Heritage version in favor of a single edition in five colors. So, before you start checking out the best Oura Ring alternatives, here's what you need to know about the Oura Ring 4.

Oura Ring Gen 4: price and availability

The Oura Ring 4 was announced on October 3, 2024 and is expected to ship on October 15. It's available in five colors (Rose Gold, Gold, Silver, Brushed Silver, Black, and Stealth) and comes in sizes 4-15, four more than the Oura Ring Gen 3.

Although the price varies between colors, you can pick up the Oura Ring 4 from $349, but you'll also need to factor in the $5.99 per month you need to pay for Oura membership to access the rings data. At launch, you can buy the Ring 4 directly from Oura's store or at Amazon.

This is a $50 increase in the base cost of the ring compared to the Gen 3, but the circular design of the older ring (which was called Horizon) was also available from $349, with the flat-topped Heritage model available for less. So, in some sense, there's no increase in price this time around — a rare feat for a wearable device.

Oura Ring Gen 4: Design

The Oura Ring 4 still looks functionally like a ring, but there are a few changes this time around that make quite a significant difference. There's the end of the flat-topped design in favor of a single circular model, but some other adjustments are less noticeable.

The Ring 4 has a fully titanium body, replacing the titanium exterior and epoxy (plastic) interior found on the Gen 3. This is partly as Oura has also managed to remove the sensor bump, recessing the tech into the ring so it sits flush against your finger.

That's also why you'll need a new sizing kit for the Oura Ring 4, even if you already have an earlier Oura Ring, as the flush sensors could leave the ring too loose on your finger if you rely on the older sizing.

You get five colors to choose from, including Rose Gold, Gold, Silver, Brushed Silver, Black, and Stealth. Pricing varies between them, but the Rose Gold is still the most expensive of the bunch, setting you back $499 — sometimes referred to as the 'pink tax.'

All versions of the ring use the same material (titanium with VPD [physical vapor deposition] coating), except the Stealth model, which has a diamond-like coating (DLD) instead. The Ring 4 is marginally (and we mean marginally) thinner than the Gen 3 — 2.8mm versus 2.9mm.

That said, during our own testing we found the Oura Ring Gen 3 was still far more comfortable to wear than the "slimmest" Circular Slim Ring on the market. So although many were hoping for a more slender design, the Ring 4 will likely still be comfortable enough to wear all day and through the night.

The most notable upgrade to the Ring 4 is completely hidden from sight though. The brand's latest smart ring comes with a Smart Sensing feature, which combines more accurate sensors with improved analysis algorithms.

The Gen 3 ring had eight signal pathways, while the Ring 4 has 18. This means that it should be better able to manage when the ring slides around your finger or changes position, leading to improved accuracy in the data.

According to Oura, the new Smart Sensing setup was put through an external study by a sleep clinic, which found that there was a 15% improvement in breathing disturbance accuracy, 7% reduction in heart rate gaps during the day and 31% reduction overnight.

You might worry that this would have a negative impact on battery life, but the new system is more efficient. The Ring 4 can last up to 8 days between charges, compared to the Gen 3's 7-day battery life.

In practice, we found that the Gen 3 would last around five days, so it'll be interesting to see whether Oura has been able to improve the real-world performance.

Oura Ring Gen 4: features

Smart rings are really just data collection devices. The way that you interact with that data is through the companion smartphone app. The Oura Ring 4 is no different in that respect — the hardware is better and will make measurements more accurate, but the new features are all found in the newly-updated Oura app.

Although it formed part of the Ring 4 announcement, the updated app will actually roll out to everyone, even if you plan to stick with a Gen-3 ring for the time being, so long as you pay the $5.99 per month subscription fee.

There's a redesigned interface to make it easier to pick out daily insights and longer-term trends, which is a useful addition, but there are three new features that'll roll out with the updated app; Automatic Activity Detection, Fertility Insights and Daytime Stress.

Oura has, to some degree, been able to work out when you're moving around and offers suggestions in the app for the activity it thinks you were doing. The Automatic Activity Detection improves on this, and can recognize up to 40 distinct activities.

Daytime Stress links your physical activity and stress levels, so you can see what impact your movement has on your stress levels, and how stress varies depending on the amount of activity. While Fertility Insights builds on Oura's impressive period tracking capabilities to offer ovulation predictions and more insights on your fertility window.

However, back in 2023, Oura acquired Proxy, a single sign-on "digital identity signal technology." There don't seem to be any features based on that tech, even though it was rumored that the acquisition may lead to contactless payments on the Oura Ring 4.

Oura Ring Gen 4: outlook

In a world where tech companies refresh of their products every year, the launch of the Oura Ring Gen 3 in 2021 feels like a long time ago. But, even though many competitors have sprung up to challenge them, the older Oura Ring has remained the most popular.

The Oura Ring 4 is more of a maintenance update, offering some technical, accuracy and battery life improvements, but whether that'll be enough to convince Gen 3 owners to upgrade remains to be seen, especially since all Oura owners will get the updated app and new features.

But for anyone considering a smart ring for the first time, the Ring 4 looks set to retain Oura's position as the most accessible, reliable and accurate option. And we're also impressed (and relieved) that there wasn't a significant price hike for the ring or the monthly membership.

For now, the main competition comes from Samsung's Galaxy Ring, launched earlier this year. But Oura is more flexible as it'll work with Android and iPhone. So, until Apple unveils the much-rumored Apple Ring, the Oura Ring 4 is likely to be the top choice for most people.

More from Tom's Guide

• I wore an Oura Ring for an entire year — what I like and don't like
• My Oura ring knew I was pregnant before I did — here's how
• Samsung Galaxy Ring vs Oura Ring: which smart ring should you buy?