Smart rings look like they’ll be the next big thing in wearable tech, and Oura has been ahead of the curve. The fourth version of the Oura Ring improves on the previous models. It doesn’t offer much to owners of the previous model, but it’s a great choice for people who have never bought a smart ring before.
What is a smart ring actually?
Do not see a smart ring as an alternative to a tracker or multisport watch. Instead, see it as something that goes with them. If you get notifications, it doesn’t work like a watch, and it doesn’t have the sports-specific features that training gadgets do. This is the category that usually goes up against activity bands.
Oura’s goal isn’t to replace other wearable tech, but to give people more continuous, frictionless information about their health, exercise, and daily lives. It does that very well, and there aren’t many real competitors. The Samsung Galaxy Ring and RingConn Gen 2 are the most clear competitors. However, Samsung’s ring only works with Android devices, so iPhone users can’t use it.
Buying and sizing
Getting an Oura Ring 4 starts before it even ships, because it has to be the right size. People who buy something for the first time get a plastic sizing kit with models of each size. There are 12 sizes, from 4 to 15 inches.
For those who already own an earlier model, the new generation adds two steps to both ends of the size range. Oura rings need to be checked again for size. Because finger sizes change throughout the day, Oura says to wear the test ring for at least 24 hours before placing an order. The right fit shouldn’t move around on its own, but it also shouldn’t squeeze the finger. Size 11 was chosen by the writer.
Finishes, materials, and weight
There are six different styles for Oura: silver, black, brushed silver, stealth, gold, and rose gold. The only ones that aren’t shiny are brushed silver and stealth. The review unit was very discreet and looked like it was matte black.
Finish changes the price. The base model costs 399 euros and comes in silver or black. It costs 449 euros for a matte finish. The most expensive ones are gold and rose gold, which cost 549 euros each.
The ring is titanium on the inside and out, no matter what color it is. That keeps the weight between 3 and 5 grams, based on the size. It weighed four grams. It’s about 2.88 to 3 millimeters thick.
The edge of the ring isn’t completely round; it’s a little flat. When used normally, you might not even notice it, but rough rubbing can leave tiny scratches on surfaces that are already fragile, so be careful.
Set up and daily use
The real ring will come when you get the right size. The ring is easy to set up: just charge it and download the Oura app on your Android or iOS device.
Oura says to wear the ring all the time. It can stand up to 100 meters of water and can be used in a sauna. To keep your skin and gadgets clean every day, all you need to do is wash them with water and mild soap.
The sensors on the ring are facing the palm when it is worn on the finger. There is a small groove inside that helps you set the direction. You can swipe the surface with your thumb to make sure you’re in the right place.
The inside of the newest model has been redesigned. It is mostly smooth, with only two very small lines that can be seen when the ring is turned. This makes for a nice, almost smooth feel.
Fit and finish in practice
Even though everyone is different in size, the ring stayed on my finger for a month after I bought it and only moved up when I was washing my hands with dirty water. The finish is very good, and the matte surface looked good after a day of use. There were some small cleaning marks, but they seemed to fade over time.
Sensors and measurements
There are a lot of sensors in the Oura Ring 4. It has a digital temperature monitor, an accelerometer, and green, red, and infrared photoplethysmography. That lets the ring send information about body temperature, heart rate, blood oxygen level, and more.
With the new Smart Sensing system, the ring can find the most reliable signal path, so its position is not as important as it was in previous models. Sensors send information to Oura’s systems, which then analyze it.
Onboarding and learning period
In the first two weeks, the ring learns how you wear it. After that time, predictions of sleep and readiness are more likely to be useful.
A six-minute walk test, which uses the phone to measure distance, can be used to find out oxygen uptake ability. The ring doesn’t have its own GNSS chip, so it needs to be paired with a phone in order to get accurate distance or direction information. The accelerometer counts steps, but step-based distance isn’t as accurate as GPS on a phone.
App, views, and insights
The best thing about the gadget is Oura’s app. It shows data as trustworthy measures that are easy to read. When you open the app, the ring syncs pretty quickly, and it stays responsive during tests. Early bugs were fixed with updates, and the app’s style, data presentation, and tone make it easy for both casual and interested users to use. The app doesn’t let you make a lot of changes.
There are three main views in the app: Today, Metrics, and My Health.
Today has five rings at the top that show what’s going on right now. If you didn’t get enough sleep, stayed up late, or got sick early, your readiness number will go down. After that, there are more in-depth explanations of the factors that affect the score.
Sleep focuses on your most recent night and provides granular detail: timing, stages, average blood oxygen, breathing regularity, heart rate, and heart rate variability.
Activity for today and the last seven days is shown, with more information available for each day. Heart Rate & Stress has a clear graph that shows how your heart rate changes every day and details when you can rest and heal. The fifth ring deals with stress during the day.
Metrics combines the five ring groups into a single view that gives you access to all the same, more in-depth information. My Health keeps an eye on long-term trends like resistance, CVD age, and sleep health.
Resilience estimates how well your body recovers from physiological stress. During tests, it noticed changes that made sense: travel, long days, and not getting enough sleep all made resilience drop significantly. The cardiovascular age is calculated over 30 nights and is meant to be a sign of health rather than a medical tool. The six-minute walk test can be used to find out how much cardio ability you have.
Sleep and activity tracking
Tracking sleep is one of the best things about the ring. Oura Ring 4 keeps an eye on temperature, heart rate, HRV, oxygen saturation, breathing patterns, and time. Compared to other smartwatches this reviewer had used, the sleep analysis was surprisingly correct.
Tracking activities is good enough, but not great. During the test, the ring consistently picked up on people walking and running. Other workouts were usually put in the “Other” area, if the ring even saw them. You can add lessons by hand, but it’s not as easy as with watches that automatically sort them into many types of sports.
It was pretty accurate at counting steps; results were usually between two different smartwatches. The precision is good enough for keeping an eye on daily activities.
App tone and extras
Oura’s tone is positive and friendly. If you have a bad day, the app will push you back to better habits. After a rough week, it will offer multi-day motivation. The writer was surprised by how much friendlier it felt compared to many other wearables that can feel harsh.
The app also has extras like exercises to help you rest and a food log. It keeps track of your monthly cycle and can sync with the Natural Cycles app if you want to.
Battery life and charging
In real life, the battery life lived up to Oura’s claims: you can expect it to last about seven days. One thing to keep in mind is that overnight tracking quality drops when the battery goes below 20%. To avoid this, it is best to keep the battery above that level. In real life, continued use without charging seems more like five days of worry-free use.
It took less than 1.5 hours to charge from almost empty to full. You might not need to charge it all the time if you just need a quick boost before taking a shower. About 15 percent of the battery was used every day, so a 15-minute charge adds a lot of usage. The charger is only compatible with a certain size of ring, which can be a problem if different people in the house have rings of different sizes.
Costs and subscription
The price of 399 to 549 euros for the tools is not small. On top of that, you have to pay six euros a month to get full functions. If you don’t pay for the app, it only gives you basic information about your readiness, sleep, and exercise.
If you already have a smartwatch that can do what you want it to do, the ring may not add enough value to support the price plus subscription. If you don’t like wearing watches at night, the Oura Ring is a great and unobtrusive way to track your sleep. If you don’t have a gadget that you can use at night, Oura is a great option that will give you a lot of information about your body.
Pros and cons
Good
- Clear, well-designed app.
- Excellent sleep tracking.
- Top-tier finish and build.
- Encouraging, human-facing insights.
- Sufficient battery life.
Bad
- Requires a subscription for full functionality.
- Flat edges can scratch very delicate surfaces.
- Charger fits only one ring size.
Verdict
The Oura Ring 4 is a good choice for people who want to keep track of their health and sleep without wearing a watch. Its best features are a simple app, great sleep tracking, a high-quality finish, and a friendly, human voice. The battery lasts long enough for everyday use.
Some problems with it are that you need to pay for a contract to get all of its features, the ring’s flat edge can damage delicate surfaces, and the charger only works with one size of ring. If you want a discreet way to keep an eye on your healing, sleep, and daily habits, the Oura Ring 4 is a great choice for a long-term lifestyle tracker.
