Recently, the Oura Ring app commemorated my three-year journey by delivering a comprehensive report. This report detailed insights into my health metrics and performance trends over the 36 months that I’ve been using the ring.
Over the past six pages of data, I’ve come to realize that the Oura Ring stands out as one of the few pieces of technology I’ve stuck with, alongside my laptop and iPad Pro. The reason is clear: its consistent value to me. With Samsung’s Galaxy Ring on the horizon, I’m curious if they can match up.
Why I continue to love the Oura Ring
The Oura Ring has proven invaluable to me due to its app’s ability to succinctly deliver crucial health metrics. With just three key indicators—Sleep, Readiness, and Activity—the app simplifies understanding without a steep learning curve. While offering deeper insights for those who delve into the data, it excels at providing a quick, clear snapshot of your body’s performance and daily readiness.
I find that monitoring resting heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), and body temperature provides invaluable insights into my well-being, confirming how I feel on a daily basis. The Activity tab offers clear graphs that illustrate my activity levels and exercise intensity throughout the day, making comparisons with previous days effortless. This simplicity rivals Apple’s Ring system on the Apple Watch, making it easy to grasp without needing to delve into numerous other statistics.
The Oura Ring simplifies my life by eliminating the need for hours spent deciphering complex data, graphs, or dense text that often obscure the true meaning of numbers. Its expertly presented insights allow me to grasp information quickly, taking only moments to understand. Comfortable to wear 24/7, the ring’s seamless integration into my daily routine means I can pair it with any watch I choose while still accurately tracking my activity and movement. It’s become a constant companion—I rarely take it off because it effortlessly blends into my lifestyle.
Oura’s hardware remains very strong
For the past year, I’ve been wearing the polished silver Oura Ring without much protection, occasionally trying out silicone covers like the OSleeve and Oura’s own version from the Equinox bundle. Upon close inspection, the ring shows minor scratches and scuffs on its surface, though they are not visible from a distance and haven’t significantly detracted from its appearance. Importantly, the edges of the ring have remained largely unmarked.
The silver Oura Ring maintains a subtle charm compared to its bolder counterparts in black and Stealth finishes. While I haven’t tried the gold versions, they appear more conspicuous on the finger. Despite being slightly larger than traditional rings, the Oura Ring’s design is sleek enough to blend in discreetly. Opting for the silver finish ensures a minimalist look without drawing unnecessary attention.
The Oura Ring continues to impress with its battery life, maintaining a robust performance of four to five days between charges, comparable to its original capabilities when new. Despite the continuous data monitoring, which draws from a modest 15mAh capacity cell, there has been negligible degradation over time. An effective strategy to manage battery life involves charging it during your morning routine, ensuring it remains consistently powered without the need for full recharges. This habit makes the Oura Ring exceptionally convenient to live with on a daily basis.
What’s not good about the Oura Ring in 2024
The Oura Ring offers many appealing features, but it’s essential to consider potential drawbacks. Recently, Oura introduced its Heart Health metric, which estimates cardiovascular age (CVA) based on VO2 Max. This metric aims to gauge heart health and cardio capacity, supported by detailed scientific explanations in the app. However, while the numbers are presented clearly with a VO2 Max reading and graphs, some users may find it challenging to fully trust these estimates.
The Oura Ring is not classified as a medical device and lacks FDA certification for its features. Therefore, it uses data and research to estimate health metrics, such as cardiovascular age and VO2 Max. Personally, I have no indications of being unfit or at risk for heart disease, yet according to the ring, my cardiovascular age is seven years below my actual age, and my VO2 Max is categorized as high. Despite these optimistic readings, I am not particularly athletic or extremely active. Many users on the Oura Ring subreddit have also raised questions about the accuracy of its Heart Health feature. Personally, I don’t rely heavily on this feature since I haven’t verified the data independently outside of the Oura app.
Oura has introduced several new features to its app in the past year, including Heart Health alongside existing ones like Resilience and Body Clock data. While these additions offer more insights into trends, not every feature may suit every user. Careful consideration is needed during their rollout to maintain the app’s simplicity and quick access to essential data, as too many features and graphs could overwhelm users. It’s important to integrate these additions thoughtfully to avoid confusing users and potentially diminishing the appeal of the Oura Ring.
Is the Oura Ring’s supremacy in danger?
As I write this, the Oura Ring remains my top recommendation for a smart ring, though its status could change soon. Samsung is gearing up to release the Galaxy Ring, leveraging its strong track record in health and fitness tracking from its smartwatches. If Samsung can integrate these capabilities into its smart ring without introducing a subscription fee for its app, the Oura Ring might face significant competition ahead.
I haven’t come across a smart ring that matches the beautiful hardware and comprehensive data of the Oura Ring, coupled with its well-designed app. While some prefer the simplicity of Ring Conn, I personally appreciate how the Oura Ring nearly replaces a smartwatch for me, offering flexibility in choosing what watch to wear on my wrist.
Currently, the Galaxy Ring poses a significant threat to the Oura Ring, potentially becoming a formidable competitor unless Samsung limits it to Android compatibility, similar to the Galaxy Watch series. Despite this impending challenge, I’m sticking with the original smart ring on my finger, a loyal companion for the past three years.