A Comprehensive Review of the Oura Ring: The Sleek Health Tracker
As a tech reporter, I Oura Ring love my fitness trackers, but not everyone enjoys wearing a bulky watch on their wrist. Often, I show up at work with a different tracker, only to have my co-workers deem them “ugly” or “too big.” I get it—most trackers are not subtle.
READ: OAS to Step in as Mediator in Guatemala’s Power Transition Crisis
The Oura Ring is an exception: it’s a health tracker disguised as a sleek metal ring. After wearing it for over four months (courtesy of a sample from the brand), I believe it’s a fantastic alternative for those who dislike chunky watches. However, it’s not a do-it-all wearable and won’t replace your smartwatch. Here’s what you should know before buying one.
Table of Contents
What is the Oura Ring?
The Oura Ring is a health tracker designed as a metal ring. Priced at $299, it comes in two designs: Heritage, which features flat accents, and Horizon, a standard uniform circle (Horizon costs $50 more). Both versions are made of titanium on the outside with a plastic inner finish and are available in six different finishes, with two exclusive to the Horizon design.
This ring tracks various health metrics, including heart rate, blood oxygen levels, skin temperature, and daily steps. It can automatically detect and log workouts like running, cycling, and strength training. The app keeps a comprehensive history of your data, allowing you to monitor changes and trends over time.
While the Oura Ring doesn’t technically require a subscription, without one, you receive only limited data: daily scores for sleep, activity, and readiness. A subscription, costing $5.99 per month or $69.99 per year, unlocks detailed sleep analysis, blood oxygen sensing, stress insights, resilience scores, dynamic activity goals, and various reports (weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly). Oura provided me with a 12-month subscription for testing.
Key Features
- Sleek, Minimal Design
- Accurate Sleep Tracking
- Up to 7-Day Battery Life
- Subscription Required for Full Data Access
- Limited Workout Data
Technical Specs
- Display: N/A
- Weight: 4-6 grams
- Battery Life: Up to 7 days
- Built-in GPS: N/A
- Sleep Tracking: Yes (including naps)
- Heart-rate Monitor: Yes, with EKG
- Water Resistance: Yes, up to 100 meters (up to 12 hours)
- Compatibility: Oura app (iPhone or Android)
How I Tested the Oura Ring
Before testing, I had to find my ring size using a free sizing kit provided with any purchase. I found the most comfortable fit for my right-hand ring finger and updated my order. Oura recommends wearing the ring on your index finger with the sensor bumps against the underside for optimal performance, though middle and ring fingers also work.
I tested the Oura Ring for about four months. For the first three months, I wore it constantly, including while running, biking, and at the gym (except during weight lifting). In the fourth month, I wore it solely at night for sleep tracking.
During sleep testing, I compared the Oura Ring’s data with other devices like the Apple Watch Series 9 ($399), Apple Watch SE ($249), and Withings Scanwatch Light ($249).
My Experience with the Oura Ring
The Oura Ring is part of a growing category of ring-shaped health trackers, with competitors like the Ultrahuman Ring Air ($349), RingConn Smart Ring ($279), and Evie Ring ($269). After four months of use, I concluded that while it’s not for me (I find rings uncomfortable), it could be a perfect fit for your needs. It’s an accurate health and sleep tracker, delivering detailed stats, trend data, and a mostly hands-off experience in a smaller size than devices like the Apple Watch Series 9 or Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 ($299).
What I Like
Sleep Tracking
The Oura Ring excels at sleep tracking compared to other wearables. For instance, it accurately logs brief awake periods if I wake up during the night. If I wake up at 5:45 a.m. but stay in bed scrolling on my phone until 6:30 a.m., the ring correctly marks this as awake time. Other wearables I’ve tried don’t always get this right.
A standout feature is its sleep trends function. This feature shows changes in data points like bedtime, time in bed, and wake-up time—factors I can control more easily than deep sleep and restfulness. For example, I aim to be in bed by 10:15 p.m. and asleep by 10:30 p.m. Using sleep trends, I saw that my average fall-asleep time changed from 10:34 p.m. in March to 11:14 p.m. in May (yikes).
