I ditched my Oura Ring for a cheaper smart ring, and I was amazed | Digital Trends (2024)

I ditched my Oura Ring for a cheaper smart ring, and I was amazed | Digital Trends (1)

I recently had the opportunity to remove my Oura Ring and try a more affordable alternative. What I discovered changed my opinion of the entire fitness and wellness ring concept for the better.

Contents

  • A competitor worth discussing
  • What I learned using the RingConn Smart Ring
  • Moving forward

I used to wear an Apple Watch Ultra 2 and a third-generation Oura Ring. I could pretend I’m superhuman and about to compete in the Paris Olympics and that’s why I wore two devices offering many of the same features … but that’s not true. Instead, I’m a geek who writes about the tech industry and likes to try new things; it’s as simple as that.

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So, when presented with the chance to try out another smart ring, I didn’t turn it down.

A competitor worth discussing

I ditched my Oura Ring for a cheaper smart ring, and I was amazed | Digital Trends (2)

Recently, I got to try out an Oura competitor called the RingConn Smart Ring. I hadn’t heard of RingConn until its PR team reached out to me, and even then, I didn’t know what to expect. I agreed to review the product, but I knew that Digital Trends had already done so earlier this year. However, that didn’t persuade me, and I was challenged to write this article about a comparison between Oura and RingConn. Comparing these two wearables in depth has already been performed. Instead of rehashing, I’m concentrating on what it’s like to switch from one ring to another.

It should be noted these rings have far more in common than differences. Both rings, for example, are made of lightweight titanium, providing a comfortable fit. Oura offers more finishes than RingConn, but both feel similar when worn. Additionally, both rings offer up to seven days of battery life and send smartphone alerts when they need to be recharged. Officially, Oura is entirely circular, while Ringconn is more like a squircle, although they feel about the same on the finger.

I ditched my Oura Ring for a cheaper smart ring, and I was amazed | Digital Trends (3)

The rings are safe to wear while showering and swimming but not while scuba diving or submerging for over 12 hours. Oura can withstand water pressure up to 330 feet, while the RingConn’s maximum is 165 feet.

Again, in terms of features, these products are strikingly similar. Both are excellent at tracking sleep and daily activities and keeping track of heart rate data. Oura offers resting heart rate and heart rate variability tracking, body temperature monitoring, calorie monitoring, blood-oxygen-level monitoring, and cardiovascular age tracking. It also monitors steps and other activities. On the other hand, RingConn also offers sleep tracking, heart rate and heart rate variability monitoring, calorie tracking, oxygen saturation measurement, and daily activity monitoring.

After wearing these rings simultaneously for nearly two weeks, I noticed no significant differences in the results. I’m not surprised by this, but it’s good to know.

What I learned using the RingConn Smart Ring

I ditched my Oura Ring for a cheaper smart ring, and I was amazed | Digital Trends (4)

It’s easy to get caught up in the details and over-analyze tech products when covering them. In this process, losing sight of what matters most to the average person is possible. Before comparing the Oura and the RingConn smart rings, I thought smart rings were helpful but not as much as smartwatches. Feature-by-feature, that might still be correct. And yet, what competent ring developers, in general, are bringing to the table shouldn’t be discounted. As such, I have a new appreciation of what they provide.

Whether you are talking about Oura or RingConn, both track essential health and wellness data. They offer users a real-time snapshot of how their body functions and where improvements are needed, and they do so all within a much smaller device than a smartwatch.

I ditched my Oura Ring for a cheaper smart ring, and I was amazed | Digital Trends (5)

These products offer a few differences worth considering. The Oura app is essential to the Oura Ring experience, providing detailed analytics and insights from the ring’s data. It is often praised for its intuitive design, which simplifies complex data and motivates users to engage more with their health data.

The RingConn app also plays a crucial role in user interaction with the device but tends to prioritize real-time feedback more. The app is designed to provide actionable advice and lifestyle tips, making it more hands-on for users who prefer active guidance.

So, which one is better? There’s no denying that Oura provides a more comprehensive experience. However, that complexity has often made me skip checking the Oura app to see where things stand. It was when I could compare and contrast, however, that I realized what kept me from visiting the Oura app more often.

I ditched my Oura Ring for a cheaper smart ring, and I was amazed | Digital Trends (6)

RingConn’s more basic app presentation might not make it a better solution. Still, it could be more appealing to everyday users who prefer a glance at their daily health data instead of a deep dive.

Two other points are at play here. Oura costs more and requires a monthly subscription to unlock most of its features, including detailed health insights, personalized recommendations, and advanced features. RingConn doesn’t need a subscription to access all the data it provides.

Moving forward

I ditched my Oura Ring for a cheaper smart ring, and I was amazed | Digital Trends (7)

In the coming days, Samsung will finally launch the Samsung Galaxy Ring. The long-rumored and teased ring is expected to compete with Oura. Similar to RingConn, it may not require a subscription. The release of the Galaxy Ring is expected to disrupt the market, and it will be interesting to see its impact in six months, a year, and beyond. Increased competition will undoubtedly lead to great innovation, although not every player will survive the ride.

I haven’t yet decided which smart ring to wear alongside my Apple Watch. The final determination might be where Oura and RingConn take their products in the coming months. Regardless, I have a newfound appreciation for the emerging smart ring market, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.

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I ditched my Oura Ring for a cheaper smart ring, and I was amazed | Digital Trends (2024)

FAQs

Is there a better ring than Oura? ›

For the most advanced Oura Ring alternative, the Ultrahuman Ring Air is the clear winner. This smart ring accurately tracks your sleep, recovery, movement, heart rate, skin temperature and even more metrics — and all while being smaller and lighter than competitors.

Does Oura Ring have a competitor? ›

Ultrahuman Ring Air. The Ultrahuman Ring Air supports data aggregation that rivals Oura and scientific insights that help you hack your body's data. Unlike the Oura Ring, which requires a $6 monthly subscription, the Ultrahuman Ring Air is subscription-free.

Is there a new Oura Ring coming out? ›

The Oura Ring 4 is widely expected to debut in 2024. This makes sense based on the company's history, but recent comments by its CEO cast doubt on that estimate.

Can I exchange my Oura Ring for a different size? ›

We allow only one return or exchange per item. This means you can return your original ring once for a refund, or exchange it once for a size or color change in the same price range. Size, style, and color changes cannot be made after one exchange has already been completed.

How long will Oura Ring last? ›

A fully charged ring may last up to seven days. Battery life and longevity can vary depending on the age of your ring and how often you use certain features such as Workout Heart Rate, the Explore content, or Blood Oxygen Sensing.

Is Oura Ring worth it without the membership? ›

Without a membership, the Oura Ring Gen3 can be used only with limited functionality. You'll be able to see your three daily Oura scores, ring battery, basic profile information, app settings, and the Explore content.

What celebrities use Oura? ›

It's no wonder that Oura has amassed quite a celebrity fan base, with Kim Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow and Miranda Kerr all wearing one every day. Even Prince Harry has been seen sporting his sleek Oura band.

Which finger does Oura Ring look best on? ›

Choose Your Finger

For optimal performance and accuracy, we recommend wearing your Oura Ring on your index finger. If you prefer another finger, the middle or ring fingers are the next best, but try to avoid fingers with large knuckles (where the base of your finger is narrower than the knuckle).

Does Jennifer Aniston wear an Oura Ring? ›

The smart ring has garnered a lot of attention in the last few years, thanks to the likes of wellness guru Gwyneth Paltrow and A-listers Jennifer Aniston, Eva Longoria and Rosario Dawson who have been spotted wearing the ring.

Is the Oura Ring real gold? ›

The external part of an Oura Ring is made from titanium with physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating in Gold, Silver, and Rose Gold colors. Titanium with Diamond-like Carbon Coating (DLC) is used in Black and Stealth colors.

What happens if you lose an Oura Ring? ›

If troubleshooting doesn't work, you can download a third-party app that searches for the Bluetooth signal from your Oura Ring. Available third-party apps include Find My Ring and Find My Lost Bluetooth Device for iOS devices, and Wunderfind for Android devices.

Can you trade in an old Oura Ring? ›

If you currently own an Oura Gen 2 or Oura Gen 3 ring, you have the option to trade it in for a brand-new Ultrahuman Ring AIR. Additionally, if you are an UltrahumanX subscriber, you will receive extra value for your trade-in.

Can you buy Oura Ring at Target? ›

Select sizes, colors, and styles of the Oura Ring, as well as the Oura Sizing Kit, are available at Target stores across the US. All Oura Ring sizes and styles, chargers, and sizing kits are available on target.com.

Can I buy the Oura Ring on Amazon? ›

All Oura Ring colors and styles, chargers, and sizing kits are available on Amazon.com.

Is Oura the best health tracker? ›

As far as accuracy goes, the Oura Ring is just as accurate as any other fitness tracker, give or take a few variations. Compared with my Apple Watch Series 8 and Whoop 4.0 band, the ring didn't record wildly different results for things like heart rate, stress levels, blood oxygen or sleep.

Is Oura or RingConn better? ›

When it comes to design, Oura Ring takes the cake—no questions asked. With its shiny metallic finish (compared to the RingConn's metallic, almost matte finish) and its interface on the corresponding app, from an aesthetic and design perspective, Oura Ring is the clear winner.

Is Oura Ring or Apple Watch more accurate heart rate? ›

While the Apple Watch's sensors are on top of the wrist, the Oura Ring's sensors are under the finger, where there are arteries. Oura says that this provides more accurate readings. In my tests, I found that for on-demand heart rate measures, both are within one or two beats of each other.

Is Apple going to make a smart ring? ›

Apple is researching a smart ring. There are multiple patents, so clearly someone at Apple is cooking up ideas and Apple's version could be a lot different than what we see today since I began using a smart ring. This one I have is called the ev.

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