While smartwatches have reigned supreme as a wearable tech for the past few years, smart rings are all the rage now. Samsung’s Galaxy Ring was the first of the major smartphone manufacturers to add to the smart ring space, and while it’s the first major brand, it’s not the first smart ring to hit the market. A few smart rings, like the Oura Ring, have been out for a few years, which means they are largely free of bugs and tried and tested in 2024.
Smart rings track the same things smartwatches do, such as steps, sleep, and a general overview of your overall health. They tend to have significantly more battery life than smartwatches, with no distracting screen. Like smartwatches, the best smart rings on the market can even help save your life with proper vitals tracking and notification systems to alert you when something is wrong. Some smart rings also come with NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, allowing them to store personal data and act as virtual bank cards for contactless payments. Here are my three favorite smart rings that can track your fitness and could even save your life.
The smart ring landscape: Key features, pricing, and compatibility
As the market for smart wearables continues to expand, several innovative options have emerged, each offering unique features tailored to different user needs. We will look into the standout characteristics of four notable smart rings: the Oura Ring 4, Samsung Galaxy Ring, and RingConn Gen 1. From advanced sleep-tracking capabilities to budget-friendly options, each ring presents a distinct value proposition that caters to various lifestyles and preferences. Additionally, we will examine their pricing and compatibility to help you make an informed decision.
Oura Ring 4
- Key Features NFC (Near Field Communication) for contactless payments is included.
- Price Point
- Compatibility
Samsung Galaxy Ring
- Key FeaturesNFC (Near Field Communication) for contactless payments is included.
- Price Point
- Compatibility
RingConn Gen 1
- Key FeaturesDoes not include NFC.
- Price Point
- Compatibility: Compatible with both iOS and Android.
Credit: Samsung
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The best ring for most people
Oura Ring 4
The Oura Ring 4 packs a suite of fitness-focused features such as a workout heart rate tracker, which can be synced with Oura’s desktop and mobile app to show detailed analysis of your burned calories, active and inactive time, and heart rate. One of the most celebrated features of the Oura Ring 4 is its outstanding sleep tracking, which can measure and log your nighttime temperature changes, blood oxygen levels, and sleep cycle stages. Additionally, it comes with NFC technology for contactless payments.
It does come at an expensive price point, though, at $350. We’ve seen Oura Ring prices go up every revision, and I think Oura has done an excellent job justifying the new price point with new features. It’s worth considering it’s only a $50 price increase from the Oura Ring 3, and it’s the better ring. One downside, however, to the Oura Ring 4 is you will need to pay an additional $6 for the Oura Ring subscription service, which is how you store your ring’s analytics.
The best smart ring for Android phone users
Samsung Galaxy Ring
Your health data will be stored in the Galaxy Health App, which you can use directly from your Android smartphone. It’s important to note that the Galaxy Ring is only compatible with the Android operating system. IOS owners, unfortunately, don’t have access to the Galaxy Health app. The Galaxy Ring is compatible with other devices in the Samsung gadget ecosystem. This means that if you have a Samsung smartwatch, it will share data with your Galaxy Ring. The Galaxy Ring also includes NFC technology for contactless payments. However, this compatibility comes at a cost, and this is the most expensive smart ring on this list, at $400.
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The best smart ring on a budget
RingConn Gen 1
The RingConn Gen 1 features stress and general wellness tracking. It also has a sleep tracker, activity counter, and vitals tracking, such as a heart rate tracker, a blood oxygen monitor, and temperature sensors. Reviewers have noted that while the health information tracking with the RingConn Gen 1 is great, the activity tracker could be more exact. You also don’t get as many features as you would with the competing Oura brand of smart rings, but you also save a bit of money off the top and the subscription fee. However, it does not include NFC for contactless payments.
Overall, the RingConn Gen 1 is a great entry-level smart ring. It’s not as feature-packed as some of the competitors, but it’s priced well and is an excellent way to see if a smart ring is for you. You can always upgrade to a different smart ring if you like the RingConn Gen 1, but I think it’s a great starting point for most people in the world of smart rings.
| Feature | Oura Ring 4 | Samsung Galaxy Ring | RingConn Gen 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | General health tracking & detailed sleep data | Android users seeking advanced health tracking | Budget-conscious users with basic health tracking |
| Price | $350 | $400 | $280 (most affordable) |
| Subscription | $6/month for advanced analytics | None | None |
| Sleep Tracking | Exceptional sleep tracking, temperature changes, blood oxygen, sleep cycle stages | Advanced AI-powered sleep scoring and analysis | Basic sleep tracking |
| Heart Rate Monitoring | Yes (detailed, with workout tracking) | Yes (detailed, integrated with Samsung ecosystem) | Yes, but basic |
| Blood Oxygen Monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stress/Wellness Monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | Multi-day (typically around 4-7 days) | Multi-day | Multi-day |
| Compatibility | iOS and Android | Android only | iOS and Android |
| Advanced Features | Detailed fitness analytics, workout heart rate tracking | AI-driven sleep algorithms, Galaxy ecosystem integration | Basic tracking, no advanced features |
| Colors & Sizes | 4 colors, 4 size options | Varies | 3 colors, 10 size options |
| Unique Advantage | Best for detailed sleep and health tracking | Best for Android users, seamless integration | Best budget-friendly option |
Each of these smart rings offers unique features, with the Oura Ring 4 being the most advanced in terms of detailed sleep tracking, the Samsung Galaxy Ring being ideal for Android users, and the RingConn Gen 1 standing out as the most budget-friendly option.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Smart rings are the newest thing that’s here to stay in the wearable tech arena. These rings monitor your health like a smartwatch, and they also track your vitals in detail. A smart ring could save your life in a medical emergency, alerting you to an issue with your heart rate before you even notice. Since the release of the Samsung Galaxy Ring, more big brands have been looking for ways to get into the smart ring space, and it’s an exciting time to see what the future holds for smart rings. Maybe we will see the likes of Google or Apple release a smart ring in the near future.
Would you consider wearing a smart ring to help monitor your health? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below.
More Health gear:
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Best wearable devices to track your blood oxygen levels
Apple Watch vs Fitbit – Which reigns supreme for fitness?
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