In this Evie Ring vs. Oura Ring review, we’ll examine the two smart rings, how they perform, and which is the better choice for women.

ALSO READ: BEST SMART RINGS FOR WOMEN

Evie Ring vs. Oura Ring Quick Comparison

Before diving deeper, here’s a quick comparison of the two devices:

Evie Ring vs. Oura Ring: First Impressions

The Evie Ring is the first smart ring designed exclusively for women’s tastes and needs (although the Femometer Ring was the first to be released). It has a unique open design that allows for comfort regardless of whether the user’s fingers are bloated with hormonal changes or not.

It also comes in three shiny finishes—gold, rose gold, and silver. It won 11 “Best of CES” awards when it was unveiled in 2023 and is a medical-grade health tracker that can be counted on to provide women with the information they need to care for their health.

The Evie Ring is made using a proprietary material called “LiquidMetal.” This is a zirconium-based alloy coated with titanium PVD coating for a shiny finish.

The smart ring measures 8mm wide and 3mm thick and weighs 3.2 to 3.7 grams, depending on the size. It’s available in sizes from 5 through 12 and is water resistant to a depth of 1 meter, meaning it is limited to light water exposure only.

ALSO READ: BEST SMART RINGS YOU CAN GET

Oura, on the other hand, has been in the smart ring industry for years. This device is the result of 10 years of research and development and has improved features compared to older iterations. There are two Oura Ring versions: the classic Heritage and the sleek Horizon.

The Oura Ring features research-grade sensors that are capable of making accurate measurements day in and day out. Its exterior is made using durable biocompatible titanium with PVD coating, and its interior is made using non-allergenic, non-metallic seamless molding.

The Oura Ring has six finishes: silver, black, stealth gray, brushed titanium, gold, and rose gold. It measures 7.9mm wide, 2.55mm thick, and weighs 4-6 grams depending on the size. It’s available in sizes from 6 through 13. The ring is water resistant up to 100 meters, and you can use it when swimming, snorkeling, and even recreational diving (with caution).

ALSO READ: BEST FITNESS TRACKER RINGS

Evie Ring vs. Oura Ring: Features and Functionalities

Both the Evie Ring and Oura Ring feature the latest technologies in personal health tracking. Here’s a quick look:

Evie Ring Features

Evie Ring has several sensors that are used to monitor vitals. These include:

• Optical heart rate sensors (red and green LED)
• Infrared heart rate sensors
• Skin temperature sensor
• Photodiodes
• An accelerometer

These sensors allow the Evie Ring to be used for the following purposes:

Personalized Health Monitoring

The Evie Ring considers differences between men’s and women’s vitals and does its best to accurately measure RHR, HRV, and blood oxygen saturation (Sp02) to provide helpful insights. Healthy women have slightly higher RHR compared to men (at 78-82 vs. 70-72 BPM). By getting the right measurements, Evie will be able to provide a more accurate picture of its user’s overall health condition.

The Evie Ring measures vitals in three different ways: passively measuring vitals every five minutes during daytime and nighttime, on-demand real-time measurements for a period of 40 seconds, and also monitoring of vitals while the user is working out.

ALSO READ: BEST SLEEP TRACKER RINGS

Workout and Fitness Tracking

Evie can also be used to track heart rate and HRV while the user exercises. These biometrics give users insights into whether they can keep exercising or if they need to rest and prioritize recovery.

The device can also tell if the user is experiencing stress. However, the device won’t track workouts automatically. Users will need to log their exercises if and when applicable.

Aside from monitoring vitals during exercise periods, Evie will also monitor the number of steps users take each day. Combined with the user’s heart rate, this will help users know how many calories they have burned and provide them with detailed insights about their overall fitness.

Sleep Tracking

The Evie Ring is a good choice for a smart ring that can help users improve their sleep. In addition to tracking biometrics, the device will also monitor sleep patterns, sleeping respiration rate, and the duration of every sleep stage. These help Evie determine how the user’s sleep affects overall health. The Evie app will then provide recommendations on how users can improve their sleep.

What’s best about this is that the user’s finger remains comfortable even if it bloats, thanks to the unique gap created by the Evie Ring’s design.

Menstrual Period Logging

Hormonal changes that occur during a woman’s monthly period can affect sleep quality and overall health. Users can use Evie to keep track of their menstrual cycle and PMS symptoms to get recommendations on how to cope and improve their overall well-being.

The longer Evie is used, the more it can identify patterns and predict certain conditions. It can also provide better insight by using the first date of its wearer’s last period.

Mood and Energy Monitoring

Users can log their mood and energy levels to Evie daily as if they were keeping a journal. Evie will use the information over time to help users identify patterns in mood changes and provide users with insights to help them understand how their vitals affect their mood and energy levels daily. These insights can then be used to help manage issues related to mood changes and energy levels.

ALSO READ: BEST SMART RINGS FOR PAYMENT

Oura Ring

The Oura Ring uses research-grade sensors to monitor vitals. These include the following:

• Infrared PPG sensors
• Green LED sensor
• Red LED sensor
• Skin temperature sensors (negative temperature coefficient sensors)
• Photodiodes
• 3D Accelerometer

Oura has spent years improving these sensors and the technology behind them. With these, the Oura Ring can be used for:

Sleep Tracking

The Oura Ring is known for reliable and accurate monitoring of vitals during sleep. It will monitor specific information such as actual sleep duration, how deep the user’s sleep is, restfulness, how quickly the user falls asleep, and whether the user’s sleep is in sync with their circadian rhythm.  

The smart ring will also monitor breathing rate and Sp02 and combine this to give you your Sleep Score, which is a detailed and actionable analysis meant to help users improve their sleep.

ALSO READ: BEST OURA RING ALTERNATIVES

Readiness Scoring

The Oura Ring will then use the sleep score, along with the user’s HRV, body temperature, and RHR, to determine their Readiness Score. This score helps users determine whether they have had enough rest and are in optimum health to take on the day’s activities.

Activity Monitoring

The Oura Ring also monitors users’ movements, such as the steps they take during the day. It will combine activity data with users’ vitals to provide them with their Activity Scores.

This score helps users determine whether they are getting enough rest in proportion to the activities they engage in each day or if they are not getting enough exercise and should do more to stay fit and healthy. The device will also indicate the amount of calories burned.

Accurate Vitals Monitoring

The Oura Ring boasts of having the same accuracy, or even better, than that of the leading health trackers and smartwatches in the market today. Using its technologies, the device will accurately monitor vitals to provide users with reliable insights to help them stay on top of their health condition daily.

Stress Management

The Oura Ring can help users manage their stress levels. With prolonged use, it can learn the user’s biorhythms and eventually recognize stress and predict when it occurs. The device will provide users with information about the factors that cause their stress and give insights on how to build stress resilience to combat it.

Menstrual Tracking

Female users will be able to use the Oura Ring to track their monthly periods. Over time, the device will learn about the user’s specific body temperature trends that change with their hormones from time to time. The Oura Ring will then help users predict their menstrual cycles per month.

ALSO READ: BEST OURA RING DUPES

Evie Ring vs. Oura Ring: Pros and Cons

Both the Evie Ring and Oura Ring have their own sets of advantages and disadvantages that should be considered before buying. Here’s a quick look at each of them:

Evie Ring’s advantages over Oura Ring

• Cheaper than any Oura Ring model on the market
• All features are unlocked with purchase—no monthly subscription fees
• Charger can be used to charge Evie on the go for up to 10 times
• Charger doubles as a carrying case—no more worries about dropping or misplacing the Evie Ring
• Gap provides maximum comfort when fingers get bloated
• Very friendly user interface, especially for those using a smart ring for the first time
• Accounts for differences between men’s and women’s biometrics for better insights and recommendations

Oura Ring’s advantages over Evie Ring

• Boasts of better features as a result of 10 years of R&D
• Made with more durable materials—doesn’t scratch easily, unlike Evie
• More accurate measurements whether you’re awake or asleep
• Tracks movements better than Evie
• Works with over 40 apps, including Peloton, Strava, Apple Health Kit, Google Health Connect, and more for an integrated and well-rounded user experience
• Fully charged battery lasts for up to 7 days
• Has better water resistance

The Verdict: Which is Better for Women’s Health Monitoring?

Perhaps it’s easier to see that the Oura Ring is better than the Evie Ring in terms of accuracy, overall usefulness, and durability. It’s worth noting, however, that this gap in performance results from Oura’s 10 years in the health tracking industry. The Evie Ring still has some room for improvement, but that’s because it’s still considerably new.

If you’re in the market for a female-focused health tracker and do not mind waiting for updates and fixes to come in the future, then the Evie Ring could be a great choice. It’s cheaper than the Oura Ring at $299 and shows a lot of promise.

That said, it might be better to wait for Movano to iron out issues before spending money on this device. And if you’re already using a smart ring that works, wait for bugs to be solved before making the jump.

If you’re looking for a reliable smart ring and do not mind paying more for accurate measurements, then go ahead and get the Oura Ring. You can get the Heritage version for $299, and the sleeker and more stylish Horizon for $349. With an additional $5.99 per month for membership, you can get access to in-depth sleep analyses, temperature trend monitoring to predict sickness and monthly periods, personalized health insights and recommendations, and live and accurate heart monitoring.

Get the Evie Ring here. Get the Oura Ring here.

For the latest wearable tech news and updates, follow Smart Ring News on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

The post Evie Ring vs. Oura Ring: Which Is Better for Women’s Health Monitoring? first appeared on Smart Ring News.

The Circular Ring is designed to have a thin profile on your finger while still being able to do what a smart ring should—monitor health metrics, wake you up at your preferred time, and so on. It’s the latest smart ring from French company Circular, which released two variants—Circular Slim and Circular Pro.

There’s no big difference between the two other than the Pro model’s option to switch the outer shells. In addition, the Pro variant has a bigger battery and a physical button.

The Circular Ring is still new, but we were able to get our hands—er, finger—on it for a quick trial. So, for this review, we’ll be discussing first impressions, how the device looks and feels when you’re wearing it, how it works, and what we actually think about it.

ALSO READ: BEST FITNESS TRACKER RINGS

Circular Ring Quick Summary

Before we start, here’s a quick summary of the Circular Ring’s functionalities:

Circular Ring Review: First Impressions

First, let’s talk about the packaging. The Circular Ring comes in a cleanly designed box with an opening secured using a magnet. There’s not much to see outside the box, which means you’re actually encouraged to open it immediately to get the smart ring inside. Once you open the box, you’ll find the Circular Ring and its charger safely tucked in foam.

The Circular Ring looks simple and unassuming, but it feels premium. It’s very different from its predecessor in terms of appearance because first, there’s no physical rubber button that can be pushed; second, it has a matte finish different from the shiny finish on the Circular Pro’s outer shell; third, the Slim variant is noticeably slimmer; fourth, it has a simple but good-looking logo, which serves as the button; and lastly, its metal prongs that are used to charge the device are smaller compared to the ones found in Circular’s older smart ring.

As for the charger, there are two magnetic terminals that connect to the prongs on the smart rings. It has a USB-C connector, so you can connect it to your laptop, iPhone, or Android smartphone to charge the device. It also has an LED light that tells you if the ring is charging.

ALSO READ: BEST SLEEP TRACKER RINGS

Using the Circular Ring Slim

Like the Circular Pro, the Circular Slim is used with a smartphone app. You will first need to download the app and then connect the Circular Slim to your smartphone using Bluetooth. You will also need to wear the smart ring to take advantage of all of its features, although some will still work while it’s not being worn.

First steps

To set it up, first charge your Circular Slim using the supplied charger. You can attach the charger to any device with a USB-C port, but this could be challenging if you are using your smartphone for the purpose, especially because you will need to use your smartphone in the succeeding steps. This will be easier if you have a USB-C cord extension, which you can also order from Circular.

Next, get the Circular Ring app for the iPhone or Android. Once you have it, you will need to Sign Up for an account with Circular if you don’t have one yet, or Sign In if you’re already have an account and/or are using a Circular Pro smart ring.

ALSO READ: BEST OURA RING ALTERNATIVES

Once you’re already signed in, it’s time to connect the ring to the app. Tap on My Ring at the top-right corner of the screen, then tap on Set up new ring under General. From there, you will need to select Slim, then follow the slew of instructions that appear on the screen.

You might experience some connection issues, as we have. When you do, you might need to do a soft reset on the Circular Slim, remove it from the list of connected or recognized smart rings from the Circular app, and also forget the device in your smartphone’s Bluetooth settings. If you do this, simply connect the device to your smartphone as you did the first time.

ALSO READ: BEST SMART RINGS FOR PAYMENT

What the Circular Slim Is Best Used For

If you succeed in connecting your Circular Slim to the app on your smartphone, congratulations! You are now on your way to enjoying its features, some of which can be compared to similar features on more expensive devices. We’ve tried it and can vouch for its effectiveness.

Health Monitoring

The Circular Slim smart ring is fitted with a slew of sensors used to measure your health statistics. The device accurately monitors your heart rate, HRV (heart rate variability), breathing rate, blood oxygen (SpO2), and the intensity of your current activity. Don’t worry about the information’s accuracy—the Circular app will give you tips on how to get these statistics best.

In our case, we were advised to clench our fists while the smart ring was measuring. The app showed that the data accuracy was “poor,” so we had to wait a bit longer for the data to become more accurate. Eventually, we decided to remove the Circular Slim, wait a few seconds, and then put it back on, but this time, it was in a relaxed position. The app indicated that the information is now more accurate, and we have confirmed it using other health monitoring devices. For reference, we wore the Slim on our right index finger.

Aside from the usual stats like heart rate, the Circular Ring also monitors your body temperature to help detect certain conditions, like a fever. It monitors your stats 24/7—as long as it has a battery—and gives you tips on how to improve your health.

ALSO READ: BEST OURA RING DUPES

On-Demand Measurement

While the Circular Ring monitors your health stats every minute, you have the option to get measurements on demand. This gives you instant access to the information you need at the time you need it, allowing you to stay on top of your health condition.

Monitoring and Handling Stress

The Circular Ring provides live stress score feedback and stress predictions based on the stats it measures while you engage in activities. It can then give you guided breathing exercises to help you relax, whether you’re still doing activities or are already preparing to sleep.

Improving Sleeping and Waking

Speaking of sleep, the Circular Ring is designed to help improve your sleep. It helps you ease into sleep by giving you notifications about your set bedtime. Then, it monitors your sleeping stages (REM, light sleep, deep sleep) and napping habits and provides tips on how they can be better. It also has a Smart Alarm feature that gently nudges you before your set alarm time so that you wake up gently and refreshed instead of abruptly due to strong vibrations.

Wellness Recommendations

Aside from the above, the Circular Ring also monitors your energy and provides you with helpful recommendations to improve your overall health and wellness. These include recommendations such as getting some sun, getting a cup of coffee, and working in what Circular calls your “Productivity Zone.” It also reminds you of your medications, if you have any, and alerts you if there’s anything wrong with your vitals.

Keeping track of time

While the Circular Ring is not a watch, you can use it to keep track of time. Simply set the alarm and Slim will vibrate at your specified time. This is perfect for instances when you aren’t wearing a watch and do not want loud noises to wake you up, like a blaring alarm from your phone. Use case scenarios include when you’re sleeping, driving, in a meeting, or in a noise-free zone.

ALSO READ: BEST SMART RINGS FOR WOMEN

Circular Ring Slim Pros and Cons

All that said, Circular Slim has some advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the smart ring’s pros:

• 2.2mm-thin profile and 2-gram weight make it very comfortable to wear
• Aluminum build makes it durable
• IPX8 rating lets you use it while swimming for 30 minutes

Now, some of its downsides:

• You might forget you’re wearing it and end up doing something that can damage the ring
• Matte finish scratches easily
• You might forget that you’re not wearing it and end up having to reset it to reconnect
• Disconnection issues can be very annoying
• Slow to produce accurate measurements at times
• Does not track workouts or exercise
• No third-party integrations (does not work with Apple Health or Google Fit, and other apps)
• Circular app could be better
• Battery doesn’t last as long as Circular claims

The Verdict: Is Circular Ring Worth It?

Perhaps by now, it’s painfully obvious that the $297 Circular Slim looks and sounds good at first glance, but it’s not a powerhouse like other devices. It’s mainly used as a health tracker for everyday activities, a sleep tracker to help you get better sleep, and an alarm for when you want to wake up or be notified of certain times without any noise. It has some potential, as indicated on paper, but our user experience leaves a lot to be desired.

If you’re looking for a wearable that does these three things, don’t mind spending a week or so to let the device get acquainted with your habits, and don’t want to spend on more expensive but more powerful options, then Circular Slim might be good enough for your needs. But if you’re looking for something more reliable and do not mind spending more to get your money’s worth, get the Ultrahuman Ring Air, Oura Ring, or check out other smart rings.

Get the Circular Ring here!

For the latest wearable tech news and updates, follow Smart Ring News on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

The post Circular Ring Review: Is It Worth It? first appeared on Smart Ring News.

Vera Ring Summary

Vera Ring Features and Functionalities

Primed as your “live health dashboard,” the Vera Ring keeps tabs on your health 24/7 and personalized insights based on your tracked data. The smart ring is touted to learn about the user’s health issues before it gets worse. While its maker Vera Health did specify how this works, the ring might look at symptoms like body temperature and heart rate variability to determine one’s state of health.

To give you a 360-degree view of your health, the Vera Ring tracks six major health metrics—heart, respiratory, sleep cycles, immune system, stress levels, and activities. This set of metrics is not new at all except for one thing—the immune system. Vera Health has not given any details as to how it goes about tracking the user’s immune system as of now.

With heart monitoring, the ring will look at beats per minute (BPM), heart rate variability (HRV), resting heart rate (RHR), and soon blood pressure (BP). When it comes to sleep tracking, the ring will dive into sleep cycles (REM, light sleep, deep sleep), time awake, and sleep duration. The user’s respiratory health will be determined by blood oxygen levels (Sp02), VO2 Max, and breathing rates.

ALSO READ: BEST SMART RINGS YOU CAN GET NOW

In terms of tracking the user’s immune system, the ring will take into account the data gathered through the temperature sensors combined with data from sleep, stress, and HRV. Talking about stress, the smart ring will mainly use heart rate metrics to identify stress levels as well as triggers.

For activity tracking, Vera Health will use its signature ActiveZone technology to track the user’s daily activities, including heart rate zones. Fertility tracking will also be available later on.

With personalized insights, the mobile app that comes with the ring will push out practical recommendations based on your data. In addition, one thing that makes the smart ring unique is its ability to predict illnesses based on extreme drops or spikes in the user’s vital signs.

ALSO READ: BEST OURA RING ALTERNATIVES

Vera Ring Design

The smart ring will be made from aircraft-grade titanium material. It is designed to be discreet, durable, and waterproof.

Its sensors include its signature Mirror Prism Technology PPG sensors, skin temperature sensors, and 6-axis accelerometers.

In terms of battery life, the ring is designed to last for up to 7 days. It has a charging case that can extend the battery life of the ring for an additional 30 days.

ALSO READ: BEST FITNESS TRACKERS

Vera Ring Price and Release Date

The Vera Ring costs $249 for a start. It’s available in light blue, white, matte black, silver, gold, and rose gold.

Each ring comes with a sizing kit which is expected to be shipped in April 2024. The shipment of the actual ring will commence in May 2024.

Pre-order the Vera Ring here!

For the latest wearable tech news and updates, follow Smart Ring News on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

The post Vera Ring Features, Pricing, Release Date, and Everything You Need to Know first appeared on Smart Ring News.

At the end of this review, you should be able to understand whether Ultrahuman Ring Air is worth buying over other smart rings. But before that, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of this wearable first, including its features and functionalities.

What Is Ultrahuman Ring Air?

Developed by Bangalore-based health technology company of the same name, Ultrahuman Ring Air is marketed as a real-time nutrition and fitness tracking device. Unlike most smart rings, Ultrahuman Ring Air’s core functionality is to provide a range of health insights and metrics that directly affect your metabolism.

Factors like sleep quality, sleep zones, stress levels (largely based on heart rate variability (HRV)), and activity distribution contribute to the smart ring’s overall health and wellness index. In essence, you can use Ultrahuman Ring Air for tracking sleep, activities, heart rate metrics, and skin temperature. Here’s a quick summary of Ultrahuman Ring Air’s features:

Ultrahuman Ring Air Review: What Does Ultrahuman Ring Air Measure?

To understand how Ultrahuman Ring Air works, here are the highlights of the smart ring:

Sleep Index

Your sleep health is presented through its Sleep Index, which includes metrics like total sleep duration, resting heart rate (RHR), and restfulness. You also get insights after your sleep if you need to slow down for the day or do more based on your sleep patterns. Compared to Oura Ring, everything is pretty much the same, giving you almost similar metrics and a breakdown of sleep stages.

Circadian Phase Alignment

This is something unique to Ultrahuman Ring Air. Honestly, it’s the first time to get a glimpse of this kind of feature, so I have no baseline as to whether it’s really working or not. Basically, the Circadian Phase Alignment mode looks at how factors like light exposure, food intake at certain times of the day, and physical exercise negatively impact your circadian rhythm. These factors affect your sleep and wake-up times, so it’s good to be aware of these factors in a clear presentation.

Also Read: Apple Watch vs. Oura: Which Is the Best Health and Wellness Companion?

Stimulants Permissible Window

A similar feature is the Stimulants Permissible Window, which tells you when to consume stimulants like coffee and soda. The goal is to boost your productivity, enhance your mood, and improve your mental clarity. You won’t see this from other wearables.

Movement Index

Of course, Ultrahuman Ring Air comes with fitness-tracking capabilities. Metrics like steps, calorie burn, active hours, and workout frequency are presented on the app through its Movement Index, which is designed to keep you moving to maximize your glucose metabolism. The step tracking is pretty much in line with the data from my Oura Ring and Apple Watch SE 2. If you use the MyFitnessPal app like me, Ultrahuman supports it along with several others.

Also Read: Garmin Venu 3 Review: Is It a Good Fitness and Health Wearable?

Recovery Monitoring

Like most health and fitness wearables, the smart ring comes with a recovery monitoring feature. Do note that they are not all definitive, including this one, but it certainly does help when it comes to getting an idea about your readiness.

Heart Rate Variability

A variety of heart rate metrics are available on the Ultrahuman app, including HRV, which is largely tied to your recovery. So far, Ultrahuman Ring Air returns pretty good heart rate data like my other wearables.

Also Read: 5 Best Smartwatches for Sleep Tracking in 2023

Ultrahuman App

The mobile app is one of the most important things for these health and fitness wearables. The good news is the Ultrahuman app is as good as the apps of Oura and Garmin. In fact, it looks a lot like Oura’s, so you can imagine how user-friendly the data presentation is. The app also comes with extras to boost fitness goals, such as workouts, meditations, and sleep stories.

Also Read: Oura Ring 3 vs. Garmin Fenix 7 Review: Which Device Fits You Best?

Ultrahuman Ring Air Review: Specs and Design

Is the ring comfortable? Can I wear it in style? Ultrahuman Ring Air weighs 2.4-3.6 grams, depending on the ring size. Regardless, it’s lightweight and slender suitable to be used for any occasion without worries.

The ring’s build is almost the same as the Oura Ring. The outer shell of Ultrahuman Ring Air is made from fighter jet-grade titanium and coated in tungsten carbide carbon, while the inner shell is coated with medical-grade hypoallergenic epoxy resin. Overall, it’s comfortable enough to wear day in and day out.

Also Read: RingConn vs. Oura Ring 3 Review: Battle of Health Monitoring Smart Rings

However, in terms of style, it’s not the most stylish at all. It looks ordinary to me compared to Oura Ring’s elegant finish.

In terms of battery, you can use it for up to 6 days. Each full charge takes about 2 hours to finish. The standard battery life of a smart ring is up to 7 days, so this one’s right within the range.

It’s also worth noting that the ring is water-resistant up to 100 meters. Therefore, you can swim, snorkel, or dive with it.

Also Read: RingConn Smart Ring Review: Is It Worth It?

Ultrahuman Ring Air Review: Pricing and Availability

Ultrahuman Ring Air costs $349 and is available in aster black, matte black, bionic gold, and space silver. Ultrahuman does not have a membership. You get all features on a single purchase, unlike Oura Ring, Whoop, and many other wearables. They also have a trade-in program that allows you to swap your Oura Ring Gen 3, Oura Ring Gen 2, and Ultrahuman R1 for credits toward your Ultrahuman Ring Air. Get Ultrahuman Ring Air here!

Also Read: Oura vs. Apple Watch vs. Whoop: Which Is the Ultimate Health and Fitness Device?

The Verdict: Is Ultrahuman Ring Air Worth It?

Overall, Ultrahuman Ring Air is a promising smart ring. It’s not an Oura Ring killer at all. It’s just another option available for you. So, should you get it?

If you are currently using Oura Ring Gen 3, you don’t need to switch to Ultrahuman Ring Air. If you are currently using Oura Ring Gen 2, Ultrahuman Ring Air is a significant upgrade. And if this is your first time using a smart ring, Ultrahuman Ring Air is definitely worth buying if you want to improve your sleep and fitness.

For the latest wearable tech news and updates, follow Smart Ring News on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

The post Ultrahuman Ring Air Review: Should You Buy It? first appeared on Smart Ring News.

Galaxy Ring Design

The first thing that stands out when you look at the Galaxy Ring is its design which is unlike any other smart ring. The shell is arched in, resembling the rim of a wheel.

The Galaxy Ring has not been allowed to be touched by the public as of now, so we can’t be certain how light and comfortable it is to wear. Nevertheless, Samsung assured the press that the ring is light and easy to wear at any time of day.

Galaxy Ring Colors

The Galaxy Ring was revealed in three colors: ceramic black, platinum silver, and gold. However, we believe there might be more colors available soon. Whichever color you pick, the ring has a glossy finish. Based on what we’ve seen so far, it looks pretty but picks up smudges easily.

ALSO READ: BEST SMART RINGS YOU CAN GET NOW

Galaxy Ring Sizing

Like most smart rings, the Galaxy Ring will be available in US ring sizes 5 to 13. The size of the ring will be etched on the inner molding of the ring.

Galaxy Health

While the Galaxy Ring looks like a promising health-tracking device, one thing you need to know right off the bat is that you need a Samsung Galaxy smartphone to take full advantage of all its features. For instance, you need the Samsung Health app in order for you to view your health data and insights, and this app is only available on the Galaxy line of smartphones. That said, we can only conclude that the Galaxy Ring is designed as a companion for the Galaxy Watch.

You can also set goals and receive feedback on your progress via Booster Cards on the Galaxy Health app.

ALSO READ: BEST OURA RING ALTERNATIVES

Vitality Score

Users will get a Vitality Score, the same metric used in the newer Galaxy Watch series. This is based on a combination of metrics related to sleep, resting heart rate (RHR), heart rate variability (HRV), and activities.

What to Expect

There’s no word from Samsung as of now as to which sensors the smart ring will have. Nevertheless, we know the Galaxy Ring will be used for sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, respiration monitoring, and activity tracking. Samsung will zero in on detecting early signs of sleep apnea, which many health rings on the market such as Oura Ring and Ultrahuman Ring Air can do.

With these details, we are certain the ring will have infrared photoplethysmography sensors (PPG) for heart rate and breathing rate, a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) sensor for body temperature monitoring, and a 3D accelerometer for monitoring movements.

As for the official release date, we don’t have a clear timeline yet, but we suspect it’s going to be available in the second half of 2024.

ALSO READ: BEST SLEEP TRACKER RINGS

For the latest wearable tech news and updates, follow Smart Ring News on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The post Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions and Everything That’s Been Confirmed first appeared on Smart Ring News.

About the Oura Ring Test

We tested Oura for 30 days in regular daily and nightly use. The ring was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 in four categories: Purposefulness, User Experience and Design, Functionalities and Tech, and App and Ecosystem.

Purposefulness ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5.0)

We evaluated Oura’s purposefulness — how it helps, if it fulfills a genuine purpose, or if there is a need for the device. Find out!

Readiness

Oura’s ‘Readiness’ score measures how prepared you are to take on tasks for the day. It is based on contributors like RHR, HRV, body temperature, previous night’s sleep, and previous day’s activities, among other things.

My ‘Readiness’ score peaked at 87 for two consecutive days, which is optimal — no complaints at all.

A few days into the ring test, my score tanked to 59 after a rough night. When I say a rough night, I mean I was able to sleep at 2:40 a.m. and woke up after 5.28 hours. This is where Oura warned me to pay attention and gave me great advice on how to take on the day.

Oura suggested taking a power nap in the afternoon or taking a moment to breathe. I did take short breaks and breathing exercises here and there. Oura has several guided and unguided meditation practices to give your body its much-needed help. But if I have to be honest, I did not feel any significant difference from every time I had restless nights. Although I still felt tired, the breathing exercises I took somehow helped me keep my focus throughout the day.

Ultimately, Oura is not some kind of voodoo to help users feel good if they need to. It needs some time to understand how your body operates, and most certainly, your body needs more time to heal if it’s experiencing so much distress.

ALSO READ: BEST OURA RING ALTERNATIVES

Sleep Tracking

The ‘Sleep’ score evaluates how well you have slept throughout the night. Oura uses factors like total sleep, restfulness, REM sleep, deep sleep, and timing to come up with scores.

As someone with erratic sleeping habits, I figured Oura would give me a clearer picture of this problem. To my surprise, it did not just provide me with sleep data but gave me a blow-by-blow account of my sleeping stages and which sleep contributor I can improve on. Two nights I only had a little more than 5 hours of sleep, and my ‘Sleep’ score dropped below 60 from the usual 70 and above.

Oura suggested getting some fresh air, avoiding a long nap in the afternoon, and getting more sleep at night, which I appreciated given that I sometimes tend to resort to oversleeping in the afternoon, overeating, and overworking myself.

Even more amazing is the detailed sleep stages — what time your REM, light, and deep sleep fall and how long. These also have a huge impact on your readiness. Also, you get a detailed view of your resting heart rate, which can also be useful data for those who are suffering from heart or cardiovascular diseases. Overall, Oura’s sleep tracking is the most useful feature for people with sleep apnea, chronic insomnia, and other sleep-related problems.

ALSO READ: BEST OURA RING DUPES

Activity Tracking

The ‘Activity’ score measures how active you are for the day. It is based on your daily goal progress, total burn, walking equivalency, and steps, among other things.

Oura’s activity-tracking component is something fitness enthusiasts would love. It functions a lot like a smartwatch or any other fitness tracker. The app keeps track of your daily activities, including steps, movement, and inactivity, to calculate your active calorie burn and total burn.

Oura also offers a detailed graph of your daily movements — what time you are or are not moving, the walking distance covered, and the intensity of your movements (inactive, low, medium, high). In case you fall below the minimum, Oura gives you alerts. For instance, in the middle photo, I got an alert to move every hour. I was most likely working, sitting on my desk at that time. Overall, it’s a nifty feature to help you get moving when you need to.

ALSO READ: BEST SMART RINGS YOU CAN BUY NOW

User Experience and Design ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5.0)

The ring’s overall design is impressive. In fact, if you are into a minimalistic, no-frills design like me, you will fall in love with Oura’s simplicity. The ring is made of titanium alloy, an ultra-strong metal often used for spacecraft parts, and is covered with PVD coating. Rest assured, you will get a durable ring that can withstand even the most extreme conditions. Although made of titanium alloy, Oura is not invincible against scratches, especially if you are lifting weights. If you want to preserve its shiny, speckless exterior, avoid wearing it while weightlifting. This is also Oura’s suggestion.

The ring is not as slender as a regular ring, but it’s fairly lightweight, weighing 4-6 grams, depending on the ring size. In terms of the interior, the inner molding is non-allergenic. As someone with highly sensitive skin, I never felt any itch around my middle finger at all, not even once.

Most importantly, Oura is waterproof. You can submerge it up to 100 meters deep. I love that you can bathe with it, swim with it, dive with it, wash your hands with it, and do pretty much everything involving liquid. The sensors are covered well from water and dust particles, so you don’t have to worry about removing and wearing and then removing the ring.

Meanwhile, I have nothing to complain about Oura’s iOS app. It’s professionally designed to be user-friendly. Overall, it’s clean and very easy to navigate around.

ALSO READ: BEST SLEEP TRACKER RINGS

Functionalities and Tech ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.0)

Oura is just a piece of metal without the technologies behind it. So I set out to know what goes into the ring itself and found out that Oura, despite its tiny body, is carrying three different sensors responsible for tracking different body signals. These are infrared photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors for heart rate and respiration, a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) sensor for body temperature, and a 3D accelerometer for movements.

What I like about Oura’s accelerometer is that it can automatically detect activities like strength training and walking. In such a case, it would ask you to add the suggested data, so your activity tracking is more accurate. I did an apples-to-apples comparison between Oura and my smartwatch’s activity data, and the two seem to coincide. Overall, the activity-tracking functionality is reliable enough for anyone to use.

The PPG and NTC sensors are accurate for the most part. Oura for some reason did not track my daytime sleep. It happened a few times, but I was not exactly sure what went wrong until I did a little digging and found out that the ring only tracks one sleep period during each 24-hour segment. Daytime sleep and naps are only counted as restful periods, which are categorized as activities just like walking and strength training. 

Also note that if you sleep in a position that causes your hand to go numb, you might see gaps in your RHR and HRV graphs just like what happened to me a few times. Blood circulation is blocked in this case, and the sensors cannot find your pulse. There are, however, other causes for these gaps, such as the ring being too loose or dirty LED sensors.

In terms of battery life, Oura promises the ring can last for 7 days. And it’s quite accurate. Sleep tracking, however, does not work right if it’s below 20%. One time I slept with the ring’s battery at 17% and woke up at 2%. To my surprise, it did not track anything that night at all. And then I found out later that Oura cannot track and analyze when the ring is below 20%.

In addition, there was one time when Oura failed to connect to my iPhone’s Bluetooth. I’m not sure where the problem occurred, but it took me some time to figure out what happened, after trying a few ways to troubleshoot the problem based on Oura’s recommendations. Despite that, Oura’s Bluetooth connection is reliable in general. The app automatically syncs with the ring, as long as the mobile phone’s Bluetooth is on.

ALSO READ: BEST FITNESS TRACKER RINGS

App and Ecosystem ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5.0)

The smart ring experience won’t be complete without the mobile app, and that’s why a well-designed one is imperative. The good news is that Oura has an impressive app for both Android and iOS devices, wherein the ring’s collected data are presented and analyzed. 

Oura’s data like steps, walking and running distance, and active calorie burn can all be synced with third-party apps. It supports a slew of integrations, including Apple Health for iOS devices, Google Fit for Android devices, and Samsung Health for Samsung devices. If you are using any of these apps as a control center for your health data or other purposes, Oura is a great source of information. Oura also supports dozens of other apps like Natural Cycles, HRV4Training, Wattson Blue, Bioloop Sleep, Heads Up Health, and Health Sync, among others.

ALSO READ: BEST SMART RINGS FOR PAYMENT

Oura’s Overall Score ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.75)

A lot of Oura’s suggestions are really basic if you think about it. However, it pays to have a ring that has concrete data and an app to guide you, because sometimes — admit it or not — we tend to brush off the thought to, say, take a 20-minute power nap after a restless night when we are not told. Although there are a few things about Oura that I would a miss, the ring still did a pretty good job overall.

Do note that the longer you use the ring, the better it understands your body signals. Overall, Oura is a great device for people who have a sleep-related problem, cardiovascular disease, or anyone really who wants to drastically get better at their overall health.

ALSO READ: BEST FITNESS TRACKERS

Compare Oura with Other Devices

Based on my experience with Oura, it is perhaps the best device available for sleep tracking. However, the ring form factor limits its functionalities to pretty much that. If you want to expand from mere sleep tracking to also activity and fitness tracking, smartphone notifications, or GPS, you might want to see how some of the smartwatches compare against Oura. Here are links to some of our most popular blogs:

• Oura vs. Apple Watch
• Oura vs. Fitbit
• Oura vs. Whoop
• Oura vs. Garmin

Oura Ring Alternatives

This test was one more evidence of Oura’s superior capabilities in sleep and activity tracking. However, it is not a wearable that everybody wants to use. Our blog on Oura Ring alternatives introduces seven health monitoring gadgets that can provide you with similar functionalities!

For the latest wearable tech news and updates, follow Smart Ring News on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The post Oura Ring Test: What’s the Verdict After Using it for 30 Days first appeared on Smart Ring News.

Researchers from UC San Francisco used the Oura Ring in an attempt to anticipate COVID-19 in healthcare workers. The NBA and WNBA bought 2,000 Oura Rings for their players. And Nascar gave away Oura Rings for their drivers and staff. A bunch of celebrities have been vocal about how they loved the smart ring, while some have been spotted wearing this tiny device. But what is the hype around it all about? Here’s everything you need to know about the Oura Ring:

What Does Oura Ring Do?

The Oura Ring is a sleep tracker designed to keep tabs on the user’s natural body clock (called the circadian rhythm) and nightly rests. On top of sleep tracking, the ring also has a host of other sensors that measure the user’s daily activities, heart rate zones, and body temperature. Each morning, you get a Sleep Score measuring how good your sleep is and a Readine Score measuring how recovered your body is. You also get an Activity Score gauging how much you’ve been moving throughout the day.

ALSO READ: WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE OURA RING DO?

How Does Oura Ring Work?

The Oura Ring packs several tiny activity and body sensors for different purposes into its 6-gram body. These include infrared photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors for heart rate and respiration, a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) sensor for body temperature, and a 3D accelerometer for movements. All these sensors are instrumental for the Oura mobile app to come up with daily insights and recommendations about your sleep, activity, and readiness.

The fact alone that the manufacturer managed to roll three sensors into one infinitesimal wearable is quite impressive. But do they really work as intended? Learn more about the features of the Oura ring in the following sections.

ALSO READ: WHY DO PEOPLE LOVE OURA RING? 5 COMMON REASONS

Oura Ring Features

We’ve talked a little about the Oura Ring sensors. Now let’s shed light on what these sensors do and how you can take advantage of them to improve your daily life.

Personalized Insights

Rather than overwhelm you with raw data, the Oura app is the partner tool of your ring to interpret collected health data. Through the app, you may see deviations from your own baseline, so Oura will suggest things you can do or change in order to improve your current situation. For instance, some users might find it startling to have a heart rate spike to 150. But that’s quite normal if you are doing strenuous activities like running or cycling. This is where the free mobile app (available for Android and iOS devices) comes in handy. You can check all the data, including sleep stages, steps, heart rate, and body temperature deviation, summarized in three different scores: Readiness, Sleep, and Activity.

ALSO READ: BEST SMART RINGS YOU CAN BUY

Readiness Score

The Readiness Score takes into account factors like resting heart rate, heart rate, respiratory rate, activity levels, and sleep to tell you how ready you are to take on your day — physically, mentally, and emotionally. The good thing is the Readiness Score is compared against your own baseline rather than the general population’s.

Sleep Score

The Sleep Score helps you understand the overall quality of your sleep. It’s measured by a combination of deep sleep, REM sleep, light sleep, sleep timing, and heart rate insights. For people suffering from sleep apnea, Oura can be of great help to manage their condition. Since the ring sits comfortably on your finger at night, it’s easier for people with sleep-related disorders to monitor their sleep duration, sleep quality, and how much time is spent in various stages.

ALSO READ: BEST OURA RING ALTERNATIVES

Activity Score

The Activity Score tells you how to strike a balance between physical activity and recovery. It’s based on inactivity alerts, daily activity goals, and movements.

Oura Ring for Meditation

As someone who practices meditation, Oura’s Moments is something I find fairly useful. Moments helps you get a grip of how effective different mindfulness activities are by comparing your results over time. For instance, Moments can show you which breathing exercise or soundscape helps tone down your resting heart rate. This way, you would know which mindfulness exercises work best for your productivity and recovery.

ALSO READ: BEST OURA RING DUPES

Oura Ring for Birth Control

One of the most recent developments in the smart ring market is the addition of birth control as part of its feature set. The Oura ring has made history as the first wearable technology to have such a powerful functionality that enables women to use their rings to know their fertility or the lack thereof. This functionality works with the Natural Cycles app, which imports and interprets the user’s body temperature data and provides sound conclusions. With Oura, women no longer need to use an oral thermometer for days every month to know if they are fertile or not, which is more convenient and accurate since the ring can be snugly worn 24/7.

Oura Ring for COVID-19 Detection

Back in March 2020, the news broke out that Oura was able to detect early symptoms of Covid-19, resulting in the ring getting too much hype. It’s misleading to say that the ring in itself can detect COVID-19 because it cannot. That’s for sure. However, it’s accurate enough to tell you your body temperature and if your body is ready for the day. The ring can only tell you if your body is okay based on your vital signs and the scores it draws up, but you still need to do due diligence and have yourself properly tested if you want to know if you contracted the virus. So, no — the Oura ring cannot detect COVID-19. But it does help in identifying early symptoms of the disease.

ALSO READ: WHAT ARE SMART RINGS? HOW DO THEY WORK?

Oura Ring Price and Availability

The Oura Ring costs $299 or €246. It is available in two styles–Heritage and Horizon. Heritage is available in silver, black, stealth, and gold colors, while Horizon is available in these colors plus rose gold and brushed titanium. The ring’s inner surface is made of hypoallergenic materials, while the entire body is fully sealed titanium metal, thereby protecting the electronics and sensors inside against dust, scratch, moisture, and liquid. Even if you take Oura for a sweaty run or a swim, no worries as it is waterproof up to 100 meters.

The ring also comes with a charger and a sizing kit. The Oura ring can last for seven days per charge. Before sending you the real deal, Oura will send you a sizing kit with eight sizes from 6 mm to 13 mm and ask you to wear the right ring size on your finger of choice for 24 hours. Do note that our fingers swell when we work out and sleep. Once you have decided, Oura will send you the real thing, but you need to be extra patient as the ring needs enough time to understand how your body works. It usually takes at least 14 days for the ring to get your baseline metrics.

Oura Ring Review: Is Oura Ring Worth It?

The Oura Ring is like no other fitness and sleep tracker wearables devices I have seen. It’s unique in a way that you can’t swipe through your stats like you would on a smartwatch. But I like how unobtrusive it is, that it sometimes feels like you are not wearing anything at all. And what I love most about Oura is its unique algorithm. Most wearables take your metrics and measure your fitness on any given day without taking your history into account. This is where Oura is different; it takes note of your baseline metrics.

Is the Oura ring worth it, though? Generally, yes! Oura is best for people with sleeping problems and people who are trying to do better with their overall health and well-being. Otherwise, Oura might just end up like a fancy wearable that you wear because it’s what’s trendy right now. If you are looking for the smart ring’s actual test, check out our Oura Ring Test!

For the latest wearable tech news and updates, follow Smart Ring News on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The post Oura Ring Review 2024: Is It Worth It? first appeared on Smart Ring News.

Oura has dominated the smart ring market for almost a decade, and rightfully so, given it has been the most reliable and consistent device ever available. Over the past couple of years, despite the challenges in form factor, several brands have already made inroads into the smart ring market, including Ultrahuman and Ringconn. Fast forward to date, we’ve seen more familiar names like Samsung, Movano Health, and Amazfit joining the race.

The smart ring market, however, is not limited to health monitoring. There are smart rings that can be used for other purposes, including contactless payments, remote control, travel passes, and car access. 

Fortunately for you, there are now many impressive smart rings available. From sleep tracking to contactless payment and blood oxygen monitoring, we selected the best smart rings according to their functionalities. But before diving into the list, how do we choose the right smart rings?

Choosing the Best Smart Rings

When we created our list of the best smart rings, we first took into account a couple of things to make sure they serve you the ultimate way possible. Here are some criteria we considered:

Purpose

Smart rings are used for different purposes. Knowing what you want to use the ring for is critical for your decision. Is it for monitoring your health? If you need to be more specific, is it for sleep, blood oxygen, or period prediction? Is it for payment? Is it for your car?

Integrations

What type of third-party support does the smart ring have? In most health rings, third-party apps like Natural Cycles, Google Fit, and MyFitnessPal, among others. If you are looking for a particular app to use, make sure to check with the ring maker whether they support the app you’re looking for.

Budget

Cost is one of the things that set people back from getting a smart ring. Most NFC smart rings cost below $200, but health-tracking rings with more sophisticated sensors cost at least $200. For example, the price of the Oura Ring starts at $299, but there are Oura Ring dupes that you can buy for less than that.

After taking all these factors, here are our top picks for the best smart rings you can buy now:

1. Oura Ring – Best Smart Ring

Leading the smart ring market is Oura, a sleep tracker that gives you a 360-degree view of your nightly rest habits. These include factors like sleep stages (REM, light, and deep sleep), total sleep, restfulness, timing, sleep efficiency, latency, time in bed, and resting heart rate (RHR). You’ll be given a sleep score based on those factors, which you can view right through Oura’s mobile app.

Sleep tracking is only one of Oura’s main functions, though. It also tracks your activities and evaluates your readiness based on certain factors. Overall, Oura is pretty accurate, making it one of the best smart rings out there. I strongly recommend Oura for people with problematic sleeping habits just like me. I did a 30-day-long Oura User Test, so be sure to check how it stacked up as a smart ring.

The new version, Oura 3 was launched in 2021. This product adds several high-end sleep and fitness tracking functionalities, more advanced algorithms, and an updated app and membership subscription. Check our Oura 2 vs. Oura 3 comparison to see what’s new!

Get Oura Ring!

2. Ultrahuman Ring Air – Best Sleep Ring

One of the most advanced wearables on the market, the Ultrahuman Ring Air is one of the best smart rings you can get your hands on. Its continuous nudges to make better lifestyle choices based on your sleep, activities, and recovery trends is something beneficial to meet your fitness goals. It’s light and slim, so you get the optimal comfort you need from a health smart ring, whether you are running or sleeping.

Get Ultrahuman Ring Air!

3. Wellue O2Ring – Best Oxygen Monitor and Pulse Oximeter Ring

There are only a few smart rings that measure blood oxygen levels and heart rate and one that stands out is the Wellue O2Ring. Developed by medical technology maker Wellue, the ring is a medical-grade oxygen monitor that can continuously track your blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, and body movements. It’s used by several medical clinics across the U.S. The O2Ring sports an adjustable vibrator that goes off when your blood oxygen level drops below normal or when your heart rate beats in fits and starts. And of course, you can get a detailed health report through its mobile and desktop apps.

Wellue O2Ring Oxygen Monitor with Vibration Reminder...

$179.99

Buy on Amazon

Get Wellue O2Ring!

4. Femometer Ring – Best Smart Ring for Women

The first smart ring for women that was ever released, the Femometer Ring is a phenomenal wearable device that can track menstrual cycles. It’s mainly designed as a tool for planning or avoiding pregnancy, but it’s not just that. The smart ring approaches women’s health monitoring by keeping tabs on the user’s sleep, activities, heart rate zones, body temperature, and even recovery.

Get Femometer Ring!

5. Kimiss Car Key Ring- Best Smart Ring for Tesla

If you’re looking for a smart ring for your Tesla, whether you’re using Model 3, Model S, Model X, or Model Y, the Kimiss Car Key Ring is one of the most reliable rings you can get on the market. This ring made from carbon fiber is stylish and lightweight enough to be comfortably worn on any occasion. It’s also waterproof.

Get Kimiss Car Key Ring!

6. McLear RingPay – Best Contactless Payment Ring

McLear calls RingPay the original contactless payment ring being the first company to offer such functionality at points of sale. While I’m not sure about that, what’s certain is that it’s the most popular contactless payment ring on the market. You can easily connect your credit card or bank account through the RingPay mobile app as well as track your daily expenditure. RingPay can also be used as a travel pass. As a passive device, RingPay doesn’t have a battery, so it works 24/7/365.

The ring can be used at Visa-enabled POS terminals anywhere around the world. The kicker is, only U.K. residents with U.K. banks can use the ring at the moment. In Australia, a McLear-branded payment ring called Bankwest Halo is available for Bankwest depositors. The ring works pretty much the same as RingPay. Be sure to read this McLear RingPay Review to know more about this device. McLear RingPay costs £90.

Get McLear RingPay 2!

7. Token Ring – Best NFC Smart Ring

If you’re looking for a versatile NFC smart ring, Token is your best option on the market. Here’s why: Token is an all-in-one smart ring that can be used as a smart key to your car, office, or home, as a digital wallet, and for passwordless logins to your computer. It uses your fingerprint, so it’s really hard to be stolen or hacked.

The Token smart ring is the ultimate convenience you’re looking for in an access device. It isn’t the first NFC ring to have those functionalities, but it’s impressive knowing that it’s keeping up with the leading NFC-enabled rings, even surpassing some of them. Check out my Token Smart Ring Review to learn more about its performance and capabilities. The Token smart ring is available for $349.

Related: Best NFC Smart Rings

‍8. Nuanic (formerly Moodmetric) – Best Smart Ring for Stress Management

If you’re too caught up with the everyday happenings in your life, Nuanic (formerly Moodmetric) is the ring you need. This stress monitoring and management smart ring is designed to help you get a holistic approach to your stress levels using only the electric conductivity of your skin, otherwise known as electrodermal activity (EDA). With the help of its mobile app, you’ll be able to view the factors that are causing you stress as well as things that relieve it. The app also provides personalized insights and recommendations on how you can recover from stress. Overall, Nuanic is pretty impressive. Read this Moodmetric Review to find out more about the ring’s performance.

Get Nuanic!

9. Circul+

Circul has some good activity-tracking capabilities that health and fitness enthusiasts will enjoy. It can track your total calorie burn, steps, and workouts like walking, running, hiking, and biking. Like the O2Ring, Circul mainly functions as also an oxygen monitor and pulse oximeter. It also has an impressive sleep-tracking functionality that can give Oura users a run for their money. Check out this Oura vs. Circul Review to find out which one is better for you. The biggest downside Circul has is its protection or the lack thereof. It’s not waterproof, so if you want to do water activities, this ring isn’t the right one for you. Circul+ is the latest smart ring version introduced by Bodimetrics in cooperation with Prevention magazine.

BodiMetrics CIRCUL Waterproof Sleep & Fitness Ring

Buy on Amazon

Get Circul!

10. Wave for Work – Best Remote Control Ring

Wave for Work by Genki Instruments is a gesture-initiated smart ring that allows you to control computer applications as fast as 10 meters with just a click of a button. Hosting video calls on Zoom? Mute, unmute, or raise your hand. Presenting a slideshow? Click through your slides. Listening to Spotify? Play, pause, or skip songs. You can also customize shortcuts and tasks according to your most-used programs and actions. Wave for Work works wonders!

Although specifically designed for remote workers, Wave for Work can also be a perfect companion for anyone who wishes to bring their workflow to the tip of their fingers. The Wave for Work smart ring costs $99. The ring is a successor to Genki Instruments’ Wave MIDI controller ring designed for music producers, DJs, musicians, and more. Learn more about it in this Wave by Genki Review.

Get Wave for Work!

Which Is the Best Smart Ring?

To wrap this up, the smart ring market is booming with incredible products for any purpose. We still have a long way to go when it comes to technology. But moving forward, we can expect that more companies will jump on the bandwagon, and more smart rings will see the light of day that will take our breath away.

Remember, some smart rings have multiple functionalities. If you’re sitting on the fence about which one fits you best or which one you need, be sure to check out the Ultimate Smart Ring Buyer’s Guide to help you make an informed decision.

For the latest wearable tech news and updates, follow Smart Ring News on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The post 10 Best Smart Rings You Can Get in 2024 first appeared on Smart Ring News.

If there’s one wearable brand that’s consistently been given praise in the fitness community for how good it is, it’s the Whoop. Everywhere you go—on Reddit, Twitter, or Facebook—you see so many fitness enthusiasts enamored by the device. Even some of the most notable athletes, including Lebron James and Michael Phelps, have gotten the word. Whoop 4.0 may be one of the best fitness trackers ever released, but it is not for everyone.

How does it stack up? What exactly does it do? Should you buy this wearable device? In this Whoop 4.0 Review, we break down everything you need to know about this fitness tracker, mainly its health and fitness monitoring functionalities. By the end of this Whoop 4.0 Review, you should be able to know whether or not you should get it.

Disclaimer: Smart Ring News is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.

Whoop 4.0 Summary

Before diving deeper into this Whoop 4.0 Review, here’s a quick summary of its specs and features:

Whoop 4.0 Review: Features and Functionalities

Whoop 4.0 is a fitness tracker known for its various overall health monitoring capabilities, including tracking sleep, activities, strain, stress, and recovery. Let’s break down all of them one by one.

Fitness Tracking

Monitoring activities is one of the many things that make Whoop 4.0 stand out in the sea of fitness trackers. As a fitness tracker, you can expect nothing less from the wearable. Whoop 4.0, in fact, returns pretty accurate data, closely mirroring the data my Oura Ring and Apple Watch SE 2 collected. With its adjustable band design, you can wear it on your arms, arms, or even ankles—wherever is more comfortable for you during activities.

Of course, Whoop 4.0 is not a complete fitness tracker without automatic activity detection. Its automatic activity detection can automatically track over 60 activities, including strength training, powerlifting, HIIT, yoga, pilates, triathlon, skateboarding, and diving. Whoop takes the cue from periods of continuous elevated heart rate (15 minutes) and higher-than-average movements (or what it calls Strain) to detect these activities as well as the time when you are active or working out.

ALSO READ: OURA VS. APPLE WATCH VS. WHOOP: WHICH IS THE ULTIMATE HEALTH AND FITNESS DEVICE?

Sleep Monitoring

Whoop 4.0 records all the basic sleep metrics, including sleep stages (deep, REM, light, and awake), sleep duration, sleep/wake-up time, and resting heart rate. It will come up with a sleep score based on these and other factors like recent strain and sleep debt.

There are two important things you need to remember about its sleep monitoring. Firstly, it only logs sleep longer than 1 hour and classifies it as sleep or a nap accordingly based on the time it occurs. When you have a shifting sleep schedule, this could become a big concern for you like it is for me. Secondly, the one thing that makes me think twice about using Whoop 4.0 for sleep monitoring is its band design, which can be a tad bit uncomfortable and restricting.

ALSO READ: WHOOP VS. OURA: WHICH IS BETTER FOR SLEEP, ACTIVITY, AND RECOVERY TRACKING?

Strain, Recovery, and Stress Monitoring

If there’s one thing that has always stood out with Whoop 4.0 is strain monitoring. In an effort to look at fitness in a holistic manner, Whoop takes strain and recovery into consideration.

Whoop 4.0 looks into ambient temperature to sense body temperature, which is a primary factor when the body is under strain or stress. Truth be told, ambient temperature can get too far off from the actual body temperature, thereby affecting your strain, recovery, and stress scores. This is where electrodermal activity (EDA) comes in, helping you get a more accurate read on your strain, recovery, and stress.

While strain and stress monitoring is highly dependent on workouts, work, errands, and other activities, recovery looks at your heart rate variability (HRV) and sleep quality more than anything else.

ALSO READ: OURA RING VS. FITBIT: WHICH IS A MORE ACCURATE SLEEP AND RECOVERY TRACKER?

Whoop 4.0 Review: Specs and Design

Whoop 4.0 has four times the number of photodiodes on the sensor and five LEDs that use green, red, and infrared light for gathering various data points. It’s certified to IP68 standards, so it’s waterproof up to 10 meters. And its battery can last up to 5 days.

In terms of design, Whoop 4.0 is pretty much like any fitness tracker except it does not have a display. For people who want to focus on their workouts and sleep, this is quite a nifty feature. Whoop is lightweight to carry too.

The band design—which comes in more than 20 different styles—allows you to wear it on your wrist, forearm, upper arm, or even ankle. If you are using gloves at the gym like me, this versatility is a life-saver.

ALSO READ: APPLE WATCH VS. OURA: WHICH IS THE BEST HEALTH AND WELLNESS COMPANION?

Whoop 4.0 Review: Pricing and Availability

Whoop has subscription-based pricing, costing $30 per month for a monthly plan, $24 per month for a 12-month plan, and $18 per month for an 18-month plan. If you want to become a pro member, you’ll need to pay an additional $12 per month. This includes access to the Whoop app where you can get personalized insights, built-in coaching features, and weekly and monthly performance reports. You may now buy Whoop 4.0 for a one-time price.

Available band styles include onyx, ice, tundra, heather, stone, arctic, moss, blue jay, bungee, trail pink, peak blue, jungle camo, and caddy. Platinum-lined, rose gold-lined bands, and special edition pride, battle cancer, and saved by the butter bands are also available.

GET WHOOP 4.0 HERE!

The Verdict: Is Whoop 4.0 Worth Buying?

To say Whoop 4.0 is the best fitness tracker is not far from the truth. It’s a versatile wearable that has pretty much everything you need for a reliable fitness device, and it executes them perfectly.

Overall, Whoop 4.0 is an impressive robust fitness tracker you can use to monitor your sleep, activities, strain, recovery, and stress. If you are still on still on the fence about getting Whoop 4.0, this is the sign that you should get it!

The post Whoop 4.0 Review 2024: Is It Really the Best Fitness Tracker? first appeared on Smart Ring News.

The Oura Ring is the world’s top-selling smart ring that tracks your sleep, fitness, heart rate, body temperature, period, blood oxygen, and recovery, among other things. For such a tiny device and what it does, you can’t help but love the ring. Even celebrities and athletes wear it.

But of course, there are some who could not wrap their head around the hype around the Oura Ring. For $299, it’s a pretty costly ring device. You might contend that you get all its features from a smartwatch for around the same amount.

Your point is valid—Oura Ring is an expensive wearable. But the real gem is what is hidden underneath—the sensors and how these data are processed and presented to users.

ALSO READ: DO I NEED A SMART RING IF I HAVE A SMARTWATCH?

5 Main Reasons Why People Like Oura Ring

In over 7 years of covering Oura and the smart ring market, I’ve come across various people using Oura and what they love and hate about the smart ring. But to answer your question, let me give you some of the most common reasons, including my personal experience using the device for more than 5 years.

1. Oura Ring helps you understand how your body works.

The Oura Ring can your vital signs accurately. With its constellation of sensors, the smart ring conveniently keeps tabs on your sleep, including the stages, what time you fall asleep and wake up, and your breathing rate). Based on these and a bunch of other metrics like heart rate variability and body temperature, Oura knows how your body works and gives you recommendations based off those data.

ALSO READ: WHY IS A SMART RING BETTER THAN A SMARTWATCH?

2. Oura Ring helps you get better at your sleep habits.

Before using the Oura Ring, I had the worst sleep habits. Upon using the smart ring, it became clear to me that a lot of my problems—acne, anxiety, and even eating habits—stemmed from not having enough sleep. Along the way, Oura taught me the ins and outs of sleep as well as gave me some practical recommendations based on your nightly rests, including when to drink caffeine, when to eat your last meal of the day, and some meditation practices to get a good night’s sleep.

3. Oura Ring helps you understand your stressors.

Related to what I said, Oura knows some stressors you might not even notice, including your caffeine intake, the time you take meals, the room temperature you sleep in, and if you got too much workout, among other things. Through the app, Oura gives suggestions on how you are doing and what you can do to prevent this.

ALSO READ: DOES OURA HAVE A COMPETITOR?

4. Oura Ring helps you optimize your recovery.

I used to work out 5 times a week without breaks, even if I know my body has not fully recovered yet. But when I started using Oura, it kind of validated what I’m feeling—if my body temperature during sleep is high or my breathing rate during sleep is high, I’m probably not well-recovered to take on another workout day. This is what Oura will tell you. Ultimately, the goal of Oura’s readiness metric is to show you the state of your recovery.

5. Oura Ring is more accurate and less intrusive.

And of course, the edge of smart rings over smartwatches when it comes to health tracking is its accuracy and less intrusiveness. Rings can track data straight from the blood vessels on the fingers, that’s why pulse oximeters are used on the fingers and not the wrist. In addition, it’s more comfortable when sleeping without having a strap around your wrist.

ALSO READ: WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE OURA RING DO?

Best Smart Rings You Can Buy Now

If you are looking for smart rings, here are our top picks from the market:

ALSO READ: WHAT ARE SMART RINGS? HOW DO THEY WORK?

If you want to explore more smart rings, check out these guides:

• Best Smart Rings You Can Buy Now
• Best Smart Rings for Payment
• Best Sleep Tracking Rings
• Best Oura Alternatives
• Best Oura Dupes

Got questions about smart rings? Drop them in the comments. We will get back to you!

For the latest wearable tech news and updates, follow Smart Ring News on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The post Why Do People Like Oura Ring? 5 Common Reasons first appeared on Smart Ring News.