The Oura Ring 4 and Samsung Galaxy Ring are undeniably the biggest names in the emerging world of smart rings. Oura has been in the game much longer but the Samsung Galaxy Ring is undeniably good, especially for a first effort.
Both feature similar sensor configurations and offer similar data, including capturing daily step counts, heart rate, blood oxygen as well as rich sleep statistics. They deliver these smarts from equally sleek designs and if you’re sold on a smart ring, then these are two of the most notable options right now.
If you’re trying to decide which one to grab and need to avoid the noise of the biggest wins and losses, here’s a look at the key differences between these smart rings from each other.
Design and build
The Oura Ring 4 and Galaxy Ring are titanium-based smart rings that are waterproof to a depth of 100 meters, but if you want more color options, the Oura is the one you should go for.
Samsung’s Ring comes in black, silver, and gold tones, while the Oura comes in black, silver, stealth, brushed silver, gold, and rose gold (at varying prices).
Samsung
Samsung’s ring is the thinner of the two rings, however, measuring 2.6mm thick compared to 2.8mm on the Oura. The Galaxy Ring is generally a bit lighter depending on its size, although it doesn’t add up to a huge amount in terms of total weight across all ring sizes.
There is also a difference in the size options to choose from. Samsung’s ring is available in sizes 5 to 13, giving you nine total ring sizes to choose from. The Oura ring is available in sizes 4 to 15, making 12 sizes, allowing it to fit a wider range of finger sizes.
Phone compatibility
You obviously don’t get any screens on any of these devices, so you rely on their respective smartphone apps, with Samsung’s Ring only available for Android, while the Oura app is available for Android and iOS.
Oura
However, to access the Oura app, you will need to pay to get the full experience. You have access to some tracking statistics, but ultimately you will have to pay the monthly or annual subscription to get the most out of it.
On the other hand, Samsung’s Health app is completely free to access all data like detailed sleep metrics and wellness tips.
Battery life and charging
When it comes to battery performance, there are some differences, although it’s not a huge gap between the numbers promised by Oura and Samsung.
Oura has gone from seven to eight days from its previous Smart Ring to the new Ring 4, while the Galaxy Ring promises up to seven days and reaching that number will vary depending on the size of the rings.
We found it had the ability to last a bit longer in our testing and if you use it with a Galaxy Watch, it can extend battery life by up to 30% thanks to shared tracking.
Oura
Samsung, however, arguably offers a more travel-friendly charging solution with its Galaxy Ring stored in a portable charging case that will give you up to 40% battery with a 30-minute charge.
Oura uses a smaller static charging station with charging times ranging from 20 to 80 minutes depending on the Ring 4’s remaining charge.
Smartwatch-like features
When you’re not taking these rings to bed or for a walk, the Samsung Galaxy Ring has the benefit of having uses outside of tracking.
If you pair it with a Samsung Android phone (only), you’ll also have the ability to silence your phone’s alarm or control your phone’s camera with a simple double-pinch gesture.
If you’re worried about losing your ring, Oura and Samsung both offer a Find My Ring feature to help you find your connected jewelry. This feature for the Oura Ring is currently only available when using the iOS version of its companion app.
Prices and subscription fees
Price will undeniably be a big factor in choosing between these two rings and the bad news is that these are two of the most expensive smart rings you can buy right now.
The cheapest Oura Ring 4 is available for £349/$349, but if you want one of the mid-priced colors it’ll cost you £399/$499.
The gold colorways cost £499/$499 and whichever one you choose you need an annual Oura subscription of £5.99/$5.99 per month or £69.99/69.99 $ to access all features.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring hardware is actually more expensive than the cheapest Ring 4 at £399/$399, but doesn’t require an additional subscription. So in the long run it’s actually the cheaper purchase.
Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Ring or Oura Ring 4?
The Oura Ring 4 gives you more look and size options, all the same sensors as the Samsung Galaxy Ring, plus access to software that, although you have to pay for it, represents one of the best smart ring companion apps available. Above all, it is also compatible with iPhones and Android phones.
On the other hand, you have the Samsung Galaxy Ring, which is a bit thinner than the Oura Ring 4, promises an extra day of battery life, and a bit more on the smartwatch-style features. All without having to pay subscription fees.
If you want an attractive smart ring that you don’t have to pay a monthly or annual subscription for and you own an Android phone, then the Galaxy Ring will be attractive.
We also compared the Oura Ring Gen 3 with the Oura Ring 4.
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