Oura recently unveiled the Oura Ring 4 – the latest update to the growingly popular wearable line.
Oura is perhaps the biggest name in the smart ring industry, sitting alongside brands like Circular, UltraHuman and RingConn. Samsung recently joined that list with the launch of its first Samsung Galaxy Ring.
Keep reading to learn how the Galaxy Ring compares to the new Oura Ring 4.
Price
The Oura Ring 4 began shipping on October 15 2024 with prices starting at $349/£349 for the ring and $5.99/£5.99 a month for an Oura Membership which is required to access many of the ring’s features.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring launched in July 2024 and costs $399/£399. The Galaxy Ring does not require any subscription or monthly payment, making it the cheaper of the two wearables in the long run. However, you will need a recent Galaxy phone to access some exclusive AI features.
The Oura Ring 4 offers more in-depth tracking
The Oura Ring 4 appears to take the lead when it comes to health and fitness tracking, with more exercise modes and in-depth health insights.
The ring includes red and infrared LEDs to measure blood oxygen levels, green and infrared LEDs to measure heart rate, heart rate variability and respiration rate, a digital sensor to monitor temperature variations and an accelerometer to track movement. These sensors work together to track your heart health, sleep, stress, readiness and menstrual health.
The Oura Ring 4 can also track 40 different exercises and is suitable for wearing in the sauna and for water sports, though it should not be worn when diving.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is also equipped with an optical heart rate sensor, blood oxygen monitor, temperature sensor and accelerometer. However, the wearable does not feature a blood oxygen sensor.
It can track 13 exercises and has the same level of waterproofing as the Oura Ring 4, meaning you can’t wear it while diving or taking part in high-pressure water activities.
The Oura Ring 4 is compatible with the iPhone
One of the biggest drawbacks to the Samsung Galaxy Ring is that it is only compatible with Android devices. This means that those with iPhones may be out of luck.
Despite this, the Galaxy Ring is well integrated into Samsung’s own ecosystem, which might make it the most tempting choice for Galaxy fans.
The Oura Ring 4, on the other hand, can be paired with Apple and Android devices and works with a variety of mainstream fitness apps, including Apple Health.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring does not require a subscription
Unfortunately, one caveat to picking up an Oura Ring 4 is that, to get the most out of the wearable, you really need to subscribe to the Oura Membership.
The subscription is necessary if you want to move beyond sleep, readiness and activity scores, with members able to view an in-depth analysis of their sleep, 24/7 personalised health insights, live heart rate monitoring and body temperature readings for early illness detection and period prediction. These are only the key features, with many more available through the monthly plan.
At £5.99 a month, the Oura Ring 4 will hit the same total price as the Galaxy Ring in just eight months. This means if you plan to keep the ring and subscription for a year or two, you’ll likely end up spending more on the Oura Ring 4 overall than you would on the Galaxy Ring – despite the Oura Ring 4’s cheaper upfront cost.
The Oura Ring 4 has a longer battery life
Finally, the Oura Ring 4 offers a slightly longer battery life than the Galaxy Ring.
The newest Oura Ring has a battery life of up to eight days. That’s one day longer than its predecessor, the Oura Ring 3, and two days longer than the six-day battery life attributed to the Galaxy Ring.
We found six hours to be accurate during our time with the Galaxy Ring. However, you’ll have to wait for our review of the Oura Ring 4 to hear how the battery life on the wearable compares during our time with it.
Early verdict
While it doesn’t seem like Oura will be losing its place at the top of the smart ring market anytime soon, Samsung has released a worthy competitor for those deeply invested in the Galaxy ecosystem with the Galaxy Ring.
However, the Oura has the edge when it comes to health and fitness insights, battery life and Apple compatibility, to name a few key areas.
That said, you might want to wait for us to release our Oura Ring 4 review with our final verdict before making any decisions.
