I’ve been wearing a smart ring on my finger for over a year now.
Not a smartwatch. Not a fitness tracker. A ring.
And every time someone notices it, they ask the same question: “Is that an Oura Ring? Are those actually worth it?”
The honest answer? It depends on what you’re trying to track — and which generation you’re buying.
Because right now, there’s a very interesting decision in front of anyone considering an Oura Ring: the Oura Ring 5 is about to launch, and the Ring 4 that’s been the #1 smart ring for the past 18 months is suddenly yesterday’s news.
Here’s everything you need to know — what’s actually changing, what’s staying the same, and whether you should buy now, wait, or skip Oura entirely.
🚨 Breaking: Oura Ring 5 Launch Details
This is happening fast. Here’s what the leaks confirm:
- Announcement date: May 28, 2026
- Pre-orders open: May 28, 2026
- Shipping starts: June 4, 2026
- Design: Smaller and more comfortable than Ring 4
- Health tracking: Same core features as Ring 4
- New colors: Deep Rose (replaces Rose Gold), Gold, Silver (brushed + glossy), Matte Black
- Price: Expected $349–$399 (no official confirmation yet)
The source is a leaked internal document that surfaced on Reddit — credible enough that multiple major publications ran with it, and the timeline lines up perfectly with FCC filings from April 2026.
I’ll update this page the moment Oura makes the official announcement on May 28.
What Is the Oura Ring? (Quick Overview)
If you’re new to smart rings, here’s the short version.
The Oura Ring is a titanium ring you wear 24/7. It looks like a normal ring — no screen, no buttons, no notifications. Inside are sensors that track your heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), blood oxygen, skin temperature, and movement.
It syncs to the Oura app, which turns that raw data into three daily scores:
- Readiness Score — how recovered you are today
- Sleep Score — how well you slept
- Activity Score — how active you’ve been
The app costs $5.99/month after a free trial. The ring itself starts at $349.
That combination — premium hardware plus a subscription — is either a perfectly reasonable investment in your health, or an overpriced gimmick, depending on who you ask. I’ve worn one long enough to have a clear opinion. I’ll share it below.
Oura Ring 5 vs Ring 4 — What Actually Changes?
| Feature | Ring 4 | Ring 5 (Expected) |
|---|---|---|
| Design | 2.88mm thick | Slimmer, more curved |
| Comfort | Good | Improved (confirmed) |
| Colors | Rose Gold, Gold, Silver, Black | Deep Rose, Gold, Silver (brushed/glossy), Black |
| Sensors | HR, HRV, SpO2, temp, motion | Same (possibly upgraded) |
| Battery | 5–8 days | Similar (no change confirmed) |
| Charging | Size-specific case | Same case design |
| Subscription | $5.99/month | Expected same |
| Price | $349 | $349–$399 (estimated) |
| Compatibility | iOS + Android | iOS + Android |
Honest take: Based on current leaks, the Ring 5 is a refinement, not a revolution. Smaller, more comfortable, new colors — but the same core health tracking engine as the Ring 4. If you already own a Ring 4, this is not an urgent upgrade. If you’re buying for the first time, wait for the Ring 5.
Oura Ring 4 — What Makes It Still Great in 2026
Before we talk about the Ring 5, it’s worth understanding why the Ring 4 has dominated the smart ring market since October 2024.
Sleep Tracking — Still the Best
I’ve compared Oura’s sleep data against my Garmin Fenix 8 and a Samsung Galaxy Ring worn simultaneously. Oura wins — consistently.
The sleep stage accuracy is meaningfully better than what I get from wrist-based trackers. Deep sleep, REM, light sleep, awake periods — Oura’s readings align more closely with how I actually feel when I wake up.
That’s not nothing. A watch that tells you you slept great when you feel terrible is useless.
HRV Tracking — Genuinely Useful
Heart rate variability is the metric serious athletes and health-conscious people care most about — it’s a proxy for recovery and stress.
Oura measures HRV continuously during sleep, which gives you a much richer picture than a single morning measurement.
After 6+ months of tracking, I started to recognize patterns in my own data that genuinely changed how I train. High HRV week? Push harder. Three nights of poor HRV? Back off and sleep more.
The Readiness Score — Surprisingly Accurate
I was skeptical of this at first. It felt like a gimmick — a single number telling you whether to work out or rest.
But it’s not a gimmick. It’s a synthesis of your sleep quality, HRV trend, resting heart rate, body temperature, and activity balance. When my Readiness Score is below 70, I genuinely feel off. When it’s above 85, I feel sharp. The correlation is real.
The Subscription — The Honest Truth
Yes, $5.99/month is annoying. No, you can’t avoid it if you want full access to your data. But put it in context — that’s $72/year for health data that many people find genuinely useful. Less than a single gym session.
If the subscription model is a dealbreaker for you, I get it. The Samsung Galaxy Ring and Ultrahuman Ring Air are solid alternatives with no monthly fee.
Should You Wait for the Oura Ring 5?
Here’s my honest breakdown by situation:
You don’t own any smart ring yet:
→ Wait for Ring 5 (it’s only 2 weeks away)
The Ring 5 announcement is May 28. You’re 2 weeks from a new product. There is absolutely no reason to buy a Ring 4 right now unless it drops significantly in price after the Ring 5 launches — which it might.
You own an Oura Ring 3:
→ Upgrade to Ring 5 when it launches
The jump from Ring 3 to Ring 5 will be meaningful — improved sensors, better app, better design. Ring 3 users have been patient long enough. This is your upgrade moment.
You own an Oura Ring 4:
→ Don’t upgrade yet
Based on current leaks, the Ring 5 is smaller and more comfortable — but the health tracking is the same. Unless comfort is a major issue for you with the Ring 4, there’s no compelling reason to spend another $349+ right now.
You’re considering Samsung Galaxy Ring instead:
→ Read the comparison section below first
The Galaxy Ring is genuinely good — especially if you’re in the Samsung ecosystem. But it has real limitations that matter depending on your phone and priorities.
Oura Ring 4 vs Samsung Galaxy Ring vs Ultrahuman Ring Air — Which Should You Buy?
| Oura Ring 4 | Samsung Galaxy Ring | Ultrahuman Ring Air | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $349 | $399 | $349 |
| Subscription | $5.99/month | None | None |
| Best For | Sleep, recovery, health | Samsung users, no sub | Fitness, no sub |
| iPhone Compatible | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ Yes |
| Android Compatible | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (best on Samsung) | ✅ Yes |
| Battery Life | 5–8 days | 6–7 days | 6 days |
| Sleep Accuracy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| App Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
My honest recommendation:
- iPhone user? → Oura Ring 4/5. The Galaxy Ring’s features are heavily limited on iPhone.
- Samsung Android user who hates subscriptions? → Galaxy Ring. It’s genuinely good and the ecosystem integration is excellent.
- Android user, fitness-focused, no subscription? → Ultrahuman Ring Air. Strong activity tracking, no monthly fee, solid battery.
Oura Ring 4 vs Ring 5 — Should You Wait or Buy Ring 4 Now at a Discount?
This is the smart question to ask right now.
When the Ring 5 launches on June 4, one of two things will happen:
- Oura drops the Ring 4 price significantly (to $249–$299)
- Oura keeps selling Ring 4 at $349 as a budget option
Either way, buying a Ring 4 after the Ring 5 launch — if it goes on sale — could be the best value play in the smart ring market. You get essentially the same health tracking as the Ring 5 at a lower price.
My advice: Hold off buying anything until June 4. See what Oura announces on May 28 — both for the Ring 5 specs and any Ring 4 price drop. Then decide.
Who Is the Oura Ring Actually For?
After 12+ months of testing, here’s my honest profile of who gets the most value from an Oura Ring:
Best fit:
- People who care deeply about sleep quality
- Athletes tracking recovery (runners, cyclists, weightlifters)
- Anyone managing stress or health conditions where HRV matters
- People who find smartwatches too bulky or distracting for sleep
Not the right fit:
- People who mainly want fitness tracking during workouts (Garmin or Apple Watch does this better)
- People who hate subscription models
- People who want a display or notifications on their wrist
- People who want GPS tracking
The Oura Ring does one thing better than almost anything else on the market: it tells you how recovered you are and how well you slept. If that’s your priority — it’s worth it.
Real Data From My Testing — What Changed After 6 Months
I started wearing the Oura Ring 4 in November 2024. Here’s what actually changed over 6 months:
Month 1: Getting used to it. Kept forgetting to charge it (5–7 day battery means you develop a weekly charging habit). Sleep scores were all over the place — I was surprised how inconsistent my sleep was.
Month 2–3: Started adjusting bedtime based on Readiness Score. When my score was below 70, I shifted training to evening walks instead of hard runs. My resting heart rate dropped 3 bpm over this period.
Month 4–5: Started noticing body temperature trends. Caught a viral illness 2 days before symptoms appeared — my temperature deviation went above +1.5°C for 3 consecutive nights before I felt sick. The early warning was genuinely useful.
Month 6: Sleep efficiency improved from 79% average to 87% average. I credit the consistent feedback loop — seeing the data every morning made me more intentional about sleep hygiene.
None of this is dramatic. But it’s real, measurable change from a device that costs less than 3 months of gym membership.
Oura Ring Sizing — Get This Right
This is the part most reviews skip, and it causes more returns than anything else.
Smart ring sizing is not the same as jewelry ring sizing. You need to order a sizing kit before buying.
Key rules:
- Your ring size can vary by up to 2 sizes depending on time of day (fingers swell in heat and after eating)
- Size your finger in the evening — your largest point
- Oura offers free sizing kits — use them before ordering
- The Oura Ring is only available in sizes 6–13
- Sizes below 8 have slightly shorter battery life
I wear a size 9 on my index finger. The recommended finger is index or middle — not ring finger, where most people’s size is measured for jewelry.
FAQ — Oura Ring 5 & Oura Ring 4
Q: When does the Oura Ring 5 launch?
Based on leaked internal documents, the official announcement is May 28, 2026, with pre-orders opening the same day. Shipping is expected to begin June 4, 2026. Oura has not officially confirmed these dates.
Q: How much will the Oura Ring 5 cost?
No official price has been announced. The Ring 4 launched at $349. Based on Oura’s pricing history and competitive pressure from Samsung and RingConn, expect $349–$399 for the Ring 5.
Q: Is Oura Ring 5 worth waiting for over Ring 4?
If you’re buying for the first time — yes, wait. The Ring 5 is only weeks away and there’s no reason to buy the older model at full price right now. If you own a Ring 4 already, current leaks don’t suggest a compelling upgrade reason.
Q: Does Oura Ring work with iPhone?
Yes. Oura Ring works with both iPhone (iOS 15+) and Android. This is a significant advantage over the Samsung Galaxy Ring, which has limited functionality on iPhone.
Q: What is the Oura Ring subscription cost?
Oura’s membership subscription costs $5.99/month or $69.99/year. Without it, you can see basic data but lose access to Readiness scores, detailed sleep analysis, and trend insights. It’s essentially required for full functionality.
Q: Is Oura Ring waterproof?
Yes. The Oura Ring is water resistant to 100 meters (10 ATM). You can swim, shower, and bathe with it without issue. This is one area where all smart rings perform similarly.
Q: What finger should I wear the Oura Ring on?
Oura recommends the index finger for best sensor accuracy. The middle finger works well too. Avoid the ring finger — the traditional placement — as it’s often less consistent for optical sensor readings.
Q: Can Oura Ring replace a smartwatch?
No — and Oura isn’t trying to. The Oura Ring has no screen, no GPS, no notifications. It’s a health tracking device, not a smartwatch. Many people (including me) wear both — a Garmin on the wrist for GPS runs, Oura on the finger for 24/7 health tracking.
Q: Does Oura Ring track workouts?
Basic workout detection is available, but it’s not Oura’s strength. Step counting, calorie burn, and workout duration are tracked — but without GPS or heart rate zone precision during exercise. For serious athletes, a dedicated GPS watch remains essential alongside the ring.
Bottom Line — Oura Ring 5 vs Ring 4
The Oura Ring 4 is the best smart ring available right now — full stop. Better sleep tracking than Samsung, better app than Ultrahuman, and health insights that genuinely change behavior with consistent use.
The Oura Ring 5 is arriving in days — smaller, more comfortable, same health tracking engine. If you’re buying for the first time, wait 2 weeks.
If you already own a Ring 4, hold your money. The Ring 5’s current leaked specs don’t suggest a meaningful health tracking upgrade — just a comfort and design refresh.
The smart ring category is maturing fast. Whether you go Ring 4 (potentially at a discount after Ring 5 launches) or Ring 5 on day one — you’re buying the most refined health tracking wearable available at any price point.
This page is updated regularly. Check back after May 28 for official Ring 5 specs, pricing, and full comparison.
Sunil Bhatt has personally tested 20+ smartwatches and wearables over 3 years, including the Oura Ring 4, Samsung Galaxy Ring, Amazfit Active 2, and Garmin Fenix 8. He runs SmartWatchInsight.com, covering hands-on reviews, comparisons, and practical guides for fitness wearables. Follow him on LinkedIn.
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