I wore a smart ring for 3 months — here's the truth about Oura and its subscription-free rivals

A ring finally fixed the recovery data my watch kept losing. Three months in, here's the honest gym-floor take on the Oura Ring 4, why its… Aliteq Jordan Okoye · Fitness & Wearables Contributor

Best data + app, if you'll pay the tax: the Oura Ring 4 — the software is still the one everyone copies. Catch: ~$349 plus a ~$6/month subscription for the good stuff.

The short version (for people who scroll)

Best value, no subscription ever: the RingConn Gen 2 — ~$299 up front and that's the whole bill. Thinner, longer battery, 24/7 tracking. This is the one I actually kept.

The short version (for people who scroll)

Best inside Samsung's world: the Samsung Galaxy Ring — ~$399, no sub, brilliant if you live in a Galaxy phone + Watch setup. One brutal catch: no resizing after you buy.

The short version (for people who scroll)

The honest gym truth: take it off for heavy lifting. Gripping a knurled bar scratches the titanium and can shove the sensors off your skin. Every ring, not just one.

The short version (for people who scroll)

For most people, buy the RingConn Gen 2. It gave me 90% of the Oura experience, a longer battery, a thinner fit, and — the part that actually won me over after three months — no monthly bill…

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Aliteq I wore a smart ring for 3 months — here's the truth about Oura and its subscription-free rivals Read the full story on Aliteq

I wore a smart ring for 3 months — here's the truth about Oura and its subscription-free rivals

Best data + app, if you'll pay the tax: the Oura Ring 4 — the software is still the one everyone copies. Catch: ~$349 *plus* a ~$6/month subscription for the good stuff.

Best value, no subscription ever: the RingConn Gen 2 — ~$299 up front and that's the whole bill. Thinner, longer battery, 24/7 tracking. This is the one I actually kept.

Best inside Samsung's world: the Samsung Galaxy Ring — ~$399, no sub, brilliant if you live in a Galaxy phone + Watch setup. One brutal catch: no resizing after you buy.

The honest gym truth: take it off for heavy lifting. Gripping a knurled bar scratches the titanium and can shove the sensors off your skin. Every ring, not just one.

For most people, buy the RingConn Gen 2. It gave me 90% of the Oura experience, a longer battery, a thinner fit, and — the part that actually won me over after three months — no monthly bill…

Read the full story

Best data + app, if you'll pay the tax: the Oura Ring 4 — the software is still the one everyone copies. Catch: ~$349 plus a ~$6/month subscription for the good stuff.