The Oura Ring 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Ring are undeniably the biggest names in the emerging world of smart rings. Oura has been in the game a lot longer but the Samsung Galaxy Ring is undeniably good, especially for a first effort.
Both feature similar sensor setups and offer similar data including capturing daily step counts, heart rate, blood oxygen plus rich sleep stats. They offer those smarts from similarly sleek designs and if you’re sold on a smart ring, then these are two of the standout options right now.
If you’re trying to choose which one to grab and need to cut through the noise of where the biggest wins and losses are, here’s the lowdown on the key ways these smart rings differ from each other.
Design & Build
Both the Oura Ring 4 and the Galaxy Ring are titanium-based smart rings that are waterproof up to 100 metres depth, though if you want more colour options, it’s the Oura you should opt for.
Samsung’s ring comes in black, silver and gold shades, while the Oura is offered in black, silver, stealth, brushed silver, gold and rose gold (for varying prices).
Samsung
Samsung’s ring however is the slimmer of the two rings, measuring 2.6mm thick compared to 2.8mm on the Oura. The Galaxy Ring is generally a touch lighter as well depending on size, though there’s not a huge amount in it in terms of overall weight across ring sizes.
There’s also a difference in the size options to pick from. Samsung’s ring comes in sizes 5-13 giving you nine ring sizes in total to pick from. The Oura Ring comes in sizes 4-15, so 12 sizes, giving it scope to work for a wider range of finger sizes.
Phone Compatibility
You’re obviously not getting screens on either of these devices, so you’re relying on dipping into their respective smartphone apps with Samsung’s ring only available for Android, while the Oura app is available for both Android and iOS.
Oura
To access Oura’s app however, you’re going to need to pay to get the complete experience. You do get access to some tracking stats, but ultimately you’ll need to pay up for the monthly or annual subscription to really get the best out of it.
On the flip side, Samsung’s Health app is entirely free to access all data like detailed sleep metrics and wellness tips.
Battery Life & Charging
When it comes to battery performance, there are some differences here, though it’s not a huge gulf between the numbers promised by Oura and Samsung.
Oura has moved 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 hitting that number will vary based on ring sizes.
We found it had the capacity to go a little longer in our testing and if you use it with a Galaxy Watch, it can extend the battery life by up to 30% due to shared tracking.
Oura
Samsung does, though, arguably offer a more travel-friendly charging solution with its Galaxy Ring stored in a portable charging case that will give you up to 40% battery from a 30-minute charge.
Oura uses a smaller, static charging dock with charging times ranging from 20-80 minutes depending on how much charge the Ring 4 already has left.
Smartwatch-like Features
When you’re not taking these rings to bed or for a walk, the Samsung Galaxy Ring has the edge of having uses outside of tracking.
If you pair it with a Samsung Android phone (only), then you’ll also have the ability to switch off your phone’s alarm or control your phone’s camera with a simple double-pinch gesture.
If you’re worried about losing your ring, both Oura and Samsung offer a find my ring feature to help reunite you with your connected jewellery. This functionality for the Oura Ring is currently only available when using the iOS version of its companion app.
Price & Subscription Fees
Price is undeniably going to be a big factor in picking between the two of these rings and the bad news is that they’re 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-price colours it will cost you £399/$499.
The gold colourways are £499/$499 and regardless of which you choose, you need a £5.99/$5.99 per month or £69.99/$69.99 annual Oura Membership 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 the added subscription. So in the long run, it’s actually the cheaper buy.
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 while you have to pay for it, represents one of the best smart ring companion apps available. Crucially, it’s also compatible with both iPhones and Android phones.
On the flip side, you have the Samsung Galaxy Ring, which is a touch slimmer than the Oura Ring 4, promises an extra day of battery life and a little more on the smartwatch-style functionality. All without having to pay a subscription fee.
If you want an attractive smart ring that you don’t have to pay a monthly or annual membership for and own an Android phone, then the Galaxy Ring will have appeal.
We’ve also compared the Oura Ring Gen 3 with the Oura Ring 4.
