Oura Ring 4 vs Samsung Galaxy Ring: Which should you buy?

Well-established in the smart ring arena, Oura consistently offers a refined user experience and an attractive device. The newest model, the Oura Ring 4, builds on the success of its predecessor with key hardware and software updates. It’s more comfortable, durable, and accurate than ever. However, while Oura toiled away to bring the new generation to users’ fingers, Samsung launched a smart ring of its own.

The Galaxy Ring also boasts a comfortable build, some unique strengths for Samsung phone users, and a fantastic charging experience. So which device is the better buy? Dig into this Oura Ring 4 and Samsung Galaxy Ring comparison to find out.

Both Oura and Samsung offer shoppers a relatively similar aesthetic: a sleek, minimalist fitness tracker in a variety of metallic finishes for a final impression that looks a lot like a traditional men’s wedding band. Samsung’s ring features a concave design for a slightly slimmer impression and is available in Titanium Black, Titanium Silver, and Titanium Gold. Each of the Galaxy Ring’s dimensions, including width, thickness, and weight, is also slightly smaller than those of the Oura Ring 4.

Meanwhile, the Oura Ring 4 is designed with rounded, convex sides. Unlike the previous generation, the ring no longer features bulbous sensors but instead offers a smooth, titanium interior for a more comfortable fit. It is available in Silver, Black, Brushed Silver, Stealth, Gold, and Rose Gold. Notably, the new generation also completely drops the Heritage style available in the past.

Shoppers can grab either ring in a variety of sizes, and both companies utilize helpful sizing kits to ensure the right fit. The Oura Ring 4 is available in sizes 4 through 15, while the Samsung Galaxy Ring is available in sizes 5 through 13. With that said, neither brand’s sizes aligns with traditional ring sizing so it is important to determine your fit with a provided sizing kit.

Beyond their builds, the Galaxy Ring and Oura Ring 4 have a lot in common in terms of feature sets. Both track all of the expected health and fitness metrics, including heart rate, stress, sleep, temperature, and SpO2. Both also offer cycle tracking, and each automatically tracks a limited number of workouts, with the Oura Ring 4 offering considerable improvement this generation.

At a higher level, Oura focuses on providing a holistic view of wellness tracking and breaks users’ data down into three main scores: Readiness, Sleep, and Activity. In the company’s newly refreshed Oura app, users will now find three main tabs for reviewing and digesting data titled Today, Vitals, and Health. The app will also offer new fertility insights set to arrive in the coming months.

Thanks to its improved sensor technology and algorithms, Oura claims significant accuracy improvements in its newest generation. Considering we already considered the Oura Ring 3 a reliable device, it is encouraging to see the company only continue to improve. Via the Oura Labs program, users can also access beta features such as Oura Advisor, an AI-based wellness coach, and preview many other developing tools.

The Galaxy Ring pairs with the Samsung Health app, which is the same app used by the Galaxy smartwatch lineup. As far as big picture analysis, Samsung provides a Sleep score as well as an Energy score, which is based on users’ sleep, activity, and heart rate. The app is a bit watered-down compared to Oura’s detailed analysis, but there is plenty for users to review. Samsung also offers AI-generated Wellness Tips, though they require a Samsung Galaxy phone.

In fact, many of the device’s unique features can only be used within the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem. For example, the ring features a double pinch gesture control that allows users to control the camera on certain Samsung phones or dismiss alarms. The ring also supports Samsung Find My for locating the device and can flash its LED lights to help users in their search. Most impressively, users can wear the ring and a Galaxy Watch simultaneously, and the Samsung Health app will prioritize which sensors to record data from in order to stretch battery life up to 30%.

Speaking of battery life, both devices feature similar claims. The Oura Ring 4 can last up to 8 days between charges, one day longer than its predecessor. The Galaxy Ring claims up to 6 or 7 days of use between charges, depending on which size ring you purchase.

However, the Galaxy Ring provides a much better charging experience. The device ships with a clamshell-style charging case with its own built-in battery. This on-the-go charger allows users to charge their device 1.5 times without an outlet nearby. The Oura Ring 4, meanwhile, ships with a cradle-style charging puck and a USB-C cable. Both devices can charge from 0 to 100% in about 80 minutes.

Pricing is perhaps where Samsung and Oura differentiate most. The Galaxy Ring is available for $399, and that price (though quite high) is a one-and-done arrangement. Users are not required to pay an ongoing subscription fee to access features.

The Oura Ring 4, on the other hand, starts at $349, with price bumps depending on which finish you select at checkout. More importantly, the device requires an ongoing membership fee of $5.99/month for access to the ring’s most important features.

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is now available from Samsung.com, as well as third-party retailers like Amazon and Target. The Oura Ring 4 is available for preorder now and will begin shipping on October 15.

The decision of whether to purchase an Oura Ring 4 or a Samsung Galaxy Ring is a tough one unless, of course, you are an iPhone user. In that case, the Oura Ring 4 is your only option. If you own a Samsung phone (and especially if you also own a Galaxy Watch), the Galaxy Ring has a lot of selling points worth considering, including truly unique integration within the Galaxy ecosystem. It’s also comfortable, lightweight, and attractive, and though it’s pricey, it doesn’t require an ongoing subscription. Plus, I love the convenient case-style charger. With that said, it’s also a first-generation device with some accuracy tweaks needed. The Samsung Health app could also be expanded.

On the other hand, Oura has a strong reputation for accuracy and continues to develop its already robust platform with new features regularly. The Oura Ring 3 was a fantastic device, and the 4 offers even better sensor technology and a more comfortable fit. Oura’s sleep tracking, in particular, is much better than we’ve experienced so far from Samsung’s device. Yet, the Oura Ring also requires an ongoing subscription, an expensive nuisance that, unfortunately, seems to be a growing trend.

Unfortunately, neither ring is perfect. Given its established success and updated features, the Oura Ring 4 is probably the best pick for most shoppers. That is if you can swallow the subscription pill. The Galaxy Ring is the better buy for anyone already locked into the Samsung ecosystem.