The Oura Ring 5 may be the finest piece of wearable tech yet, and I’m barely a few days into living with it.
I’m an experienced Oura Ring wearer, but I question where the brand has left to go with its hardware. It’s really that good.
The Oura Ring is being used by a hospital to help treat a hidden heart condition
A wearable tech win
Is it really a smart ring?
Stunning hardware
Before I finalized which Oura Ring 5 color I wanted, I made sure to use the sizing kit.
Oura recommended this regardless of whether you’d owned an Oura Ring before or not, as the Oura Ring 5’s size is slightly different from before.
I selected a size 11, which was the same size as my Oura Ring 4 and Oura Ring 4 Ceramic, but I was a little concerned that the size 11 plastic ring was noticeably more snug on my finger than the previous size 11 rings.
Now that the actual Oura Ring 5 is on my finger, this is absolutely the case.
I was always between size 10 and size 11 Oura Ring models before, making the larger option slightly loose, but the new size 11 is a perfect fit.
The crucial thing to know is that, despite being a fraction smaller, the fit is so spot-on that it’s completely unnoticeable when you’re wearing it.
Sure, I’ve worn an Oura Ring for five years, but I always knew my Oura Ring 4 Ceramic was on my finger.
The Oura Ring 5 disappears, and it’s all to do with the tiny changes to the thickness and width.
It’s so close to a normal ring size and feel, I think most onlookers would be fooled. I barely feel it between my fingers, and essentially forget it’s there.
If you want a health and fitness tracker that is even more incognito than the Fitbit Air, and nowhere near as sporty, the Oura Ring 5 is for you.
Get the Desert Rose one
It’s a piece of copper-colored glory
This is what I mean about wondering where Oura can go with its hardware next.
The Oura Ring 5 is thin and really light. I wouldn’t want it any lighter, as it borders on being featherweight now, and any slimmer, it’ll stop being a piece of high-tech jewelry to wear and enjoy.
Reducing the thickness will make the most difference, but it’s not like wearing a big, thick bolt on your finger now.
The other area where it can always upgrade is the materials and finishes.
I chose the Desert Rose Oura Ring 5, the only brand-new finish for the line, and I’m so pleased I did.
It was hard to tell exactly how copper the finish was in the pictures, but it’s just right. It’s masculine, yet still has enough of a rose-gold tint to appeal to anyone who doesn’t want a full gold smart ring.
While I love the color, I’m less enthused about returning to a titanium Oura Ring after spending many months with the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic.
QuizOura ring
Trivia challenge
Think you know everything about the smart ring taking on the fitness tracker
world? Put your knowledge to the test.
HistoryHealthHardwareFeaturesDesign
In which country was Oura Health, the company behind the Oura ring, founded?
Correct! Oura Health was founded in 2013 in Oulu, Finland. The company’s
Nordic roots are often cited as an influence on its focus on holistic wellness and recovery.
Not quite. Oura Health was founded in Oulu, Finland in 2013. Finland has
a strong tradition of technology innovation, and Oura has helped put the country on the wearable health
tech map.
What year did Oura launch its first generation ring to the public?
Correct! The original Oura ring was launched via an Indiegogo
crowdfunding campaign in 2015. It was a bold early bet on smart ring technology before the category had
really taken off.
Not quite. Oura launched its first ring through a crowdfunding campaign
on Indiegogo in 2015. The company has since released multiple generations, with each iteration getting
sleeker and more capable.
Which of the following metrics does the Oura ring NOT natively track?
Correct! As of its current generations, the Oura ring does not measure
blood pressure. It tracks a wide range of biometrics including HRV, SpO2, skin temperature, and heart
rate, but blood pressure monitoring requires dedicated hardware not present in the ring.
Not quite. Blood pressure is the metric the Oura ring does not track.
While it monitors impressive data like heart rate variability, skin temperature, and blood oxygen, blood
pressure measurement requires additional hardware that the ring doesn’t include.
What is the name of the Oura ring’s daily summary score that combines sleep,
activity, and readiness data?
Correct! The Readiness Score is one of Oura’s flagship features, giving
users a daily number from 0 to 100 that reflects how recovered and prepared their body is for the day
ahead based on sleep, activity, and recovery data.
Not quite. The answer is the Readiness Score, which is one of Oura’s
most celebrated features. It synthesises sleep quality, activity levels, and recovery signals into a
single daily score to help users decide how hard to push themselves.
Which generation of the Oura ring introduced a more traditional, rounded ring shape
compared to earlier generations?
Correct! The Oura Ring Generation 3, launched in late 2021, debuted a
sleeker and more jewellery-like rounded profile. It also introduced significant new health features
including temperature sensing and improved heart rate monitoring.
Not quite. It was the Generation 3 ring, released in 2021, that shifted
to a more rounded, jewellery-inspired shape. Previous generations had a flatter, more angular inner
surface that made them look and feel more like a tech gadget than an accessory.
Approximately how long does the Oura ring’s battery last on a single charge?
Correct! The Oura ring typically delivers 4 to 7 days of battery life
depending on usage, which is one of its major advantages over traditional smartwatches that often need
daily charging. The ring uses a wireless charging dock.
Not quite. The Oura ring lasts around 4 to 7 days on a single charge.
This is a key selling point compared to smartwatches, which typically need charging every day or two,
making the Oura much easier to wear consistently — including during sleep tracking.
The Oura ring gained significant public attention during the COVID-19 pandemic
partly because of a study it conducted with which major American sports organisation?
Correct! Oura partnered with the NBA during the pandemic, providing
rings to players and staff in the league’s 2020 bubble in Orlando. The study aimed to detect early
COVID-19 symptoms through changes in biometric data like body temperature and heart rate.
Not quite. Oura’s high-profile pandemic partnership was with the NBA.
During the league’s famous 2020 Orlando bubble, players and staff wore Oura rings as part of an early
illness detection study, which brought the device massive mainstream attention.
Oura introduced a subscription fee with which generation of its ring?
Correct! Starting with Generation 3 in 2021, Oura introduced a mandatory
$5.99 per month membership fee to access the full suite of health insights in the app. Earlier
generation owners were grandfathered in without a subscription for some time.
Not quite. Oura began requiring a subscription with Generation 3,
launched in 2021. The $5.99 monthly membership unlocks the full app experience including detailed health
insights and trend data. This change was controversial among existing users who had previously paid a
one-time price.
Your Score
/ 8
Thanks for playing!
Prepare for scratches?
I think it’s only a matter of time
If the Oura Ring 5 is peak Oura Ring design, the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic is peak Oura materials. The finish looked brand-new after six months of continuous wear, a feat impossible with a titanium Oura Ring 4.
The Oura Ring 5 is not available in ceramic (yet), and I’m already reminded of the problems with titanium.
It gets covered in smudges easily, something that didn’t happen with the ceramic smart ring.
I loved how the ceramic model rarely needed cleaning, but I’ve already given the Oura Ring 5 a regular soaping to keep it free from muck.
Then there are the scratches.
It’s free from them at the moment (it has only been two days or so), but even despite its smaller dimensions, it’s going to get rubbed up against an abrasive surface soon.
Oura indicated the Oura Ring 5’s titanium shell would resist marks better than before, and I’m certainly hopeful of it.
Plus, the smaller size means any marks may not show up as much.
However, I’ve already felt and heard it make unfortunate contact with a metal-bodied phone in a way that didn’t sound good, suggesting it’s only a matter of time before it picks up some battle scars.
Same old data?
It needs more testing
While there aren’t any major hardware changes inside the Oura Ring 5, Oura says it may return more accurate data compared to the Oura Ring 4.
With only a few days of wearing it, it’s impossible to spot any alterations so far. I’m comparing it to a wealth of baseline data in the Oura app, and with the Fitbit Air.
The good news is, I haven’t seen sudden changes, indicating things are much the same as before. I’d be far more concerned about accuracy if my key metrics showed dramatic changes so soon.
The Oura Ring 4 was the best smart ring, and our recommendation to buy, and it looks highly likely the Oura Ring 5 will take its crown. If you’re itching to buy, I don’t think you’ll regret it.
Our full Oura Ring 5 review is coming soon.
