(Credit: Oura)
Oura already makes our favorite smart ring, and the company is now looking to widen its lead in the category with the Oura Ring 5. Announced on Thursday, the Oura Ring 5 is 40% slimmer than its predecessor, an impressive feat given that the Oura Ring 4 is already quite sleek. Within the slimmer hardware, Oura says it has packed even longer battery life and more powerful sensor LEDs for improved accuracy.
Available for preorder now, the Oura Ring 5 ups the starting price $50 from the last generation to $399 for the basic black or silver models. It launches alongside a new $99 charging case that promises to hold a month's worth of battery, as well as a bunch of new software upgrades, including a proactive monitoring feature called Health Radar. Read on for all the details of the new ring and Oura’s latest features.
Hardware Details: Thinner Than Ever
The Oura Ring 5 is available in sizes 6 through 13, a smaller range than its predecessor, which ranges from 4 through 15. Due to the redesign, Oura recommends getting a sizing kit for the ring, even if you already have an older model that fits well.
The titanium frame features an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, and is waterproof to a depth of 328 feet. It measures 0.24 inches wide by 0.09 inches thick, making it smaller than the Oura Ring 4 (0.31 by 0.11 inches).
For the $399 base price, you get the Oura Ring 5 in black or silver. It also comes in brushed silver, deep rose, gold, or stealth for $499. With all finishes, you also need to pay $5.99 per month or $69.99 per year for an Oura Membership.
Depending on usage, the battery in the Oura Ring 5 should last between six and nine days, so it could outlast its predecessor, which lasted just over a week between charges in testing. It has more powerful sensor LEDs for increased accuracy, though it only tracks 12 signal pathways through your finger, whereas the Oura Ring 4 collects data through 18 pathways.
The Oura Ring 5 will ship with a size-specific charging base, like its predecessor, but Oura is also launching the aforementioned charging case accessory for an extra $99. The aluminum case will store up to a month of battery life, and can recharge wirelessly.
Both the Oura Ring 5 and this accessory case will benefit from Oura’s new Locate feature. In the Oura app, you’ll be able to precisely track your misplaced device's location.
App Updates: More Proactive Alerts
Alongside the launch of the Oura Ring 5, the company is rolling out a handful of new proactive health features in its app. Live activity tracking will let you view real-time metrics during workouts for the first time using the Oura app on your phone. The Ring itself still won’t produce live heart rate numbers, but you can sync the app with a third-party monitor for that info.
Health Radar builds on the company’s previous Symptom Radar feature. Whereas Symptom Radar can let you know if you are showing signs of illness, Health Radar is meant to alert you about concerning biometric signals before they become a problem.
At launch, Health Radar encompasses two features: Blood Pressure Signals and Nighttime Breathing. Blood Pressure Signals will take measurements while you sleep to detect changes that may indicate cardiovascular strain. Unlike the blood pressure feature in the latest Samsung Galaxy Watches, Oura’s measurements don't require calibration with a cuff. That said, Oura can sync its info with blood pressure readings from a separate cuff if you have one available.
Nighttime Breathing looks for patterns and disturbances in respiration over a rolling 30-day period. Older Oura Rings can already check breathing regularity, so this mostly expands the window of data evaluated to provide a broader view of patterns.
If you take a GLP-1 weight-loss medication, you can now use the Oura app to log dose information, side effects, and weight changes. These features, combined with Oura’s existing holistic tracking, can help you understand how the meds affect your readiness and sleep.
Through the experimental Labs portion of the app, you can sign up for a Brain Health study that assesses cognition via short in-app tasks and tracks your results over time to gauge long-term physiological trends.
You’ll also be able to import medical records directly into the Oura app, like you can with the updated Google Health app that launched alongside the Fitbit Air. Oura is partnering with Counsel Health for AI-enabled medical advice, with the option to chat with a real physician.
Is It Worth the Upgrade?
The Oura Ring 5 arrives sooner than many fans probably expected. It's been just a year and a half since the Oura Ring 4 launched, a much shorter gap than the nearly three years between the Oura Ring 3 and Oura Ring 4. The higher starting price may also raise some eyebrows, but Oura isn't locking its latest software features to the new hardware alone.
Features like Health Radar and Brain Health insights will also roll out to the Oura Ring 4 and Oura Ring 3, while the new device-finding feature will even support the Oura Ring 2. That means current Oura owners don't necessarily need to rush into an upgrade if their existing ring still works well.
Still, the Oura Ring 5 could prove worthwhile if Oura's claims hold up. A slimmer fit, better accuracy, and longer battery life could make the experience noticeably more comfortable and convenient day to day.
I'll be testing the Oura Ring 5 as soon as possible to see whether those upgrades justify the higher price, so stay tuned for a full review and buying advice.