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The 4 Smart Rings to Wear in 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Wear your heart (tracker) on your finger.
People love statistics. And, more important, people love statistics about themselves. Our fitness levels, muscle recovery, sleep patterns, and steps counts—we are paying attention to our minds and bodies like never before. So it’s only natural that we’ve tried our fair share of health trackers. There are clip-on monitors, watches, advanced fitness apps, armbands, and now the smart ring.
The smart ring is for the person who can’t part with their stats but wants to track them most discreetly. They don’t want something cumbersome or too noticeable; they want a simple design that they can wear every day to track their health with minimal effort.
You’ve probably seen Oura’s iconic band. It’s beloved by our style and tech teams, but it’s no longer alone in the race, or way out ahead. There are other frontrunners, and we are here to ensure you know about them. From legacy brands like Samsung to emerging fit-tech contenders like Amazfit, everyone has got a smart ring. These are our favorites.
Pros
- One of the most proven smart rings on the market
- More features than most of the others
- Classy, non-techy look
- Rarely needs to be charged
Cons
- Have to pay a monthly membership fee
- Can feel bulkier when working out
If there’s a smart ring you’ve already heard of, it’s most likely the Oura Ring. We’ve reviewed this one before, and our editor at the time was in love with it. Yup, this is still the GOAT. And if you want a more circular design, you can now opt for the Horizon (my personal favorite despite the upcharge).
With sleep tracking, nap detection, blood-oxygen sensing, workout insights, and 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, the features housed in the slim design are endless. For us, it’s all about having a gadget that tracks our rhythms and encourages us to make healthier decisions. The Oura Ring does that by inspiring all users to get better sleep—giving you the tools and direction you need to figure out how to do just that.
| Sizes | 6–13 |
|---|---|
| Colors | Silver, Black, Stealth, Gold |
| Battery life | Up to 7 days |
| Weight | 4-6 grams |
Pros
- Sweet titanium finish
- No subscription
- Charger is a case
Cons
- Not compatible with iPhone
- Fitness and health tracking features are limited
This ring is a sweet deal for Android users, less so if you have an iPhone. Don’t let the name deceive you: Any Android phone works with the Samsung Galaxy Ring—although you can access extra features like Samsung Find if you have a Galaxy phone.
Regardless, it’s a gorgeous and lightweight smart device—one that you won’t want to take off. There’s no subscription fee here, but compared with Oura and Circular, the health-tracking features Samsung offers are noticeably basic. It’s a perfectly fine (and comfortable) sleep tracker if that’s all you need. Fitness heads will need something that lets you dive a little deeper.
Our favorite feature of the Galaxy Ring is the charger, which doubles as a charging case. This way if you are going on a trip, you don’t even need to bring any additional cord clutter—just a watch and a case.
| Sizes | 5-13 |
|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Silver, Gold |
| Battery life | Up to 7 days (plus charging case) |
| Weight | 2.3-3 grams |
Pros
- No subscription needed
- Waterproof and scratch resistant
- Thin and light, like nothing's there
Cons
- No half sizes
Circular has always had good tech, but the Circular Ring Slim is the first time it's truly nailed the product. This is a lightweight, slim ring that doesn't even feel like it's there. Yet, the whole time it's closely tracking your heart rate and other important vitals.
Circular's smart ring has impressive health-tracking capabilities, especially for its simple and slick presentation. Heart rate monitoring, temperature detection, sleeping tracking, guided breathing, and an alarm clock are all packed into the tiny device. These features are comparable to what we've got from the Oura Ring, only its app doesn't require a subscription to unlock them all.
| Sizes | 6-13 |
|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Silver |
| Battery Life | Up to 6 Days |
| Weight | 2 grams |
Pros
- Entry level, subscription free fitness tracking
- Titanium finish looks nice
- Currently the cheapest option
Cons
- Only comes in a handful of sizes
- Just one style option
Here's what we like about the Amazfit Helio Ring. It's a damn good sleep, heart rate, and pulse tracker with no subscription strings attached. It also looks pretty nice. There may only be one option in terms of finish, but it does look (and feel) nice. It is also, currently, only $200. If this is your first smart ring, or you're looking for an affordable tech-meets-lifestyle gift, grab it now while this discount lasts.
What this ring lacks is options. There's not much customization in terms of style or size, so if you have a history of trouble finding rings that fit, that might be a hiccup with this option.
| Sizes | 6,8,12 |
|---|---|
| Colors | Titanium alloy |
| Battery Life | Up to 4 days |
| Weight | 4 grams |
Runners Up
RingConn ($259.00): This is a newer competitor in the small fitness tracker space that doesn't have the most elegant design. But with a charging case, solid durability, and a subscription-free app, it's a solid option for under $300.
Ultrahuman Ring AIR ($350.00): This is more or less an Oura Ring stand-in through and through. But, and we hate to beat a dead horse, without the annual subscription fee.
What to Consider When Choosing a Smart Ring
Aside from style and comfort (most smart rings give a free fitting kit with purchase FYI), there are some factors to keep in mind when deciding which smart ring to pick up. These are our big three.
Battery: Imagine the difference between a four-day workweek (heaven) and a seven-day one (hell). That's the difference between four and seven days of battery life in a smart ring. This shit matters. Bonus points for giving a portable charging case upon purchase.
App Reliability: While a ring tracks your steps, pulse, and sleep down to the minute, all of that data goes to an app. This is where you go to actually, you know, view it. So making sure that the app is reliable, and that you enjoy using it, is a pretty smart thing to look into before you make a purchase. This is a very good reason that Oura is easy to recommend.
Extra Costs: Speaking of Oura, extras like an annual subscription fee can be a real dealbreaker. Pay attention to other extra costs like paying to upgrade the finish or get your ring engraved.
How We Test Smart Rings
When it comes to testing products, our methods are a lot like making good BBQ. Low and slow, baby. And this turns out to be the only way to cook.. erm, I mean test, a smart ring. It's how we know whether you should choose between an Apple Watch or an Oura Ring.
In all seriousness, our approach to test wearables involves wearing them for weeks—even months—at a time to let them collect the proper data. These things take time to learn your sleep patterns before they actually start giving advice. At least the good ones do.
Why Trust Esquire?
I'm a tech editor on a team surrounded by style editors. If there's one person you want weighing in on the top smartwatches and other wearables, it's me. I try a lot of products and, from wireless headphones to laptops, and can spot underbaked, tacky products from a mile away.
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