I recently had the opportunity to ditch my Oura Ring and try a more affordable alternative – the RingConn Smart Ring. This experience completely shifted my perspective on the entire fitness and wellness ring concept.
I used to wear both an Apple Watch Ultra 2 and a third-generation Oura Ring, which, while offering many overlapping features, felt like a bit of an overkill. So, when the chance arose to test out another smart ring, I jumped at it.
The RingConn Smart Ring caught my attention as a competitor to the Oura Ring. Prior to this, I hadn’t heard of RingConn, but their PR team reached out and offered me the opportunity to review their product. I was intrigued, particularly after seeing a Digital Trends review earlier in the year.
While a detailed comparison of Oura and RingConn has already been done, I chose to focus on the transition from one ring to another. It’s worth noting that these rings have more in common than differences.
Both are made of lightweight titanium, providing a comfortable fit. Oura offers more finish options than RingConn, but both feel similar on the finger. They both boast up to seven days of battery life and send smartphone alerts when they need charging.
Officially, Oura is completely circular, while RingConn leans towards a ‘squircle’ shape, but both feel the same on the finger. They’re safe for showering and swimming but not for scuba diving or prolonged submersion. Oura can withstand water pressure up to 330 feet, while RingConn’s maximum is 165 feet.
Both rings excel at tracking sleep and daily activities, and they keep tabs on heart rate data. Oura offers resting heart rate and heart rate variability tracking, body temperature monitoring, calorie monitoring, blood-oxygen-level monitoring, and cardiovascular age tracking, alongside steps and other activities. RingConn also provides sleep tracking, heart rate and heart rate variability monitoring, calorie tracking, oxygen saturation measurement, and daily activity monitoring.
After wearing both rings simultaneously for almost two weeks, I noticed no significant differences in the results. This wasn’t a surprise, but it was reassuring.
It’s easy to get lost in the technical details and overanalyze tech products when reviewing them. It’s possible to lose sight of what really matters to the average user. Before comparing the Oura and RingConn smart rings, I thought smart rings were helpful but not as impactful as smartwatches. Feature by feature, that might still be true. However, the capabilities that competent ring developers are offering shouldn’t be discounted.
My experience with both rings has given me a newfound appreciation for what they provide. Whether it’s Oura or RingConn, they both track essential health and wellness data, offering users a real-time snapshot of their body’s functions and highlighting areas for improvement. They manage to do all of this in a much smaller device than a smartwatch.
The Oura and RingConn apps are crucial to their respective ring experiences. The Oura app, known for its intuitive design, offers detailed analytics and insights from the ring’s data. It simplifies complex data and motivates users to engage with their health information. The RingConn app prioritizes real-time feedback and offers actionable advice and lifestyle tips, making it more hands-on for users who prefer active guidance.
So, which ring is better? There’s no doubt that Oura provides a more comprehensive experience. However, its complexity often led me to skip checking the Oura app to see my progress. It was only when comparing it to RingConn that I realized why I wasn’t accessing the Oura app more often.
RingConn’s more basic app presentation may not be the most advanced solution, but it could be more appealing to everyday users who want a quick glance at their daily health data rather than a deep dive.
Two more points to consider: Oura is more expensive and requires a monthly subscription to unlock most of its features, including detailed health insights, personalized recommendations, and advanced features. RingConn, on the other hand, doesn’t need a subscription to access all its data.
In the near future, Samsung will be launching the Samsung Galaxy Ring. This long-rumored ring is expected to compete with Oura and, like RingConn, might not require a subscription. The release of the Galaxy Ring is anticipated to disrupt the market, and it will be fascinating to see its impact over the next six months, year, and beyond. Increased competition will undoubtedly drive innovation, although not every player will survive the race.
I haven’t decided which smart ring I’ll wear alongside my Apple Watch. The final decision might depend on the direction Oura and RingConn take their products in the coming months. Nonetheless, I have a renewed appreciation for the emerging smart ring market, and I’m excited to see where it goes next.
