Oura Ring 3 vs Oura Ring 4: I've tested both smart rings, and the winner is not so obvious
SOURCE:ZDNet
The Oura Ring 4 is one of the best products I've tested; however, it's also quite expensive. Here's how to decide between the newest model and its predecessor.
The Oura Ring 4 (left) has receded sensors that make it more comfortable compared to Oura Ring 3 (right).
Nina Raemont/ZDNET
Considering buying an Oura Ring to track your sleep, activity, or stress? Oura is taking up to $200 off its third-gen smart ring, depending on the finish and size. This deal applies to the Oura Ring Heritage and Oura Ring Horizon, two third-generation smart rings.
The deal on the earlier generation Oura Ring 3 is so low because Oura unveiled the Oura Ring 4 late last year. The Oura Ring 4 is an impressive and well-designed smart ring that blows its competitors (and even the Ring 3) out of the water.
But does that mean you should buy the newer Ring 4 over the less expensive Ring 3 that's on sale right now? It all depends on what features you prioritize in a smart ring. I break down the differences below.
Specifications
OuraRing3
OuraRing4
Batterylife
Up to seven days
Up to eight days
Chargingtime
Between 20-80 minutes
Between 20-80 minutes
Sizes
6-13
4-15
Material
Titanium exterior and epoxy interior
Fully titanium
Finishes
Black, brushed titanium, gold, silver, rose gold
Black, brushed silver, gold, silver, rose gold
Startingprice
$300
$350
You should buy the Oura Ring 4 if...
Nina Raemont/ZDNET
1. You prioritize comfort
One of the highlights of the new Oura Ring 4 is its smart sensors. Oura Ring 4's smart sensing technology uses 18 signal pathways, compared to the Oura Ring 3's eight, to capture more accurate data with fewer gaps.
So, what does that have to do with comfort? These smart sensors allow the raised sensor domes that stick out on the Oura Ring 3's interior to flatten and recede on the Oura Ring 4 for a more comfortable and less constrictive wear. I wore the Oura Ring 3 for around eight months, and one of the few gripes I had with it was that the three domes would cling to the inside of my finger, resulting in dents that remained on my skin for days after.
The Oura Ring 4 is far more comfortable than the Oura Ring 3 thanks to the receded smart sensing technology. It's noticeably slimmer, both on the interior of the ring and the exterior, which results in a lighter feel. If you are more sensitive to health trackers around your wrist or finger and get easily annoyed with jewelry, I'd suggest the Oura Ring 4.
2. You want a smaller or larger ring size
Sherin Shibu
Expanded sizing is one of the major hardware upgrades that came with the Oura Ring 4. Where the Oura Ring 3 offers sizes six through 13, the Oura Ring 4 offers sizes four through 15. That's four more sizes on the larger and smaller ends of the spectrum. If you couldn't buy the Oura Ring 3 because the available sizes didn't fit your finger, the Oura Ring 4 might fit you better.
3. You want a longer battery life
The Oura Ring 3 boasts a battery life of up to seven days, though I normally got around four. The newer Oura Ring 4 boasts a battery life of up to eight days, but during my testing, I got around 5 and a half.
If you frequently forget to charge your tech and want a smart ring that you can wear for a few days without worrying about, then I'd recommend the Oura Ring 4. If you are adamant about daily charging, however, I'd recommend the Oura Ring 3.
You should buy the Oura Ring 3 if...
Nina Raemont/ZDNET
1. You just want the newest software
Most of the software updates that came to the Oura Ring 4 also are available on the Oura Ring 3. That includes automatic heart rate monitoring during workouts, the Oura app redesign, upgraded daytime stress features that help contextualize your physiological stress, and many new Oura Labs features you can test out, like meal logging.
Automatic heart rate monitoring continues Oura's mission of autonomously logging health data with little assistance from the ring wearer. This means that, on top of the automatic workout detection feature, the Oura Ring now can monitor and record your heart rate during these activities without you clicking on the Record workout HR button.
Oura upgraded its daytime stress feature by implementing the daily tags people use to document their meals, workouts, illnesses, and moods onto the daytime stress timeline. Let's say you just had an argument with a coworker and find that your heart rate is elevated. If you log that in the app, it will include that tag into the daytime stress timeline.
Lastly, there are a few experimental features Oura Ring 3 users can take advantage of through Oura Labs, which is also available on both rings. One of my favorite features I tested was the meal-logging feature that uses your camera and AI to document what you're eating (and when).
The AI was able to detect that I was eating yogurt with berries and bananas one morning, despite the yogurt being fully picked over and mixed with the other ingredients.
2. You don't want to spend more money
You can buy an Oura Ring 3 for up to $200 right now. The third-generation smart ring has been on sale since Oura unveiled a newer generation. If a starting price of $350 (plus that $6 monthly subscription to access all your data) is a little too much for you, the Oura Ring 3 is substantially cheaper.
3. Comfort isn't a concern
If you own an Oura Ring 3 and aren't disturbed by the raised sensors or the chunkier build, I don't see a need for you to upgrade to the Oura Ring 4. If you don't own either ring and are trying to make a buying decision, I'd recommend the Oura Ring 3 if you are unbothered by a tight and raised dome around your finger.
