Samsung Galaxy Ring Vs. Oura Ring 4: How Do These Smart Wearables Compare?

In the age of information, learning more about yourself (and your body) can be a game changer in terms of self-development. It's no wonder that wearables have been shown to contribute positively to their user's overall health and fitness. Depending on your lifestyle, the ideal type of wearable may vary, but these days, you can opt for smart watches, fitness trackers, and even rings. Unlike the first two, rings are visually a less distracting way to keep tabs on your body. Not to mention, smart ring technology has progressed so much that some models can provide significantly accurate biometrics that can rival medical-grade devices.

While there's still a lot to look forward to with smart rings, fans of this discreet wearable have been graced with more options in recent times. Of the major smart ring brands available in the market today, brands like Samsung and Oura leading the pack with their latest releases. In 2024, Samsung released the Galaxy Ring as the latest addition to its wearable ecosystem in July. A month later, the fourth generation of the Oura Ring also arrived alongside an app redesign.

Although both the Samsung Galaxy Ring and Oura Ring 4 share similar qualities, such as similar designs and price points, they do differ in a few key ways. So, if you're in the market for a new smart ring, here's a quick rundown of how these two leading devices compare to help you decide.

In its early days, Oura entered the market with a focus on helping people improve their sleep quality. Years later, the Oura Ring 4 not only remains one of the best sleeping tracking gadgets, but it has also proved that it could serve other health tracking needs. Apart from the standard fitness tracking metrics, Oura has also been making interesting moves, especially when it comes to women's health, from adding period and menopause tracking to pregnancy-related data points. Oura also prides itself in near perfect accuracy for biometrics compared to medical devices like ECG machines, research-grade temperature sensors, and machines for sleep staging.

On the other hand, Samsung offers a unique "Energy Score" which is derived from everything from your sleep data to your activity levels. Apart from this, there's also an Activity Monitor and Stress Monitor, which instantly syncs with your Samsung Health account. 

While both smart rings can track physical activity and exercise, both companies caution against using your smart ring for weightlifting (or risk damaging it). Because of this, you might want to still consider getting a dedicated fitness tracker if this matters to you.

At this stage in the development of smart ring technology, most of our commercial options are still quite bulky in appearance. For women who want something a little more dainty, we'll need to wait a little longer for a thinner band. 

Depending on your preference, the Gen 4 Oura Ring comes in six finishes: silver, black, brushed silver, stealth, gold, and rose gold. Although it's available in 12 sizes from 4 to 15, Oura cautions potential customers that it doesn't follow standard American ring sizing. Because of its updated design, it also won't share the same size as earlier generation Oura ring models. So, even if you're upgrading from the Gen 3, you'll still need to measure your finger for the right size. Thankfully, you can order a free Oura ring sizing kit, which you can expect to arrive in about six days. But take note, you'll still need to pay for the full cost of the ring before ordering it, so you'll need to be somewhat sure before making the request. Once it arrives, you can visit the link on the box and confirm it before they ship it out to you. 

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy ring only comes in three colors: titanium black, titanium gold, and titanium silver. Similar to Oura Ring, Samsung also offers a free sizing kit. But that ring is only available in 8 sizes from 5 to 13, so you'll have fewer options.

Compared to smart watches, smart rings tend to last longer in terms of battery life. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 can last about a day on a full charge. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy Ring lasts significantly longer, clocking in at more or less a week. Similarly, Oura claims that its Ring 4 can last up to 8 days, which is a little more than its predecessor and the Samsung Galaxy Ring. However, this also depends on the usage and different settings in place. With its gray and square charger, it can also take up to 80 minutes to fully charge.

Both these rings require the use of their respective cases for charging. However, the Samsung Galaxy Ring has a few more tricks up its sleeve. While the Oura Ring 4 requires a USB-C cable to begin charging, the Samsung Galaxy Ring and its case can use wireless charging and Wireless Powershare. Although Samsung recommends using its proprietary wireless chargers, it can also work with third-party products as well if you're willing to take the risk. If you own a compatible Samsung mobile phone or tablet, you can also put the charging case at the back to enable Wireless Powershare. Some Samsung devices that have the Wireless Powershare feature include various models of the Galaxy Note, Galaxy Fold, Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy S20, Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S24, and so on.

Comparatively, the Galaxy Ring has a slightly bulkier form. In terms of weight, Galaxy Rings are generally lighter and slimmer in frame. With a 7mm width and 2.6mm thickness, the smallest Galaxy Ring has a slightly lower weight at 2.3 grams, while the largest size weighs only 3 grams. Similar to the Oura Ring 4, the Galaxy Ring also has a water resistance of 328 ft and isn't recommended for divers. With its IP68 rating, Samsung shares that it can handle half an hour of being under 1.5 meters of freshwater.

By contrast, in its smallest sizes, the Oura 4 Ring weighs about 3.3 grams but it can go up to 5.2 grams. It's also around 2.88m in thickness, 7.9mm in width, and has an operating temperature of 14–129 ºF. Although Oura specifically mentions that its rings shouldn't be submerged for more than half a day, it claims it can withstand saunas, snorkeling, ice baths, and up to 328 ft (100 meters) of water resistance.

To maintain your Oura Ring hardware, Oura recommends weekly sensor cleaning for optimal tracking results. Although it's reasonably durable for everyday wear, Oura Rings are still prone to scratching. However, this isn't unique to the Oura Ring 4, because Samsung also warns that even everyday activities can lead to nicks. So, if you're wearing either smart rings alongside other rings, like wedding rings, engagement rings, or other decorative jewelry, be mindful about how it can both damage and be damaged by them.

Between both smart rings, one of the things that make Galaxy Ring stand out is how it works so well with existing Samsung devices, like its mobile phones and Galaxy Watch. Apart from the hardware benefits, such as the charging features mentioned above, there are also some battery optimization features, as well as motion detection functions for gestures. For example, you can use your Galaxy Ring as a camera shutter by double-pinching your fingers and even lets you turn off alarms.

If you already have a Samsung account, all you have to do is sign in to it for your Galaxy Ring to sync with the rest of your existing health data. Not to mention, you can stay on track with your data, even when you have to leave behind your ring because your Samsung phone or Galaxy Watch can fill in the blanks. And if you ever lose it, you can enjoy the benefits of the Find My Ring feature from your other paired devices.

That said, if you're planning to switch to iPhone in the future, the Oura Ring 4 may be a better investment for you because of its cross-platform capabilities. The Oura app can be downloaded on both the Apple App store and the Google Play Store for free. For iPhone users, there's also an Apple Watch integration that gives you a quick view into your sleep, activity, and readiness scores at a glance.

In the United States, the Galaxy Ring sells for $399.99. Although, Samsung offers installment options and device trade-in which can help you shave off up to $100. The Galaxy Ring also does not require a subscription to unlock all of its features. 

For the Gen 4 Oura Ring, the cheapest finishes for both models start at for $349. If you want the more premium Gold or more feminine Rose Gold finishes, you can expect to pay up to $499. However, it's important to note that you'll also need to factor in the cost of an annual membership. Once the new membership trial expires, the 12-month prepaid membership you can get at checkout will set you back another $69.99, which clocks at around $5.84 per month. As of writing, Oura still has a 1-month free trial for new users, so you can decide if the added features are necessary for your everyday tracking needs.

Due to local laws, it's almost good to take note that some health tracking features may not be available due to geographic restrictions. So, if a specific tracking functionality is important to you, you may want to review specific capabilities for your particular country or region. Regardless, both smart rings are simply tools for monitoring your general health. At the end of the day, if you have specific conditions that need active monitoring, nothing really beats the professional opinion of medical professionals and the use of specialized medical devices.