Oura Ring 4 vs Samsung Galaxy Ring: Which is the Best Smart Ring?

The Samsung Galaxy Ring was the first smart ring from a major tech player, challenging the Oura Ring as its biggest competitor.

With the launch of the Oura Ring 4 in 2024, Oura aimed to solidify its position as the top choice among smart rings.

Having experienced both the Oura Ring 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Ring, I can offer a comparison to help you decide which one suits you best.

Design & Build

These smart rings have different but attractive designs. The Galaxy Ring features a fully round, matte titanium finish in gold, silver, and black colors.

Mike Sawh

The Oura Ring 4 has a more traditional ring look with multiple finishes and a titanium design. It also offers an additional size option. Both rings are fully round and feature etchings to indicate proper wearing for accurate sensor readings.

The sensor arrays are placed differently, with Samsung’s being more noticeable than Oura’s. Despite this, both rings are comfortable to wear. Samsung’s ring is slimmer at 2.6mm compared to Oura Ring 4’s 2.88mm thickness.

Chris Martin / Foundry

Both rings are water-resistant up to 100 meters, suitable for swimming and showering.

The Galaxy Ring’s charging solution, using a case for on-the-go charging, is preferred over Oura’s cradle method. The case ensures secure charging without displacement.

Specs & Performance

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is compatible only with Android phones, while the Oura Ring 4 can be paired with iOS or Android devices.

Mattias Inghe

Both rings track daily activity, sleep, heart rate, stress, skin temperature, and blood oxygen levels to provide insights into your well-being. Samsung uses an Energy score, while Oura uses a Readiness score.

Overall, both rings perform well, offering reliable sleep tracking and accurate heart rate monitoring. Samsung provides automatic exercise recognition for runs and walks, while Oura offers integration with Strava, Apple Health, and Google Health.

Oura’s single app focuses on ring data, offering additional metrics for heart health and mental well-being. Samsung’s two apps, Samsung Wearable and Samsung Health, offer more features but are less specialized.

Other key differences

Size options vary between the two rings, with Oura offering sizes 4 to 15 and Samsung offering sizes 5 to 15. Both rings provide free sizing kits for the best fit.

Samsung’s ring supports a double pinch gesture feature for added smart functionality, allowing photo capture and alarm control with a Samsung Galaxy smartphone. When paired with a Galaxy Watch, you can extend battery life by 30%.

Price & Availability

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is priced at £399/$399, while the Oura Ring 4 ranges from £349/$349 for the base model to £499/$499 for gold or rose gold models. Oura also requires a subscription costing £5.99/$5.99 per month or £69.99/$69.99 per year.

Comparisons are made between the Oura Ring Gen 3 and the Oura Ring 4.

Verdict

For Android users seeking an affordable, elegant smart ring primarily for sleep, heart rate, and activity tracking, the Samsung Galaxy Ring is a solid choice.

For those looking for the best overall smart ring with strong performance and comprehensive software features, the Oura Ring 4 is the preferred option, despite the additional subscription cost.