Smart rings have been getting better year after year, and Oura has quietly built a reputation for leading the pack. With the Oura Ring 4, the company hasn’t reinvented the wheel but has taken almost every aspect of its previous generation and polished it. The result is a ring that’s lighter, more comfortable, more accurate, and better suited to everyday wear. If you’ve been curious about whether a smart ring can really help you understand your body and sleep patterns, or you’re wondering if it’s time to upgrade from an earlier model, this is your guide.
What’s New in Oura Ring 4
Oura has focused on three areas with this release: design, sensing technology, and the companion app. Each area gets a meaningful upgrade.
Design and Build
The Oura Ring 4 is now entirely made from titanium inside and out. That means no more raised bumps from sensors on the inner band, which used to cause slight irritation for some users. Instead, the sensors are recessed into the ring, making it smooth and comfortable enough to forget you’re wearing it. It’s also lighter, between 3.3 and 5.2 grams depending on the size, and just under 3 mm thick. In short, it feels more like a regular ring and less like a piece of tech.
You also get more size and color options. The Ring 4 is available in sizes from 4 to 15, covering a wider range of finger shapes. And the finishes—brushed silver, black, gold, rose gold, stealth, and classic silver—look like real jewelry rather than a gadget. For many people, that’s important because the point of a smart ring is to be discreet.
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Battery Life
Battery life has crept up too. With typical use, you can expect up to eight days on a single charge. That might not sound like a huge jump over the previous generation’s seven days, but it makes a real difference in practice because you can stretch a charge through a full week of workouts, sleep tracking, and travel without constantly worrying about topping it up.
Better Sensors and Smarter Sensing
Where Oura has made its biggest leap is in sensing technology. The Ring 4 uses an adaptive sensing platform that reads your body signals through 18 separate pathways instead of the eight used in the previous model. In plain English, that means the ring has an easier time getting reliable readings whether your hands are warm or cold, you’re moving, or your skin tone varies. Fewer data gaps mean your trends over time are more trustworthy.
You still get continuous heart rate and heart rate variability tracking, nighttime blood oxygen monitoring, a breathing disturbance index, temperature tracking, and activity detection. But these metrics are now claimed to be up to 30% more accurate for oxygen levels at night and more than 100% better for signal quality overall. That’s a big deal if you rely on the ring to flag potential sleep apnea or to see whether your recovery scores are trending in the right direction.
App and Software Updates
Oura didn’t just upgrade the hardware. The companion app has been redesigned into three clear tabs—Today, Vitals, and My Health. Today gives you a snapshot of your readiness, sleep, and activity. Vitals digs into your ongoing stats like heart rate trends, HRV, and temperature. My Health is where you can see longer-term patterns and reports.
There’s also smarter automatic activity detection. The Ring 4 recognizes more than 40 types of exercise and can identify your heart rate zones during a workout. Stress tracking has been improved, and new tools for reproductive health make it easier to track fertility windows and cycles. It’s still not a replacement for a sports watch if you want live data mid-run, but it’s a much richer health companion than before.
How Oura Ring 4 Compares
If you’re trying to decide between the Ring 4 and the Ring 3, here’s the essence:
- Comfort: The recessed sensors and titanium build make Ring 4 noticeably more comfortable, especially overnight.
- Accuracy: With 18 adaptive sensing pathways, Ring 4 produces more consistent data.
- Battery: Eight days instead of seven may not sound huge, but it reduces charging headaches.
- Fit and Style: More sizes and finishes mean more people can wear it without compromise.
- Price: It’s a bit more expensive up front than Ring 3, and the subscription model is still in place for premium insights.
Against other smart rings on the market, Oura continues to excel at sleep and recovery tracking. It doesn’t have a screen or GPS, so if you want on-the-go metrics, a smartwatch or fitness band might still be a better match. But if you want a discreet, jewelry-like ring focused on deep health insights, Oura Ring 4 is hard to beat.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What the Ring 4 Does Well:
- Very comfortable to wear day and night.
- Data accuracy is improved, especially for blood oxygen and heart rate variability.
- Inclusive sizing and stylish finishes.
- Eight-day battery life reduces charging hassle.
- App layout is clearer and adds new health features.
Where It Still Falls Short:
- Most advanced insights still sit behind a subscription fee.
- No display or live feedback during exercise.
- Fit can still be tricky—using a sizing kit is important.
- Price has climbed a bit, so upgrades aren’t cheap.
Buying Considerations
If you’re already wearing an Oura Ring 3 and you’re happy with its comfort and data, upgrading to the Ring 4 may feel incremental rather than revolutionary. The real gains are in comfort, accuracy, and inclusivity. For new buyers, the Ring 4 is clearly the better choice because you’re getting the best version of Oura’s technology so far.
Think about how you plan to use it. If you’re a runner or cyclist who wants live pace, split times, or GPS tracking, a smartwatch or dedicated sports wearable is still more practical. But if your main goals are understanding sleep quality, recovery, stress levels, and daily readiness, a smart ring like Oura’s offers a form factor no wristband can match.
Cost of ownership also matters. The upfront price is higher than previous generations, and you’ll need to factor in the ongoing subscription for premium metrics and insights. If you’re comfortable with that, the Ring 4 offers one of the most discreet, comprehensive, and comfortable health trackers available.
Finally, take fit seriously. Because the sensors are recessed, the ring may feel different on your finger than earlier models. Order a sizing kit to ensure you get the right fit, especially if you’re between sizes or if you’re upgrading from a Ring 3.
The Bottom Line
The Oura Ring 4 isn’t trying to be flashy. It’s trying to disappear into your daily life while quietly gathering accurate, useful health data. In that mission, it succeeds. For someone who values sleep insights, readiness scores, and a low-profile form factor, this is arguably the best smart ring on the market. For those who already own a Gen 3 ring and aren’t bothered by its comfort or accuracy, the upgrade is nice but not mandatory.
If you’re new to smart rings, though, the Ring 4 is the version you want. It’s the most refined, comfortable, and capable model Oura has ever made.
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