The Smart Ring Just Got a Serious Glow-Up
If you've ever looked at a smart ring and thought, "cool idea, but it's a bit chunky" — Oura has heard you. The company just announced the Oura Ring 5, and the headline is exactly what skeptics have been waiting for: it's dramatically smaller and lighter than before.
The new ring measures 6.09mm wide, down from 7.9mm on the Ring 4, and just 2.29mm thick compared to the previous 2.88mm. That's a 40 percent reduction in overall size. Weight ranges from 2 to 2.69 grams depending on the size you pick. In practical terms, it sits closer to wearing a simple band than a piece of tech strapped to your finger.
What You're Actually Getting
The Oura Ring has built its reputation on sleep tracking, recovery scores, and readiness insights — and the Ring 5 keeps all of that while fitting into a much sleeker package. For people who've resisted smart rings because they felt too bulky or obvious, this redesign removes one of the biggest objections.
The ring retails at $399 USD, putting it in premium territory. That price tag has always been one of the more contentious parts of the Oura pitch, especially since the device also requires a monthly membership fee to unlock the full suite of health insights. But for health-conscious consumers who want round-the-clock biometric monitoring without the bulk of a smartwatch, the Ring 5 makes a stronger case than any version before it.
Why Smart Rings Are Having a Moment
The wearable market has been buzzing around smart rings lately, with Samsung's Galaxy Ring and several other competitors entering the space. That competition seems to be pushing innovation — and shrinking form factors is exactly the kind of refinement that converts fence-sitters into buyers.
Smart rings appeal to a specific crowd: people who want health data without the constant screen glances, notifications, and battery anxiety that come with a smartwatch. Athletes, light sleepers, and anyone who finds a watch uncomfortable overnight have been drawn to the category. The Ring 5's reduced footprint makes it even easier to forget you're wearing it — which, for a sleep tracker, is arguably the whole point.
The Competition Is Heating Up
Oura's move to slim down arrives as the smart ring space gets crowded. Samsung, Ultrahuman, and RingConn have all staked claims in the market, each with slightly different approaches to pricing, features, and design. Oura's advantage has long been its software and the depth of its health algorithms — but hardware that people actually want to wear is increasingly table stakes.
For Canadians eyeing the Ring 5, expect pricing to land north of $500 CAD once exchange rates and import considerations apply. Still, for a device you wear 24/7 and use to track something as fundamental as sleep quality, many users find the investment worthwhile.
The Oura Ring 5 is available now. If a smaller, lighter smart ring is what it took to finally convince you — well, here it is.
Source: The Verge
