The Oura Ring 5 represents a dramatic generational leap for smart rings, shrinking in size and weight to match standard wedding bands while improving battery life and durability. Starting at £399 (€399/$399/A$649), it requires a £5.99 monthly subscription for full features, making it a premium investment.
Design and Build: Smaller, Lighter, More Discreet
The Ring 5 is 40% smaller in volume than its predecessor, the Ring 4, which was already one of the most compact smart rings. Width is just over 6mm, thickness 2.23mm, and weight a mere 2g (depending on size). It comes in eight sizes (6 to 13) and six titanium finishes with a harder, more scratch-resistant coating. The ring is water-resistant to 100m and operates in temperatures from -10C to 52C.
The size reduction makes it far more comfortable: it doesn't catch on pockets, dig into fingers, or cause discomfort when carrying bags or lifting weights. It looks less like technology, which may reduce conversation-starting appeal but enhances wearability.
Battery Life: Impressive Gains
Battery life has increased by one to two days depending on size. The smallest Ring 5 lasts about six days between charges, while the largest reaches nine days. A size 8 (third smallest) tested lasted nearly eight days, about two days longer than the equivalent Ring 4. Full charge takes under 90 minutes via the included dock, and an optional battery case (£99) provides up to five full charges.
Health and Activity Tracking: Comprehensive and Insightful
The ring records heart rate, blood oxygen, temperature, and motion to track over 50 metrics across sleep, activity, readiness, stress, resilience, heart health, and women's health. It automatically detects 40+ activities lasting more than 10 minutes, but relies on a phone for GPS and pace during workouts. The Live activity feature provides real-time heart rate on the phone.
Oura's proactive health monitoring includes Symptom Radar for signs of illness and Health Radar (US launch in June) for overnight blood pressure and breathing disturbance monitoring. Women's health tracking covers cycle, period, ovulation, fertile window prediction, pregnancy, hormonal birth control, and menopause insights, with integration with Natural Cycles for birth control.
App and AI Advisor: Best-in-Class Analysis
The Oura app (free, but subscription required for full data) offers comprehensive analysis with helpful explanations and actionable insights. The "Today" page highlights key health attributes, while "Vitals" shows seven health categories with charts. The "My Health" tab provides long-term views ranking sleep, cumulative stress, and heart health from "needs care" to "thriving."
The AI Advisor chatbot, built around user data, provides personalised advice on sleep, recovery, activity, and women's reproductive health. It cannot answer general questions but excels at trend analysis and guidance.
Price and Value
The Oura Ring 5 starts at £399, with one month free membership then £5.99/month. Compared to the Ring 4 (£349), Ring 4 Ceramic (£399), Ultrahuman Ring Air (£329), and Samsung Galaxy Ring (£399), it is competitively priced but requires an ongoing subscription.
Sustainability and Verdict
The Ring 5 is not repairable, and the battery is not replaceable. It contains no recycled materials, but Oura offers free recycling. The verdict: a generational leap that sets a high bar for comfort, battery life, and data analysis. It is one of the best health-tracking wearables available, though the subscription and lack of repairability are drawbacks.
