Oura has kinda quietly (in the middle of the night) announced their new Oura 4 ring, which the company says has substantially improved accuracy in certain areas compared to their previous Ring 3, as well as slightly improved battery life. Of course, with that, comes an increase in price, now starting at $349 versus the $299 it was previously (in Europe though, it starts at 399EUR vs 329EUR previously). The existing subscription pricing stays the same at $6/month or $70/year.
The new Oura Ring 4 is fully titanium, including the interior, which was previously epoxy. Also gone is the flat edge that was on previous models (now fully rounded on all models, whereas only the Horizon models previously were fully rounded). Further, the interior sensors no longer have small bumps on them, which were previously 1.3mm, and are now 0.3mm.
Interestingly, while Oura says the new ring is “slimmer”, their specs actually disagree a bit. The new V4 ring has a width of 7.90mm, and a thickness of 2.88mm. Whereas their own specs for the V3 ring specify a width of 7.90 and a thickness of “~2.7mm” for Heritage and “~2.9mm” for Horizon. The usage of “~” makes this iffy. And confusing matters more, is that other Oura pages specify the V3 rings at 2.55mm thick.
The New Technology:
Speaking of those sensors, the company says the new sensors combined with new algorithms have resulted in the following increases (these are the average across all participants, some were higher, some were lower):
– 120% improvement in signal quality* for blood oxygen sensing (SpO2), translating to a 30% increase in accuracy in average overnight SpO2 measurement [*Comparing the perfusion index signal quality metric between the selected OR4 SpO2 channels and to the Gen3 SpO2 channels. SpO2 accuracy is defined as the percentage of nights where the mean SpO2 value is within 2 points of the reference value]
– 15% more accurate breathing disturbance index (BDI) thanks to the higher signal fidelity [BDI accuracy is based on comparison against human-annotated SpO2 desaturation events]
– 7% fewer gaps in the daytime heart rate graph [Gaps are defined as 15-minute segments with missing heart rate data]
– 31% fewer gaps in the nighttime heart rate graph (5) [Gaps are defined as 5-minute segments with missing heart rate data]
This was based on 60 external participants, in an Oura-run study, but at an external sleep clinic. Meaning, Oura was paying for and analyzing all the output data, though the participants were seemingly from outside the company. Either way, this isn’t an academic study, but really just a company leveraging external resources. Nothing wrong with that (at all), but, just want to be super clear since people often throw around peer-reviewed studies versus companies simply gathering data.
Beyond the accuracy increases, the company has also added a few more practical bits, both hardware and software:
– Expanded size range from 4-15 (versus previous 6-13), note that Oura says sizing is now different, so if you have a previous Oura ring, the sizes won’t necessarily match anymore (thus, get a new sizing kit first, which ships immediately, before the rings ship in a few weeks).
– Increased battery life, up to 8 claimed days (from the previous 7-day claim), noting that different size rings will get different battery life, due to battery size.
– New Automatic Activity Detection, which will “recognize everyday movements and heart rate zones, showing members their heart rate throughout their workout once detected”
– New Fertility insights, which will “provide more information on chances of pregnancy during different stages of the menstrual cycle”
– New Daytime Stress, which will “overlay daily activity and tags with the Daytime Stress chart, helping members understand how daily movement impacts stress levels”
In addition, the app has been redesigned, which will simplify things around three core tabs: Today tab, Vitals tab, and Health Tab. While the app update has released, and theoretically is available for everyone, some 13 hours later after an update and a few app closes/opens, it’s still not showing in my app.
So instead, here’s a gallery of the new styles and pricing:
And the same for the European side:
I think the most interesting thing here being the bump up in price to seemingly match Samsung at $399 in some models, yet Samsung doesn’t have any subscription component. Of course, Samsung’s rings also have pretty questionable accuracy based on most reviews thus far (I had one on backorder, but eventually gave up on waiting for it and canceled the order).
Wrap-Up:
The new Oura Ring V4 is available for order today, with shipping starting October 15th. The company says they didn’t have many media samples available, and at the moment, I don’t see any noteworthy/trusted reviewers out there with reviews. In fact, I can only find a single media outlet that has a single unique/self-taken picture of the ring on their finger, with no commentary about usage. I’ve ordered one, and will report back when I feel like I have enough data for a review (I’ve been wearing the Oura V3 ring for a few years now, so I’m pretty familiar with their platform/systems).
That said, like most people who have commented on the new ring thus far, there’s a bit of disappointment Oura didn’t do more here in terms of the ring sizing or even charging design. The new Samsung charger (like a few other ring chargers) is brilliant, being a case somewhat akin to an AirPods case, wherein it charges the ring in a completely closed carrying pod (versus the Oura ring sits atop a stand). Further, other companies have significantly reduced the thickness of the ring, Oura didn’t make any meaningful gains here, and depending on which V3 ring you’re coming from, it actually got thicker internally (according to their own specs).
While the company tends to lean heavily on accuracy (and they seem to do well there in my testing), at the same time, most other companies seem pretty reliable as well these days.
In any case, plenty more down the road – thanks for reading!
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Is it possible to use the ring at all without paying a subscription?
Eg, could I get _any_ metrics and pull them into Apple Health for example?
I don’t have one, but my understanding from reading the Oura website is that you do get some features without a subscription:
“Non-paying members have access to 3 simple daily scores: Sleep, Readiness, and Activity, as well as our interactive and educational Explore content.”
That’s a showstopper for giving this ring as a present.
“Hey look, i give you this nice ring as a present. Yes, now you have to pay every month/year. Wait, why are you angry? Yeah well, you can’t even sell it on Ebay because of that subscription thing but…”
Edit: “can’t sell it on Ebay because of different ring sizes and that subscription thing..”
You could say the same thing about gifting a car where someone has to pay for insurance and gas.
Besides that, the right thing to do if you want to gift someone that ring is to include a 1-year subscription.
I bought an Oura ring for my wife with the intention of not paying the subscription price, figuring the basic data would be good enough. However, I found the data provided w/o a subscription to be nearly useless. I also have an Oura ring but have been “grandfathered” into not having a subscription because I was an early adopter.
If I was to purchase a ring today, I’d consider the Ultrahuman Ring AIR which doesn’t have a subscription.
Is this one significantly better than something like ultrahuman?
I‘m a V3 user for three years now and I don‘t want more features for the new generation. So the focus on accuracy is the right decision in my opinion. And here I look at way more reliable HR readings during workout recordings. Hope your review in a few weeks will show the evolution on this side. All in all I wish the Oura ring to become a more sports related device (just like the Whoop band is).
IMHO, the Oura ring is only a sleep tracker and should be treated as such. I find the exercise metrics to be nearly useless because there’s only so much a ring and related software can guesstimate when attached to one’s finger. For example, if I ride my indoor bike trainer, which means my hands are resting on my handlebars for hours, the Oura ring typically show that I hardly did any exercise even if I had a pretty intense workout. Similarly, I use a push lawn more to mow my lawn, which is quite a workout for nearly 3/4 of an acre of grass. When I’m doing that, the Oura ring has no idea what I’m doing as my hands aren’t really moving anywhere, but they are vibrating a lot.
When will Garmin come up with a ring…
That’s the one I’m waiting for too
Wouldn’t hold your breath
link to wareable.substack.com
A Garmin ring would be perfect to use for sleep tracking at night and the watch for daytime use. Odd how Oura and Garmin both released new products (Fenix 8) that no one seems to want.
i guess there’s still no way to sync oura ring data into garmin connect?
Interesting. At a certain point, it seems like oura will either improve its accuracy on existing metrics OR become a jack of all trades, master of none. I’d personally rather they commit to just improving the accuracy of what it already does.
Regarding spo2, I’ve been unimpressed by this feature (compared to at home sleep studies) and until the oura is a medical device capable of dx’ing nighttime breathing issues, a small improvement in accuracy means nothing.
I love the oura and still have a backup gen 3 that I haven’t used so I’ll be waiting till that one does before upgrading.
For Fenix 7 and up users, is there a point in using that, or it’s just redundant data?
No, I don’t see any value-add for most Garmin users.
Agreed! Thanks.
…unless Garmin would allow importing of Oura data to factor into its various algorithms (to allow users to wear a ring to sleep instead of a Fenix)…Ray, especially given the recent interview with Garmin downplaying the possibility of their own ring, any world in which this ever becomes an option? (is there any precedence for Garmin incorporating external data into its algorithms?)
…I guess one precedent is the use of 3rd party HRM data, so maybe not out of the realm of possibility?
I know Joe for many, many, many years (the person interviewed in the article). That discussion matches one I had with him at an ice cream shop after visiting Garmin’s HQ earlier this June. What Joe says goes in terms of Garmin’s fitness direction, as he’s over just about all of it.
The chances of a Whoop-like band are much higher, but it’s just not a priority for them at the moment. It’s not a ‘never’ thing, just not what they’re focused on at the moment. Don’t expect one anytime soon.
Ultimately, I don’t see any scenario where Garmin is allowing pulling in nightly sleep data into GC. However, I see it more likely for them to developer smaller wearables that fill that gap.
I suspect there’s also an element where Garmin may wait for the Samsung vs Oura patent dispute to settle out. It’s the opinion of many in this space, that Oura is gonna lose that dispute, and lose it very hard (invalidating patents). That would open the door to companies like Garmin to come in more easily, without having to deal with the legal mess that Garmin almost always manages to avoid.
You’re not often wrong, but sleeping with a watch on isn’t a great idea in the long run.
Oura at night, Garmin during workouts
At least for me Garmin sleep tracking is totally arbitrate while Oura is more inline what I actually feel. Especially Garmin sleep score seems to be a random number generator so in a that sense there’s no point of just using Garmin only (for me).
Of course these results might vary from person to person.
Ray, you also have been using both so do the metrics match or differ? And if they are different which on you think is more accurate?
Olathe ice cream shop, Betty Rae’s? Did you get the Joe’s KC Burnt Ends ice cream for the max KC experience?
Doesn’t look like it was Betty Rae’s, and somehow, inexplicably, I didn’t take a picture of it. But yeah, for BBQ, definitely Joe’s KC Burnt Ends…maybe more than once. Obviously.
I totally agree. I loath the idea of wearing a watch as my track-record with wearing watches is that I’ll end-up destroying it, not to mention I just don’t like wearing one. I’ve had an Oura ring for years and despite considerable abuse, it keeps working and the chrome finish still looks just fine.
For most users, yes. But if you have the habid of reading a bood or watching calmly Netfix on bed before going to sleep, Garmin will fail. Or starting your day’s first half an hour peacefully on bed…
I have been using both Garmin FR965 and Oura Gen3 24/7 about the year, in the same hand. Plus Apple Watch 9 at the other wrist. None of these devices wount make everything right alone:
Garmin has an exellent First Beat -based body battery metrics, but it lacks the correct sleep detection, and Oxygen levels are jumping quite like a crazy. And it doesn’t detect the body temperature. Also, Garmin app does not allow to finetune the sleep times manually. I tend to put the home shell alarm active just before turning the lights off, so it’s kind of easy to check the actual “trying to sleep/sleeping” -times from alarm app log.
Oura just makes its job basically very well during night time, but IMHO any daily related functionalities are waste of battery when you have also the Garmin on wrist. Just wearing it as a wedding ring daytime. Now when the Apple introduced the OHI detection in its newest models/WatchOS version, the counts are mathing quite well with Oura blood oxygen drop markers.
Apple watch v9 is basically only the handy wallet and remote controller for iPhone with my setup. Checking the metrics on week level at best. I tried to use it as a sport watch for year, but when comparing the offered data to Garmin, I really woke up. Now Apple Watch is evolving with the training load etc, though.
This is disappointing to say the least. I know I should not create real expectations out of rumors or speculation, but I truly hoped they’d add NFC Payments. I’ve had the V3 ring for over 14 months already, and I am at a point where I do not see a reason to keep it, when if I compare the Oura data to my Fenix 8, it’d still be all over the place, and I end up having to decide which one I should trust arbitrarily.
Also, I already have NFC payments on my Fenix, so it was more an excuse to justify the upgrade.
Ray, how do you interpret the data between Garmin and Oura? What’s the actual reason to keep both?
In other news, US DOD just announced a deal to buy these rings for 100 megabucks.
link to defensescoop.com
all the DOD is going to see is what they already know, we don’t sleep enough and smoke too much to deal with anxiety 😂
if i’m going to subsidise US purchasers, i want a bi-monthly newsletter, and a cuddly toy as well
I wonder if those of us who are grandfathered in with no monthly fee will still continue to have no monthly fee if we purchase the Aura 4?
At any rate, I don’t see much point in upgrading, I wear my 955 7/24 and I get all the data I need from it.
I have been wondering about the same. I use mine because I dislike things one my wrist, especially in bed…
“If you have a Lifetime Membership, your Oura Membership remains free as long as you keep the same, active Oura account” from link to support.ouraring.com
Something I read said there no changes to the subscriptions, which sounds like buying a new device would not change our grandfathered lifetime subscription.
Seems odd to me that there was no email or upgrade program offered to us “early adopters” like there was for previous models. Heck, I didn’t even know the v4 ring was released until I saw a news article on it.
Had a gen 2, now have a gen 3, not seeing may reason to get a gen 4.
Until someone works out how to add blood sugar or blood pressure to an wearable then I can’t see much use case upside,
Maybe it’s a singular opinion, but I prefer the flat spot on the outside of the Gen 3 ring because it means I can easily check with a quick glance or just by touching it with my thumb that it’s still oriented correctly and hasn’t spun out of position. Unless Oura claims that the new version reads consistently and reliably regardless of the position the ring is in.
I wonder that too. I bought the Heritage for that reason, mainly. I also like the flat edge.
399€….wowwww and subscription.
Those rings and Whoop… They are far too expensive.
I am a recent Gen 3 owner. I wonder if some of the announced activity tracking/accuracy improvements will carry over from the Gen 4. Personally couldn’t care less about spO2 improvements or the changes in the design.
Do you know if the OGs (Gen 1 purchasers) are still grandfathered (to not have to pay the monthly fee? This will for sure determine if I buy the Gen 4.
According to Oura somewhere I saw (maybe it was Reddit), still grandfathered on the same account.
I bought a $200 Ringconn Gen 2. No subscription. I use it for sleep tracking/apnea alerts as my Apple Watch does pretty much everything else. If you already have a good watch I don’t see what a ring offers on top. The ring for me has its value at night when I cannot wear a watch.
Likewise; I’ve ordered the Oura 4 because I want to retain metrics through the day regardless of which watch I choose to wear. Got a Fenix 7XSS and an Ultra 2…and I hate sleeping with either. It’ll also be nice to wear my normal watches again which have languished almost unused for (in some cases) years now.
How would that work? I also have AWU2 and a Fenix 8, alongside the Oura Gen 3. I wasn’t aware that Apple Health aggregates the data when only Oura is worn?
I’ll probably just lean on Oura more for the daily stuff, but the sleep especially. I’m happy to keep the AWU2 for Fitness+ stuff and all my runs close to home. The Fenix I use further from home and for events…big fan of the right tool for the right job these days. I am probably done with ultras so very much doubt I’ll replace the Fenix. The AW I definitely will.
Got it, thanks for elaborating. I exclusively use my AW for connectivity purposes as I dont bring my phone along for runs/visits to the gym/going out for a long walk type of stuff.
It does help that it has excellent HR and GPS accuracy when I feel like ditching the Fenix 8 from time to time though. As for Oura, even though I think it is a more accurate sleep tracker, I still have the Garmin on my wrist too. Training readiness and the rest just aren’t as helpful when the watch is not worn day in, day out.
Can you exchange if the wrong size is ordered?
was going to buy one, but changed my mind. charging platform is not great compared to samsung, ring thickness is too thick.
I’m going to wait for the v5.
Hoping they add payments next time. I’d also love it if I could use the ring for NFC 2-factor authentication.
General first impressions. I opted to size down from a 12 to an 11. Must be the lack of the bumps buts feels more comfortable. Went with brushed silver v the oura 3 stealth I owned. Looks cleaner and more discreet. Really like the new layout of the app as well. Well done there Oura. I’ll be curious to see if any of the new data looks significantly different. I have noticed the 3 showed quite a bit more awake time than the Apple Watch Ultra 2. HRV has also been much lower than what Apple and Garmin have shown but they do correlate to Oura. My understanding is Oura measure HRV differently.
I always had issues at night sleeping with oura ring 3 size 8 which was a better fit but opted for size 9 which is loose during the day. You think size 8 will be better option with oura 4 or likely it will be tight at night as well while sleeping? Figured since those dome things are removed now.
Thanks for your report on the Oura #4
I use a Wellue ring to monitor SpO2 and HR when sleeping
And use a Garmin Fenix 6x pro
I have the Oura ring 2 and do not pay the monthy fee
Did buy the 3, but have not used it because of the $6/month. in my own currency SA Rands this is quite a lot
I’m 80 years old and retired
Still exercising
Do I need the Oura 4???