Last updated: November 5, 2025
I started using the Oura Ring fitness tracking wearable almost a year back. People have time and again asked me why I always wear this ring on my index finger. It’s the best smart ring on the market, considering it can do things for me that my Apple watch or wristband cannot.
What Is an Oura Ring? What Does the Oura Ring Do?
I wear the Oura Ring Gen 3, while my wife owns the latest Oura Ring 4. The Gen 4 is an evolution, featuring a more robust, fully-titanium interior and slightly refined, flatter internal sensors compared to the Gen 3’s raised domes. We absolutely adore its discreet design and health sensors. We go for exercise together daily wearing the Oura Ring.
My wife is a very health-conscious person and even wears an Oura smart ring throughout the night to track her sleep. She uses the Oura Ring’s sleep tracking data to monitor health. She feels the Oura Ring encourages her to recover comparatively faster than other trackers in the market ever could.
We are planning for our baby, so the temperature indications on the Oura Ring are a valuable tool for pregnancy planning. We are not claiming Oura Ring to be the perfect device, and we want to be clear: the Oura Ring is a wellness tracker, not a medical device for contraception or fertility. Now that I have used the Oura Ring for an entire year, I know its pros and cons.
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Is Oura Ring Worth It? Here are the Pros & Cons
Pros:
Great Sleep Tracking Solution
Sleep tracking is no longer a hassle when you have the Oura Ring by your side. We could wear it conveniently throughout our sleep time. My wife does not mind sleeping with the jewelry on, so this was not a problem for her.
I did feel a bit uncomfortable on the first and second days, but everything was normalized by the second day. The Oura smart ring seamlessly monitored our temperature, heart rate, and oxygen saturation throughout the night.
The sleep score function of the Oura Ring is a blessing, helping us determine sleep stages as well as a breathing regularity graph. Monitoring our overnight behaviors has become quite convenient with the Oura Ring fitness tracking wearable.
Discreet And Comfortable Design
The Oura Ring offers a discreet and comfortable design for the convenience of wearers. The lightweight fitness tracking wearable has internal sensors that measure between 0.14 to 0.21 ounces depending on the size of the Oura Ring. The design of Oura Ring blends well with other accessories and my fashion choices. We both have a silver Oura Ring.
Growing Popularity in the Wellness Industry
We enjoy watching Oura Ring’s integration grow into partnerships. Oura Ring has partnered with the fitness and running tracking app Strava that has over 100 million users. The Theragun Pro 5 premium massage gun maker, Therabody also works with Oura Ring. We used therapies by Therabody’s to monitor recovery tools’ data over time.
Crucially, Oura has forged a strategic partnership with Dexcom (makers of CGM technology) and their Stelo sensor, allowing users to cross-reference Oura’s data with their glucose levels—a massive step forward for metabolic health insights. Finally, the first FDA-cleared birth control app, Natural Cycles, is also in partnership with the Oura smart ring, helping our rings sync the temperature trend data for fertility indications.
Cons:
Disappointing Battery Life and Charging Experience
While Oura officially claims the newer Gen 4 battery lasts between 5 and 8 days, our real-world experience is still hit-or-miss. With all features turned on (like continuous daytime heart rate and SpO2), my older Gen 3 only lasts about three full days. Even my wife’s Gen 4 often averages only 4-5 days.
This is still significantly better than a smartwatch, but we hope the company continues to improve this longevity. We travel often, and a spare charging kit costs at least something. We also have homes in three different cities, and I don’t want to shop for a charging kit for every location. We want our Oura Rings to charge in a bit. We hope that’s on the company’s cards.
Too Thick for Comfort and Prone to Scratches
The Oura Ring is slightly thick, which can make it uncomfortable at first and take time to get used to. It’s not ideal for activities like weightlifting or racket sports, as it scratches easily. Specifically, the glossy finishes (like Black or Stealth) show wear much more quickly than the silver or brushed options. Plus, water can get trapped when washing hands.
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