I've been wearing the Oura Ring and the Apple Watch side by side for months, and as an indecisive, overanalyzing wearable reviewer, I'm finally ready to tackle the existential question: smart ring versus smartwatch. But I'm going to do it in the most diplomatic, overly thorough way possible, because the "right" choice really depends on what you care about.
The more time I've spent wearing both, the clearer it's become that these two wearables aren't direct competitors so much as complements. They live under the same wearable-health umbrella, but are completely different flavors in both form and function.
They're also expensive. At around $500 for the Oura Ring 4 and roughly $400 for theApple Watch Series 11, buying both isn't realistic for most people. So instead of crowning a universal winner, it makes more sense to break down what each one does best and who each would serve better.
The Apple Watch and Oura Ring each have different strengths and ultimately compliment each other. Celso Bulgatti/CNET
Thanks largely to consumer wearables, we can now track incredibly specific health data that, until recently, just wasn't accessible outside of clinical settings. Because these devices are designed to be worn every day, they can surface long-term trends and help us draw meaningful connections between our habits and how our bodies actually respond.
Smartwatches, fitness bands, smart rings and even newer form factors like smart shoes are all different ways to collect health and fitness data. They're essentially trying to solve the same problem, just from different angles. And while there's no single "holy grail" wearable that does everything perfectly yet, those various flavors exist for a reason -- each prioritizes a different aspect of health, fitness or daily life.
The loud multitasker vs. the demure overachiever
The Apple Watch and Oura Ring track many of the same health metrics, but having a screen allows the Apple Watch to do a lot more (for better or worse). It's essentially a pared-down version of your iPhone (minus the doomscrolling). It can handle notifications, calls, mobile payments, finding your phone and, yes, telling time. It's also one of my favorite workout buddies because I view and use the live metrics to push myself during exercise.
But all that information makes it an in-your-face kind of wearable. It vibrates. It buzzes. It constantly wants your attention. And if you don't charge it daily, it's dead to the world. That means there are plenty of moments when it's off your wrist and not collecting data, especially at night, when I'm more likely to forget it on the charger or just not want to wear a watch to bed.
The Oura Ring is comfortable enough to wear 24/7 and fades into the background, making consistent tracking easy. Celso Bulgatti/CNET
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