GoKawiilThere's a shiny new Oura Ring in town, and it's looking seriously svelte. The Oura Ring 5 checks off nearly every item on our smart ring wishlist with a thinner design, better scratch resistance, and longer battery life. More importantly, it doubles down on what Oura has always done best: blending seamlessly into everyday life while tracking your health around the clock, camouflaged as jewelry.
The glow-up isn't just superficial: The new ring also has more accurate sensors and better workout detection -- maybe I can finally get some Pilates credits. There's also a more robust Health Radar that can now flag early signs of blood pressure changes and breathing patterns that may indicate more serious conditions. Battery life also gets a welcome bump despite the tighter quarters.
The catch, as with a lot of tech this year, is the price. The Oura Ring 5 starts at $399, $50 more than the base model Ring 4.
Oura once dominated the smart ring space, but rivals such as Ultrahuman and Circular have steadily gained traction, even after Oura's patent fight temporarily pushed Ultrahuman products out of the US market. The competition has also expanded beyond fingers entirely. Google's Fitbit Air brings the same stealth tracking and holistic health approach to the wrist at a lower $100 entry point.
The Oura Ring 5 feels like a direct response to growing pressure from rivals: It offers better hardware, a deeper software ecosystem and a push into areas competitors still haven't quite reached. Whether it's worth the splurge will come down to hands-on testing, but on paper, it's a compelling case.
Design and fit
Thinner, slimmer, better fitting. At 6.09 mm wide and 2.28 mm thick, the Oura Ring 5 is 40% smaller than the Ring 4. We're talking millimeters here, but if you've ever tried lifting weights with a smart ring, you'll appreciate the difference.
The full line-up of Oura Ring 5 options with two new finishes (a lighter gold and deep rose). Oura/Viva Tung/CNET
New finishes include a lighter gold color, which Oura says is closer to true gold, alongside deep rose, a rich copper tone. Both join the existing silver, black, brushed silver and "stealth" color options across sizes 6 through 13.
Most importantly, Oura says it's less prone to scratches thanks to its aerospace-grade titanium coating. My gold Gen 4 looks like it got into a fight with a cat (and lost), so this is one of the first things I'll be putting to the test.
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