GoKawiilI've only had the Oura Ring 5 on my finger for 48 hours, but I can already tell this ring is going to be a trendsetter.
I posted a short unboxing video on my social media showing it next to with my current Oura Ring 4 and was flooded with questions about referral links, sizing kits and color options.
As a wearables reviewer, my feed is plastered with gadgets, and I'm used to the occasional "I want one" comment. But I've rarely seen the kind of immediate buying interest that the Oura Ring 5 generated, predominantly from women asking for referral links, sizing advice and color recommendations.
The minute I took it out of the box and slipped it on my ring finger next to my Oura Ring 4, I was sold, too. There's still a lot left to test beyond the aesthetic, but this ring proves we're all just craving wearable tech that doesn't look like tech at all.
When the original Oura Ring debuted in 2015, it was a chunky band with the heft of rings awarded to World Series winners that pretty much swallowed the entire base of your finger. It's since slimmed down considerably, so much so that most men can already pass it off as a wedding band. For women, on the other hand, it's still a pretty obvious conversation starter.
With the $400 Oura Ring 5, the company practically delivers on the fantasy of invisible technology hidden inside jewelry. And this alone may be worth the extra $50 above the price of the Oura Ring 4.
The full lineup of Oura Ring 5 options, with two new finishes (a lighter gold and deep rose). Oura/Viva Tung/CNET
Easy on the eyes and finger
At 6mm wide and 2mm thick, the Oura Ring 5 is still larger than my actual wedding band, but it feels dramatically smaller on the finger. Oura says it's 40% smaller than its predecessor, and next to my Ring 4 and the Ultrahuman Ring Pro I'm currently testing, the difference is blatantly obvious.
It's also a subtler, more realistic shade of gold now: less costume jewelry, more fancy night at the symphony gold. Oura also added deep rose to its lineup, a rich copper-toned finish that joins the existing silver, black, brushed silver and stealth options in sizes 6 through 13.
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