Why Oura Ring 5 is a watershed moment for smart rings

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Why Oura Ring 5 is a watershed moment for smart rings

Usually, when a brand unveils something new and the headline news is that they’ve made it smaller, any hopes of genuine innovation start to fade.

So, when I was invited to a secret meeting to see the new Oura Ring 5 for the first time (no photos allowed sadly) and the first slide in a presentation revealed that the new Oura was getting 40% smaller than the Oura Ring 4, I was more than a little disappointed.

However, once I picked up for myself, my reaction instantly changed. A smart ring that’s 40% smaller than the previous generation doesn’t really impact you until you see them side by side. Fortunately, I had my Oura Ring 4 Ceramic Edition on to compare, and the change in size was striking. This was now a smart ring that was much closer in stature to my wedding ring.

The shrinking of the Oura is a watershed moment for smart rings. That sounds dramatic, but if you’ve previously been on the fence about getting one, this may well be what convinces you.

The smart ring we’ve been waiting for

With the Oura Ring 5, we finally have a smart ring that actually looks and feels like a regular piece of jewellery. It’s dainty, elegant in the new finishes (particularly Gold and Deep Rose), and means you really can keep that tracking discreet.

Mike Sawh

It feels like this is what Oura has always set out to achieve, and now it’s got much closer to that dream.

The shrinking of the Oura is a watershed moment for smart rings

Seeing the evolution of the Oura from the more costume jewellery look of the original ring to the more recent ceramic models with the Ring 4, you can appreciate the design journey Oura has taken its ring on. Over time, it’s pushed for a smart ring that feels like a regular ring, whether that’s by adding new finishes or trying to make the sensor bump less prominent.

A statement of intent

The new Oura isn’t just about simply dropping in size. The sensors that do the all-important tracking have been reworked and signal pathways have been increased, all while not compromising on monitoring or battery performance, according to Oura.

You should actually see an improvement in tracking accuracy across a range of metrics and charge the ring less frequently as well. Win-win.

Mike Sawh

While this is a boost for Oura and fans of its smart rings, this is a blow for the number of subscription-free smart rings that have spawned over the last few years in an attempt to eat into those Oura Ring sales.

All of the recent rumours and speculation pointed to new Oura hardware in late 2027. That proved to be wide of the mark by some distance (for a change). With Ultrahuman and RingConn both launching new rings this month, it’s perhaps no coincidence that Oura decided to steal some of the limelight by launching its new ring at the same time with that major design breakthrough.

…the Oura Ring 5 feels like a blatant move to remind the competition that it was the original innovator

Those who have been paying close attention to the smart ring space will be aware of the legal wrangling where Oura is at the centre of, along with some of those rival smartwatch makers mentioned.

With that in mind, the Oura Ring 5 feels like a blatant move to remind the competition that it was the original innovator. While you might need a subscription to unlock its full tracking potential, it’s stolen a march on the competition.

A small price rise

As with a lot of tech in 2026, the Oura Ring 5 is more expensive than its predecessor.

It starts at £399/$399 for Black and Silver models, or you can step up to £499/$499 for Gold, Stealth, Brushed Silver and Deep Rose variants.

All five will be available from the Oura website, ahead of the Ring 5’s release on 4 June.

Of course, for anything beyond the most basic insights, you’ll need to pay an extra £5.99/$6.99 per month or £69.99/$79 per year for an Oura Ring Membership.

Whether it’s worth the outlay will, of course, depend on how it fares in testing. But if my first impressions of the new hardware and the software upgrades joining it are anything to go by, it could extend Oura’s lead as the best smart ring on the market.

While this is bad news for competitors such as Samsung, Ultrahuman and RingConn, it’s great news for the future of smart rings and for us all as consumers.

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