Oura Ring 5 Review

The headline story of the Oura Ring 5 is size. At 40% smaller than the Ring 4, and billed by Oura as the world's smallest smart ring, it is the kind of upgrade you notice the moment it goes on your finger. For a device meant to be worn around the clock, including in bed, that matters more than almost any new sensor could.

This is a ring for people who want passive, unobtrusive health and sleep tracking: sleep, readiness, stress and women's health insights without wearing a watch. It is not for athletes. Sports tracking is reportedly well behind even basic wearables. Existing Ring 4 owners should also note that most of the new features are coming to recent Oura rings anyway, so this is mainly a hardware and comfort upgrade.

Oura has made its excellent wellness tracker much easier to live with. The slimmer titanium body, tougher scratch-resistant coating and six finish options all make the Ring 5 feel more like jewellery than a gadget. Battery life of up to a week is a modest step up, though one reviewer cautions that part of that gain may come from comparing a new unit against a well-worn one.

• Comfort and design: The size reduction is the real achievement and the main reason to buy.
• Tracking breadth: More than 50 metrics across sleep, activity, readiness, stress, resilience, heart and women's health cover what most wellness-focused buyers want.
• Value: $399 up front plus $5.99 a month to unlock anything beyond basic daily metrics makes this an expensive long-term commitment. The optional $99 travel charging case adds to the cost.
• Innovation: Few or no hardware-specific features are new, so Ring 4 owners have little reason to upgrade unless size is a sticking point.

For first-time buyers who prioritise comfort and sleep insight, this is arguably the most wearable smart ring available. The subscription model, weak sports tracking and incremental feature set keep it from top marks.