Key Highlights
- Enhanced Sensor Design: The Oura Ring 4 features an advanced sensor design and upgraded algorithms, providing precise tracking throughout the day.
- Comfort and Aesthetics: With a newly embedded sensor design, the ring boasts a smoother interior, increased comfort, and a more compact profile compared to previous models.
- Expanded Size Options: The Oura Ring 4 now offers a wider range of sizes, enhanced pressure data analysis, and a redesigned app for a more seamless user experience.
The eagerly anticipated Oura Ring 4 has finally arrived, introducing a refreshed version of my favorite smart ring. This latest model comes with significant upgrades in both physical design and software functionality. According to Oura, the battery life has been extended to eight days—one day longer than its predecessor, the Oura Ring 3. The new ring features a sleeker aesthetic, innovative sensors, and refined algorithms to enhance overall tracking accuracy. Additionally, Oura is rolling out a revamped app to improve how users interact with their data.
Available for purchase starting at $349, the price varies based on color selection. While I haven’t had the opportunity to experience the new ring firsthand yet, I am particularly excited about these standout features of the Oura Ring 4.
Oura Ring 4 Overview
The Oura Ring 4 represents the latest advancement in Oura’s line of smart rings. This generation boasts a redesigned sensor and innovative algorithms that tailor their functionality to the unique shape of your finger throughout the day, resulting in more precise tracking and data. Additionally, the Oura Ring 4 introduces a more inclusive sizing option, accommodating a broader spectrum of finger sizes for a comfortable fit.
5 Surprising Features of Your Oura Ring You Might Not Know About
While the Oura Ring 4 is celebrated as one of the most stylish and effective sleep trackers available, it offers much more than just sleep monitoring. Here are five intriguing features you might not be aware of:
1. A Smooth Interior Design
Say Goodbye to Sensor Bumps!
One of the most visually appealing upgrades in the Oura Ring 4 is its innovative sensor design. Unlike the previous generation, which featured a raised inner dome sensor, the Oura Ring 4 incorporates embedded sensors that create a completely smooth inner wall.
While the older model’s raised bumps were not uncomfortable for everyone, some users reported irritation or dryness with extended wear. The sleek, low-profile design of the Oura Ring 4 not only enhances comfort but also allows for continuous wear, leading to more consistent data tracking.
For those who found the third-generation ring a bit bulky, this new design represents a significant improvement, making it more appealing for everyday use.
Relevant
Can smart technology really bring so much help to your fitness regimen?
The full answer will vary from person to person, but here’s my fellow fitness enthusiast take.
2 Multiple upgrades for higher accuracy
New materials, newer algorithms and better sensors
Oura Ring 4: Enhanced Sensor Technology for Superior Accuracy
The innovative sensor design of the Oura Ring 4 goes beyond mere comfort. While the previous iterations already boasted impressive data collection capabilities, Oura promises even more accurate results with its latest model.
Smart Sensing Technology
Oura has introduced smart sensing technology, which utilizes advanced algorithms and research-grade sensors tailored to adapt to each individual’s “unique finger physiology.” This includes various factors such as skin color, body mass index, and age, ensuring that the ring provides personalized and precise data.
Advanced Sensor Improvements
A significant contributor to the enhanced accuracy lies in the updated sensor system. The Oura Ring 4 features an 18-path multi-wavelength photoplethysmography (PPG) subsystem, which more than doubles the signal paths compared to the Oura Ring 3, which had only eight. This advanced sensor system dynamically adjusts throughout the day to identify the optimal signal path, minimizing data gaps and delivering more reliable tracking.
Durable All-Titanium Construction
Another notable improvement in the Oura Ring 4 is its all-titanium construction. While previous versions utilized a titanium exterior with an epoxy coating on the interior, the new design reduces weight while enhancing durability. The titanium material effectively blocks stray light, which Oura claims contributes to more accurate sensor readings, ultimately leading to improved performance and reliability in tracking health metrics.
The Best Smart Rings for Distraction-Free Health Monitoring
Smart rings offer a seamless way to monitor your health without adding another screen to your life. Among the most notable options is the Oura Ring, which recently conducted an external study comparing its third-generation model to the latest Oura Ring 4.
Key Findings from the Study
In August 2024, a study involving 60 participants in a nighttime sleep clinic assessed the performance of both Oura Rings alongside other sensors, including heart rate monitors and brain activity monitors. The results highlighted significant improvements in various health tracking metrics:
- 120% Improvement in Signal Quality: The accuracy of blood oxygen sensing (SpO2) measurements improved, resulting in nighttime average SpO2 readings that are now 30% more accurate.
- 15% Increase in Respiratory Impairment Index Accuracy: The study noted a 15% enhancement in the respiratory impairment index (BDI).
- 7% Reduction in Daytime Heart Rate Gaps: The data gaps in daytime heart rate readings were reduced by 7%.
- 31% Reduction in Nighttime Heart Rate Gaps: Similarly, the nighttime heart rate chart showed a 31% reduction in data gaps.
Oura emphasized that individual results may vary, but the study demonstrated substantial progress, particularly in challenging cases.
Addressing Common Sensor Limitations
One of the significant advancements with the Oura Ring 4 is its ability to improve data collection for users with darker skin tones or tattoos—areas where traditional light-based sensors often struggle. Oura claims to have developed a solution that allows for accurate data acquisition across diverse skin types, further enhancing the utility of smart rings in health monitoring.
3 Expand size with Oura Ring 4
Oura Ring 4: Expanded Sizing Options for Everyone
The Oura Ring 3 previously catered to a limited audience, available only in sizes 6 to 13. This exclusion left individuals with particularly small or large fingers unable to enjoy the benefits of this advanced health tracker. Thankfully, the Oura Ring 4 has addressed this issue by expanding its size range to include sizes 4 to 15. This enhancement means that a broader spectrum of users can now access the valuable metrics provided by the Oura Ring.
In comparison, Samsung’s Galaxy Ring is available only in sizes 5 to 13, giving the Oura Ring a slight edge in terms of inclusivity.
It’s important to note that the dimensions of the Oura Ring 4 have changed slightly from its predecessor. Therefore, existing Oura Ring users looking to upgrade may not need to order the same size as their previous ring.
To ensure the best fit, Oura recommends using its Oura Ring 4 Sizing Kit. Even for current customers, this kit features a white ring sizer—an upgrade from the black sizer used in previous versions—helping users find their perfect size with confidence.
4 Improve daytime stress data
Better understand when and where you feel stressed
Oura: Understanding Stress and Recovery
Oura has introduced a daytime stress indicator designed to help users identify situations that may elevate their heart rates and how various forms of exercise influence their stress levels. This information is crucial, as stress can significantly impact multiple facets of our lives, including physical health, sleep quality, and overall mental well-being.
One limitation of the existing system is that stress data is not continuously monitored throughout the day. This makes it challenging to distinguish between stress from mental challenges—like work-related pressure—and stress induced by physical activities. It’s important to remember that not all stress is detrimental; for instance, exercise is a positive form of stress, along with mental challenges such as cold exposure or completing crossword puzzles. Gaining a clearer understanding of the different types of stress can empower users to utilize this information more effectively.
Dr. Mari Karsikas, Oura’s Director of Product Science, states, “Our vision is that our members will be able to understand their physiological stress and recovery responses, identify behaviors in their lives that contribute to stress and recovery, and find the balance between stress and recovery.” She adds, “Members will learn to recognize how meetings, social gatherings, exercise, alcohol consumption, and other life events impact their bodies. It’s like the parable of the frog in boiling water: we hope this tool will help members realize when the water is getting too hot, so they can respond accordingly.”
