I wore the Oura Ring 4 and RingConn Gen 2 Air. Here’s the one to buy

Just how different is the ownership experience between the Oura Ring 4 and the RingConn Gen 2 Air? There is a considerable price difference, both at the time of purchase and over time, so are you missing out if you get the RingConn Gen 2 Air, or is the Oura Ring 4 still the best smart ring to buy? I’ve worn them both together for the last four weeks, and can help you make a decision.

Specs

Wearing the two smart rings

The RingConn Gen 2 Air and the Oura Ring 4 both have their own unique style. The RingConn Gen 2 Air has a subtle squircle shape with two nubbins hiding the sensors on the underside, while the Oura Ring 4 is perfectly circular and has flush fitting sensors on its underside. While this suggests the Oura Ring 4 should be more comfortable, there really isn’t much in it.

It turns out a squircle is a great shape for a smart ring, as you don’t feel it as much between your fingers. Smart rings are thicker than a normal ring, so minimizing the feel will make it easier for ring newcomers to comfortably wear all the time. This is essential, as you won’t get the same data insights if you don’t wear a smart ring for, ideally, 24-hours a day. I haven’t felt the nubbins except for when it gets twisted around my finger, something entirely avoided by the Oura Ring 4.

The Oura Ring 4’s smooth underside makes it more slippery than the RingConn Gen 2 Air, and it moves around on my finger much more. It has never slipped off, but it’s not as snug or as grippy as the RingConn Gen 2 Air. Part of this is down to the choice of materials. The Oura Ring 4 has titanium on the upper and lower sections, while the RingConn Gen 2 Air has a stainless steel surface and a resin underside. Both the smart rings I’ve been wearing are the same size 11, and the Oura Ring 4 feels a tiny bit larger than the RingConn Gen 2 Air. The Oura Ring 4 comes in two additional smaller sizes than the RingConn Gen 2 Air, and I highly recommend using the sizing kits available from both manufacturers before making a final decision on your size.

There’s a greater choice of finishes with the Oura Ring 4 and only two with the RingConn Gen 2 Air. Both are water resistant to 10 ATM, while the RingConn Gen 2 Air also gets an IP68 dust and water resistance rating. I’ve been pleased with how the RingConn Gen 2 Air’s surface has resisted scratches and marks so far, but less so with the Oura Ring 2, which has collected a host of small scratches and scuffs. You’ll only notice when you look closely, but over time I think the RingConn Gen 2 Air will stand up to abuse better. I’ll also note neither has caused any skin irritation.

Any weight or size differences between the two smart rings are negligible and unnoticeable on your finger. I like the Oura Ring 4’s wider choice of finishes and appreciate the work that has gone into getting the sensors to fit flush against the underside, but in reality no-one will ever see it, and it hasn’t made the smart ring dramatically more comfortable to wear. Both are well made, well designed, and look great. You’ll be happy with either, but the RingConn Gen 2 Air’s squircle shape makes it both comfortable and unusual, plus it seems to be less prone to surface damage. It’ll take a narrow win here.

Winner: RingConn Gen 2 Air

What do the smart rings track?

Both the RingConn Gen 2 Air and the Oura Ring 4 are primarily sleep trackers, and sleep informs most of the insights provided about your readiness. Both smart rings can track some exercises and workouts, but the Oura Ring 4 is considerably more versatile. However, if you’re seriously into sport or want to track very specific exercises, one of the best smartwatches will be a better choice, either on its own or with a smart ring.

The RingConn Gen 2 Air tracks indoor and outdoor running, cycling, and walking. There’s no option to add in other workouts, or to activate the heart rate tracker when you’re at the gym. This will be enough for many people who are mostly interested in sleep and general wellness. If you want more, the Oura Ring 4 provides it.

Through the Oura app you can actively track indoor and outdoor running and cycling, walking, and there’s a general “Other” tracking mode where you can select from a host of different activities ranging from cardio and HIIT to rugby and swimming. The Oura Ring 4 automatically tracks activity, and while the RingConn Gen 2 Air does have an automatic workout tracking mode, it must be manually activated in the app.

I love that the Oura Ring 4 automatically recognizes housework and yard work, which can have a considerable impact on your daily activity. The app also allows you to manually add an activity later on, in case you forgot to track it. Activating the exercise tracking modes takes a few seconds for both, and each takes GPS data from your phone. Both connect with Apple Health and Google Fit. Oura also connects with Strava, Natural Cycles, Clue, Flo, Noom, Zero, Cronometer, and Wild AI.

Deciding between the two smart rings in this category is easy. If you really aren’t bothered about tracking exercise or third-party app integrations, and feel a basic overview of your daily health will be sufficient, the RingConn Gen 2 Air will be fine. However, the Oura Ring 4’s greater versatility, inter-app connectivity, and ability to automatically track a wide range of exercise and movement means it is not only more useful, but the data and insights it provides is far more in-depth. The Oura Ring 4 is close to being a full smartwatch alternative.

Winner: Oura Ring 4

Are the smart rings accurate?

Now you know what each smart ring tracks, how about the accuracy? I’ve worn the RingConn Gen 2 Air for four weeks now, and have been wearing an Oura Ring 4 since it was released in October 2024. Both are very easy to live with, as neither requires much interaction outside of syncing the apps. This happens almost instantly on the Oura Ring 4 and takes a few seconds on the RingConn Gen 2 Air. I have not had any connectivity issues with either.

During sleep both record heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), skin temperature, blood oxygen levels, sleep stages, and breathing rates. For the most part both smart rings return very similar data, usually agreeing on sleep stages, blood oxygen, and time spent asleep. The RingConn Gen 2 Air often records a slightly higher resting heart rate and HRV than the Oura Ring 4, but as it’s not wildly different, I don’t see it as a sign of inaccuracy. When tracking outdoor activities, the RingConn Gen 2 Air usually has a higher active calorie burn estimate.

I’ve felt confident both smart rings return data results which reflect my sleep and daily activity. I noted in my RingConn Gen 2 Air review about it highlighting an abnormality in my heart rate on one day, but this has not been repeated since, and I assume it was an outlier. The Oura Ring 4 did not register any discrepancy or change to my heart rate during the same period. I will also mention I’ve found the Oura Ring to be very good at recognizing when my body isn’t performing well. It has neatly tracked a fever when I’ve been ill, and its Symptom Radar feature is good at warning you when it spots signs you’re becoming ill, or are fatigued.

I haven’t been ill while wearing the RingConn Gen 2 Air, and while it has the same sensor array as the Oura Ring 4, it doesn’t have the Symptom Radar feature, or other informative data points like Resilience (which helps understand recovery), Heart Health, and Chronotype (which can help you find the right bedtime). Both smart rings provide a good general overview of your sleep and daily activity, but the Oura Ring 4 goes beyond the basics and provides several helpful features based on the data it collects. There’s more value to wearing the Oura Ring 4, but neither stands out as being more accurate than the other.

Winner: Oura Ring 4

What about the apps?

Both apps are available for iOS and Android. During my extended test, the Oura Ring 4 has been connected to the iOS app on an Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, while the RingConn Gen 2 Air has been connected to Android and a variety of different phones. Swapping between Android phones has been really easy with the RingConn, with no need to do anything other than to re-install the app, sync data with the cloud, and pair the smart ring. The app even automatically prompts you to pair the ring, making it a very easy process. Pairing a new Oura Ring with the app is also very quick and easy, and provided you back up your data to the cloud first, ther’s no interruption in historical data either.

The difference in tracking features across the smart rings is oddly not reflected in the apps. The Oura app contains a lot of data and information in general, and the layout does require more learning and time spent understanding where the data you find most important lives, but it’s friendly and welcoming to use. The RingConn app is less data-dense at first glance, and there are fewer screens to dig through. But when you start to explore, there’s are plenty of graphs and information to take in.

RingConn also shows key daily scores in a different way to Oura. It uses a “petal” graph to illustrate how close you are to goals and to show scores for sleep, relaxation, vitals, and activity. Oura goes in a different direction, showing individual scores at the top of the main screen and blocks below on your calorie burn, stress, and heart rate. There’s a separate tab showing “Vitals,” which is a repeat of what you see at the top of the main page.

The Oura app is excellent, and the redesign introduced with the Oura Ring 4 is well judged, mostly logical, and generally the data is informative. The RingConn app throws a lot of data at you provided you go looking for it. Even though it’s a relatively basic fitness tracker, it certainly doesn’t hold back on sharing the data its sensors collect. However, anyone choosing the RingConn Gen 2 Air likely won’t be a hardcore sports enthusiast, meaning not everyone will dig down into it all.

Neither go into much detail about what you should do with the data, but I really like Oura’s simple advice and handy features like the Symptom Radar. RingConn’s AI assistant answers pre-written questions about sleep and activity, which isn’t very helpful, but it reports on stress in a far more detailed and informative than the Oura app. Both contain a wealth of historical data the more you wear your smart ring. Both are great apps.

Winner: Draw

How long does the battery last?

I have worn both smart rings 24-hours a day for the last four weeks, and the RingConn Gen 2 Air’s battery lasts longer than the Oura Ring 4’s battery. I have so far got 10 days from the RingConn Gen 2 Air’s battery, which matches RingConn’s estimates. The Oura Ring 4 lasts six or seven days on a single charge. Both alert you when there’s less than a day of battery remaining, and that the smart ring will need charging before you go to bed.

Each comes with its own charging plinth which are made from metal and plastic, with the RingConn’s charger using a cool magnetic attachment to hold the smart ring in place. If you go away for a full week’s holiday, I’d say it’s best to take the Oura Ring’s charger, but it’s much less important to take the RingConn’s charger. Under normal circumstances when you’re at home, charging isn’t a concern. Put the smart ring on its charger when you’re in the shower, and it’ll never be short of power.

Winner: RingConn Gen 2 Air

How much do the smart rings cost?

The Oura Ring 4 starts at $349 and the app requires a $6 per month subscription fee to view all the data. If you don’t pay, it shows only your overall Readiness and other scores without any detail. The price of the Oura Ring 4 can change depending on which finish you choose. The RingConn Gen 2 Air costs $238 and does not have a subscription fee attached to it, and the two finishes cost the same.

It’s obvious the RingConn Gen 2 Air is the cheaper long-term ownership option. If price is a key consideration, it’s the one to buy. However, the Oura Ring 4’s materials, engineering, and additional features and third-party app connectivity do justify the extra cost.

Which one should you buy?

Our test has resulted in a draw, which considering how highly we rate the Oura Ring 4, shows how good the RingConn Gen 2 Air is. It’s a lot less money to buy and own, but outside of not tracking activity as comprehensively and being made of stainless steel instead of titanium, you probably won’t really notice providing you go into it understanding its limitations.

If you want a smart ring which comes close to matching the health tracking ability of a smartwatch, the Oura Ring 4 is the better choice. If you have no need for such extensive tracking ability, the RingConn Gen 2 Air will suit your life just as well. I think it’s really comfortable to wear too. If you’re taken by the squircle shape, take a look at the $359 RingConn Gen 2 smart ring, which has additional health tracking features, sleep apnea monitoring, and is made from titanium. I’ve also worn it alongside the Oura Ring 4 for a long-term comparison.

I find the Oura Ring 4’s extra features helpful, and do consider it worth the extra cost each month. It’s our top smart ring because such a great well-rounded package, the friendliness of the app and data presentation means it’s suitable for everyone, and it feels like a lifestyle piece rather than a tech product. The RingConn Gen 2 Air is far more of a tech product, but don’t let its “basic” feature set put you off, as it has repeatedly come close to matching the Oura Ring 4 in our long-term comparison. Both are excellent purchases.