Smart rings promise a world where you can monitor your health without awkward wristwear. Oura’s Generation 4 ring ramps this dream up with GLP‑1 signals on your finger: advanced sensors, long battery life, and sleek titanium design. But does it deliver meaningful wellness insights, or just stylish fluff?
In this review, I’ll analyze what Oura claims, how the ring supposedly works, assess the scientific evidence, flag major marketing red flags, and determine whether it’s a legitimate health tool or better avoided.
Key Takeaways
- Oura Ring 4 claims improved health tracking through Smart Sensing, tracking metrics like SpO₂, HRV, skin temperature, sleep stages, and stress.
- The hardware upgrade adds 18 adaptive signal pathways and recessed sensors inside a fully titanium ring for comfort and accuracy.
- In-clinic validation shows 30% higher SpO₂ accuracy, fewer gaps in heart rate data, and better sleep disturbance detection.
- Common user complaints include inaccurate step/activity tracking, battery and connectivity issues, and cosmetic wear over time.
- Requires a $5.99/month subscription for full feature access, adding to the ongoing cost.

What Is the Oura Ring Generation 4?
Oura Ring 4 is a wearable smart ring made entirely of titanium, available in sizes 4–15 and multiple finishes. It measures a wide array of health metrics using sensors inside your finger. It’s designed for continuous wear, including in water up to 100 m, and syncs with a companion app to display trends and wellness scores, requiring an active subscription for full functionality.
How It Claims to Work
The ring bases its efficacy on Smart Sensing technology:
- 18 optical signal pathways that dynamically adapt to changes in finger position, skin tone, or activity.
- Multiple LEDs monitor blood oxygen, heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration, and skin temperature.
- An accelerometer automatically detects over 40 activity types.
- Data is fed into AI-driven insights like sleep quality, cardiovascular age, and stress levels.
- New features include “symptom radar” for early health indication and fertility cycle tracking.
Together, these data streams form the basis of Oura’s wellness platform, promising proactive insights on recovery, activity habits, and stress.
The Reality vs. the Claims
- Independent validation confirms significant accuracy improvements over Gen 3: up to 30% better SpO₂ sensing, fewer gaps in heart rate data, and more reliable sleep-disturbance detection in a clinical study with 60 subjects.
- Multiple reviews (Wired, Guardian, Tom’s Guide) confirm enhanced comfort, expanded size options, and refined design. Battery life now ranges between 4 and 8 days depending on usage.
- However, activity tracking issues persist: Reddit users widely report overestimated, or erratic step counts, misclassified workouts, and distorted calorie burn data compared against benchmarks like Garmin or Apple Watch.
- Reports of battery failures, connectivity dropouts, or device hardware defects (e.g. chipping coating, failure to sync) are common and occasionally unresolved depending on support responsiveness.
- The device is not a medical device, though Oura distinguishes it from medical wearables. Some users report early illness detection, but responses emphasize wellness tracking rather than diagnostic use.
Red Flags To Consider
Subscription Costs Reduce Long-Term Value
At $5.99/month, access to insights becomes tied to ongoing payments. If membership lapses, much of the functionality disappears.
Activity Tracking Accuracy Remains Flawed
Users report grossly inaccurate step counts and workouts misclassified, in some cases overestimating by 80% or misinterpreting vehicular movement as steps.
Durability and Quality Concerns
Reports of paint chipping from titanium coatings and rings failing within days raise questions about long-term robustness.
Battery and Connectivity Issues
Several users report rings that die overnight or fail to sync reliably post-charge, even within the return window—undermining dependable tracking.
Does It Actually Work?
Yes, but only up to a point. Oura Ring 4 is excellent for sleep tracking, heart rate variability analysis, and overnight breathing and skin temperature trends, thanks to its Smart Sensing enhancements and clinical validation. Many users find actionable insights in stress and sleep scores.
However, its daytime activity tracking (especially steps and workouts) remains unreliable. The device struggled in trials to match dedicated activity sensors, and user reviews confirm persistent misclassification errors.
It works best as a sleeptime and recovery tool, not as a real-time fitness tracker. Buyers should weigh accuracy limitations before expecting full-body tracking parity with smartwatches.
Where to Buy & Price Point
- Available directly from Oura.com and through authorized retailers.
- Typical MSRP: $399–499 USD, monthly subscription at $5.99/month.
- Launch sales have offered prices under $300, but long-term subscription costs apply.
- Offers free sizing kit and standard warranty, though customer service feedback varies.
Alternatives
- Samsung Galaxy Ring.
- Amazfit Helio Ring.
- Ringconn Gen 2 Air.
- Fitbit Inspire 3 or Charge 6.
What To Do If You Got Scammed
Get a Refund
Notify your card issuer if unauthorized charges occur or returns fail. Retain all proof of purchase and correspondence.
Cancel Your Card
If repeat charges happen, cancel the card to prevent additional fraudulent activity.
Request a New Card
Contact your bank to issue a new card and flag the previous one as compromised.
Report the Scam
- IC3.gov – U.S. Internet Crime Complaint Center
- Your nation’s consumer protection agency
- Better Business Bureau – if purchased from a U.S.-based store or seller
Conclusion
The Oura Ring Generation 4 delivers genuine improvements in sensor technology, sleep tracking, and design comfort compared to Gen 3. For users focused on rest, cardiovascular recovery, or temperature trends, it offers meaningful value. But it’s not a universal health tracker. Activity tracking remains flawed, durability issues remain, and to truly access insights, you need a paid subscription.
Verdict: Worth it for wellness monitoring and sleep analytics, less so for accurate workouts or step tracking. For casual users, more budget-friendly and reliable options exist.
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