
Smart Sensing
Oura Ring 4 builds on the success of its predecessor by adding better sensing technology for better accuracy and battery life. Plus, the all-titanium construction looks pretty good in any color.
for
- All titanium construction
- 8 days battery life
- 12 sizes
- Improving the accuracy of health monitoring
- Automatic Activity Detection (AAD) with HR data
against
- Don’t Find My Ring for Android
- Just a style
The trendsetter
AuraRing Gen 3 started it all and continues to impress years after its launch. Even with the latest Oura Ring 4, the Gen 3 model is one of the best smart rings on the market, with an impressive array of features and a great app experience.
for
- Two styles
- Great health tracking features
- All-week battery
- AAD is impressive when it works.
against
- The charger looks / looks cheap.
- Raised internal sensors can be uncomfortable.
- Reduced signal pathways for health monitoring
- There is no HR data with AAD.
The Oura Ring 4 is the latest and greatest smart ring from the Finnish company that started the wearable craze. However, the AuraRing Gen 3 was the smart ring that led the trend, thanks to its impressive feature set, battery life and small size.
When considering buying a smart ring, you might be wondering if you should still go for the old Gen 3 or splurge for a newer model. Even if you already own an Oura Ring Gen 3, you’ll want to know if it’s worth upgrading to the Oura Ring 4 for extra battery life and other improvements.
This comparison will help you decide between the two and if it’s worth swapping your Gen 3 for the 4, though the answer isn’t as simple as you might think.
AuraRing 4 vs AuraRing Gen 3: Design
At first glance, the AuraRing 4 doesn’t look all that different from the AuraRing Gen 3. The new model adopts the Horizon style of its predecessor, with a fully circular design, while the older Heritage style has a flatter “top” section. Where rings differ, however, is in materials and sensors.
Unlike the Gen 3, which has a titanium exterior and an epoxy interior, the Oura Ring 4 has an all titanium design, which should improve overall durability. Also, the sensors are now flush with the interior, while the AuraRing Gen 3 has three raised bumps where the sensors go. Flushing them makes the ring more comfortable to wear.
While the Heritage style Oura Ring Gen 3 only comes in four different colors and finishes, the Horizon style has six options, matching the Oura Ring 4 color options. This includes Black, Silver, Brushed Titanium (Brushed Silver for Aura Color 4), Stealth, Gold, and Rose Gold. What you pay for the ring will depend on the color you choose, and for the Gen 3, it will also depend on the style. For comparison, the most expensive Aura Color 4 Color is $50 cheaper than the most expensive Gen 3 Color, although the cheapest model is $50 more expensive.
In addition to the all-titanium design, the Aura Ring 4 has waterproof protection, meaning it should be protected at depths of up to 100 meters. The Aura Ring 4 is also available in a larger size than its predecessor, and the width remains the same, although the thickness is between the two Gen 3 styles, while the overall weight has been reduced.
AuraRing 4 vs AuraRing Gen 3: Details
In terms of specifications, the Aura Ring 4 is actually quite similar to the Aura Ring 3, with some differences in battery life, size options, and sensor layout (as well as certain types of sensors).
category | Aura color 4 | Aura Rang General 3 |
---|---|---|
Content | Titanium with physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating or diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating (Stealth) | Titanium exterior, epoxy interior |
protection | Water resistant to a depth of 100m/328ft | Water resistant to a depth of 100m/328ft |
Sensor | Red, green and infrared LEDs (heart rate, blood oxygen) | PPG sensor, red and green LEDs (heart rate, blood oxygen) |
Row 3 – Cell 0 | Digital temperature sensor | NTC sensor (night time temperature) |
Row 4 – Cell 0 | Accelerometer | Accelerometer |
Battery | Up to 8 days, up to 80 minutes charge time | Up to 7 days, up to 80 minutes charging time |
Connectivity | Bluetooth LE | Bluetooth LE |
Platform support | iOS (Apple Health), Android (Health Connect) | iOS (Apple Health), Android (Health Connect) |
Dimensions | Width: 7.9 mm | Width: 7.9 mm |
Row 9 – Cell 0 | Thickness: ~ 2.88 mm | Thickness: ~2.7mm (Legacy), ~2.9mm (Horizon) |
The weight | 3.3-5.2 grams (depending on size) | 4-6 grams (depending on size) |
size | 4-15 | 6-13 |
Color | Black, Brushed Silver, Gold, Silver, Rose Gold, Stealth | Black, Silver, Stealth, Gold, Brushed Titanium (Horizon only), Rose Gold (Horizon only) |
AuraRing 4 vs AuraRing Gen 3: Health Tracking
Both smart rings offer a standard set of health tracking features, including heart rate monitoring, SpO2, heart rate variability (HRV), temperature, and more. Oura Ring Gen 3 offers excellent health tracking features with its sensor array and algorithms. The ring also supports automatic activity detection, meaning it can detect different activities based on your movements. However, its features are somewhat limited, with automatically tracked activities only showing limited information such as calories burned.
Oura Ring 4 improves automatic activity detection by adding heart rate data when the ring automatically detects certain activities. You’ll get a graph of your heart rate, your average HR, and a view of your heart rate zones while activity was being detected, useful information for those seeking a more active lifestyle.
And while the Oura Ring Gen 3 is fairly accurate (though step counting is hit or miss), the Oura Ring 4 should be more accurate when measuring things like blood oxygen levels. This is thanks to Aura’s new Smart Sensing technology, which takes advantage of the new sensor array on the Aura Ring 4. Instead of static signals, the algorithm can find optimal paths while on your finger, which can help it stay as accurate as possible, even when the ring changes. Aura says this is also helped by the all-titanium construction on the new ring, and it has more than double the number of channels.
With smart sensing, the Aura Ring 4 should also be able to respond better to people with different finger physiologies, meaning users of different genders, skin tones and ages will benefit from improved accuracy.
As a result, Oura Ring 4 is 30% more accurate with blood oxygen readings than Ora Ring Gen 3. You’ll also get better heart rate monitoring with shorter intervals throughout the day and night.
AuraRing 4 vs AuraRing Gen 3: Which Should You Buy?
Truth be told, both smart rings are at the top of their class. The Aura Ring 4 is clearly the better ring, but the Aura Ring Gen 3 is still no pushover, and both devices are easily the best of other competing smart rings. That said, if you have to choose between the two, I’d recommend buying the Overa Color 4, and here’s why:
The Oura Ring Gen 3 was launched in 2021 and has managed to add a lot of new features to its collection, proving that smart rings have the kind of longevity and flexibility that a smartwatch deserves. Does not require annual model updates like However, it’s been a few years and AuraRing Gen 3 is apparently at the end of the line. Ora says it will continue to sell the Gen 3 but at a discount, and only once stocks run out.
Meanwhile, given what we know about the Gen 3, the new Aura Ring 4 will likely get the same treatment, gaining new features when available (and perhaps beyond). So, with the Aura Ring 4 just about to launch, it’s probably the best time to get one.
However, it’s a little different if you already are. is Gen 3. Oura doesn’t offer any upgrade perks or discounts, so there’s no real way to “upgrade” your ring, other than buying a new one. And while it sounds tempting (go for it if you’ve got the money), you might as well stick with Gen 3 until it dies completely.
Lord of smart circles
The Aura Ring 4 is a fantastic smart ring and perhaps the new best of the moment. Not only does it have better design and sensor accuracy, but it also has longer battery life and more available sizes to fit more people.
Still a great ring
The Oura Ring Gen 3 may be a few years old, but it’s one of the best smart rings on the market and probably the best health wearable out there, thanks to sensors and an impressive companion app that continues to grow. . More features.