Oura Ring 30 Review: Unleashing Powerful Insights for Optimal Wellness

Key Points

The Oura Ring Gen 3 is slim and comfortable to wear, offering comprehensive insights into your daily wellness, including sleep, heart rate, and readiness.

The ring's measurements are highly precise, especially for tracking sleep, and offer valuable insights for improving your overall health and fitness routines. Although the Oura Ring may not be the perfect choice for those solely focused on fitness tracking, it offers a comprehensive perspective on your well-being.

I have never tried a smart ring, but the slim design and enhanced wellness insights of the Oura Ring Generation 3 prove that great things can come in small packages. This ring offers a range of helpful insights on sleep measurements, heart rate, blood oxygen, and daily readiness, delivering valuable information to users every day.

The Oura Ring Generation 3 is the smallest ring ever produced by Oura, yet it is packed with additional features that take its health metrics to a new level. These include improved temperature sensing and continuous heart rate measurement. Along with these advancements, there is now a required monthly subscription fee of $5.99. However, the insights provided by the accompanying app are so comprehensive that the subscription fee feels justified. Although I initially had doubts about the accuracy of a smart ring compared to a smartwatch, I was pleasantly surprised by its accuracy in most of its features. Nevertheless, I would not recommend the Oura Ring for individuals looking for a fitness-focused tracker specifically designed for training purposes.

The Oura Ring Gen 3 is not your average smartwatch. With an abundance of functionality, it sets itself apart by focusing on your well-being. This sleek smart ring offers innovative features, such as sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, and measuring your readiness for the day ahead and more.

OuraHeart Rate Monitor features green LEDs for its optical heart rate sensor. It supports notifications and can be connected to the Oura App, which works with Apple Health or Google Health Connect. The battery life lasts up to 7 days. It integrates with over 40 health and fitness apps. The health sensors include an optical heart rate sensor, blood oxygen sensor, Infrared Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors, skin temperature sensors, photodiodes, and a 3D accelerometer. It has an IP rating of water resistance up to 328ft (100m). The dimensions are 0.31in (7.9mm) in width and 0.1in (2.5mm) in thickness. The available colors are silver, black, stealth, gold, brushed titanium, and rose gold. The price ranges from $299 to $549. It has automatic activity detection for workout tracking with 80+ exercise modes. Additionally, it is lightweight and comfortable to wear.

• Accurate sleep measurements
• Long-lasting battery
• Cons A bit bulky
• Scratches easily
• Automatic fitness tracking is a hit or miss
• Oura $299.99 at Best Buy

Design: Comfortable When Worn

Cianna Garrison

The Oura Ring Generation 3 offers two design options: the original flattened top design known as Heritage, or the smooth and traditional band style named Horizon. Personally, I chose the Horizon design in Silver. Prior to receiving my ring, I used the brand's plastic sizing kit to ensure the perfect fit.

The design of the Oura Ring is understated yet elegant, with a thick and sleek band that complements any other jewelry one may wear regularly. However, as a cisgender woman who appreciates delicate pieces, I must admit that the Oura Ring felt a bit chunky on my finger, almost as if I were wearing my boyfriend's ring, even with its slimmer design.

It took me a few days to acclimate to the three sensors embedded inside the ring, situated on the underside of the wearer's finger. Eventually, I found the smart ring to be quite comfortable. However, during specific tasks like showering or cleaning, I felt the need to remove it due to concerns of potential scratching or misplacement caused by the slippery sensation when using soap. Oura provides a ring care guide advising users to remove the ring when engaging in activities such as scrubbing or handling metallic cookware – a recommendation I made an effort to adhere to. Despite my diligence, my Oura Ring still suffered noticeable scratches after a month of regular use.

My First Week with the Oura Ring Generation 3

It took approximately 10 minutes to set up the Oura Ring through the Oura app. Upon creating an account, the app requested certain personal details (such as height, weight, date of birth, and sex assigned at birth) and encouraged me to reflect on my overall objective for tracking wellness and improving sleep quality.

Upon initially using the Oura Ring, the app offered valuable guidance on its maintenance and provided insightful details regarding the anticipated experiences during my initial week. This effectively established the mood and instilled a sense of ease in navigating the app's interface.

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The Functions and Performance of the Oura Ring Generation 3

Cianna Garrison

The Oura Ring is designed for 24-7 wear, allowing me to wear it consistently throughout the day. I only took it off for cleaning, scrubbing, or showering, although it is safe to wear even during showers. Throughout this period, the Oura Ring diligently tracked various aspects of my health, including my sleep patterns, heart rate, oxygen levels, body temperature, overall physical readiness, as well as my daily exercise and movement.

Readiness Score

The Readiness Score I had proved to be extremely useful in determining whether I should exert myself during a exercise session or opt for some well-deserved rest. Oura's Readiness Score offers a comprehensive assessment of your body's preparedness for the day, considering factors such as sleep quality, heart rate, body temperature, and recent activity levels.

My Readiness fluctuated significantly on a scale of 0 to 100 over one month. The days when my Readiness Score was at its peak were when I felt well-rested. Conversely, the days with a low Readiness Score were when I was feeling unwell or hadn't had sufficient sleep. I experienced numerous days with an optimal score of 85 or higher, a few days with a score below 70 indicating strain and a need for recovery, and several days in the middle range of 70 to 84, signifying good recovery but not optimal.

One day, however, my Readiness Score didn't quite align with how I actually felt. Despite having an Optimal 86 Readiness Score, I experienced a constant sense of grogginess and found it challenging to motivate myself for exercise throughout the entire day. It was later revealed that I was beginning to come down with a cold. This particular instance was the only time my Readiness Score felt off, and it made perfect sense since Oura couldn't identify signs of illness unless there was a noticeable change in body temperature. Overall, I found tremendous value in gaining a comprehensive understanding of my body's strain levels, and I made it a point to heed the advice of resting whenever my Readiness Score was low. This approach greatly benefited me, allowing me to push myself harder during intense workout sessions.

Sleep Score

Every morning, I would participate in a satisfying routine of checking my Readiness and Sleep Score. The sleep data held significant importance to me, particularly because my Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 frequently identified less-than-optimal results in my deep sleep patterns. Those who utilize sleep tracking on their Apple Watches will likely find these fundamentals familiar.

Wearing the Oura Ring during my slumber proved to be remarkably comfortable; in fact, I would often forget that I was even wearing it. Similar to most smartwatches, the Oura Ring employs optical sensors and an accelerometer motion to detect when one is asleep. There was an instance during a tattoo session where I remained incredibly still, causing my Oura Ring to assume I had taken a brief nap. However, aside from this anomaly, the sleep measurements offered exceptional accuracy, accurately capturing moments when I unintentionally dozed off while watching television. Fortuitously, whenever my Oura Ring inaccurately recorded my sleep data, I had the convenience of easily editing the duration of my sleep.

Throughout the weeks, I watched my sleep metrics pile up. On average, my sleep quality was in Oura's "Optimal" category.

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Based on my sleep results, I found that I generally obtain good quality sleep. However, my sleep latency, indicating the time it takes me to fall asleep, tends to be either too short or too long. The Oura app suggests that the ideal time to fall asleep is between 15 and 20 minutes of lying down, but most nights I either fall asleep faster or slower than this range, indicating potential exhaustion or difficulties in relaxation. Additionally, the app prompted me to "pay attention" to my sleep timing until it could establish a regular pattern. Although I didn't expect Oura to accommodate my preference for staying up late, it surprisingly acknowledged that there is variation between morning and evening individuals on its Timing page, without labeling me as unhealthy.

After a week of monitoring my sleep habits, Oura adjusted my optimal bedtime window to be from 10:45 P.M. to 12:15 A.M. Interestingly, I usually go to bed around 11:30 P.M. or 12:30 A.M., which aligns closely with the revised 11:15 P.M. to 12:15 A.M. window recognized by Oura.

The Sleep Score section featured an impressive feature known as resting heart rate (RHR), an invaluable tool for monitoring cardiovascular health. With an average RHR of 57, my heart rate is slightly more efficient than the typical range of 60 to 100 beats per minute for adults. This result is a testament to the benefits of my running routine. Additionally, the Oura Ring provided valuable information on heart rate variability (HRV) and average blood oxygen levels, similar to the capabilities of the Apple Watch. In summary, the Sleep Score provided in-depth insights, advice, and graphs that surpass those offered by smartwatches.

Temperature-Based Period Tracking and a New Stress Feature

Given that Oura claims it requires approximately 60 nights to effectively grasp your body's temperature data, I won't conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Period Prediction feature. Nonetheless, I can acknowledge its usefulness based on my monitoring. Observing the fluctuation in my body temperature over the course of a month provided me with valuable insights into how it could correlate with my menstrual cycle.

During the drafting process, I came across a new addition to the Oura app called Daytime Stress. This feature, introduced in a recent update, impressed me with its ability to present a visual representation of my highly stressful day. The graph provided confirmation of my stress levels, attributing some of it to physical activity while highlighting the influence of a personal event. It was intriguing to observe how my Oura Ring detected these cues within my body.

Activity Tracking: How the Oura Ring Keeps Track of Your Lifestyle

Utilizing my Oura Ring, I monitored and recorded various physical activities like running, yoga, and walking. By doing so, I could track my workouts and assess my heart rate. Reviewing the heart rate data proved to be enjoyable and provided valuable insights regarding the intensity of my exercise regimen. On average, my heart rate reached 160 beats per minute, with a maximum rate of 180 beats per minute during running sessions. These figures were then compared against the "Target Heart Rates Chart" established by the American Heart Association.

The Activity tab for each day featured informative charts that showcased my activities categorized as low, medium, or high-level. It also displayed my progress towards achieving my Activity Goal, initially set at 10,000 steps but later changed to a 400 calorie burn. Additionally, the tab provided insights on the distance I walked, steps taken, and my overall Activity Score, which usually ranged from medium to optimal.

However, when I neglected to enable the "Record Workout HR" feature during walks, runs, or other activities, the accuracy of Oura in detecting my workouts became unpredictable. For instance, a one-hour walk would only be recorded as a mere 24 minutes on the Oura app. Certain walks and even my usual low-impact resistance band and yoga workouts went undetected as well.

I found Oura Ring's activity features enjoyable, but I had doubts about the accuracy of its step counts and distance totals. In comparison to my Samsung Watch 4, the Oura Ring consistently recorded 1,000 to 1,500 extra steps per day and underestimated the traveled distance. Additionally, there were instances where it registered unrealistic step counts on sedentary days.

Maris Jameson, the Senior Product Manager at Oura, explained it to me. According to Jameson, other wearables or apps may display varying step estimates due to the utilization of different activity categorization methods. The Oura Ring, on the other hand, employs a 3D accelerometer for activity tracking. This innovative technology monitors the movement of the ring in three dimensions: up and down, side to side, and back and forth. While this system effectively captures most of your daily activities, it is worth noting that all accelerometers, be it wrist or finger-based, encounter challenges when it comes to activities involving limited hand movement in one direction, no hand movement at all, or intense movement that is isolated to your hands.

Jameson also mentioned that the Oura Ring is continuously evolving to enhance its algorithms and features, specifically aiming to improve movement tracking, step counting, and Automatic Activity Detection.

Given this knowledge regarding intense hand movements, I am concerned that my Oura Ring may have inaccurately registered additional steps when I enthusiastically gestured during conversations with my best friend or energetically tackled cleaning tasks.

I found the "Rest Mode" feature of the Oura Ring quite enjoyable. It allows you to disable your Activity Goal and prioritize your recovery, making it a commendable feature. It serves as a reminder to users that sometimes all you need is to be gentle with your body and give it the time it needs to heal.

Battery and Charging

The battery life of Oura remained consistently impressive, surpassing the benchmark of lasting up to seven days on a single charge. On average, my Oura Ring only experienced a drain of 0.59% per hour or approximately 14% per day. Furthermore, the charging process was remarkably fast, boasting an average recharge speed of 61% within just one hour.

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Should You Buy the Oura Ring Generation 3?

The Oura Ring Generation 3 boasts unparalleled accuracy in measuring sleep and heart rate based on scientific studies. While it may not be the ideal choice for individuals seeking a fitness-focused tracker, the capabilities of the Oura Ring are truly remarkable. It is highly recommended for those who desire a comprehensive overview of their daily wellness factors, combined with the elegance of wearing a sleek ring rather than a bulkier watch. For individuals seeking more fitness-oriented tracking options, we suggest exploring the best fitness trackers of 2023, such as the Fitbit Charge 5 or the newer Fitbit Charge 6.

Available for purchase today, the Oura Ring starts at $299 for the Heritage style, and $349 for the Horizon model.

Introducing the Oura Ring Gen 3, a smart ring that surpasses smartwatches with its plethora of wellness-focused functionalities, including sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, readiness assessment, and much more.

Oura $299.99 at Best Buy