Latest news with #OnePlusWatch3
Forbes
15-05-2025
- Forbes
The OnePlus Watch 3 Completes The OnePlus Mobile Ecosystem
OnePlus has steadily been building one of the most coherent and competitive ecosystems in the Android universe. After evaluating the OnePlus 13, I really wanted to delve into the ecosystem because of how much I enjoyed using the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 and how much I wanted to try out the OnePlus Watch 3. As shown in the image above, the company has really unified its products with a single design language and has built an extremely cohesive lineup that I believe offers a genuine alternative to Samsung's Galaxy ecosystem. The OnePlus Watch 3 builds on the best elements of the OnePlus Watch 2, adding a few refinements including an upgraded co-processor and enhanced crown. The Watch 3 comes with a larger 1.5-inch display, compared to the 1.43-inch display of the Watch 2. The new display is capable of 2,200 nits of peak brightness, versus the 1,000 nits of the preceding generation. While the resolution remains the same across both models, the new display is much easier to see. Both models have stainless steel cases, but the Watch 3 comes with a titanium alloy bezel for better durability. The Watch 3 also adds a rotating crown with haptics, which is a welcome UI improvement. It also has a 30% bigger batter at 648 mAh (versus 500 mAh in previous model). The stated battery life for the new model is 5 days or 120 hours of use, compared to 4 days or 100 hours for the Watch 2. It also comes with the upgraded BES2800 co-processor, which is more efficient than the BES2700 in the Watch 2. OnePlus also upgraded the sensors in the Watch 3 to add ECG, skin temperature and fall detection, although it does not offer ECG in the U.S. because of FDA regulations. In my experience, the OnePlus Watch 3 emanates quality, and the battery life is truly impressive. That's why so many people see it as a competitor to Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra, especially since the two watches share the same screen size and similar battery capacity. The biggest difference is that the Galaxy Watch Ultra offers cellular connectivity and wireless charging via Qi. The price difference is a difficult one to assess because the OnePlus Watch 3 debuted at $329, but then — after tariffs — went as high as $499 before settling (at the time of publication) at $349. For comparison, the Galaxy Watch Ultra now sells for around $500, down from $650 on Samsung's site. When paired with the Ohealth app on the OnePlus 13, the OnePlus Watch 3 is a powerful device. I also found myself frequently using the OnePlus Buds 3 Pro, which OnePlus offers in multiple colors, including a blue that matches the phone and the optional blue wristband for the watch. I personally think that this is not only one of the best combinations of devices in the Android ecosystem, but also one of the best-looking. The Buds 3 Pro provide a superior listening experience with superb audio quality that pairs well with the fitness capabilities of the Watch 3. This has become my default workout combination, and I think the watch is well-equipped to be both a lifestyle and a fitness watch depending on the band that you use. While I don't think that Ohealth is quite as good as the Fitbit app or other top-tier fitness apps, in my opinion it's not far behind Samsung's health app (although the Samsung app supports more devices). While I didn't use a OnePlus tablet along with these devices, that option does exist; if you used it, you could truly have a complete Android ecosystem that rivals Samsung's for a very competitive price. OnePlus doesn't offer a fitness ring like Samsung, nor does it have any recently launched foldables, but I do think that with the OnePlus Watch 3, Buds 3 Pro and OnePlus 13, the company offers a competitive and comprehensive ecosystem of devices. OnePlus has shown once again that it can deliver an impeccable product at a fairly good value, although that value has been muddied after launch by tariff issues. After a bit of tariff whiplash on pricing, the OnePlus Watch 3 is competitively priced and offers a lot of watch for a reasonable amount of money. I still use mine for workouts and enjoy the comfort and big screen for controlling my music and tracking my exercise. Beyond that, it's a great complement to the OnePlus 13 phone and the OnePlus Buds Pro 3, both of which have impressed me even more than their predecessors. Now, if only we could get a OnePlus Open foldable in the U.S. market again, that would really complete the brand's lineup. Alas, we already know that's wishful thinking — and certainly isn't happening this year.
Android Authority
09-05-2025
- Android Authority
5 reasons why I can't ditch my Apple Watch for Android smartwatches
Joe Maring / Android Authority Android smartwatches are in a great place in 2025. From a hardware perspective, there have never been so many quality watches to choose from — with Google, Samsung, and OnePlus all offering excellent options. The software is solid, too. Wear OS 5 is Google's smartwatch operating system at its most reliable, and we should see significant upgrades soon with Wear OS 6. Having worn a OnePlus Watch 3 for the last few months, I speak from experience when I say there's never been a better time to be in the Wear OS camp. The OnePlus Watch 3 is a stupendous wearable, offering a classy design, fantastic battery life, and robust health features I've thoroughly enjoyed using. It's a prime example of what an Android smartwatch looks like when it's firing on all cylinders. Having said all of that, I recently took off OnePlus's smartwatch and replaced it with my Apple Watch Ultra 2 I was wearing before it — and I don't see myself going back any time soon. As much as I like the OnePlus Watch 3 and as strong as the Wear OS platform is right now, there are a few things about the Apple Watch that I just can't quit. Do you use an Apple Watch or Wear OS watch? 0 votes Apple Watch NaN % Wear OS watch NaN % Other (let us know in the comments) NaN % I don't wear a smartwatch NaN % 1) App and accessory support Joe Maring / Android Authority The Apple Watch has long had an upper hand over Wear OS wearables in terms of third-party developer and accessory support. It's a discrepancy that's existed for years, and whether it's fair or not, it's a big reason why the Apple Watch works better for me. As far as third-party apps go, there are a handful of Apple Watch apps I use regularly that simply aren't available on Wear OS. Spark, my email app of choice, has an excellent Apple Watch app that makes it easy to browse my inbox and archive junk emails from my wrist. While there's a Spark Android app I use daily on the OnePlus 13, there's no Wear OS version to speak of. The same is true of 1Password, Authy, Delta, and Oura. Each one has an Apple Watch app I've found quite helpful, but when I use a Wear OS watch, they're nonexistent. Joe Maring / Android Authority It's a similar situation for third-party accessories. Since the Apple Watch has been around for years — and has used the same watch band system and charging mechanism all this time — there are ample choices for watch bands and charging docks that work with it. Nomad is one of my favorite accessory brands, making Apple Watch bands and docks that I use daily. I also have an AUKEY Apple Watch/iPhone/AirPods charging station that's been a godsend on my nightstand. There's no shortage of high-quality Apple Watch accessories like this, and it's a level of support you simply don't get with a Google Pixel Watch 3 or Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. 2) Apple Fitness Plus integration Joe Maring / Android Authority I've been subscribed to Apple Fitness Plus for a couple of years now, and it's far and away my favorite workout service I've ever used. The treadmill workouts regularly kick my butt and push my running endurance, while the strength training programs have helped me stay consistent with improving my upper and lower body strength. The real kicker of Fitness Plus is how seamlessly it works across the Apple Watch and iPhone. In addition to the exercise and trainer quality, the real kicker of Fitness Plus is how seamlessly it works across the Apple Watch and iPhone. When you start a Fitness Plus workout from your iPhone, it automatically begins on your Apple Watch. During the workout, health stats from your Apple Watch are displayed on your iPhone screen — including your heart rate, burned calories, and distance. Particularly during treadmill exercises, seeing those numbers without glancing at my wrist is a massive convenience. It lets me keep a constant eye on my heart rate to see if I'm pushing myself hard enough without ruining my running form by having to always stare at my wrist. It's one of the things I miss the most when I'm wearing a Wear OS watch, and when you use Fitness Plus multiple times per week like I do, it's difficult to live without. 3) iMessage notifications Joe Maring / Android Authority iMessage. Love it or hate it, it's something many of my friends and family members use, and that means there are iMessage notifications I like to stay on top of throughout the day. When I use a Wear OS watch paired with my Android phone, I simply don't get those notifications on my wrist, resulting in many missed messages and late replies. However, when I wear my Apple Watch, this isn't an issue. All of my iMessage notifications appear as expected, ensuring I don't miss anything important. There's not much else to say here. iMessage isn't my messaging platform of choice, but that doesn't change the fact that so many people I know use it daily. And if I want to stay on top of texts from them, I need to wear an Apple Watch instead of a Wear OS one. 4) Apple Music app Joe Maring / Android Authority Apple Music is my music streamer of choice. It's been so for a few years now, and it'll likely continue for the foreseeable future. I've tried ditching Apple Music for competitors, but try as I might to get away, I keep coming back to it. On the Apple Watch, Apple Music works flawlessly. I can browse the entire Apple Music catalog, download songs from my library for offline playback, stream songs independently from my iPhone with an LTE connection, and even control Apple Music playback from the HomePod mini speakers in my office. There's no such Apple Music app available for Wear OS, and because of that, none of this is possible when I'm wearing something like the OnePlus Watch 3. And as a daily Apple Music user, that's a difficult roadblock to overcome. 5) Other quality of life features Joe Maring / Android Authority Finally, while not as important as the things outlined above, there are a few other smaller Apple Watch features I miss whenever I'm in the Wear OS camp. One of those is something I've complained about a couple of times already this year. Wear OS doesn't natively support multiple timers, and it's a mind-boggling omission. Whether cooking dinner or keeping track of the washer and dryer on laundry day, I often run multiple timers at once, and I prefer to have those on my wrist rather than on my phone. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch runs multiple timers without breaking a sweat. Similarly, for basic voice commands to set a timer or create a reminder, Siri is far and away better than the current Google Assistant experience on Wear OS. Not only is it significantly faster, but I also love being able to issue these commands even when my Apple Watch isn't connected to my iPhone. Siri being able to process some basic tasks on-device without a required internet connection has proven legitimately useful over the years, and it's functionality I've missed repeatedly while wearing the OnePlus Watch 3 these last few months. The Apple Watch is the best fit for me Joe Maring / Android Authority At this point in the article, it should be apparent that almost all of these reasons hinge on my personal use habits. If you don't use Apple Fitness Plus, don't talk to people who use iMessage, and don't subscribe to Apple Music, you're much less incentivized to use an Apple Watch over the many Wear OS options available. But if you do find yourself using those Apple services — and you prefer strong app/accessory support and more reliable voice commands — the Apple Watch's superiority is awfully hard to ignore. That's not to say Wear OS watches are bad, but depending on your priorities, an Apple Watch may just make more sense. Depending on your priorities, an Apple Watch may just make more sense. That's ultimately where I find myself. I'm a big fan and proponent of Wear OS, and given the chance to try a new wearable running the software, I'm on it. But when it's time to pick a smartwatch that fits me and my life the best, that title still belongs to the Apple Watch. It has for years, and pending any dramatic changes, will likely stay that way for a while to come.
Stuff.tv
26-04-2025
- Health
- Stuff.tv
I went inside the secret China lab that'll make your next wearable more accurate
Wearable tech has come a long way in a relatively short space of time. Two decades ago, recording your heart rate meant being wired up to an ECG machine, or wearing a chest strap 24/7. Now your smartwatch can do it with a tap – and throws in step count, blood oxygen levels and a sleep report for good measure. Today's fitness trackers are stuffed full of sensors and can accurately chart hundreds of different sports, activities, and exercises. Those sensors don't do much by themselves, though. It takes a small army of doctors, analysts and software engineers to translate their readings into data the average gym-goer can understand. Oh, and a Health Lab stuffed with fitness equipment, for gathering all the data in the first place – like the one OnePlus officially opened in early 2025, and invited me to see first-hand ahead of the OnePlus Watch 3 going on sale. The 4,840m² facility has been in the works at the firm's Guangdong, China HQ (shared with parent company Oppo) since 2023. Things have moved at a lightning pace since, at least internally. Director of Data Technology Dr. Yelei Li told me getting clinical approvals for features like the ECG took over a year. Not that the various teams were short on things to do in the meantime. The entire ground floor of the Health Lab is a shrine to sweat. The open-plan layout is split between different sports and activities, and surrounded by a running track. It has the weights and benchpress to make a strongman jealous; a floor-to-ceiling climbing wall; badminton and basketball courts; a golf simulator; and plenty of cardio kit including treadmills, rowing machines and exercise bikes. A lot of the kit looked box-fresh, and the running track hadn't accumulated the many trainer scuffs. Unsurprising, given it had only been open a few months when I visited. So far, so high school gymnasium. It's only once I spotted the medical equipment for recording blood oxygenation (SpO2) levels during exercise, and the multiple sets of motion tracking rigs for recording body movements, that I clocked this isn't just for employee downtime. Each station is here to create baseline figures using the best scientific equipment available; the data analysis team then works out how to match that with what the Watch sensors are able to measure, and crafts fitness algorithms for each specific sport. Casual fitness fans that aren't fussed about cycling and boxercise are catered for by the gait analysis station. OnePlus brings in volunteers from all walks of life for these tests, including people with physical disabilities, to help its accelerometers deliver an accurate step count no matter your circumstances. You can bet rivals all have similar setups of varying scale. You don't have to be a gym bunny to work here. The multiple teams (split across hardware, data science and clinical) spend most of their working days coding, researching and in lots of cross-department meetings. The workouts and tests are performed by volunteers brought from outside the business, including a mix of professional athletes and amateurs. Wednesday afternoons are the exception, Dr. Li tells me. 'In the afternoon we go out for running, or badminton, or other sports. This is not so common for other countries. I used to work in the US, we usually had lunch meetings and went right through the day!' Outside of testing (and when not working up a sweat themselves), the teams spend a lot of their time on the second floor, where things get a lot more scientific. There are medial examination rooms here (complete with waiting room, just like a doctor's surgery), a hypobaric chamber to test the effects of altitude during exercise, and the sleep lab. Which, before you ask, has been soundproofed so heavy snorers don't disturb the staff in adjoining rooms trying to get on with their day jobs. What you won't find here are rows of OnePlus watches. The Watch 3's numerous algorithms were all fine-tuned long before it hit mass production, so the Health Lab's value today is collecting and analysing even more data so the next generation of devices are even more capable. Not that my visit gave any clues as to what those devices might be – though Dr. Li agreed with me that smart rings have a certain appeal to people who don't like wearing a watch. Which sports and activities will get the 'professional' treatment, like the Watch 3's Running, Tennis, Cycling, and Skiing modes, are also a mystery, as are what the next health tracking advances will be. Non-invasive glucose monitoring and cuff-less blood pressure monitoring are seemingly the wearable world's next to Everests. OnePlus is part of a global blood pressure research programme and has been working with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) companies, but both would require more lengthy regulatory approvals before you'll see them in a consumer gadget. The next big thing might be AI – because your wrist wasn't going to avoid artificial intelligence forever, was it? Dr. Li envisions an evolution of the 'recovery time' metric found on a lot of contemporary fitness watches. Rather than bombard you with data, your watch will suggest going easy on the snacks or a shorter, lighter workout if you've had a poor night's sleep. 'The smartwatch should be more like a personal assistant. It should only give you insightful information, not all of it.' We're still in the early research stages now, though. That leaves the OnePlus Watch 3 to fly the flag for the Health Lab for the time being. Its much-improved fitness and health tracking suggest the firm's the €13.5 million (around £11.5m) investment here has already started to pay off.
Forbes
18-04-2025
- Forbes
The OnePlus Watch 3 Ticks Most Boxes–Except For One Missed Feature
One of my biggest issues when testing smartwatches—and I test a lot of them—is that I can never seem to keep them charged. After a few days, I find myself with a dead watch on my wrist and I'm scrounging around for the charger. This lack of battery life is just one of many features OnePlus sought to address in its latest flagship smartwatch, the OnePlus Watch 3. Announced in January but delayed until April, the OnePlus Watch 3 is now available for shipping–and I'm especially intrigued because its battery was built to last for multiple days. I tested the OnePlus Watch 3 for two months, taking into consideration battery life, software and ... More more. But how do the rest of its features stack up? That's what I sought to find out, especially considering that some important features aren't coming to this flagship smartwatch. I wore the OnePlus Watch 3 for a couple of months, taking into account its battery life, health tracking metrics and other key features, to see how it stacks up against its competition. Here are my thoughts on design, features, battery life and more. OnePlus Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Battery life: Up to 16 days | Operating system: WearOS | Optional apps: Yes | Waterproof rating: IP68 with 5ATM | Case size: 47.6mm Best for: Skip if: First things first: This watch is a big device. I already have some of the thinnest wrists my physical therapist has ever seen (his words, not mine), but this watch looks borderline cartoonish on me and feels similar to the similarly massive Galaxy Watch Ultra. That said, I don't mind it, because it's pretty lightweight. The large display makes for easy at-a-glance readings, too; I don't feel I have to squint to read anything on the display, and that's a boon. The rotating crown is fully functional, and I'm obsessed with it. OnePlus added one distinctive feature to this smartwatch that I really liked: the rotating crown. One of the big complaints I have about smartwatches in general is that yes, some models feature a rotating crown, but it's usually not fully functional. It might rotate, but then don't expect to get a full button press, or vice versa. OnePlus's rotating crown lets you rotate through the OnePlus software and click to make selections. I had forgotten what it felt like to have a fully functioning rotating crown, and I must say I missed it. On that front, OnePlus knocked it out of the park. It particularly comes in handy for using the WearOS software or navigating through the various apps. Two things are notably absent from this device: the ECG monitor and OnePlus's 60-Second Health Check-in feature. The ECG monitor will not be coming at all, and 60-Second Health Check-in will be available in the second quarter of this year, according to OnePlus. While my review unit supposedly came with this feature for testing, I could never get it to work. Use the rotating crown to zoom in on the app library the OnePlus Watch 3 offers. I'm bummed about the delays and absences. And due to my heart murmur, I really want to keep an eye on my heart health. OnePlus released a statement, saying, 'As the OnePlus Watch 3 did not receive official certification from the U.S. FDA on its ECG capabilities, the ECG Analyzer feature on the OnePlus Watch 3 will not be available to users in the United States or Canada.' That actually points to a bigger problem in that FDA approval is paramount to a lot of these health tracking features. You can track your heart rate with the smartwatch as well as your heart rate range, but don't expect much more. Aside from heart tracking, I found the rest of the health features useful, and the software is easy and intuitive to use. Swipe right and you can program the compilation to show you a summary of your health stats, including steps, active time, activity sessions and more. Those at-a-glance sessions seem to encourage me to get up and move around more consistently than feedback from my smart rings, and I'm not entirely sure why. You can set goals—I've configured mine so I move around hourly, at least 12 times a day—and it uses a chart to show my progress. If I had to guess, I'd say there's a part of my brain that doesn't like to see gaps in the chart, so I'm motivated to move around and make sure there aren't any gaps. The OnePlus Watch 3 looks smaller than the Samsung Watch Ultra but it's just as bulky on my wrist. I also enjoyed looking at my sleep data, which is located in two different places for some reason: the watch and the O Health app. The watch does a splendid job of breaking down your insights into an easily digestible series of watch complications filled with charts, percentages and more. You can also get a Sleep Score when connected to the app, but my favorite feature was checking breathing risk levels and my average breaths per minute. It sounds silly, but sometimes it registered breathing risks on the rare occasion I snored. Aside from health tracking apps, the watch holds a library of other apps as well. To get to them, press the rotating crown. You'll only get widgets, not text, so if you're not sure what you're looking at, use the rotating crown to zoom in for text. I loved this feature, as you can use your finger to move around the display and tap open your desired app. You can also switch between 'planet view' and 'grid view' depending on your preference. It's also pretty good at monitoring your fitness routine without requiring you to register your activity up front. After I started a walk in my neighborhood, for example, it retroactively began a workout session, which I found useful and accurate. I cross-tested it with a couple smart rings and found that it kept in sync the most with the Oura Ring 4. Considering that I named the Oura Ring 4 the best smart ring after testing, that also speaks to the high accuracy of the OnePlus Watch 3. If you're looking for battery life above all other considerations, the OnePlus Watch is an easy choice. In comparison, in my testing of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, I noticed that I was only able to get a couple days of battery life before it screeched at me to recharge it. When we tested the Apple Watch Ultra 2, it could get up to 60 hours, but only when the device was in power saving modes. The OnePlus Watch lasts me for an impressive five days before I need to recharge it, and that's with sleep monitoring on, which of course is a notorious drain on battery life. If you put it on power saver mode, it can last over two weeks, which feels like a borderline ludicrous number, but it does live up to that claim. That puts the OnePlus Watch 3 on par with the best smart rings on the market, and it easily surpasses its own watch competition, too. It also charges fast—it hits the claims of 80% in 30 minutes, according to my testing. It's tempting to make this my main smartwatch, and if it wasn't for the bulk, I probably would. If you're looking for a smartwatch and value battery life above all else, the OnePlus Watch 3 is a great option. It can last for days on a single charge after putting it through its paces, and that's with some pretty intensive tracking features turned on. If you're put off by bulk, then opt for a smaller Android sibling like the Google Pixel Watch 3 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. Just keep in mind that for that smaller footprint, you're sacrificing a lot of your battery life. There is also another important factor to note that may sway your decision. At its January announcement, the OnePlus Watch 3 was set to retail at around $330. As of today, the cost on the OnePlus website is $500, a massive $170 increase. If I were a betting woman, I would say that's because of the pendulating tariffs that have lately dominated the news cycle. As of right now its competition—mainly Samsung and Apple—have yet to hike their own prices for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and the Apple Watch Series 10. But, at the same time, if the OnePlus Watch 3 is a sign of trends to come, $500 may be the new cost for a smartwatch that was originally in the sub-300 range. It's also worth noting that with the tariffs still in flux, the cost may increase or decrease. There's no guarantee. Still, while I wouldn't pay $500 for a smartwatch, you may feel differently. I tested the OnePlus Watch 3 for two months, wearing it daily so I could test its health metrics offerings as well as its tracking accuracy. I cross-tested the smartwatch's health tracking against a few other wearable devices, including the Oura Ring 4, the RingConn Gen 2 Air and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. In addition for testing comfort and health metrics tracking, I also dove deep into the software, considering standout features that may appeal to some users as well as drawbacks that were worth noting. Because OnePlus focused on the battery life for this smartwatch, I also noted battery life. I checked how quickly the battery on the watch charged and how long the battery lasted on power saving settings as well as during regular everyday use. During my testing, I also considered different types of users for this flagship smartwatch. I've been a tech journalist for over six years, including more than a year as the consumer tech and electronics editor at Forbes Vetted. In addition testing home entertainment products, like the best gaming TVs, I have also tried out most of the latest smart wearables currently on the market, from the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses to the Apollo Wearable and more. Most recently, I tested the best smart rings, which are essentially fitness trackers and are comparable to the OnePlus Watch 3. When testing wearables, I focus on aspects of products that I think are of interest to everyone. For this story, I considered casual folks who want to use a smartwatch for casual fitness tracking to fitness enthusiasts who are training for their next event or outdoor adventure. I also regularly cross-test products against the competition to see how each device performs. When I'm not testing wearables, I'm a home entertainment expert, geeking out over the latest gaming TVs and the best TVs for bright rooms. One of my favorite past times is testing the latest wireless earbuds to hit the market, too. I also spend plenty of time testing the newest mobile devices. I've deep-dived into the Apple ecosystem with the iPhone 16 Pro and reviewed many Android devices, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Google Pixel 8. Most recently, I tested the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Health
- Forbes
The Best Smart Rings, According To Rigorous Testing
Smart rings have exploded in popularity thanks to their ability to report heart health and sleep insights, all in a tiny package. They can also do it while requiring less frequent charging than smart watches—often just once per week. After testing a slew of smart rings over the course of several months, I picked the Oura Ring 4 as the best smart ring overall. It has the most comprehensive, detailed health tracking of any smart ring I've tested (if you can stomach the price and accompanying subscription). After my testing, only a handful of rings tick all my boxes for a great smart ring, and while the Oura Ring 4 provides what feels like a veritible mountain of health data, there are other options that don't require a subscription. The RingConn Gen Air 2 was my best budget pick (and it's my personal favorite for its slew of health insights in an affordable, sleek package). Of course, if you're a Samsung user, the Samsung Galaxy Ring brings AI-powered features like Energy Score to your finger. Here are the best smart rings, based on months of rigorous testing. Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Weight: 4-6 grams | Dimensions: 7.9mm wide, 2.8mm thick | Material: Lightweight titanium with non-allergenic, non-metallic inner molding | Battery life: Up to 8 days | Full charge: 80 minutes | Compatibility: iOS and Android | Durability: Water resistant up to 328 feet | Sizing: 6 to 13 Best for: Skip if: The Oura Ring has had skin in the game for some time, and the latest model, the Oura Ring 4 launched to great buzz last fall. After all, the small, sleek ring tweaked some important features. Underneath most smart rings, you'll find some form of sensor domes that measure your health metrics. Oura managed to reduce their footprint so that they're barely perceptible when wearing the Ring 4. This bucks the trend, and I'm all here for it. The software is expansive—and if you're looking for an in-depth fitness tracker, you'll be pleased with this ring. It takes a couple weeks to learn your body's average metrics, so don't panic when you open the app and it doesn't give you in-depth, detailed data straightaway. Once it does, though, you can get real-time heart rate tracking, body temp readings and more built specifically to your body's trends. I was impressed by the sheer volume of data this ring offers. But at the same time, if you're just seeking a casual ring, this data may feel simply overwhelming. Still, it had surprisingly accurate predictions, and I really enjoyed the heart rate tracking and step tracking. I cross-compared both to two different handheld devices, the OnePlus Watch 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Ring. It fell within a couple hundred steps of the Samsung Galaxy Ring, while the OnePlus Watch 3 stayed mostly in sync with the Oura Ring 4. The data it can track is also ever-expanding, including menstrual and ovulation tracking enhancements and medical studies partnerships announced earlier this year. I also loved that the smart ring tracked physical activity like housework which contributed to my overall daily activity stats. If you like tinkering with your health insights and making truly deep dives into your health stats, you can open the Oura Labs feature in the app and do just that. You certainly don't have to comb through the data, but it's available if you want it. One of my biggest gripes about the ring: its durability. For a ring that has so much data, and for a company that keeps adding more software and AI-powered features, it scratched way too easily for my taste. If you're planning to use this during hardcore workouts or while scrubbing sinks, this is not the ring for you. During testing, I found that everyday use left deep marks on the device. Also, the ring requires a subscription to unlock all the features. I get why most people pay it, because it does feel valuable. But at the same time, subscription fatigue has fully set in for me, and if the cost per year was any higher than the $70 annual fee, I don't think I would pay it. Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Weight: 2.5 to 4 grams | Dimensions: 6.8mm wide, 2mm thick | Material: Stainless steel, Aerospace-grad titanium or titanium, depending on color | Battery life: Up to 10 days | Full charge: 90 minutes | Compatibility: iOS and Android | Durability: IP68 | Sizing: 6-14 Best for: Skip if: My personal favorite, the RingConn Gen 2 Air, took me by surprise—and not because of its affordable price tag. When I opened the box and placed it on my finger, it was the smooth 'square' shape the ring's exterior has that threw me off. It may look odd, but I found this to be the most comfortable smart ring that I wore during all my testing. The sensor domes are significantly larger compared to all other smart rings I tested, but this didn't bother me (though your mileage may vary). I also noted that this was hands-down the most 'durable' ring I tested. At one point, I accidentally scraped it against my cast iron stovetop, and upon inspection, it still looked brand new. Still, after wearing it for over a month, it did get scratches. They're just not as noticeable as the other rings. The app itself uses a visual 'flower' metaphor for its health tracking that has four petals, called Wellness Balance: Sleep, Relax Status, Vitals Status and Activity. Here, you can see each rating on a scale of 100. Below the Wellness Balance, you can see and take a deeper dive into your sleep stats, activity tracking, stress levels and more. One of the most important things I noted: When I had a mild fever, this ring caught my temperature was elevated by 0.57 degrees Celsius. It doesn't give you the more detailed, minute-by-minute breakdown that the Ultrahuman does, but it can tell you that your temp rose and when it's an anomaly. On the other hand, when I brought this temperature data to a walk-in clinic appointment to get checked for the flu, the physician waved my data away and told me those results weren't helpful to him. And this was the only ring I tested to detect that—for some reason—at around 4AM, my heart rate plummets consistently, night after night. The Gen 2 Air registered this as a heart abnormality, even going so far to say that if it continues being a trend, I should consider seeing a doctor. It also uses AI to build plans based on your habits to set activity goals or help improve your sleep, and it adjusts on a weekly basis. I personally didn't find it very useful, but it was a nice extra to have when I did click on it. Still, this ring, for all its perks, wasn't as effective as I'd like. Remember that fever I mentioned? The ring didn't seem to notice that I was awake in the middle of the night for two hours, and told me I slept well (spoiler alert: I didn't). And in speaking with Girish N. Nadkarni, MD, MPH, Director of the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health and the Irene and Dr. Arthur M. Fishberg Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, sleeping data can vary with an error rate as high as 30%. You can review your sleep ratings, but it still can be off by a pretty darn big number. It also takes a minute for the ring to upload your stats from when you open the app before you can see them—and that's frustrating, especially when I'm used to opening an app and reviewing data immediately. Plan to contend with sync delays with this device. And then there's the app-based workout feature. In order to track workouts, you need to open the app and mark what you're doing (if it's anything aside from walking). It tracks steps and activity levels in general, but if you want more accurate workout statistics, you'll feel underwhelmed with this ring. Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Weight: 2.4 to 3.6 grams | Dimensions: 8.1mm wide, 2.4mm thick | Material: Titanium with Tungsten Carbide Carbon coating and medical-grade hypoallergenic epoxy resin inner molding | Battery life: Up to 6 days | Full charge: 120 to 180 minutes | Compatibility: iOS and Android | Durability: Water resistant up to 328 feet | Sizing: 5 to 14, sizing kit sold separately Best for: Skip if: The Ultrahuman Ring Air may not be the bulkiest smart ring I tested, but it feels a little thicker than the Oura Ring 4. It's also similar to the Oura in that that the sensor domes aren't very prevalent—and unless I knew what I was looking for, it would be hard to distinguish the two, with the exception of two features. That's because the Ultrahuman Air's sensors are placed firmly at the bottom in a 'flat' area. This spot should be placed firmly on the bottom of your finger. It can be difficult to see where that is without checking for it, which leads me to my next point: While the Oura Ring 4 has a 'notch' on the other ring's shell to help you keep the sensors in the correct position, the Ultrahuman Air has no such exterior indicator. That's a poor design choice, as you may have to constantly check its positioning. One of my biggest beefs with the Ultrahuman Ring Air: If you tend to type with enthusiasm like I do, slamming your keyboard with your fingers, it will register keystrokes as steps. Just one example: As I write this, I've only taken 1,457 steps today according to the RingConn Gen Air 2. The Ultrahuman Air, on the other hand, has registered 3,110 steps—a drastic difference. On average, it's about 2,000 steps off, give or take. That's a problem. But its true claim to fame, and why it makes my list, isn't so much fitness tracking as sleep tracking. In fact, sleep tracking is stellar and comes with plenty of extras that help you learn more about your sleep patterns and habits. It tells me how I slept the previous night with impressive accuracy. When it told me to hold off until a certain time to drink my morning coffee, I was shocked—it told me my optimal caffeine consumption window was much later in the day. I felt it nailed this spot on, considering the early afternoon is when I complete the brunt of my workday tasks. It also breaks down various caffeine drinks, including coffees, teas and sodas, and lets you know exactly when you should stop consuming each to improve your sleep at your preferred bedtime. It also tracks your circadian rhythm. I also wore the Ultrahuman Ring Air during that bout with a fever—and it registered a 0.29-degree Celsius raise in my skin's temperature. What separated this ring from the RingConn, however, was that it also registered a skin temperature 'plummet' when I began experiencing chills and showed me how long those chills lasted. It also was more accurate in tracking my sleep metrics that night and registered how much less sleep compared to the RingConn. And, when this illness slammed me, it also registered my sleep debt, recommending heading to bed an hour early to get up to 10 hours of sleep for recovery. Cycle tracking is robust, too, and factors in conditions like PCOS/PCOD, thyroid issues and endometriosis as well as checking whether you're on any birth control. But the app itself takes some time getting used to. I felt it was the least intuitive out of all the smart ring apps I tested, by far. The app also packs extras under a section called Metabolism, where you can find meditations, workouts and sleep routines. Some of these audio guides are as little as four minutes, but the sleep routines include sleep stories that hover between 20-40 minutes. The workouts section breaks down your weeks and shows you a day-by-day exercise regimen. It's useful—if you plan to use it as your main fitness routine. Still, it syncs nicely with the ring to provide useful information, from heart rate to oxygen levels so you can review and optimize your exercise routine. Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Weight: 2.3 grams | Dimensions: 7mm wide, 2.6mm thick | Material: Lightweight titanium with epoxy inner molding | Battery life: 6 to 7 days, depending on ring size | Full charge: 80 minutes | Compatibility: Android | Durability: Water resistant up to 328 feet | Sizing: 5 to 13 Best for: Skip if: The Samsung Galaxy Ring i s the first of its kind from Samsung, and that's what makes it a unique entry into the smart ring field. The rest of the smart ring picks were built for both iOS and Android users, but the Samsung Galaxy Ring has features that were designed expressly for Samsung users. That's both a good and bad thing, but more on that in a second. The Samsung Galaxy Ring comes with a boxy charger. Rebecca Isaacs for Forbes The design uses a concave shape to reduce the ring's footprint on your finger, and feels very comfortable after months of wear. My only beef with the build is that the shade I received—black—has visible wear and tear. It's not the end of the world, but if you're worried about your ring looking shabby, I recommend considering the other colors that Samsung offers. Samsung runs on the Samsung Health app, and the ring pairs seamlessly with this. Sure, you can pair it with another Android phone, especially if you're a Pixel user like I have been lately. But to get the most out of it, you'll want to set it up with your Samsung device. In addition to the usual metrics—heart tracking, activity tracking and more—Samsung phone users get access to the Energy Score, an AI-based offering that analyzes all your metrics, including sleep, to generate a number on a scale of 100. Depending on where it lands, it tells you to take a rest, exercise more or practice self care. But again, all that is locked behind Samsung's walled garden. When I swapped back to my Google Pixel 9 Pro, I was devastated to lose this feature, as during my testing, I lived and breathed this number. Still, don't take that number too seriously. There were times the Energy Score told me to rest up and I was a little too eager to flop onto the sofa and reach for my Amazon Kindle Paperwhite instead of staying active. Compared to the Ultrahuman Air, the Samsung Galaxy Ring didn't register any of my keystrokes as steps, which I appreciated, but you still have to register workouts to get the full data scope for your workouts. The battery is also great, lasting up to a week on a single charge. Larger ring sizes will last a tad longer, simply because their size allows them to hold a larger battery. And, of course, one of its unique claims to fame is the double pinch feature. Set it up with your Samsung phone and turn the double pinch feature on in the Galaxy Wearable app, and you can 'double pinch' to snap photos and selfies. That's especially great for content creators or folks that just want to capture that perfect moment. But again, it's only available on Samsung phone users. You can read my full review to learn more about the ring, too. To test the best smart rings, I wore each of them for a few weeks, but most I wore for months at a time, pairing them with the Google Pixel 9 Pro. Often, I wore a minimum of two rings simultaneously to cross-examine the status each ring showed to get a sense of how each ring recorded my health stats. I would check these stats throughout the day to see how each stacked up. As examples, I cross-checked how each ring recorded sleep cycles, daily walks and my temperature and stress levels during bouts of winter illnesses. In addition to deep diving into the sensor data, I also reviewed durability. Full disclosure: I am tough on my wearables, and so during testing, I carefully checked each ring after each week of wear to check for scratches, dents and more. Some rings held up better than others, and I made notes where applicable. I also fully investigated the accompanying software, checking each app for ease of use as well as layout and extra features. Additionally, I checked the charging case to see how much battery life it could provide in a pinch, and cross-checked the charge times with Samsung's claims. For most of the smart rings on this list, I attended press briefings to learn more about them, often before I even unboxed them. For some—in particular the Samsung Galaxy Ring—I attended roundtables with Samsung executives, including Dr. Hon Pak, Samsung's vice president and head of digital health team, Mobile eXperience Business, to learn the nuances of Samsung's wearable technology. I also spoke with experts to learn more smart rings and their nuances. In particular, I interviewed Girish N. Nadkarni, MD, MPH, Director of the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health and the Irene and Dr. Arthur M. Fishberg Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. I also interviewed Claudia Cometa, founder and CEO at Avanti Health Consultants. As the consumer tech and electronics editor at Forbes Vetted, I've been covering tech for over six years. Before I joined the Forbes Vetted team, I wrote about tech for other major publications, including PCMag, ZDNET, Digital Trends and more. My time testing smart rings focuses on everyone, from the casual folks who want simple, no-frills health tracking to the fitness enthusiast prepping for the next marathon. Based on my testing and research, including interviewing Girish N. Nadkarni, MD, MPH, Director of the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health, the best smart ring you can get right now is the Oura Ring 4. It, 'often matches clinical-grade measurements,' according to Dr. Nardkani, making it a great choice for monitoring your body's health trends. Based on my testing, I felt that my smart ring was much easier to use and monitor my health stats compared to wearing a smart watch. Dr. Nadkarni also adds that, 'Smart rings offer continuous, passive monitoring that creates personalized feedback loops. By tracking sleep patterns, heart rate variability and daily activity, they enable users to make small but meaningful adjustments—such as setting consistent bedtimes or optimizing workout intensity.' Additionally, they can also help you during recovery periods, whether you worked out a little too hard at the gym or you're recovering from a head cold or the flu. 'These devices provide recovery scores and readiness indices that guide better scheduling of exercise and rest, ultimately helping users build healthier sleep routines and smarter fitness habits,' he says. First and foremost, says Claudia Cometa, founder and CEO at Avanti Health Consultants, is comfort. 'If the ring doesn't fit comfortably on your finger or feels too bulky, you won't likely continue wearing it,' she says. To make sure you get a comfortable fit, 'Most ring brands allow you to purchase a ring sizing kit prior to purchasing the final product. This allows you to feel it on your finger and ensure you choose the most appropriate size,' she adds. Another important feature, Cometa says, focuses on the software itself, and the cost to access the data. After all, some rings like the Oura Ring 4 require a subscription to access all your health data. 'Some rings, like the Samsung, don't require an app membership,' adds Cometa. Battery life rounds out her list of top features recommendations. 'With the abundance of electronics in our lives that require charging, you may want to choose a smart ring with a longer battery life to limit charging frequency,' she says.
