A year after the Oura Ring 4 launched, we’re keen to see how it really measures up against its predecessor.
Considering the Oura Ring 4 scored 4.5-stars while the Ring 3 achieved a four-star rating, does that mean the newer model is easily the better option? Or can you make do with the Ring 3 and nab a decent price cut in the process?
To help you decide between the two, we’ve compared our experiences with the smart rings below. Once you’re finished here, make sure you visit our best smart ring guide to see other alternatives.
Price and Availability
Although the Oura Ring 4 has a starting price of £349 / $349, this cost can rise significantly, depending on the finish you opt for. For example, while the standard silver option is at the lower end, one of the recently announced ceramic options or the gold finish will set back £499 / $499 instead.
As it’s an older model, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the Oura Ring 3 is no longer readily available to buy directly from Oura. However, it is possible to pick up the Ring 3 from third-party retailers such as John Lewis, Amazon and more. While the price may vary, generally you can expect to buy the Ring 3 for around the £230 mark.
Design
- Oura Ring 4 is near-enough the same size as the Oura Ring 3
- Both have a 10 ATM rating but do tend to scratch quite easily
- Oura Ring 4 has 18 signal pathways compared to eight on the Ring 3
The Oura Ring 3 is available in two iterations: Horizon which was round and Heritage which had a flat-top. In comparison, the Oura Ring 4 only comes as a rounded model and is near-enough the same size as its predecessors. In actual fact, the Oura Ring 4 is slightly larger than the Heritage.
Even so, at first glance the Oura Ring 4 and Ring 3 look pretty similar to one another. The biggest difference between the two is with their respective sensors. The inside of the Oura Ring 4 is now made with titanium, and no longer resin, which not only makes the ring more comfortable to wear, but also houses 18 signal pathways. That’s up from eight in the Ring 3.
While Oura claims this boosts accuracy, and we did notice an improvement in data gaps compared to the Ring 3, overall we concluded the day-to-day difference was negligible.
Health and Fitness Tracking
- Sleep tracking remains a standout feature for Oura in both the Ring 4 and Ring 3
- Both support the most recent Oura app update, which includes meal tracking
- Neither offer a particularly reliable auto-workout detection
Considering that we were impressed with the Oura Ring 3’s health tracking features, the Oura Ring 4 had a lot to live up to. Fortunately, the Ring 4 continues to build upon the Ring 3’s success, with the likes of sleep-tracking and women’s health being class-leading.
The Ring 4, however, was the first to see the updated Oura app which organises tracking into different categories: Today, Vitals (for underlying health data) and My Health (long-term health trends). Plus, the updated app included meal tracking which allows users to take a photo of their meal so AI can detect the food items and deliver a detailed overview of its nutritional content.
One area which both the Oura Ring 4 and Ring 3 let itself down with is automatic workout detection. While we found running was generally reliable and tracked well, other activities were sometimes missed.
Having said that, the Ring 4 benefits from a better overall manual workout tracking experience. We also noticed the improved heart rate performance, which is all down to the additional sensors compared to its predecessor.
Battery
- In our experience, the Ring 4 saw around five days of battery life
- The Ring 3 saw slightly less battery life, with up to three days maximum
Although Oura made big claims with both the Ring 4 and Ring 3’s battery life, promising eight and seven days respectively, the reality isn’t quite as impressive. In fact, we found the Ring 3 offered around two to three days on a single charge while the Ring 4 consistently achieved around five days.
Not only does the Ring 4 offer a much-needed boost in battery life, but its charging puck is bigger and heavier than the Ring 3’s. While that might initially sound like more of a negative point, this means it’s much less likely to top over and move the Ring.
Verdict
Now it’s been succeeded by the Ring 4, it’s possible to pick up the Oura Ring 3 with a hefty price cut. With this in mind, if you want a cheaper way to get an in-depth look at your health metrics, then the Oura Ring 3 is a great alternative to the latest generation.
Having said that, with more than double the sensors, a more comfortable fit and a longer battery life, the Oura Ring 4 undoubtedly reigns supreme as the better choice between the two.
Remember to keep in mind that to use either the Oura Ring 4 or Ring 3, you’ll likely want to subscribe to its Membership plan. From £5.99 / $5.99 a month or £69.99 / $69.99 a year, while it isn’t technically a necessity, it is recommended to unlock all of Oura’s features.
