There’s a lot to consider when buying a smart ring, so use these tips to help you narrow down your choices and get the most out of them.
size: Some smart rings come in standard sizes, but there is some variation, and half sizes are rare. Most manufacturers will send you a free sizing kit, so you can wear a dummy ring for 24 hours to make sure you get the right fit. (You may have to buy the ring directly from the manufacturer to get this kit for free.) You should definitely do this. Keep in mind that your fingers swell and shrink throughout the day. Your smart ring should be snug to enable the sensor to measure accurately, and it will work best on your index finger (although the middle or ring finger may also work).
finish: All the smart rings we tested used sturdy titanium with a sensor array on the inside, but the coating and colors varied. If you pay a lot of attention to your ring, a silver or gold finish is best for you, as it’s less prone to damage. My Oura and Ultrahuman rings with black finishes started to show scratches and chips after a few months. The Oura and Amazfit rings have tiny dimples to help you align the sensors. Although I prefer Ultrahuman’s smooth finish, I think proper placement helps a lot with accuracy.
CareIf you want to avoid damage, you should remove your ring when working with tools, lifting weights, washing dishes or cleaning the sink. If your ring is likely to rub against a surface, take it off. I found that wearing the ring on the index finger was a bigger problem than on the middle or ring finger. I scratched the Oura and Ultrahuman rings while gardening, moving boxes and using dumbbells. Titanium is also strong enough to damage surfaces in your home. I gouged the porcelain of my sink and made marks on the inside of a mug with the angular RingCon. All of the smart rings we tested are water resistant, so you can swim or shower without taking them off.
Charge: Smart rings come with a charger and cable, but you’ll typically need to provide your own wall adapter. After they’re dead, they take anywhere from an hour and a half to three hours to fully charge, but you should avoid letting the battery drain completely, or else you risk losing data. We tested the smart rings above with all the bells and whistles turned on, so our battery life estimates are lower than what the manufacturers claim.
features: Most smart rings will track your sleep, heart rate and temperature. Smart rings are ideal if you want to keep an eye on your sleep and health in a non-obtrusive and convenient way. Fitness tracking varies, with most smart rings offering basic step counts and movement, some offering manual workout tracking and only the Oura and Galaxy Ring offering automatic workout recognition. But you can expect more depth and accuracy from a smart ring. Traditional fitness tracker Or smart watchIntegrating a smart ring with a smart phone Apple Watch Or Fitbit This makes for a seamless experience, allowing you to take off the watch and charge it at night without any lag.
