Ever wanted a health tracker that doesn’t blink, buzz, or scream, “Look at me!” on your wrist? The Oura Ring 4 might be your quiet, competent little coach—one that minds its own business while tracking your body like a pro.
Let’s Talk Design: Sleek, Stealthy, and Surprisingly Light
The Oura Ring 4’s design is cleaner than its predecessor. The Gen3 had noticeable sensor bumps. Those are gone. Gen4 is all smooth titanium, inside and out. No ridges. No excuses.
You get six finishes: silver, stealth, gold, rose gold, black, and brushed silver. There’s also a fancy ceramic line for people who want their tech to match their aesthetic. It feels like jewelry. Not fitness gear. It doesn’t catch eyes unless someone’s really staring at your hands.
Sizes range from 4 to 15. No half sizes. But Oura ships a free sizing kit, so you’re not guessing blindly. It’s waterproof to 100 meters. So yes, you can shower, swim, or sit in a sauna without worry.
What’s New from Gen3?
A few key changes:
- Flat sensors: They’re recessed, which means the ring sits better. Feels like it belongs on your hand.
- More sensors, smarter algorithms: Oura calls it “Smart Sensing.” Sounds like marketing fluff. But honestly? It works. The ring adjusts itself depending on how it’s sitting on your finger.
- Better battery: You’ll get 5–8 days between charges. That’s up from 3–4. Big win.
- USB-C charging dock: Looks nicer. Charges faster. Not backward-compatible, though.
What Exactly Does It Track?
Sleep
This is Oura’s strong suit. It tracks sleep stages (REM, light, deep), bedtime heart rate, breathing rate, and latency (how fast you fall asleep). You’ll get a Sleep Score every morning. Ranges from 0 to 100. If it’s below 70, maybe rethink that midnight Netflix binge.
What sets Oura apart: consistency. In testing, it picked up naps. Not many wearables do that.
Readiness
The Readiness Score is the “should you push today or chill” number. It looks at sleep, HRV, resting heart rate, temperature, and recent activity. Above 85? Go crush that HIIT workout. Below 70? Maybe stretch and drink some water.
Activity
Tracks steps, calories, active time. It also auto-detects workouts. Not always flawlessly. Sometimes it thinks you’re doing cardio when you’re folding laundry. But it learns. And you can edit any errors in the app.
Heart Rate and HRV
Monitors heart rate continuously. HRV is measured mostly at night. This is key for stress and recovery tracking. Compared to chest straps and medical-grade devices, the numbers hold up well. Especially impressive for something this tiny.
Temperature
This one’s a sleeper feature. The ring logs your skin temp all night and builds a personal baseline. Useful for spotting illness early. For women, it helps track cycles. Oura even syncs with Natural Cycles for fertility planning.
Blood Oxygen
SpO2 monitoring happens while you sleep. Helps detect breathing disturbances. It’s not as deep as a sleep lab, but it gives a good early warning system.
Stress and Resilience Scores
New metrics based on HRV and resting heart rate trends. Oura gives you a snapshot of how you’re handling life. It won’t cure your stress, but it might stop you from overtraining when your body’s screaming “not today.”
The App: Wellness Nerds, Rejoice
Oura’s app got a glow-up. You’ll see three tabs now—Today, Vitals, and My Health. Each one focuses on what matters. No fluff.
The Timeline feature lets you tag moments. Ate pizza at 11 PM? Tag it. Did yoga? Tag it. After a week, you’ll start noticing patterns. “Turns out, greasy food and sleep don’t mix.” Shocker.
There’s also a new AI coach—Oura Advisor. Ask it stuff like, “Why is my readiness score so low?” and it offers actual suggestions. Not just “sleep more.”
Integration’s solid. Apple Health, Google Fit, Strava, Dexcom, Natural Cycles—all accounted for. But no notifications or buzzing. It’s a wellness tracker, not a smartwatch.
Comfort and Durability
Let’s cut to it: this thing is comfy. Once it’s on, you forget it’s there. No bumps inside, no sensors poking your skin. It’s light—just a few grams.
Durability? Top notch. The titanium holds up. Yes, it scratches eventually. Everything does. But it’s not fragile. You can wear it to the gym, on a hike, or while doing dishes.
It doesn’t shift much either. That snug fit is a blessing. No awkward twirling like with chunky rings. It also won’t snag on clothing or gym equipment.
Performance: Is It Actually Accurate?
Short answer: Yes. Especially with sleep. It nails when you fall asleep, wake up, and what stages you hit. Several reviewers compared it to professional sleep monitors. Oura held its own.
Heart rate? Almost as good. We tested it against chest straps, and while not perfect, it came close. Good enough for daily health tracking.
Steps and activity are where it’s solid but not perfect. It doesn’t track intense workout metrics. You won’t see VO2 max or GPS routes. But it gives you an honest look at movement and effort.
One hiccup: auto-logging can jump the gun. We had it log a “workout” while standing in line at Starbucks. But again, you can fix this in the app.
How Does It Compare?
Gen4 vs Gen3
Gen4 feels like a complete evolution. Better comfort. Longer battery. More accurate sensors. If you already own Gen3 and it’s working, there’s no panic to upgrade. But if you’re buying fresh? Go Gen4.
Other Smart Rings
We tried Ultrahuman and RingConn too. Oura wins on software and accuracy. Others have solid features, but Oura feels more refined. Like comparing a Honda to a Tesla—both drive, one just has more polish.
Watches and Bands
This isn’t a fitness watch. It doesn’t buzz with texts or show your running pace. If you need coaching, GPS maps, or music controls, stick with Garmin or Apple Watch.
But if you just want to understand your sleep, recovery, and stress better—Oura nails it.
Who’s It For?
Pros
- Anyone who hates wearing watches
- Folks curious about their health, sleep, and stress levels
- Women tracking cycles or fertility
- Busy people who need passive tracking
Cons
- Competitive athletes needing GPS, pace, and power stats
- People who need notifications on their wearable
Final Thoughts: Small Ring, Big Data
Oura Ring 4 isn’t trying to be everything. It doesn’t yell at you to stand up or ping every notification. It quietly collects your health signals and gives you clear, daily insights.
It’s sleek, accurate, and thoughtful. Is it perfect? No. But it’s probably the most discreet health tracker that actually delivers.
For anyone who wants fewer distractions and more clarity—this one’s worth considering.
(And hey, at least it won’t buzz during dinner.)
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